Shut Up and Act, Reprise

More fodder supporting my opinion that those whose careers are to recite the wrtten thoughts of others, but with feeling, should not be our primary sources of advice on matters requiring independent thought:

First, Woody Harrelson was here in Eugene to promote his new film "Go Further", a paean to Ken Kesey (a local native and neo-hippie saint) and his Merry Pranksters. Let's not get me started on the fact that Eugene has seen fit to erect a statue of Kesey downtown, depicting him reading a book to two young children. Too late, I'm started. What the hell is the book in Kesey's hand supposed to be -- The Electric Acid Kool-aid Test??????

*Deep Breath*

Anyway, of course the local TV station intervewed Woody. I really can't recall much of the specifics of what he said, it was pretty much standard fare for your more ecologically radical leftist personae. Nothing new, and nothing very well aerticulated. What struck myself and the Feared Redhead was just how appropriate it was that the news mentioned that Harrelson is a big proponent of the use of hemp, since it seemed apparent from his slurred speech and disjointed sentence structure that he's definitely practicing what he preaches.

Kesey would be proud.

Secondly, thanks for the memory to Debbie Schlussel via John Kerry for President? You Must Be Joking:

Apparently, in a recent interview with a French publication (go figure), Nobel Laureate Patrick Swayze was using his clout as an expert on Middle East affairs to criticize President Bush's handling of Iraq. Swayze's credentials?

“I know a great deal about the Middle East because I’ve been raising Arabian horses,” he said.

No, I'm not kidding. I wish I was.

Schlussel really delivers some zingers:

"Does consuming wontons at a Chinese restaurant make you an expert on Sino-American relations?

Patrick Swayze thinks so."

"Swayze’s just like every other annoying, liberal Hollywood airhead who thinks they understand the Middle East because, like Swayze, they raise Arabian horses, ate falafel once, or bought a Moroccan necklace at Kitson. They “understand” and sympathize with those who hate us because, after all, they once used an Arabic waterpipe instead of a bong to get high.

Swayze, a pan-Arabist, encompasses the “I’m not a doctor but I play one on TV” ethos."

Usually I get annoyed when celebrities pull this. But given what a has-been Swayze is, I'm more inclined to just find the thing sadly amusing.