The Fix
Alec Baldwin rants, Sean Penn smokes, Nicole Kidman holds hands, and Rush Limbaugh makes things up! Plus: Could Meg Ryan be in love?
Topics: Rush Limbaugh, Susan Sarandon, Entertainment News
An eclectic group of glitterati gathered at the Film Centre in San Francisco’s Presidio Wednesday evening to talk about “Freedom of the Press During Wartime.” The star quotient was high, with “Sopranos” bad guy Joe Pantoliano introducing Peter Coyote who introduced Ron Reagan Jr. who introduced the panel including Norm Ornstein, Michael Medved, Tom Hayden and Alec Baldwin. Sean Penn lurked in the back of the room, ducking out for an occasional smoke, and also ducking a reporter’s questions. The brawling Baldwin boy had fire in his belly and sounded like someone who might be running for office in the near future. When Reagan asked why 70 percent of Americans think that Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11, Alec said, “They get the idea from fascist news organizations like Fox!” Hayden agreed that “there has been an invasion of the media by people with a vested interest in victory,” observing that the airwaves have been filled with generals and national security types, but no antiwar dissenters. When the subject of celebs speaking out politically came up, Baldwin bristled (“When artists make statements people want them to shut up and go away” — but they never complain when the true powers in the communications industry, corporate moguls like Rupert Murdoch, exert their influence). Perhaps the most surprising moment of the night came when conservative media critic Medved, referring to Penn’s trip to Iraq before the war, called the actor an “unwitting tool of propaganda” and Sean didn’t deck him!
Speaking of celebs speaking out, the Baseball Hall of Fame canceled a 15th anniversary celebration of the movie “Bull Durham” because they don’t like the antiwar stands of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. Hall prez Dale Petroskey (former assistant press secretary to Ronald Reagan) said in a letter to the actors: “We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important — and sensitive — time in our nation’s history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger.” Robbins fired this fastball: “You belong with the cowards and ideologues in a hall of infamy and shame.” If Petroskey doesn’t want to show “Bull Durham” perhaps he can show “The Fan,” wherein Robert De Niro muses that baseball is better than life — it’s fair. (Sports Illustrated)
Karen Croft is the editor of Salon Sex. More Karen Croft.



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