Linda Rondstadt!

[faithinkarma]

I also cast my vote for them to learn a little self control and shut up. I appreciate that they are passionate about issues, and would certainly not want anyone to be apathetic. But there are better channels for enthusiasm.

Did I read somewhere that this hotel filed for bankruptcy this morning?

 

[goofygirl]

So a casino won't let you speak your mind, but they'll be happy to let you gamble til you're bankrupt and drink til you're drunk.

Yeah, makes lots of sense!

 

[ToriLammy]

Originally posted by Joeblack
but IMHO I can assume it because I have not seen any Bush supporting group being chastised the way the French, the Dixie Chicks, Michael Moore, Sean Penn or Tim Robbins have, now, have you?

Toby Keith took a lot of heat but I think overall that Bush Supporting celebrities/singers are far and few between. Those that are Bush suppoters normally don't speak up all that often because in the past they have been chastised. (Heston, Selleck, etc.) Look at the heat Arnold is taking right now for a relatively harmless remark

 

[Maleficent13]

Originally posted by goofygirl
So a casino won't let you speak your mind, but they'll be happy to let you gamble til you're bankrupt and drink til you're drunk.

Yeah, makes lots of sense!

But the difference, as some posters have pointed out, is that the casino was paying Ronstadt to entertain, not preach. The casino isn't paying the guests to do anything. I have control over what my employees may do "on the clock", but I do not have control over what the patients say or do.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Originally posted by goofygirl
So a casino won't let you speak your mind, but they'll be happy to let you gamble til you're bankrupt and drink til you're drunk.

Yeah, makes lots of sense!

Um, yeah - actually it makes alot of sense! The casino is a private business that makes money off of gamblers. Rondstant was their employee for the night and they are perfectly within their rights to ask her to leave for violating the terms of her employment - it is THEIR business.

 

[Funkyzeit mit Bruno]

I think it's no big deal that Ronstadt praised the movie publicly, that's he right. But I understand the anger on the part of the audience. I finally saw Fahrenheit 9/11 yesterday and it is a NATIONAL TRAGEDY that this movie is taken seriously. There is not one iota of evidence presented for any of the allegations. I can't believe the lies in this movie (the RACIST lies, I might add) are going unanswered.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by Poohbear123
Las Vegas Dumps her and her Show due to her praising Michael Moore!

When I heard that story this morning, the only thing that came to mind was the McCarthism of the 1950's.

 

[jrydberg]

No, the casino won't *pay* you to speak your mind. If she wants to spout off about politics on her own time, more power to her.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

This is not McCarthyism. Period. No one is stopping anyone from expressing their views, they are only being stopped from expressing them in an inappropriate place. Think if the same thing happened at WDW, I don't want to hear about a celebrities politics when I'm at WDW. She was there to entertain, and instead she divided the audience. There is a time and place for everything and if she like so many other celebrities felt the need to bash Bush she could have written to a paper or posted something on a website. The concertgoers who are already raped by ticket prices don't want to hear any of this nonsense.

 

[year2late]

Rondstat (any performer actually) takes a big chance when they let their political views be know on stage.


I have no problem when a performer does this, but they shouldn't be surprised when they lose part of their fan base (and revenue) when they are judged on their craft and their politics and not just their craft alone.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I don't want to hear that mess. I don't care what political side you are on --- if I pay to be entertained, just entertain me! That's it!

If you want a platform for your views, pick a different venue. It's simple!!

 

[WDWHound]

Sorry, but the hotel was right on this one.

Linda Rondstadt was hired to entertain the hotel's guests, the idea being that happy, entertained guests will spend more money at the hotel. Instead, she upset their guests and caused them to be angry with the hotel. Angry, dissatisfied guests dont tend to spend a lot of money.

In short, the hotel hired Rondstadt to do one thing, and she did exactly the opposite. Thats bad business. Its not a matter of free speach or McCarthyism . Its a matter of her not doing what she was paid to do. She had the right to speak, but with free speach comes accepting the consequences of that speech. In this case, the consequences were getting kicked out of the hotel for antagonizing their guests.

 

[faithinkarma]

This is not McCarthyism. Period. No one is stopping anyone from expressing their views, they are only being stopped from expressing them in an inappropriate place.

Really? Try reading some of the newspapers from the towns Bush is hitting on his campaign trail. Read about the people being arrested for showing up outside wearing Kerry t shirts. and then the follow up, the day after as they are released by the police with a " sorry, our mistake".

 

[Grog]

I have not seen any Bush supporting group being chastised the way the French, the Dixie Chicks, Michael Moore, Sean Penn or Tim Robbins have, now, have you?

And what does that tell us? To me, it says that there are more undecided, middle of the road voters out there who don't like hearing their government, their President, and their military being denigrated by these people or groups.

What they are doing is not popular among a lot of Americans. Most of these people, and quite a few here on the DIS, seem to think that free speech should only be a one way street, with no reprecussions. All the garbage being spouted about censorship is just that, garbage. If I am a fan of a particular star, and they come out and say something I don't agree with, it's my right to be able to speak out about it, and not buy any of their products. Some people seem to think that a star should be able to speak out against what ever they want and the rest of us should sit on our hands with our lips zipped.

Sorry, but freedom of speech is a two way street..... again, for those with reading comprehension problem.... freedom of speech is a two way street. Say it now with me... "Freedom of speech is a two way street". Now do you get it?

For the record, I think what Rondstadt did was a publicity stunt. The hotel didn't want her chasing their customers away. That is their right as a business.

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by faithinkarma
Really? Try reading some of the newspapers from the towns Bush is hitting on his campaign trail. Read about the people being arrested for showing up outside wearing Kerry t shirts. and then the follow up, the day after as they are released by the police with a " sorry, our mistake".

and all this took place at the Alladin during the Rondstadt concert? Wow, I missed that. I didn't notice any mention of arrests at the Alladin. Perhaps thats because the cases you mentioned have nothing to do with what happend at the concert.

I beleive what the poster said was the the Rondstadt example is not McCarthyism. No comment was made about other examples.

 

[Grog]

Read about the people being arrested for showing up outside wearing Kerry t shirts. and then the follow up, the day after as they are released by the police with a " sorry, our mistake".

Actually, I would like to read about that. Can you provided a link to an unbiased source for us? One that states that it is an ongoing problem and not just a one time thing were a cop went over the line? If this did happen then the cop(s) should be punished.

 

[snoopy]

The people who made the decision to escort Linda Rondstadt from the hotel played right into Michael Moore's hands. He is probably loving every moment of all this media attention, as if there isn't already enough surrounding his film.

As for Linda Rondstadt herself, is there a person alive who really cares what her political leanings are? I mean, who is she? She's not a student of politics or in anyway more credible than Joe Blow, why do I care what she thinks one way or the other? She certainly wouldn't influence my opinion either way, nor would any other celebrity.

 

[sgtdisney]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But when you are at work, as Rhondstadt was you usually are not at liberty to express them as you chose. If I went into a meeting today with a bunch of clients (or paying customers as it was at the Aladdin) and started saying George Bush is a whatever, or John Kerry is a whatever I would be certain to offend people. I am not being paid to offend 1/2 of our clients, neither was Rhondstadt. I would expect if I did that I would be reprimanded if not fired especially if my comments caused the company to lose business.

Besides, based on her own comments to that newspaper it sounds as if she was trying to get fired. Well she was successful. I am sure the suite was a perk of her employment, employment was terminated so was the perk.

 

[GeorgeG]

Too many entertainers are using their celebrity to launch political statements. Ronstadt has been one of my favorite singers for many years and that's just it - I want to hear her sing. Save the political plugs for interviews (of course those don't reach as big an audience) and keep the stage for singing. I don't care how big and famous they are, from the local lounge on up to Streisand, they are still the hired help and they need to remember that!

I don't think very many people would pay to hear Bush or Kerry sing... well, maybe just once.

 

[Deb in IA]

Linda Ronstadt was paid by the Aladdin Hotel to sing, to put the customers in a happy mood, so that they will spend more time and $$$$ at the hotel.

She was not paid to make the customers angry enough to storm out.

I am paid to examine and treat patients. If I start stumping for presidential candidates while I listen to someone's heartbeat, I'm sure that would be inappropriate.

She could have stuck to "Blue Bayou". When she decided to step into the role of a political pundit, she should have been ready to face the consequences.