My Take | In praise of some Hollywood stars … but not most
- Only a few celebrities have risked their careers and reputations to speak their minds
Like most of his fans, I loved watching Ricky Gervais roasting Hollywood celebrities as the serial host of the Golden Globes, often described as the poor cousin of the Oscars.
Remember his immortal lines: “So if you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a political platform to make a political speech. You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world. Most of you spent less time in school than Greta Thunberg. So, if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your God and f*** off. OK?”
The British comic was making fun of those stars who make ostensibly political but ultimately risk-free and meaningless gestures.
But not all Hollywood stars are self-absorbed buffoons. I have a new-found respect for Angelina “Lara Croft” Jolie and Mark “The Hulk” Ruffalo.
“I really thought that was what the United Nations was. I thought, OK, there is some line in the sand, there is some understanding we’re gonna grow and fight for improvements in these areas.