Editor’s Note: Whether on screen or off, Hollywood can always be counted on to keep us entertained. This is especially true when it comes to politics. Join us each week as we shine the spotlight on Tinseltown’s A-listers and their whacky and sometimes inspiring takes on today’s current events.
You’re Not a Victim, Baldwin
Alec Baldwin (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
Actor Alec Baldwin has come under pressure after several lawsuits have been filed against him and other producers and staff from the movie Rust where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed. Instead of laying low and allowing the investigation to continue, the liberal and outspoken actor decided to give an interview to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Dec. 2 during which he claimed he didn’t pull the trigger. There were a lot of tears and sympathy thrown around, but Hutchins’ husband wasn’t impressed with the show and, in fact, is angered by Baldwin’s “I’m a victim” performance.
“Watching him I just felt so angry to see him talk about her death publicly in such a detailed way and then not accepting any responsibility after he just described killing her,” Matt Hutchins told Hoda Kotb of Today. “Hearing him blame Halyna in the interview and shift responsibility to others and seeing him cry about it, I just feel like, are we really supposed to feel bad about you Mr. Baldwin?”
During the interview with Stephanopoulos, Baldwin said, “I didn’t pull the trigger” and “I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger.” He claimed to only be following the directions Halyna gave him, pointing the gun at the angles she requested to get the best pictures and so forth.
“The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me,” Hutchins said. “But gun safety was not the only problem on that set,” he continued. “There were a number of industry standards that were not practiced and there’s multiple responsible parties.”
Although a search warrant was issued for Baldwin’s phone, The Shadow actor, who just purchased an antique farmhouse in Vermont, is confident he will not be held accountable for Halyna’s death. “I have been told by people who are in the know, in terms of even inside the state, that it is highly unlikely that I would be charged with anything criminally,” he assured.
Kyle Rittenhouse to Sue Goldberg and Others
Kyle Rittenhouse has had it with the media flaying his reputation and name. The 18-year-old, who shot three men in self-defense in Kenosha, spoke with Tucker Carlson on February 21, saying he is launching a new initiative to go after media organizations for the “lies” they tell. “Me and my team have decided to launch The Media Accountability Project as a tool to help fundraise and hold the media accountable for the lies they said and deal with them in court,” he explained.
Among those he plans to sue is talk show co-host Whoopi Goldberg. Rittenhouse told Carlson:
“Well, right now, we’re looking at quite a few politicians, celebrities, athletes, Whoopi Goldberg’s on the list. She called me a ‘murderer’ after I was acquitted by a jury of my peers. She went on to still say that.”
He also named Cenk Uygur, the founder of The Young Turks, who called him a murderer before and after the trial. “We’re going to hold everybody who lied about me accountable,” Rittenhouse promised, “such as everybody who lied [and] called me a white supremacist. They’re all going to be held accountable. And we’re going to handle them in a courtroom.”
Since he said he was going after politicians, too, will Rittenhouse take on President Joe Biden for tweeting that he was a white supremacist? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Cheers and Jeers
Sometimes, HollyWeird players make headlines for silly or bizarre happenings, so here is a collection of newsworthy doings — honorable and dishonorable — by the tenants of Tinseltown.
Jerry Lewis Accused of Sexual Misconduct
Jerry Lewis (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The late comedic actor, who died in 2017, has been accused in a documentary of sexual misconduct by two actresses who had worked with him in the past. The piece, Allen v. Farrow, shows interviews with Karen Sharpe and Hope Holiday, who both claim Jerry Lewis assaulted them.
Holiday starred with Lewis in The Ladies Man (1961). The 91-year-old said Lewis invited her to his dressing room, locked her inside with him, and started giving her unsuitable compliments while performing inappropriate actions in front of her.
Sharpe, now Karen Kramer, 87, starred with Lewis in The Disorderly Order (1964). According to the actress, Lewis was “all over her” and when she refused his attentions, he made life difficult on set. “No one was allowed to speak to me on the set or I was to be fired,” she said.
Living in Disneyland
The Walt Disney Company has announced a new way of living: Storyliving. The plan is to build communities for families as well as a section for the 55 and older age groups to be able to purchase homes and enjoy a “magical” way of life.
The first development, called “Cotino, a Storyliving by Disney community,” will be built near where Walt Disney used to live in Rancho Mirage, CA. It will have an “oasis” of shimmering water with homes of different styles and luxuries surrounding it. The community association will be operated by Disney cast members and will include all sorts of goodies. A club membership, for example, will give members access to “curated experiences” such as wellness programing, Fox News reported. It is also expected to have cooking classes, seminars, and live performances. This is just the first of many planned communities.
Tune in next week to see what else Tinseltown has planned.
~
Read more from Kelli Ballard.
