Just Shut Up and Sing: Fame, Speaking Your Mind and Responsibility

No, I'm not talking about the Dixie Chicks...well, not specifically. For those that haven't heard, a former NBA Player, John Amaechi, recently announced that he is, and has been, homosexual. For those that don't follow professional sports, that's a pretty big deal. Male athletes, do not come out of the closet. That doesn't mean that there are not homosexual athletes. Gays make up a sizable enough segment of the population that statistically there have to be some playing football, baseball, basketball etc. for money. This was (and remains) a big story. Pretty much any NBA player interviewed since this announcement has been asked their opinion on this issue.

Tim Hardaway is a former NBA player. During his 13 years in the league he was voted an All-Star 5 times. He now works mostly as an NBA analyst and commentator. When the question of homosexuals in the locker room was posed to Tim, he had this to say, "I hate gay people." He said some other things too, "I wouldn't want him on my team..." and "I would try to distance myself from him as much as possible..." but the crux is "I hate gay people."

Understandably sports talk radio (and TV for that matter) has been largely focused on this story ever since his remarks. It's a big deal when someone says they hate a segment of the population (remember when Mel Gibson's Dad said the Holocaust didn't happen). Around our radio station (we own an ESPN affiliate) the general opinion is that no one cares. The question has been raised, "Why do we care what Tim Hardaway, or any celebrity, thinks about these issues?" That's what I want to talk about today. Not homosexuality, or the war on terrorism or even whether psychiatry is evil (thank you Tom Cruise). I want to talk about our (and celebrities) right to talk about these issues.

Chances are good that you are free to speak your mind on political and social issues at your workplace. If you know that your boss disagrees with you, maybe you don't speak as loudly as you would, but you don't keep silent about your opinion when asked. That's the beauty of living in a free society. No matter how unpopular an opinion is, we are allowed to have it, and shouldn't be discouraged from sharing it with others (just as long as we don't shove it down their throats). Why would this freedom of expression go away if we become famous?

That's what we're saying when we suggest that actors/singers/athletes should just "shut up and sing." We, as a society, have placed a great importance on athletic ability, and fame. We spend millions of dollars on magazines, television programs, and websites that track celebrities' every movement. We support (even demand) that paparazzi follow them shoving a microphone and a camera in their face at every opportunity. How can we be mad when they say something other than what designer they are wearing?

This is not to say that all celebrities have valid points or even know anything at all about the issues they discuss. There is obviously a difference between Tom Cruise decrying the evils of psychiatry and Bono (of U2) and Angelina Jolie discussing the plight of Africans. Some celebrities are smart, some have researched the problems they are discussing forming valid well-reasoned opinions on how to solve these problems. Others have not. Nobody's saying that the celebrities are right. But nobody says we are right when we are mouthing off around the water cooler either.

There are consequences of course to discussing your opinion, especially if it's unpopular. The Dixie Chicks found that out, when they said they were ashamed of the President. A President that was incredibly popular with their core audience. But if that's what they believed, don't you want to know? Let's say you were a Dixie Chick fan, and once they spoke out against the President and the war in Iraq, you want nothing more to do with them. Well aren't you glad you know how they feel now? Would you rather they kept their mouth shut, so that you continued to buy their albums, making them richer and supporting their political donations by proxy? Likewise, if you were a John Amaechi fan, and knowing that he is homosexual makes you detest him, aren't you glad you know?

I think Tim Hardaway showed ignorance and bigotry by making a statement like, "I hate gay people." But if that's how he feels, I'm glad he said it. It's nice to know what kind of person he is. We appreciate and expect honesty from our friends, we honor it (sometimes undeservedly) in politicians, why shouldn't we applaud it in our celebrities? Here's the dirty little secret, we do applaud it when we agree with them.

Bono has become a respected man in circles that have no idea about his music. That's because anyone with any compassion feels for the poor worldwide and especially those that are suffering an AIDS epidemic in Africa. We like the cause that he's speaking about, so we don't mind when he talks. When Bruce Willis made such a public display of supporting President Bush and the invasion of Iraq (especially in my area of the country) he became a favorite movie star again. When Toby Keith told Osama Bin Laden (musically) that we were gonna shove a "boot in your ass," country fans cheered (most of them anyway). These people were applauded, because they made popular statements. Nobody (or not many people anyway) told them to "shut up and sing."

I loved "The West Wing." Aaron Sorkin's creation remains one of the best television series ever, in my opinion. Even after Sorkin left and the show was a shell of its former self, it was still better than 80% of the crap on TV. That was largely because of Martin Sheen. Martin is one of the most outspoken (and active) liberals in Hollywood, particularly where the current administration and its War on Terror is concerned. I disagree almost completely with Sheen's opinions on these issues. But I applaud him for speaking his mind. The fact that I think he is wrong doesn't affect my opinion of him as an actor at all. I'd love to debate the issue with him, because I appreciate anyone who's passionate about important questions. What I don't understand is the idea that if he just kept quiet, we could still like him as an actor. If I kept quiet about my beliefs (religious, social, political, etc.) then I would be hiding a part of myself. Those that came to know me, wouldn't know me at all. They would know (and like or dislike) the public front I put on. Who wins in that situation?

I'm glad that I know that the Dixie Chicks dislike President Bush. I'm glad that I know that Tim Hardaway dislikes homosexuals. I'm glad that I know that Martin Sheen feels we are making a grave mistake with our current occupation of Iraq. I'm glad that I know that Sean Penn pays little attention to what's actually going on, but likes to be there with a camera when something happens. I'm glad that I know Tom Cruise is beyond insane and is spending his millions ridding his body of intergalactic evil spirits. I'm glad you know that I want my voice to be heard, and that I don't mind listening to others.