Sean Penn to the rescue

[missioncontrol]

Sean Penn's attempt to sail to the rescue of young victims of Hurricane Katrina.....


Sean Penn gets into rescue act


I thought this guy promised to leave the country after the election

 
 
 

[ChadTower]

One story implies he was too incompetent to even launch the boat, and the other story says he saved several people and gave them money.

[missioncontrol]

I'm just trying to be fair and balanced 

[shmokes]

It's a good thing he brought his personal photographer.  You wouldn't want to do something charitable without letting the everyone know about it. 

Hack.  (Good actor, though)

[DrewKaree]

One story implies he was too incompetent to even launch the boat, and the other story says he saved several people and gave them money.

One looks like a sailboat, the other looks like a rowboat.

Woops!  Went back to copy the pics to paste here, and noticed it's the same boat.  Just a little aluminum fishing boat.  He just didn't put the plug in the boat the first time.  Evidently doesn't get out on a lake often, or own a boat he's in charge of upkeep on.

I'm betting the picture of him in the rowboat is from the personal photographer, while the other one showing the sailboat is from a bystander.

At the very least, he's putting the rubber to the road instead of preaching at us through press releases. 

I'm still good with all the mistakes.  I just wish the photographer would have been left at the dock.  It gives the appearance that shmokes points out. 

[markrvp]

I'm not a Sean Penn fan, but I'm happy to see he's actually helping hands-on instead of standing back criticizing like Michael Moore.

[M3talhead]

I'm not a Sean Penn fan, but I'm happy to see he's actually helping hands-on instead of standing back criticizing like Michael Moore.

I'd much rather see celebs doing, rather than giving.

Most have been on TV saying, "Here, take a tiny amount of my immense fortune and do something good with it to help those poor, poor people, while I sit on my leather/chinchilla sofa watching from afar in (-insert city here-), just make sure my name gets in the paper."

At least he's puting himself in the middle of it.

[shmokes]

I'm even okay with them just giving.  They don't have to, and it's commendable.  But once there is a press release that so-and-so gave such-and-such amount of money, forget it.  I know that when I donate to the Red Cross my wife doesn't even know about it unless I tell her. 

I'm still happy that those celebs send their money, even if it is for personal gain because, hey, the resources are desperately needed.  But it doesn't elevate my opinion of the celbrity in question and probably does just the opposite.  I just find it fairly reprehinsible for Penn to say to himself, "How can I capitalize on this disaster for personal gain?"  And the presence of his photographer strongly suggests that just such a thought went through his head.

Once again, regardless of motives New Orleans needs all the help they can get right now, so I'm grateful that this is the sort of thing that does it for Penn.  But...

[TOK]

Sean Penn's attempt to sail to the rescue of young victims of Hurricane Katrina.....


Sean Penn gets into rescue act


I thought this guy promised to leave the country after the election

 
 
 

I thought Alec Baldwin was the one who said he'd leave if Bush got elected, but he's still around anyway. I don't agree with Sean Penn's politics, but I guess I can't begrudge him for trying to help.
Seems a little silly that a guy that could afford to have a 90 ft. hovercraft going in to help hundreds opts to go in with a $400 K-Mart boat, but whatever.

[ChadTower]

Maybe all that he could find in the timeframe was that boat.

[DrewKaree]

No, think about it.  I'm almost certain he was told if he was going to do this, that'd have to be the type of boat he'd have to take.

Something too large would create a bigger wake than necessary, possibly doing more damage in the process, not to mention risking being too unwieldy to even be of use in some areas. 

The problem is all the "excess" people like a personal photographer taking up space in a vehicle that should be being used to remove as many people as is safe from the area, and all that photographer is doing is preventing one more person who has a greater need to be on that boat from being able to get in.

I'll donate to the ASPCA for a leash to tie the photographer to a dock on the next trip back, if Penn is worried he'll run away.  Sit, photographer.  Gooooood booooyyyyyyy!

[ChadTower]

Now, I'm not a fan of his... but he takes it upon himself to find a boat, get his ass down there, and help the people directly, and idiots here are criticizing that he had a photographer?

Isn't that still helping people who desperately needed immediate help?

[psik0tik]

He has alot in common with them...he too shoots at helicopters
http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/entertainers/actors/sean-penn/

[shmokes]

Once again, regardless of motives New Orleans needs all the help they can get right now, so I'm grateful that this is the sort of thing that does it for Penn.  But...

[TOK]

Now, I'm not a fan of his... but he takes it upon himself to find a boat, get his ass down there, and help the people directly, and idiots here are criticizing that he had a photographer?

Isn't that still helping people who desperately needed immediate help?

It just comes off as self-serving to me. The guy has a rep as an a-hole, and he's trying to do a little PR and beat it. Think is, he has the means to really make a difference if he wanted to. A donation toward people who could really help would be a lot more impressive than going down there for a photo op.

Maybe he did that too, I don't know. Can totally slam him for it, but his behavior in the past makes me question his motives.

[markrvp]

Sean Penn couldn't just help and keep his mouth shut.  He was on Fox News tonight with Greta Van Sustern. . . 

He said, "I'm torn because of the criticism of politicizing this, but the people responsible for this disaster need to be held accountable."



I agree.  I think the Mayor of New Orleans should be recalled due to his reluctance to aid in evacuation of the city BEFORE the hurricane arrived.  He had two days AFTER it hit Florida.  The federal government is the entity aiding in the evacuation AFTER the NATURAL DISASTER.

[duffjr]

i think this article is right up your alley, or did you already know this? http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001051313 

[JB]

i think this article is right up your alley, or did you already know this? http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001051313 

Clinton was quite fond of cutting flood control projects too. 3 times for Louisiana, one of which was an annual expenditure, and one of which was in protest because there wasn't an endangered species rider on the bill.

But either way, the Corp of Engineers said the levee that failed wasn't one of the ones they had a problem with. They were of the opinion that it was the size it needed to be, and structurally sound.

[DrewKaree]

Now, I'm not a fan of his... but he takes it upon himself to find a boat, get his ass down there, and help the people directly, and idiots here are criticizing that he had a photographer?

Isn't that still helping people who desperately needed immediate help?

It's similar to the idiots complaining that Bush shouldn't have showed up after some disaster because the security and "entourage" he HAD to have with him only hampered efforts.

Penn didn't require an entourage like a President does.  Sure, it's one additional person, but when you're dealing with a boat as small as he was using, you don't see it as completely unnecessary to have that person along, and in fact, only hindering the aid of MORE people than he's currently doing?

The opportunity for a photo-op, as shmokes said, is what this entire thing looks like, and to me, a photo-op that causes less aid to be carried out IS something to be criticized.

If your house was on fire and Sean Penn was coming to help you, would you want him to take your kid out because his photographer was taking up space your wife could have used, or would you want him to leave the photo-op photog sitting in the truck while he saved your kid AND your wife?

If your gripe is because his "priorities" are somewhat in line because he's helping others, then priority #1 would be to scratch the photographer as boat passenger #whatever, because saving some guy with a camera who was perfectly fine while standing on dry land is priority number.....shite, I can't comprehend the number large enough that would give adequate weight to how insignificant that photographer's use is in this situation.

[ChadTower]

Either way... sure, he's a butthead, but he was out there helping people when pretty much everyone else was watching it on TV.  Don't criticize the people on the playing field unless you're on it too.

I'm surprised no one jacked his boat and left HIM on a rooftop, the way things are down there right now.

[Goz]

Jeff Spicoli to the rescue 

[Stingray]

In his defense re: the small boat. I did see someone (have no idea who, it was a couple days ago) say that small boats are what is needed most. The larger boats can't fit into the tight spaces between houses and whatnot. I presume that flat bottom boats are preferable due to the unpredicatlble depths you get into in flood waters.

-S

[Dartful Dodger]

I'm giving Sean Penn a couple of points for doing that. Photo opt or not, he's actually doing something.  I heard Celine Dion say the resucue workers (who are being shot at) should  "take a kayak".  And she also says we should let the people steal TV's, they deserve it.

I guess she's okay with people stealing from others, but don't try to download her music, or her lawyers will rip you apart.

[ChadTower]

Yeah, TVs are awesome when there is no electricity and your house is half underwater.

[Sephroth57]

I'm giving Sean Penn a couple of points for doing that. Photo opt or not, he's actually doing something.

[missioncontrol]

Sean Penn's attempt to sail to the rescue of young victims of Hurricane Katrina.....


Sean Penn gets into rescue act


I thought this guy promised to leave the country after the election

 
 
 

I thought Alec Baldwin was the one who said he'd leave if Bush got elected, but he's still around anyway.

there were a lot of crappy arrogant actors that promised to leave if Bush was elected, unfortunately they all lied.....

[ChadTower]

They didn't lie, they were acting.

[missioncontrol]

that's o.k. I didn't believe them then anyway............

[Stingray]

They didn't lie, they were acting.

-S

[Dartful Dodger]

[The majority of Americans didn't even listen to them.

[ChadTower]

All they really did was expose themselves as lousy Americans.  Anyone willing to abandon their country simply because they don't agree with the elected leadership are poor patriots.

I wish they had gone.  They could move in with Madonna and prance around pretending to be Maria Von Trapp.

[missioncontrol]

I read that as Maria Von Tramp

[Stingray]

I disagree strongly with the current administration, and actively dislike the president. I feel that he does just about everything wrong. Sorry.

I don't feel that this makes me a bad Amrican. After all, I do continue to stay here, knowing that things will have to get better soon.

-S

[missioncontrol]

but did you promise to leave the country if he was elected???

[ChadTower]

Disagreeing doesn't make you a bad American.

[paigeoliver]

You know, I just looked at Sean Penn's IMDB entry.

He has been in 39 movies, of which I have seen ONE!

Fast Times at Ridgemont High, of which all I remember is him ordering a pizza in class. Matter of fact I might not have even seen the movie, I might have just seen that part.

[ChadTower]

Whoa, good point.  The only one of those I've seen, and this was just in parts, was At Close Range.

[Stingray]

but did you promise to leave the country if he was elected???

No, I just promised to b!tch about it for four years, which turned into eight.

-S

[shmokes]

That's a shame.  He's one of the best actors in Hollywood.  Pick up Clint Eastwood's recent Mystic River.  Great movie and Penn is spectacular in it.  21 Grams is another of his recent movies that was really good. 

He's the cop in The Interpreter, with Nicole Kidman that came out at the beginning of the Summer.  It was a good show.  Just a typical Summer thriller.

Anyway, he's a great actor who tends to choose great roles.  Even if you find him obnoxious in real life, you're doing yourself a disservice to not actively seek out some of his movies.

[ChadTower]

I don't like soulless big budget Hollywood films.

[DYNAGOD]

WHERES HARRISON FORD AND HIS HELICOPTER! :p

[Stingray]

Helicopter? Forget helicopters. Where's the Millenium Falcon?

-S

[M3talhead]

Helicopter? Forget helicopters. Where's the Millenium Falcon?

-S

Psshhhhh.....Star Wars was fiction guys....geeze

Ford joined the amphibious rescue team.

[Stingray]

Holy sweet mother of crap! That's even worse than Tronguy.

Well maybe not worse, but it's way down there.

-S

[DrewKaree]

Don't criticize the people on the playing field unless you're on it too.

I get to drive a group down Thursday night.  Please change the dates on all my posts to Friday's date.

[DrewKaree]

In his defense re: the small boat. I did see someone (have no idea who, it was a couple days ago) say that small boats are what is needed most. The larger boats can't fit into the tight spaces between houses and whatnot. I presume that flat bottom boats are preferable due to the unpredicatlble depths you get into in flood waters.

-S

Dude, you are SO falling under my spell.  Must be the suit

Something too large would create a bigger wake than necessary, possibly doing more damage in the process, not to mention risking being too unwieldy to even be of use in some areas. 

You are gettinnnnnnnngggggggg baaaaaaaccccoooooooooonnnnnnnn

[Stingray]

I actually meant I saw someone on TV say that, but there is something hypnotic about the suit. Like a train wreck (or a flooded city), it is terrrible, yet I cannot look away. That is definitely not the droid I was looking for!

-S

[DrewKaree]

but did you promise to leave the country if he was elected???

No, I just promised to b!tch about it for four years, which turned into eight.

-S

So you're a liar then?

I'm with shmokes  he's a pretty good actor.  This can't come out sounding as anything OTHER than a slam on him right now, but that movie where he played the mentally challenged guy (dunno what the character had, can't remember) I found to be a very good movie.  Formulaic, but he was good enough to make the movie watchable to me.

Well maybe not worse, but it's way down there.

-S

Dude, just stop with throwing the double winky smileys around.  You weren't lying about just getting started

[Stingray]

Here's one just for you Drew!

-S

[Zero_Hour]

I don't like soulless big budget Hollywood films.

Then you would probably like a lot of what Penn has done over the last 10 years or so. Sweet and Lowdown, and Mystic River are both good films, and good examples of his range as an actor.

[shmokes]

I don't like soulless big budget Hollywood films.

Yeah, seriously.  He's rarely in anything but indy films.  In fact, I wonder if maybe you haven't seen anything he's been in because you tend only to watch soulless big budget Hollywood films.  You certainly wouldn't run into him there very often.

[duffjr]

i didn't like i am sam particularly much.  those movies with normal actors don't seem to convince me, except for forrest gump.  he finally got his oscar in mystic river, though i don't see why tim robbins was the supporting actor, not the lead role.  the only movie i really liked him in was u-turn, considering he got to do jennifer lopez while losing his life.

[ChadTower]

Okay, so the state announces that 2500 refugees (we call them guests now) are coming from NO up to MA to be housed on a mostly empty National Guard facility here.  The place has barracks for all, even if it would be a bit crowded.  Three cafeterias each with a capacity of 800.  A full commercial quality movie theater, on base stores, etc etc.  They would be fed, clothed, and given a free, safe, clean place to live.

My wife and I have been making arrangements so that we can drive down there (it's about an hour) to help serve meals and accommodate the guests when we are able.

Most of the people asked to come up here refused, saying they didn't want to come to MA because it's MA.  Now they are not coming.

   

[Goz]

I think Penn was very believable as the character Sam. He is either a good actor with wacky political views or he is mentally retarded in which case that answers all the questions I have about Penn. 

-Goz

[ChadTower]

He probably caught a brain eating STD from Madonna.

[Zero_Hour]

He probably caught a brain eating STD from Madonna.

Well his work in Shanghai Surprise certainly supports that theory. 

[Clonedsheep]

Penn in Action

[missioncontrol]

Penn in Action

let me guess he's using the cup to move the flooded waters back into the ocean....

[Clonedsheep]

Yes they are calling him Fountain Penn.

[Grasshopper]

If you want to see a good performance from Sean Penn in a mainstream film then watch Carlito's Way.

[M3talhead]

Penn in Action

That image has been digitaly altered!! I have the original right here......

It appears as if he's reaching for those oddly marked bags foating in the water.......strange. 

[missioncontrol]

After touching that water he may need a shot of pennicillin

[Dartful Dodger]

Most of the people asked to come up here refused, saying they didn't want to come to MA because it's MA.

[ChadTower]

Meanwhile, there are thousands upon thousands of homeless, starving, ill and injured people.  We set up a very nice, very accommodating place for them to stay that is more comfortable than the standard of living many of them had before Katrina.  Yet, it's not good enough, apparently.

[shmokes]

Those blacks....

[Stingray]

I expect it's probably the distance from home that's the problem. We're getting quite a few in Oklahoma. The difference being (I'm assuming) that Oklahoma is a lot closer to Louisiana. Were the situation reversed, I'd rather go to LA than MA, but only because it's closer, which would make returning home when possible a lot easier for most people.

-S

[ChadTower]

I don't care if they're white, black, green, or Liberal, refusing a fully funded place to stay when your family is homeless is asinine.

Distance shouldn't really matter, as there no jobs, homes, or anything else left there.  It boggles my mind that they can't find 2500 people who want out of that situation.

[missioncontrol]

I thought there were no jobs in the entire U.S.


that's what the media made me believe before this happened

 

[Dartful Dodger]

I thought there were no jobs in the entire U.S.

In a few months there'll be pleanty of construction work down south.

[ChadTower]

Who wants to be shot at while they're building something?  People could volunteer to do that in Iraq and have much better benefits.

[M3talhead]

Who wants to be shot at while they're building something?  People could volunteer to do that in Iraq and have much better benefits.

We get better guns too......