One of the most vocal opponents in Hollywood to President George W. Bush, the war in Iraq and the botched rescue of Hurricane Katrina victims declared peace with American politics this week with the election of Barack Obama as the next president.
“I was sitting on the edge of the bed with my family watching our new president-elect,” actor/director Sean Penn said Thursday night as he collected the Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the Los Angeles chapter of BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
“I have never been able to put the word ‘my’ before president before,” he added, prompting loud applause from the British-American film industry crowd that also honored actors Tilda Swinton and Don Cheadle and director Stephen Frears.
When not working on films — either acting or directing, which he did last year with “Into the Wild” – the Oscar winner has hopped on planes and ruffled feathers by touring Iraq and meeting with Washington foe Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president.
Penn will be making new waves with “Milk,” in which he plays Harvey Milk, the late San Francisco gay activist and politician of the 1970s. The Gus Van Sant film opens later this month on the heels of a stinging defeat for California gays, who saw their right to marry overturned at the polls this week.
While he may have made peace with American politics, Penn did use the stage to take a parting shot at another foe — ex-wife Madonna, playing Thursday across town at Dodger Stadium.
After searching for “my British thing to say,” Penn shouted “Guy Ritchie’s back!”
British filmmaker Ritchie and Madonna are divorcing after nearly eight years of marriage.
-Photo credit: Reuters/Fred Prouser (Sean Penn arrives at BAFTA Awards)
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sean peen is a communist. he should move to china, cuba or venezuela.
the man is a jerk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Posted by realist[...] a bit more optimism from M Obama? Or does he believe that everybody feels like Ashley Judd or Sean Penn who would certainly be as enthralled by his presidency as they are even if they had to sit around [...]
- Posted by Let Us Know When We Can Hope Again, Monsieur le Président « The French Cowboy’s PlainsAm I the only one who wants to punch this jerk every time he uses his celebrity to assert his politics? What is it about being an actor that somehow makes you an authority on running a country? I am always surprised that someone can enter a “profession” that requires not one bit of education and then is able to command the attention mindless boob tube zombies everywhere. Good Lord people, for your own opinions.
- Posted by Mike HudecheckIt appears from many of the comments herein that we are still a divided country. This divisiveness is part of the message the McCain/Palin ticket was promoting. Didn’t you listen to McCain’s concession speech? Not even John McCain would tolerate this continued negative rhetoric. Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but that’s all it is, an opinion. It is not clear to me why you are so opposed to Sean Penn’s opinions or are you just taking advantage of his comments to criticize Obama? It is also not clear to me why you are objecting to the phrase “my President”. You have stated your objection, but you have failed to state the reason(s) for your position. If the President elect is not your President, then who is? Your statements are about as stupid as Sean Penn’s. Whether you like it or not, the President elect will be THE President.
- Posted by Craig PuhrmannIf conservatives give The One the same amount of respect that the rabid liberals gave Bush, there would be howls of “you’re not being loyal to the president!” and “Show some respect!” etc.
- Posted by AnnWe as Americans do not “Give” our loyalty; politicians have to earn it. We do not have to show respect; politicians have to earn it. The only loyalty and respect we as Americans need show is to our nation, and to the United States Constitution. We do not owe our loyalty to these temporary occupants. They will be gone in four or eight years, but we remain. And all the wishing by Prince Buttercup that we remake America in the image that The One wants will fall on deaf ears. Prince Buttercup should put his money (literally)where his mouth is. If he truly has compassion for the people of the United States of America, if he really wants to do some good, he should sell all he owns, give it to Barack Obama to distribute and for the rest of his life, and work for minimum wage in any endeavor he introduces himself in. My bet is that he won’t. He thinks he’s better than that. Do not ever compare Obama to JFK, for JFK was a Catholic and give his salary to charities. Bill Clinton is the only President that raised the salaries of the congress, one of many of his big government spending, Obama cabinet is nothing more than the same polices of Bill Clinton, now due to the economy they will not be able to strip much they did a good job with sub-prime mortgages. I am not proud of my country (Carter, Clinton and Obama).
Obama will soon be ensconced in the Oval Office, with all the people who helped put him there lined up outside for goodies. At the head of the line will be Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. What will they ask for?
The three things that they want from a President Obama are more money for their contraception and sterilization programs, an end to any and all restrictions on abortions, and taxpayer funding, including funding for abortion itself.
Judging by what Obama has said over the course of the campaign, he will be happy to grant their wishes.
- Posted by AnnFirst of all, Barack Obama has pledged to pay for abortions with our tax dollars. According to his own web site, he is an original co-sponsor of the “Prevention First Act,”
What this reasonable-sounding languages disguises, of course, is the ugly reality that the Prevention First Act would actually force insurance companies to fund, doctors to prescribe, and pharmacies to dispense, abortifacient contraceptives. “Providing compassionate assistance to rape victims,” when translated into plain English, means forcing you and I to pay for morning after pills and abortions.
Second, Obama has also promised - in the strongest possible terms - to sign the radical Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which would prohibit the states from “interference with a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy prior to viability or … after viability where termination is necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.” It would also prohibit so-called “discrimination … in the regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or information.” If passed, the Freedom of Choice Act would nullify any and all restrictions on abortion, from parental consent laws, to waiting periods, to informed consent provisions, and the like. All of the hard work of pro-lifers over the past three decades would be swept away.
Our younger generation X cares, about the killing of Wolves, environment, world poverty, but I guess human rights of their own species apparently has no value – how sick is that! Before we give Obama’s other Bill 845 Billion dollars to World Provety Act – don’t you think we should fix America first? When business cannot afford to employ you, due to spreading the wealth and higher taxes and you do not have a job, maybe then you will wise up. And Please don’t tell me blacks are not racist your proof – 95 percent voted for him. I think what bothered me the most is he told Christians voters he was for Pro-Life. Anything to get a vote. I find it amusing that it was the 78 percent of the black vote that voted to ban gay marriages, but make no mistake – these new leaders with Obama have no intention of shifting focus from their big three issues: abortion, gay marriage and judges. Un-Godly Nation!