The Ironies Of MASH

Written by Stephen Schochet


The TV show MASH ran for 11 years taking nearly every opportunity to bashrepparttar US involvement withrepparttar 126013 Korean War, which was actually an allegory for Vietnam. Many episodes showed a moral relativism betweenrepparttar 126014 US side andrepparttar 126015 communists,repparttar 126016 doctors(withrepparttar 126017 exception of Frank Burns) made no distinction betweenrepparttar 126018 wounded and often talked about declaringrepparttar 126019 war a tie so they could go home.

The MASH set sometimes was a tense place to work, especially inrepparttar 126020 early years. One episode featured a sniper who was eventually shot by an army helicopter. Alan Alda objected torepparttar 126021 use of gunfire to settlerepparttar 126022 issue, some onrepparttar 126023 writing staff pointed out that he had recently played an armed sheriff who had drawn his gun in a TV movie which angeredrepparttar 126024 star who retreated to his dressing room.

Some who worked onrepparttar 126025 show speculated thatrepparttar 126026 pro-feminist Alda had problems reconciling playingrepparttar 126027 skirt chasing Hawkeye. Although, he was always professional he stayed aloof inrepparttar 126028 early years ofrepparttar 126029 show, going to his dressing room whenever there was tension onrepparttar 126030 set. Part ofrepparttar 126031 job of beingrepparttar 126032 star is setting standards of behavior forrepparttar 126033 cast, but Alda just wanted to deliver his lines, contribute his creative ideas, and fly home to New Jersey on Friday. One time he was asked to record a video greeting to Navy stations, he refused claiming it would encouragerepparttar 126034 troops to prolongrepparttar 126035 Vietnam war. Even at Christmas he remained withdrawn refusing to buy any presents forrepparttar 126036 cast and crew, going against traditional television star rituals.

Tales Of Hollywood And Politics

Written by Stephen Schochet


Arnold Schwarzenegger's surprise announcement that he was seekingrepparttar California Governorship brought to mindrepparttar 126012 many times Hollywood figures have been involved in politics. Here are some related anecdotes:

When actors first came to Hollywood there were signs put up in front of hotels and apartments that said no dogs or actors allowed, withrepparttar 126013 performers ruefully complaining about not getting top billing. The insecurity ofrepparttar 126014 profession has come through in political campaigns. When Ronald Reagan successfully ran for Governor of California in 1966 one ofrepparttar 126015 fruitless tactics used by his opposition was a television commercial featuring Gene Kelley stating," In films I played a gambler, a baseball player and I could play a Governor but you wouldn't really want an actor to really be a Governor would you?"

Ronald Reagan at one time was such a Liberal Democrat he drove friends to distraction with his views. One day inrepparttar 126016 thirties he was driving a friend home from work, yammering on about President Roosevelt's New Deal policies. Reagan who was near sighted and an erratic driver at best, seemed oblivious to road conditions. "Ronnie, watch out for that truck!"repparttar 126017 friend yelled. Missing an accident by a hair, Reagan continued," Truck drivers, that's whorepparttar 126018 New Deal will help!"

Like former President Reagan, Walt Disney claimed to be a Roosevelt New Dealer until a nasty worker's strike at his studio made him take a right turn. Although he campaigned heavily for Republican candidatesrepparttar 126019 cartoon maker kept friendly relations withrepparttar 126020 other side. Walt loved giving personal tours of Disneyland, and enjoyed having former president Harry Truman as his guest, even when his fellow Missourian turned down a ride on Dumbo: Too much Republican symbolism.

Another mogul, Louis B. Mayerrepparttar 126021 founder of MGM was a staunch Republican his entire life. Mayer never quite got over Franklin Roosevelt beating his good friend Herbert Hoover but accepted an invitation to meetrepparttar 126022 Democratic President atrepparttar 126023 White House in 1933. Immediately upon arriving inrepparttar 126024 Oval Office Mayer surprised Roosevelt by pulling a clock from underneath his coat and placing it onrepparttar 126025 President's desk. "What's that for, Mr. Mayer?" "Pardon me Mr. President. I heard you haverepparttar 126026 ability to have a man in your hip pocket after 18 minutes." Brandishing his long cigarette holder Roosevelt threw his head back and laughed, then began chatting withrepparttar 126027 film executive . He was startled when after seventeen minutesrepparttar 126028 mogul got up, grabbedrepparttar 126029 clock and leftrepparttar 126030 room.

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