Kurt Russell was forthcoming in an interview, outlining why Hollywood celebrities should stay out of politics. His opinions on their behavior astounded many in the Hollywood crowd.
Kurt Russell believes Hollywood stars should stay out of politics, and he made this apparent in an interview with The New York Times. The Overboard actor, who describes himself as a “hardcore libertarian,” revealed that his political views differ significantly from those of most Hollywood celebrities and entertainers.
Russell was responding to the contentious environment in which many Hollywood celebrities are weighing in on politics, and he believes that expressing such views is “detrimental” to actors. “I’ve always been someone who felt we are court jesters. That’s what we do,” Russell explained. “As far as I’m concerned, you should step away from saying anything so that you can still be seen by the audience in any character.”
“There’s no reason entertainers can’t learn just as much as anybody else about a subject, whatever it is,” Russell continued. “But I think that what’s sad about it is that they lose their status as a court jester. And I’m a court jester. That’s what I was born to do.” Russell, who began as a child actor in Hollywood in 1962, appears to be sending a message to Hollywood celebrities, particularly comedians.
Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar are examples of Hollywood comedians who have switched to using a widely visible platform to promote their personal beliefs. During Trump’s administration, Goldberg refused to say his name, instead referring to him as “you know who.” According to CNN, Goldberg stated that she “can’t” use Trump’s name in connection with the title “President,” despite knowing that “people don’t like that I don’t do it.”
Furthermore, Joy Behar referred to Donald Trump as “a domestic terrorist,” and Goldberg and Behar’s political views extend beyond Trump.
The couple slammed Republicans Sarah Palin and Kimberly Klacick while openly supporting Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden. According to Kurt Russell, comedians, who are our modern-day court jesters, lose their vital role in our society when they express their political ideas.
“A court jester isn’t always funny,” The Hateful Eight star said. “A court jester is the only one who can walk into the castle and put the king down as long as he doesn’t hit too close to home. I think that’s been a big, important part of all cultures throughout history, and I’d like to see it stay in ours.” Russell is referring to “the Fool,” a character from William Shakespeare’s King Lear whose aim was to make the king laugh, but in truth, “the Fool” utilizes irony and sarcasm to highlight the monarch’s flaws in a way that no one else can.
“So having said that, I was kind of asked to put it in context somehow with this movie,” Russell said
“In reality, when we’re dealing with things like terrorism, we’re all going to have different opinions on how to do it, how to deal with it. Mine happens to be, that I think there’s a very strong reason the Founding Fathers had for the Second Amendment and that is that no government ever hasn’t had to fight its own people. I think that’s an important part of our existence.”
Many people may agree or disagree with Kurt Russell’s views on issues such as gun control, but his comments about court jesters no longer having a beneficial impact on our country have merit. When a comedian’s personal political convictions take precedence above entertaining an audience, they risk losing what made them great and relevant. Often, they sound like a broken record of hatred.
Some Americans reminisce about the days when comedians like Don Rickles and Dean Martin would “roast” politicians and celebrities. Even in the early days of Saturday Night Live, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and the rest of the original SNL cast members had Americans laughing with their political jokes because they were done in good taste, while keeping their personal political views out of the spotlight.
