February 20, 2004

• She sounds genuinely distraught. Pretty simplistic response, but also pretty honest.
• Very honest - considering that she didn't actually want her identity known. Maybe she ought to have told the person who first took the call who she was, and that she would liked to be announced just as a volunteer.
• Oh - very good talking, of course.
• And this is important/interesting/entertaining how?
• I wish I knew the context of this call. She sounded genuinely upset and I wonder what she was trying to accomplish by callling in.
• Keith: It has raised my respect for Cher from a simple neutral to quite high, based on the honesty and caritas* she has shown. She doesn't just rail against the war, but asks that if we are going to be at war, then we should not hide these men who have given more than any others still alive. We should be honouring them, as well as those who do not return, above all others, not allowing them to be hidden away. I think this is what she was trying to accomplish - and maybe to raise awareness that war never comes without casulties. Because she is a celebrity, this will make the rounds of the net, but the reason it should make the rounds is what she says. *Latin, sometimes translated as love, sometimes as charity, but really something combining both, basically "love for fellow human being"
• Uhhh, no. Ironicly, I agree with everything she says, but can't stand celeb pontificating on anything, regardless of the validity of her points. Sean Penn, Babs, Cher et al should all shove off. Or, if they really want to go Arnie, then actually go Arnie. I despise the CA Gov. as much as the next guy, but at least he had the courage to find the appropriate method of expressing his views.
• Why can't John Kerry be as articulate as her? Cher isn't Jane Fonda, Keith. She's an American so she has a right to speak and we have the right to not listen. Personally, I'm not a fan. I think she's a better actress than singer.
• Keith: She didn't want to bring up who she was. The host did that. Which I suppose is beside the point anyway. I don't think one's profession should disqualify them from expressing opinions. Which is also beside the point because you asked why people think this post is interesting. Just because you didn't like or agree with the answer doesn't mean that it shouldn't be given attention here for those of us who do actually find it interesting. I'm with you jb.
• Keith: Oh, that's silly. I do hate the perceived importance of celebrity in general; why should the fact that Cher said something be any more interesting than if anybody else said it? But that doesn't make her opinions any less valid than everyman's. Celebs have the right to express their views, too. To me, an anonymous call to C-SPAN is one of the best ways I can think of for a celeb to spout. It's when they do it on talk shows and awards shows that I get irked.
• Keith, Are you saying a celebrity should not be able to use the visibility they have to raise awareness of an issue that's important to them?
• Ironicly, I agree with everything she says, but can't stand celeb pontificating on anything, regardless of the validity of her points. Sean Penn, Babs, Cher et al should all shove off. Or, if they really want to go Arnie, then actually go Arnie. I despise the CA Gov. as much as the next guy, but at least he had the courage to find the appropriate method of expressing his views. It sounds like you are saying celebrities should look into election into public office in order to express their views, rather than doing so via free speech? Bull. If you can't stand celebrity pontificating, why would you ever want them to have the actual authority to impact citizens' lives? If they simply express their views, you have the option to ignore them (ironically, you've decided not to). If they get into office, you have no choice but to deal with them. (on preview, word, Sullivan)
• Sullivan: I remember when I was a kid she started singing again after acting for a while and all I could think was, "Cher's a singer?! EEP!"
• Silly question, did she call in to C-SPAN using the Republican, Democrat or Independent line?
• That's great Kimberly. Now go to my Peggy Noonan thread. That's the comedy link of the day. I remember Atrios becoming Cher's biggest fan when he got wind of this. I think I'm going to post the Cher C-SPAN MP3 on my diary, blog, weblog, online journal or whatever silly name guys like Dave Winer are calling it these days.
• I believe anyone has the right to express an opinion. I also believe that if you are going to support a celebrity by watching their movies etc., and later, you are going to disagree with their politics, remember it is the consumers who initially gave them their power. I object by not reading magazines that interview irrelevant people with abstract questions. In fact, I object to people who become famous without an opinion on anything, as it shows that they do not think (and that they are likely a puppet in a larger economic scheme).
• "Silly question, did she call in to C-SPAN using the Republican, Democrat or Independent line?" Wendell, she used the Hanoi Jane line. Note: If anyone attacks me for that comment I will ask you "why you hate America" and wrap a flag around myself. ;)
• Okay, so to tally the score it seems to be; Board 348, Me 0. Fair enough, if everyone thought like me the world would be pretty dull. Correct, but dull. Or maybe not. I just think Mrs. Bono should slide back into the Blade Runner hooker gear, and belt out a few more crappy pop tunes and leave the commentary to those who've never commited the crimes against fashion that she has. For what it's worth, I appreciate a forum where the weight of the board is not on side with me, yet it didn't turn into a pile on and the discourse remained intelligent. Cheers to all of you.
• Are you saying a celebrity should not be able to use the visibility they have to raise awareness of an issue that's important to them? He's free (and IMO correct) to ridicule others for listening to the celebrity for no other reason than their singin', dancin', celebrity status. "Oh, like, wow -- this is CHER." {swoon} Do you think this would be posted if the link were titled Rufus_Q_Everymonkey_calls_CSPAN? What motor force propelled the phone call into MP3 and onto nornisland.com? If you can't stand celebrity pontificating, why would you ever want them to have the actual authority to impact citizens' lives? Because that "authority" comes from somebody -- ex-celebrity or not -- doing the hard work of getting elected to office, followed by the harder work of political compromise, instead of using their celebrity bully pulpit ("I have a very pretty navel, tee hee") to spout cheaply ("Wearing fur is bad"). I have no opinion on Cher myself. She may well be a mensch. I'm not particularly inclined to listen to the MP3. (See, Diz, here's why you'd read comments before chasing the FPP link.)
• goetter, I have people posting my opinion of political news and I am not Cher or Andrew Sullivan. I might have to get in a legal smackdown with that guy over the name thing. It seems to me you already made up your mind on the Iraq war. As a conservative, are you mad at the White House for lying about WMDs and 9/11 links?
• I did a search for Cher and Instapundit. I wondered if Glenn Reynolds went on one of his rants against her. I found this guy's site. He wrote a gay bashing post about Cher fans. I searched his site some more and found his collection of firearms and a picture of him and his wife dressed as clowns. He's also an Instapundit fan. I think I take Cher over Glenn Reynolds. There's just something about gay bashing clowns with firearms about says John Gacy.
• <"Keith: It has raised my respect for Cher from a simple neutral to quite high, based on the honesty and caritas* she has shown." Agree, jb. No matter how you look at Cher in this phone call; caller, anonyms, celebrity, she did have something constructive to add, she was there which should be a counting factor. Cher being asked by the USO to visit the injured troops at a hospital and speaking to them should be why her words are important. She's like an Ambassador here. She has entertained The Troops, past & present. Having history here in all this, starting back with The Vietnam War, why would her opinion be "worthless" here"? Add, her opion would be deserving if not an actress too. Why?.. who else is speaking for the Troops bed resting in the hospitals and taking their time listening to their needs recently. Her words about the troops' spirits whom are recovering in the hospitals, reminded me of a letter (self link)I received during the Iraq War.
• Sullivan, I dunno. Do I still beat my wife? (Y/N) (A/R/I) Anyway, I'm too upset about Nixon's wage and price controls-- jowls flapping in furious rock-ribbed conservative rage, furious I tell you-- to have much of an opinion on 9/11. Sorry to disappoint. /derail
• Damn, goetter. You were suppose to go all Ann Coulter on me. Don't you read your monkey memos?:)
• If there were really limbless troops in our hospitals, would't our president be visiting them and thanking them for the sacrifices they made to protect us from Sadams wmd ? Clearly Cher is just another leftie with an agenda. oops, sorry, thats me I guess.
• Um.. Nippur, did you not listen to the call? Cher was not a leftie with an agenda, but an independent (not registered with any party) citizen who called into NPR, anonymously. That is part of what made me sit up and really listen. She did not wish to say who she was, when pressed about her profession said "entertainer" - and only admitted her identity reluctently when outright asked if she was Cher. She refused to use her celebrity - what she wanted people to hear was not anything she had to say, but only about what she had seen and the people she had met in that hospital.
• Oh sorry - I misspelled your name unintentionally.
• Just to add to what jb and a few others have said, she wasn't engaging in histrionics or bashing or even pimping an agenda. What she is/was doing is participating in the national debate and attempting to do so from an informed position. That's worth the airtime, and it also separates her by some distance from many of the celeb mouthpieces that do clutter the airwaves.