Dole To Hollywood: Don't Hurt Our Families

LOS ANGELES (AllPolitics, July 30) -- Likely GOP nominee Bob Dole reprised his 1995 attack on Hollywood, urging a group of entertainment executives to tone down "gratuitous violence, casual sex and generally cheap behavior."

Today's talk was a more upbeat speech than last year, meant to accentuate the positive. (256K WAV sound) "In Hollywood today, the big story is that respectability is good business," Dole told Tinseltown moguls at 20th Century Fox Studios. "You can watch your ratings rise, your box office receipts go up, and still look at yourself in the mirror," he said, urging his audience to abandon the "market-made-me-do-it" attitude. (192K WAV sound)

Thumbs up? "Apollo 13," "Forrest Gump," "Braveheart," and "Babe" -- all good movies, Dole said.

Thumbs down? "Stiptease."

"That movie was billed as a story of empowerment and freedom for women," Dole said of the latest Demi Moore vehicle. "But what a waste of talent and human energy."

Dole was criticized last year for bashing movies he hadn't even seen. So, the Kansan attended the blockbuster "Independence Day," on Monday with morals crusader William Bennett. It turns out violence is OK in the right context.

"I like it," he said after watching millions slaughtered in battles that destroy much of civilization. "We won, the end. Leadership. America. Good over evil...It's a good movie (to) bring your family to."

Monday, President (and co-opter in chief?) Bill Clinton announced his just-reached pact with TV executives for three hours of children's educational programming each week. But Dole spokesman Nelson Warfield said Clinton simply isn't credible on the issue.

"Like most TV spinoffs, Bill Clinton's imitation of Bob Dole's real leadership in confronting the excesses of the entertainment industry is contrived and weak," he told The Associated Press.

Of course, Clinton's support from industry heavyweights is anything but that. Hollywood has funneled some $615,000 into the Democratic Party in the last year, but gave only $5,750 to Republicans.

Dole To Hollywood: Don't Hurt Our Families

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