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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And when this Herbert Obama Hoover Pres. sends our fragile economy the rest of the way over into depression Sean can still be his loyal subject albeit standing in a bread line like everyone else.
Lie with the Devil, get the Devil’s due.
Hey Sean where did you go when the bombing started?
- Posted by SpeakupThat’s funny. That guy can now say “my” while suddenly I can’t even write the word ‘president.’ It always comes out “Messiah.” Even then, I keep writing the word “your” in front of “Messiah.”
- Posted by Bill Carson“I have never been able to put the word ‘my’ before president before,”
I read this headline and thought well aren’t you special.
You do not believe in democracy or a republic
You’re a self-centered Moron, who does not respect other people
A childish ingrate, pathetic really.
And then I clicked on the article and find out it’s from
Sean Penn!
Who woulda thunk it!
- Posted by InjestHey Jamaal Adam, now you know how I felt hearing “your” liberal whining while we were getting shot at. I don’t want to hear your croc tears about us being at war. Been there don’t that with a back-stabbing bunch of Dems back home.
And as far as the ecomony you don’t have to look any further than your Dem Congress, Dem run Fannie Mae Freddie Mac, AIG Leman Bros and Republicans 5 years ago and then 2 years ago in conference trying to reel them in. But no, Maxie Waters, Chris Dodd and Barney Frank said nothing to see here.
Sean Penn a true patriot. ROTMFingFLMMFingAO. I’m not a soldier but I play one in the movies. Jamaal, go back to your Dear Leader, I have some government hating to catch up on.
- Posted by hawkdriverWhat a complete DOOFUS! He apparently can only respect someone he agrees with? How small-minded and ignorant can people be? But we are talking about someone from Hollywood and they don\’t live in the real world anyway. Maybe he can go make another smear movie about a former president so he will feel better.
Every President is MY President whether I agree with them or not.
- Posted by MichaelJamaal, well said. All these bitter, hateful people actually have is their hate. Nothing else.
For your information, bitter haters and above all, LOSERS, the reason Sean Penn did not support “president” bush is because bush stole the presidency. Now we have a legitimately elected president after 8 years of letting a drunk clown completely ruin the country.
Enjoy boiling in your hate. The rest of us are moving on. We have work to do, a country to heal, and a nation to rebuild.
If you haters even spent one tiny bit of the energy you waste spewing hatred on comment boards doing something positive for yourself and others (uh, oh, would that make you a SOCIALIST? lol) your lives would be so much better.
Well. I’m off to do my volunteer work for animal rescue. Enjoy your day stewing in your own juices, haters of America.
- Posted by HelenWheelsThe few words said about the reaction to the Obama victory are very nice. I wanted to read more. Thank you, Sean Penn, for speaking up for truth and justice for all human beings.
- Posted by Rebecca HarlanYou know, I can understand Sean Penn’s frustration and anger and his summary rejection of Bush and neocons. He is brash, passionate and fearless while stating his opinion. It is because of his deep love and affection for America that he lashes out at those, who serve her ills by taking her to unnecessary wars, trampling on its civil liberties and severely damaging its reputation aborad. He is a true patriot and a decent human being. I can also understand that many of the hacks posting in this medium do not like Sean Penn. What I do not understand is why these same morons wish to hate Obama and declare that they do not consider him their president because Sean Penn now calls him “my” president.
- Posted by Jamaal AdamYep, Republican lemon-sucking sore losers (respondents: flordia property, Passionate Conservative and hawkdriver) making dim-witted remarks about Obama. In a time of exteme economic peril, two wars, high unemployment, all caused by Republican incompetent hacks and demagogues, all these bankrupt morons could think and feel is their hate of Obama. You can wallow in your sorrow, heat your blood to a boiling point, spew out your hatred and incessantly complain about the demise of your GOP till kingdom comes. America is moving ahead, on ward and foreward. You will be ignored and left out on your own. The rest of the country, which cares deeply about America’s health and wellfare, will restore its dignity and prosperity. Sadly, when this is accomplished, hacks like you will be riding the coattails of the successful march of Obamanation only because you will be riding on it by default to share the provisions of the tribe. You think Obama is not your president? Obama is too nice to say to you ‘I am glad I am not your president’. America is glad it had enough of you and your leaders.
- Posted by Jamaal AdamYou all have the story wrong, he is talking About Hugo Chavez. That is his President.
- Posted by I.M.Knot FooledWell, you are all alittle stupid. Just realize who ever it is, unless you live in Paris, when this President goes to war, or not, you here with him or not…..from a citizen of the United States of America
- Posted by Kathy CantrellI could not agree with you guys more…..who cares what this Hollywood jerk thinks?!
- Posted by Kim[...] better known for hanging out with terrorists like Hugo Chavez, than a decent movie, finally can say “my” president. I guess like Michelle Obama, he is finally proud of America. “I was sitting on the edge of the [...]
- Posted by THE YELLING BOX › PENN APPROVEDand why do we care what sean penn thinks? Does anyone really say “I WAS going to vote for mccain… but then sean penn said obama was better”… This guy is a tool.
I am a career military officer and I will support President Obama more, despite our ideological differences, than the diehard liberals ever did Bush. I disagree with his political philosophy, but I will never undermine his position and authority as commander in chief and the leader of this nation like what was done to President Bush from DAY 1.
American political infighting should end at the US Border… a lesson sean penn obviously never learned.
- Posted by BradLike I take advice or opinion from a 40 year old bicycle-messenger.
- Posted by EZnSFHollywood stars are such good judges of character… anyone they think is great will almost always turn out to be a scumball just like them.
- Posted by sherlock“That’s funny. I can’t do it now…”
Ah, you beat me to it.
Yes, that’s right. I fully intend to give “his” president the same respect he gave mine.
- Posted by hawkdriverPassionate Conservative: How right you are!
- Posted by florida propertyWell, that makes it all OK. Prince Buttercup approves of the Obamanation. Never mind that Prince Buttercup, while a big-time movie star, still doesn’t have the sense to be a decent human being. I figure he deserves about as much respect from me as he’s given to Bush and the American people.
Odd how the universe balances out. Prince Buttercup can finally call someone his President; I can finally call someone “not my President.”
- Posted by Passionate ConservativeThat’s funny. I can’t do it now…
- Posted by Dave M