Hollywood Perception-vs-Reality?

[Old Dog New Trick]

I'm sure this subject has been brought up and there are several posts within threads, but in light of recent transgressions in DOD thinking let's look at the media perception and the reality of real life facts to false Hollywood perceptions.

This in the news today...

Check out this article from USA TODAY:

John Krasinski, Emily Blunt: Baddest couple alive

http://usat.ly/1P6UMbK

I love this quote:

Besides the obvious towel appeal at home, Krasinski's metamorphosis from The Office nice guy to special-ops badness have made the duo the most lethal couple in Hollywood.

Now, I enjoy watching both Krasinski and Blunt as actors. I think they are good at what they do...act.

As are Pitt, Affleck, Harnet, Jolie, Johansson and any of hundreds of Hollywood "bad assess" in action/superhero roles.

But that's Hollywood, much like a digital video game no one is really in danger of dying or worse getting your cast killed or captured.

So, when "Hollywood" says these two are the most "lethal" couple in Hollywood. Shouldn't they at least compare that to say Sean Penn, who actually recently led to the deaths of at least five of El Chapo's inner circle?

Do actors like Penn, Stallone, Paltrow, Obama, and Ash Carter really believe that male and female action stars are a reflection of actually doing the hardest most demanding job in the world without a make-up person and several 'takes' to get it just right? Or has blow, hookers and red carpets and the all night party and hangover afterwards clouded their minds to not speak up and tell the public that "we act, we are not the real life action heroes that secure our nation and hunt our enemies, actually putting their lives on the line, killing our enemies and sometimes dying for our freedom to make movies to entertain you in the safety of your home." Wouldn't it be nice to hear that...more often?

I think it's time to start a letter campaign to Hollywood actors (as liberal as they are, they do have the public attention) to start to say just this. There are those who will (Schwarzenegger, Curt Russell, Sam Elliot...etc) maybe it's time to enlist their help to stop the madness being foisted on the military.

I know I should have posted this in the Comedy thread but, I thought we'd have a serious discussion if that's possible.

What say you? Are we fighting this from the wrong end?

[Flagg]

I hope I'm not going outside of the scope of the thread(apologies if I do), but my concern on this topic goes beyond actors thinking and/or being portrayed by media as authentic pipe hitters via artificial entertainment.

I'm most concerned about error filled entertainment films like Zero Dark Thirty being MOST people's reference point for actual geopolitical events.

To most, those entertainment errors become potentially dangerous "historical fact" for the ignorant masses.

At times, and with a few specific errors, I wonder if those errors are intentional or unintentional.

[Team Sergeant]

Where's Ziva stand on this? :munchin

[cedsall]

You're right on track ODNT.

It's a little more than just Hollywood perception. Events like Go Ruck and Tough Mudder create a perception of "this is what it's like in the military" (special operations/whatever).

A young fellow who worked for me did a Tough Mudder event. When we talked a few days later he mentioned that "now I know what it's like in the military". I told him the difference was, when it was all over, he got to go home.

During my career I attended a course sponsored by an OGA. The military version was taught alongside the OGA course. Folks from the OGA made up about half the instructor staff for the military course. Over drinks one evening someone asked one of the staff why they chose to instruct in the military course. The instructor spoke about some of the staff being reservists and such but then said (this was over 30 years ago so I'm paraphrasing, but just a bit) "It's because we get to screw with you and you can't quit. If we did what we do to you to the students in our course they would all start crying and quit." While he was joking (somewhat), there's an element of truth in what he said that applies to this topic.

As someone mentioned in another thread, there's no respawn, no reset button. It doesn't end in two hours and everyone drives home. We don't get to go home in the morning and take a hot shower. Sometimes we just have to get up and do it all over again. Many (most?) in the military understand that and I'd like to think all military careerists understand that. I believe that's the part many civilians really don't understand.

And as the percentages of those who served continue to shrink, that knowledge moves farther and farther from the collective consciousness. I believe that thinking is reflective of many of the (lack of) leadership decisions we're seeing these days regarding the structure and operation of the US military.

[Old Dog New Trick]

Cedsall,

You bring up a good point about the 'fun' things that people do for a weekend event. Some of those like you mention are sold to adrenaline junkies as "just like BUDS or Special Forces selection course." What's not in the small print is this is just a couple hours of pain celebrated or cursed at the end of the day. Even those that celebrate their victory go home and take a long hot shower. Soldiers don't get to do that; they get to get up and do it all again tomorrow.

I'd love to hear Demi Moore on public record come out and say making G.I. Jane was tough, I hated rolling around in the mud, climbing ropes and getting bitch slapped but, none of those things happened. A make-up artist painted me with mud, blood and tears. I got hoisted up a rope with a safety line and there was a ladder and a safety net under me in case I still fell. There was no risk!!! I was not raped!!! I spent more time in a hot tub, than I spent in the ocean, and I love swimming in the ocean. What we do is fake and we all have personal trainers and diet coaches to help us look the look. Look, I got paid $15,000,000 to buff out and lose 20lbs of fat to make a 90-minute movie over the course of six-months. I was pampered everyday and bitched because I wanted grape jam and not strawberry jelly on my toasted bagel.

That's closer to what these Hollywood bad assess need to say about this social experiment before it costs more than just money. People will die because the pentagon and the White House believes for political reasons people are equal; we are not.

Let's let Ronda Rousey go to BUDS "Hell Week" and have a camera follow it! There you go Discovery Channel a real "Reality" show. :munchin

Those tears after getting kicked in the face, yeah those were real. She's taking six-months off to recover!

[bailaviborita]

In Edge of Tomorrow Tom Cruise- a public affairs officer- teams up with Blunt- a special forces warrior...

At some point Hollywood started being our populace's reality...

I am woman- hear me roar....

Yawn...

"Women are our warriors"---- said no great culture, ever...

[WarriorDiplomat]

Let's let Ronda Rousey go to BUDS "Hell Week" and have a camera follow it! There you go Discovery Channel a real "Reality" show. :munchin


You may be onto to something, time to find out who is producing these types of shows.

[Box]

2+2=gender equality
4+4=multiculturalism

why do you guys hate women?