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| Fifth Column | |
| Martin Sheen Tops Anti-War TV Spot | |
| 2003-02-20 | |
| WASHINGTON (Variety) - Wielding his presidential-like appeal, actor Martin Sheen headlines a TV ad debuting in Los Angeles and the nation's capital on Thursday urging Americans to join a Feb. 26 "virtual march" on Washington to oppose a war with Iraq. A virtual march led by a virtual president. How unique!
There are some people who think he actually IS the President. The umbrella coalition Artists United to Win Without War wants citizens to deluge the nation's capital with e-mails, faxes and phone calls. Win what? Groups emerging in recent weeks to advocate a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis have had a difficult time buying national air time for anti-war spots. CNN and other networks say they are reluctant to air any advocacy ads, regardless of the issue. Well, isn't that interesting. First I've heard of it. To get around the skittish networks, groups are buying up time from local cable companies. Sheen's ad will appear on both CNN and Fox News Channel in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The spot will continue running throughout the next week. Win Without War, headed up by former Capitol Hill lawmaker Tom Andrews, is hoping to buy time in other local markets. "This virtual march on Washington will allow every American opposed to the war to stand up and be counted, by calling, faxing and e-mailing the U.S. Senate and the White House," Sheen says in the ad. Thank you, President Bartlett. Now it's time to go back to fantasyland and get out of the f***ing way... For years, there were strict federal regulations governing advocacy ads, with networks required to give equal time to the other side. Although those rules have been all but erased from the books, networks are still wary about airing such spots nationally. All right! Then they'd have to put Prowar ads up. I can see it now..."Nuke Mecca!"..."Faster please!" Other celebrities flanking Sheen at Wednesday's press briefing included Janeane Garofalo (news) and Mike Farrell (news). If these 2 are the cream of their celebrity crop then I'm not too impressed. Was Ed Asner too busy shaving his back? Organizations on hand included the National Council of Churches, Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, Greenpeace, NAACP and Physicians for Social Responsibility. ...and the other usual suspects. | |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #6 Willie C in the UN? That's almost as absurd as Hillary in the White House! Oh sorry. Oh hell! |
| Posted by: john 2003-02-20 19:40:24 |
| #5 The scam is they don't need to pay for airtime because every new show will show the ad and talk about it. They get the air time for free and get to play Freedom of Speach victim at the same time. |
| Posted by: Yank 2003-02-20 16:23:41 |
| #4 This guy is desperately trying to lose an audience. My sh*tlist keeps growing and growing... |
| Posted by: RW 2003-02-20 16:08:26 |
| #3 Last night there was a PBS program on WWII featuring color film footage. Among the images were scenes of liberating the Nazi death camps. The narrator was...you got it...Martin Sheen! Although the images were compelling, I couldn't help thinking that Sheen had 'phoned in' this job if for no other reason than he can read a text but have absolutely no clue what real evil is when he is confronted with it. |
| Posted by: JDB 2003-02-20 13:10:41 |
| #2 Aid and comfort, Martin, aid and comfort. I stopped watching West Wing because the real person is such a weenie compared to the character, and the character is a weenie. |
| Posted by: Chuck 2003-02-20 12:50:52 |
| #1 Laughible organization names: "Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities" and "Physicians for Social Responsibility". Are there any opposing groups I can join? perhaps "Slackjawed losers united against all parental expectations" or "Physicians for questionable bookkeeping"? Where do people come up with this stuff? "Mothers against all icky bad things", "Kids for Park Equipment and no homework", "The Committee For Cookies And Milk Now!". Its just nonsense. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2003-02-20 12:05:45 |