Taylor Swift endorses Democrats; Nugent fans suddenly think entertainers shouldn't discuss politics

essentialsaltes said:

A lot of white supremacists must be sad.

Good.

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All part of my lord essentialsaltes evil plan.

USincognito said:

Millions of people know who Linda McMahon is.
Roma Downy's Touched By An Angel was highly rated for many seasons.
Mark Burnett produces Survivor and has won 12 Emmys.

They are hardly fringe Hollywood characters.

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My dad recently attended an event hosted by Roma Downy and Mark Burnett at their home in Malibu for Christians in the entertainment industry (he's peripherally involved on the financial side).



The church I grew up in has an entire ministry called Beacon Hollywood that "exists to inspire and revive Christians working in entertainment and media so that we may be empowered to persevere in our callings and Jesus may be more distinctly known through our work and witness." Most who are an active part of it are not celebrities but rather work in some other capacity vital to the functioning of the industry. My HS Sunday school teacher is an executive at a prominent talent agency, for example. There are Bible studies at all the major studios. A couple who used to be in the band and kept day jobs to pay the bills had their music careers launched through networking from this ministry. Their music is now licensed for television and movies, and some of the songs have a distinctly religious component. They used to mentor young musicians at the church, including myself, and I actually wrote a few of the songs and now receive a portion of the licensing fees. One of the songs is directly inspired by Matthew 23, and has been used as a promotion for several TV shows now. Another song got licensed for Parenthood because one of the actors is a Christian who goes to the church and connected the musicians to the music supervisor. I shared about that here last year.

The church has drawn in many celebrities for services, including both Kanye West and Taylor Swift. He made a publicity stunt out of it when he came for Easter, but his nanny has brought his daughter back to the preschool classes because she enjoyed them. Most are just visiting, but there are also members who are major celebrities. Dakota and Elle Fanning were both baptized at the church and regularly participated in the youth group when they were younger. They graduated from an Episcopal school that has daily chapel and religious education requirements, and is a favorite with both child celebrities and families in the industry. Another prominent school is Oaks Christian.

A church out in Pasadena also has a sizable percentage of congregants who work in the industry, and the actor Bradley Whitford has been the moderator for theological discussions. There's also several celebrities who are devout Catholics.

super animator said:

All part of my lord essentialsaltes evil plan.

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No no no. Making white supremacists cry is good. It's a good plan.

The next step of my plan was to bring Necronomidol to the US this past weekend. Just you wait. The plan is coming to fruition!

The Old Ones were, the Old Ones are, and the Old Ones shall be. Man rules now where They ruled once; They shall soon rule where man rules now. After summer is winter, after winter summer. They wait patient and potent, for here shall They reign again.

Okay, maybe that part of the plan isn't so good.

Quid est Veritas? said:

Taylor Swift is such a good judge of people and character after all, with all her stable relationships and deep enduring friendships. It would be foolish not to listen to her.

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Just out of curiosity, was it Ted Nugent the same guy who had to wait to get married because the girl he was dating was underage, or am I confusing him for someone else?

Brent W said:

Shame on you using her political endorsements to attack the character of person you have never met and only know by her music.

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Could you be over-reacting? I can’t abide the new right but I thought Quid was just engaged in a little light humour.

ThatRobGuy said:

Just out of curiosity, was it Ted Nugent the same guy who had to wait to get married because the girl he was dating was underage, or am I confusing him for someone else?

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That’s the one. He now denies that as well as his antics to get out of the draft by claiming he was trolling the reporter he told them to years ago.

Desk trauma said:

That’s the one. He now denies that as well as his antics to get out of the draft by claiming he was trolling the reporter he told them to years ago.

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Maybe that cat scratch fever is affecting his memory.

ThatRobGuy said:

Just out of curiosity, was it Ted Nugent the same guy who had to wait to get married because the girl he was dating was underage, or am I confusing him for someone else?

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He didn’t wait. He got her parents to sign over guardianship so he could get er done early.

TLK Valentine said:

Kanye's conservative, too -- that might be newsworthy if anyone cared about Kanye.

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I spoke too soon... looks like Kanye sweet talked himself a White House invite...

https://www.snopes.com/ap/2018/10/0...olence/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

Quid est Veritas? said:

but she certainly planned this out thoroughly.

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How do you know? Can you expand on how she planned this out? Did it start the day that Donald Trump was sworn in? Did it start the day that Marsha Blackburn won the Republican Primary? Can you expand on exactly when this entire planning on her behalf started? If not, shut up. Stop saying things like this that are certainly just your opinion and based on no factual or historical data of a person that has never made a political endorsement in her entire life. Again, I go back to my now original statement. You make claims you can't backup. If you don't like her music, her wealth or her attitude in day to day life then that is your personal problem. It has nothing to do with the message that she has put out.

Brent W said:

How do you know? Can you expand on how she planned this out? Did it start the day that Donald Trump was sworn in? Did it start the day that Marsha Blackburn won the Republican Primary? Can you expand on exactly when this entire planning on her behalf started? If not, shut up. Stop saying things like this that are certainly just your opinion and based on no factual or historical data of a person that has never made a political endorsement in her entire life. Again, I go back to my now original statement. You make claims you can't backup. If you don't like her music, her wealth or her attitude in day to day life then that is your personal problem. It has nothing to do with the message that she has put out.

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Again, relax my friend. No need to go tilting at windmills. As I said, I quite like Miss Swift. I don't have anything against her or her expressing her views.

To the point though, Taylor Swift built her career methodically and with forethought. She kept herself in the public spotlight, reinvented herself, and worked to keep churning out good quality music. I have heard it said that she is amongst the best songwriters currently active. Her music uses rhetorical tricks, repetition and one note melodies, that reinforce a spoken word musical narrative. Here is an article about how good a music writer she really is, as a lot gets lost in the hype and basic 'romance' or revenge plots she uses:

Why does Taylor Swift write so many one-note melodies?

So a person that has methodically thought out her career, public persona and music is suddenly not thorough and unaware what the consequences of her actions will be? Really now. Even her post was well-thought out, giving her reasons and such. No need for such vehemence, surely.

Quid est Veritas? said:

Again, relax my friend. No need to go tilting at windmills. As I said, I quite like Miss Swift. I don't have anything against her or her expressing her views.

To the point though, Taylor Swift built her career methodically and with forethought. She kept herself in the public spotlight, reinvented herself, and worked to keep churning out good quality music. I have heard it said that she is amongst the best songwriters currently active. Her music uses rhetorical tricks, repetition and one note melodies, that reinforce a spoken word musical narrative. Here is an article about how good a music writer she really is, as a lot gets lost in the hype and basic 'romance' or revenge plots she uses:

Why does Taylor Swift write so many one-note melodies?

So a person that has methodically thought out her career, public persona and music is suddenly not thorough and unaware what the consequences of her actions will be? Really now. Even her post was well-thought out, giving her reasons and such. No need for such vehemence, surely.

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Everything you just wrote is your opinion. You write this like you have been following her entire career and can vouch for everything that you have written. You can't.

Taylor Swift built her career methodically and with forethought.

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This is a joke. Are you kidding me? Can I ask you how you know this and what makes you the sudden expert on teenage girls turned country stars who move into pop culture?

You've given your opinion and it is laughable.

If Taylor Swift is guilty of anything it is being fed up with people like you and others in this country who claim a moral high ground and stick up for the opposite.

Nothing in what Taylor Swift said deserves your petty attempts at casting doubt on her motives. She was genuine, honest and there is nothing in her past to say otherwise.

If you disagree with her politics fine. If you don't, then fine. She used her voice to endorse two people and I honestly can't fault her for it. You are using your voice on this forum to make a terrible argument and I think you should do better with the time spent. Maybe speak out on other things than dissecting Taylor Swifts motives?

Brent W said:

Everything you just wrote is your opinion. You write this like you have been following her entire career and can vouch for everything that you have written. You can't.



This is a joke. Are you kidding me? Can I ask you how you know this and what makes you the sudden expert on teenage girls turned country stars who move into pop culture?

You've given your opinion and it is laughable.

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I am merely basing it off what I have read about her, here and there. I am no expert, but what I said is the impression that most such sources have left me. Here is another one:

https://www.dailydot.com/via/taylor-swift-viral-media-pr-genius/

As you have decided to treat me as some sort of villain, I am done responding. As I said though, I wish her the best; if anything I think she has admirably managed her career.

Quid est Veritas? said:

I am merely basing it off what I have read about her, here and there. I am no expert, but what I said is the impression that most such sources have left me. Here is another one:

https://www.dailydot.com/via/taylor-swift-viral-media-pr-genius/

As you have decided to treat me as some sort of villain, I am done responding. As I said though, I wish her the best; if anything I think she has admirably managed her career.

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I haven't treated you as anymore than this:

I am merely basing it off what I have read about her, here and there.

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Next time don't judge someone off of here and there and stick to what you know. There are a lot of people in this world sick and tired of people basing their views and opinions off of "here and there". So stop it.

Brent W said:

I haven't treated you as anymore than this:



Next time don't judge someone off of here and there and stick to what you know. There are a lot of people in this world sick and tired of people basing their views and opinions off of "here and there". So stop it.

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I have no idea where you are coming from. None of what you said seems congruent to anything I wrote. I said she was a thorough, methodical person who intelligently runs her affairs and is an excellent songwriter - and suddenly I get this vehement attack. Anyway, all opinions on anything is based on here and there. So am I not to have an opinion on anything? Really now. Besides, I keep on complimenting the girl, and you are treating it as if I am insulting her? I said its fine if she endorses whoever she wants too.

If anything, you seem to imply she had no idea what results her thorough endorsement would have - which is laughable. Just because you choose to make one, and know what the consequences will be, it does not impune her motives in doing so.

This is really silly. I am done. Good day, sir.

Good day, guy who bases entire paragraphs off of "here and there". I am certainly tired of hearing your crap. So emotional and defensive on basic rebuttals.

vehement attack

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If one could die of laughter it would have happened today. You should definitely relax and take a step back if you are getting this upset about Taylor Swift and me sticking up for her statement.

The "entertainers should just shut up and entertain" spiel by members of the far-right has always been very one-sided.

They apply that requirement to any/all entertainers who are left of center, but they regularly retweet and share posts from conservative celebrities like Nugent, James Woods, etc... all over social media.

A related story reminded me that Scott Baio and Antonio Sabato Jr. spoke at the Republican National Convention.

essentialsaltes said:

A related story reminded me that Scott Baio and Antonio Sabato Jr. spoke at the Republican National Convention.

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And let's not forget Clint Eastwood yelling at an empty chair.

iluvatar5150 said:

Devout practicing Christians are a minority anywhere. Most American Christians are cultural Christians.

You originally claimed:



I'm still waiting for you name any people you know in Hollywood.

I work in audio post-production / sound design, and while I'm on the east coast and focus on video games, it's a pretty small industry. Most of my professional network consists of other people working in the entertainment industry - many of them in LA, many of them working on high-profile, award winning properties. Very, very few of them fit your description, and those that do tend to have a reputation as being kind of obnoxious.

Most people are pretty reasonable and middle-of-the-road. Several are practicing Jews. Several are practicing Mormons. Several are open, practicing Christians; a few are *very* conservative Christians, including one very famous game designer and another guy who does tech direction for a bunch of high-profile broadcast stuff.

I would argue that it's rather silly to accuse an entire industry of people of being intolerant of other viewpoints, when tolerating and synthesizing other viewpoints and re-evaluating your own is a fundamental part of doing the job. Very few people who work in the entertainment industry work by themselves - for everybody else, this is a hugely collaborative industry where we're constantly iterating on ideas and re-evaluating our work. It's probably tough to appreciate for someone who's used to just punching a clock and making widgets all day, but in this business, if you can't handle outside viewpoints, then unless you're some kind of genius who can just steamroll everybody, you won't be able to do the work and you won't get hired.

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So you know some sound people. Good for you, but hardly representative of the vocal majority.

In liberal Hollywood, a conservative minority faces backlash in the age of Trump - Los Angeles Times

A couple of snippets:
"I feel absolutely it has harmed me professionally," said Andrew Klavan, the L.A.-based screenwriter and novelist, and a "reluctant" Trump supporter. His credits include the 1990 Michael Caine dark comedy "A Shock to the System" and the novel "True Crime," which was made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.

Klavan said that producers have "called my agent asking, 'Why would you represent this guy?' Anything that lowers your odds is going to hurt."

"Friends of Abe — the industry's largest conservative organization — alone counts about 2,500 people on its roster, having started a decade ago with just a handful of individuals led by actor Gary Sinise.

The organization, which keeps the identities of its members secret, holds monthly social events as well as lunches for new members. A new member can only join through a recommendation by an existing member."

There are approximately 240,000 entertainment-related jobs, by the way, according to the article. So we are talking a drop in the bucket here.