One of my favorite celebrity quotes of all time is from Elvis Presley in the early ’70s, when a reporter asked for his opinion about Vietnam War protesters: “Honey, I’d just as soon keep my own personal views about that to myself. I’m just an entertainer.” Putting aside the unwokeness of calling a strong independent woman “Honey,” Presley’s humility was refreshing. He was one of the greatest performers who ever lived and he knew it, but that didn’t make him an expert on politics or social issues or anything else. It’s not that he didn’t have opinions — after all, they’re like colonic apertures — he just preferred not to share them.
Sometimes it seems like those days are gone forever, but another amazing entertainer with great hair is bringing them back. As Judy Kurtz at The Hill reports:
Hugh Jackman says he won’t weigh in on politics because as an Australian, he would find it “hard to have American actors coming down talking about my political system…”
“How was that?… Did I skirt that one well?” he added with a chuckle.
He did, and that’s his prerogative. He has every right to mouth off about anything he wants, whether he knows anything about it or not. (Just look at his fellow Aussie, Cate Blanchett.) And he also has the right not to. “I’d rather not say” is a perfectly valid answer to any question outside his areas of expertise. He doesn’t owe anybody anything that they haven’t bought with a movie ticket.
He’s the best there is at what he does. And what he does isn’t very political.
Not that I want Hollywood to stop talking, mind you. They’re doing their best to keep the Democrats out of power, which is good for America. But when it comes to shutting the hell up, I’m strictly pro-choice.
Ain’t that right, Logan?