This is merely an opinion of an irritated American that is fed up with the way this world is going. If I offend anyone please dont take it to heart. I feel that this is one of the few places were a man can show his true colors and speak from the heart.

It makes me sick to think about the time that we are living in. Where many of the people in the Hollywood spotlight have no morales or any character. This pertians to almost anyone famous, including athletes. Just look at them, I mean, it is one conviction after another. Drug charges, gun charges, assault its pathetic. Movie stars are no different, they could care less about there fans. Only in America would we pay tens of millions of dollars for the high society actors, muscians and athletes. What ever happened to the likes of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Troy Aikman, Cal Ripken Jr and John Wayne? All of these men stood for something and acted like they were grateful for the success they encountered within their career. Is there anyone that we can look up to these days? Have I overlooked someone?

When elected officals committ adultry and then try to lie to the American public. This has happened from the commander in cheif to California and even in my home state Kentucky. What has happened to the Roosevelts and other great American politicians that helped mold this county? This is not about democrats or republicans, I dont care what party you are from. I want to see officials that care about the American public. Im sure some of the greatest politicians have committed the same sins but it was not the center of their career. It almost makes me ashamed to goto the polls and vote.

When the American public is subject to the pathetic movies about being a "Jacka**". What is this? Is this what we have succumb to? What about the new reality shows? I can honestly say, I wont watch any of them. They make me sick to my stomach. Please, bring back the Andy Griffith Show, The Wonder Years and Welcome back Kotter. Its a sad sad time in America.

Maybe im just to dang old fashion. Maybe I should lighten up and accept everything as a change for the better. Maybe I ought to strip down naked and run through Wal-Mart and look like a total "Jacka**". Argh!

Am I overreacting? Does anyone else feel the same way?

Have a great day :lol:

GW Mclintock
(Todd)

GW,
I can think of three Hollywood icons that you have missed :huh:

Paul Newman :D Look at how long him and wife have been married and dealing with hollywood :rolleyes:

Not to mention what he does with all the profits from "Newman's Own" It's goes 100% to the needy :D

Second is Harrison Ford :rolleyes: He has already flown two MEDIVAC flights for lost and injured people in his own helicopter. And is on standby for further flights :rolleyes:

He also fights for the right of the people in Wyoming VS the Government on transportation of hazard waste and other matters :P

Third is Bill Cosby :rolleyes: He offered a deal with others to buy the Cleveland Browns football team and set up a program guidline so the players would be better role models and to benefit themselfs. :o Not even mention what he does for children :lol:

Monique ;)

GW,

First of all I want to welcome you to this great board of opinions of what is great John Wayne stuff.

We live in a different age than the old days. I'm not denfending today standards, but in the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, the stars were protected by their studios. They protected their image, by making sure things were covered. The media seem to have a "hands-off policy" which studios pressured on them constantly. Most stars were obligated to contacts with a studio, and they were in the safe zone. Some times stories leaked out, but for the most part they were hush-hush.

Example, Montgomery Cliff was a homosexual and no one knew outside of Hollywood until well after his death. Rock Hudson was in the same boat, until he came clean when prognosed with AIDS. Think about Joan Crawford, and the reputation she had that came out after her death. Let's not forget Bing Crosby as a wife and child abuser. And how 'bout Marlyn Monroe and President J.F. Kennedy. I mean we could go on and on about these people.

Again, I am not defending today's standards, but not ever era was a bed of roses or if they were they all had their thorns. I will agree that we as a society seem to consider the behavior of today's stars as acceptable or the norm, but that is where we need to be active in our stance.

For example, I will not have anything to do with Madonna, her music, and movies. I do not support or watch Rosanna (whatever name she uses for her last name). Barr/Arnold/whatever. There are others.

The best way to clean up is not to support. You may think that does one make a difference, but I say, that it's one less person, and maybe it will make a difference. I can hardly watch netowrk TV today. As a matter of fact, I don't watch much at all. I just think we are too much into areas that goes beyond the limit.

It's easy to think that yesterday was better, and I agree with you on the value system, but it could be worse.

Just a comment, from someone who is also expressing his opinion.

Cheers, Hondo B)

GW (hope it's ok for me to call you that :rolleyes: ),

I'd like add my welcome to you as well! No, I don't thing you're over-reacting, and I understand your thoughts and concerns, and I also agree with Hondo's comments. Monique has made some good observations as well. I might add that this continuing decline of what we consider to be true and good in our nation is probably one of the reasons that stars such as John Wayne seem to be experiencing a renaissance. Personally, that's one of the reasons that I am such a John Wayne fan. As I started watching his movies more agressively, I realized that I really enjoyed them (and my children could be in the room when I was watching them) and I wanted to collect them. Call it escapism if you want, at least I'm not looking at a bunch of tatooed, pierced, flaming pieces of doggy doo that Hollywood is trying to pass off as entertaining. Not that a few good movies don't slip through occasionally, but they are definitely the exception rather than the norm (last relatively recent movie I watched, that was fairly decent, was The Count of Monte Cristo, and before that, Finding Nemo - hey, I've got kids).

Certainly, there are very few modern-day role models for our kids, like there used to be. I hear you, about bringing back Andy Griffith (maybe we could have "The Ron Howard Show" with Opie as the Sheriff, and Andy retired, but still living in the same town). I've spent the last 30 years working with various groups, trying to turn around this slide in America's moral standards, and political ethics, besides going to church regularly and keeping my own life as straight as possible.

I'm at a point in my life when I'd rather turn on McLintock or check out the ol' message board. Today's television offerings are so awful that we don't have cable TV (without cable, we have NOTHING), so we put the money we're not sending to the cable company into videos and DVDs, preferably John Wayne, but we also have old musicals, classics, Little Rascals, Shirley Temple, Three Stooges, Andy Griffith Show, lots of Disney (but not all), The Beverly Hillbillies, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Cary Grant, Roy Rogers, . . . the list goes on . . . .

Not so cheerfully,
Chester (again, getting down off his soapbox . . . :( )

All of you made wonderful points. Its not to often that a person can rant and the others respect their opinion, for that, I truely appreciate. Ive only been on here for a few days and I already feel at home. Thanks.

On another note, is there an official John Wayne Fan Club?? or a unofficial club? If not, lets start one!

GW

hi gw (i also hope i can call you that),

i can't say anything on how things stand in america but for a point of view from another country i would have to say that i agree with you sediments on todays actors and the lack of role models. i have a young son and i watch carefully what we watch as i don't believe that we need to have all that voilence and sex on telly we hear enough of it on the news (this is another thing i watch out for). we have a large range of childrens classics and some modern ones but i always check them out before i allow my son to watch them, as well as the adult classics like the dukes movies. but like hondo said in years gone by the studios looked after their stars and stopped alot of the rumers before they started. it's good to have a rant sometimes to clear the cobwebs out.

cheers smokey