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Cool or Lame: Sean Penn Reports from Iran
Time for another edition of Cool or Lame:
We all remember
Sean Penn's Iraq Adventure, his effort to play a
"low-key" visit to Iraq just before the war to give us an up-close-and-personal view of Iraqis and why we
shouldn't attack them. How did you feel about that? I have mixed feelings. I personally find most celebrity activism
rather abhorrent (Bono not withstanding…Bono's work with debt relief in Africa is highly admirable). There is something
about these stars taking on pet projects to save the world, something about their self-righteousness, that rubs me
wrong.
Having lived in LA for most of my life, I know the culture of the place and where much of this activism comes from. It tends to be rather weak and suspect, the result of a millionaire working in a shallow business having a prick of conscience and deciding to use his special powers for the good of mankind. Of course, the issues and problems these folks raise SHOULD be publicized. Of course we should be AWARE and INVOLVED. And perhaps in our celebrity obsessed culture this is a bona-fide way to deliver an important message about world affairs. But to me, having a mega-star like Brad Pitt wander through a village in Africa to show off his mid-career concern just seems kind of lame.
And so here we are once again with Sean Penn. Penn is on assignment in Iran with the San Francisco Chronicle, writing about the country and the Iranian elections. No question the Iranian elections seem rigged, or at least severely lacking by true standards of democracy. And the fact that Penn landed an interview with Muslim cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is impressive. But there is something about Penn assuming the role of serious reporter that bothers me. When these articles come out, we can judge them on their merits, but I'd have to say I'd rather see these issues taken on by real reporters who have professional experience dissecting and understanding them than some celeb who gets mad when he reads the paper.
Am I off base? Cool or lame?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nathan Charles Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
I'm leaning toward Cool. I don't claim to be an expert on Sean Penn's politics but he seems to be somewhat genuine. Example, the Interpreter. While is is a movie, there was a very international UN focused theme in the movie. Apparently his and Nicole Kidman's politics played a role in obtaining the UN for filming. While he doesn't have 'professional experience' that will probably be more than compensated for by peoples' willingness to talk to a celebrity, passion, since this obviously doesn't pay as well as an acting gig, and the additional effort spent to make sure that a celebrity reporter doesn't look like an idiot.
Jan Shelton Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
I'm not trying to straddle a fence here, but I'm torn between 'lame w/reservation', & 'cool with marked reservation'. I agree that shrill self righteousness from someone who lives a lifestyle far removed from the average American is often ludicrous & extremely irritating! I would cite comments by Anniston & Pitt during election. Have they relocated? I envy Sean Penn's opportunity to base his opinions on his first hand observation, rather than any spin offered by our media OR our govt. I applaud the concern that spurred his interest. I have seldom agreed with his political views in the past, but I think it's admirable that he will expend the effort to deepen his understanding of Middle East conflicts. For him to be held as a representative for American values by other cultures is pretty unnerving to me. I also cringe to think that his assessment will be read by people who could take his words as an 'authoritative' report. Bono is the only celeb who comes to mind as being a truly informed, truly involved activist.
Hamidreza Tavakoli Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
It seems like the writer of this article doesnt know why someone like Sean Penn has been sent to Iran and why Bono or other celebs play this kinda role as a reporter over those countries! I think that San Francisco Chronicle could have sent some one else as reporter instead of this celeb (I mean a profesional reporter) but what is important here is that it can make it a scandal and now as you read everywhere u can recognize the importance of this event!
Sally Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
I don't hesitate to think that it is very cool that Sean Penn has gone to Iran to cover the elections. Not because he is Sean Penn, but because he is a concerned American. He has proven more than once that he has other interests than movies. He seems like an individual that takes a very active interest in world affairs and that is certainly admirable whether you are liberal, conservative, or fiercely independent. The very fact that he has taken the interest and or initiative to go to Iran is more than most people would do. I thought his previous stories from Iraq were relatively non-partisan. My guess is that the people of Iran will have a great deal of respect for him and the story he tells. They will be impressed that someone from the US cares enough to come and see for themselves what life is like now and the hope they have for the future.
Erik Olsen Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
Nice comments all. No question this is one of those issues that stirs a lot of passion. Is it cool or lame for a celebrity to use his/her celebrity as a lever to take a high profile in world affairs? I'm back and forth on it, like some other folks here. It still seems to me that when discussing problems of this import, the person doing so should have some expertise in the matter. And maybe I'm wrong in thinking this, but celebrity/Hollywood is a shallow business, and it seems to cheapen the topic when a celebrity involves him/herself.
Sarah Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
I live in Tehran,Iran and went to see him when he paid a visit to Iran Cinema Museum.I could see how he was impressed by people and a bit bothered by the photographers who followed him every moments.He was surprised as he said that several times becuase what he saw in our country was not what he expected.He saw our country as an artist and a reporter.Other reporters and journalists had been sent to Iran before but I don't think they could have touched or understood what Penn saw and felt.Iranians love him and maybe he didn't expect all these people know him,the people who weren't as restricted as he thought before.I think his report on Iran can be very realistic.
Erik Olsen Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
Sarah, nice comment and thank you. I agree Penn's report might be realistidc, but I have a hard time he didn't want to be photographed. Why not just go to Iran, then without notifying (let alone writing for) the press? Anyway, good for Sean Penn to do this, but I still have my reservations about these celebrity activists working as journalists.
Gulsum Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
Cool or lame? I donīt like to use these expressions in this context, but if you want to, I would rather say "cool". Why? Sean Penn shows that he, being an American (even if not representative at all), does care about what is going on in Iran. He makes the effort to go and see what is happening. He does not belong to the majority of Americans who (as it seems) think that it is unpatriotic to critisize your Administration even if they do wrong. He does not go to some African country to show what a "good person" he is. (Yes, it makes me also wanna through up when celebrities e.g. "support" the fight against hunger in Africa wearing designer jeans and having a perfect hairdo. Well, Angelina Jolie doesnīt make me wanna through up. There are slight differences.) If you read a little bit about Penn you know that he does not really care about his image. So this is obviously not a question of image. And you know exactly that he could not go to Iran without being recognised, even if this is not what he longs for. As he doesnīt do this trip for his image, he obviously thinks the journalists should rather cover the elections than him being there (, but I guess he knows himself that this is a bit naive). Does that mean that he does not have the right to go and try to get an insight? I donīt think so. Him being there has an impact. Not the impact to change too much, but for my view of America it has been important. I am from Germany but of Kurdish origin (so I have a critical view of West and East). I am absolutely not in favour of the politics of the U.S.-Administration. Not that there arenīt any other evil persons and bad Administrations but it feels very threatening that this most powerful country abuses its power that much to bring "democracy" to the world. (By the way, why donīt they start in Haiti? Just wondering.) Instead they are making sure that terrorism is being spread. All of a sudden not only Afghanistan but also Iraq is on the list and even Iran is mentioned. Not that I didnīt think that Saddam should be removed (hey, I am Kurdish!) but it is so threatening how the U.S.-Administration acts. And it makes me sad that I come to dislike the States more and more, although I have lived there for a few month (and enjoyed it)and I have friends there. The mere fact that Sean Penn cares what is going on and tries to get information gives me hope. I know he can not change a lot (or maybe nothing) but I do not expect that. It just made me feel good that an American cares and tries to understand what is going on. I know that there are a lot of engaged Americans who do the same (or more) but you do not see them and from time to time you just forget that there is another America. Sean Penn just reminded me of that. And to me it is very important to be reminded of that. So if he reaches that he reaches quite a lot, donīt you think?
P.S. And hey, Sean Penn is not Jane Fonda.
Munchkin Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
I would have to say LAME only because Sean Penn starred in the film "Shanghai Surprise" with Madonna and anyone who would agree to a film like that must be lame on all counts.
Diane Tober Dec 18th 2005 5:07PM
Completely lame.
While I can appreciate Penn's desire to go to Iran and see for himself what it is like, I don't understand how this is portrayed as a 'journalistic' event. If the point was to get more information out to the American public about Iran, the Chronicle should have sent someone more informed about Iranian culture, history, language and politics. Elaine Sciolino is a good example of an informed journalist who has devoted much of her career to Iran and the Middle East.
There are so many inaccuracies in his reporting that it does little more than reinforce the misjudgements Americans already have of Iran. He refers to the agents accompanying him to his interviews as "Siths." This is offensive, and portraying them as somehow less than human, if not "evil" as the "Siths" in the recent Star Wars movies.
He talks about women covering their faces--women rarely do that in Iran. He talks about all the women on the plane being transformed by the all-encompassing chador before they disembark. Less than a third of Iranian women wear the chador. Most wear a scarf and simple coat, called a manteau. He sounds as if he is the one bothered by the required coverings because he is no longer able to gawk at a woman's midriff.
If he wants to educate the "American public"--aided by his celebrity status--then he should cut the sensationalist garbage that he uses to spice up his writing. If he is there to inform, he has a responsibility to get his facts straight.
I am an American woman that lived in Iran with my non-Iranian children for 6 months in 2002, while I conducted research on Afghan refugees living there. I will be contributing my experiences to an American audience when my material is ready (hopefully soon). I think Penn's approach is irresponsible. God help the Iranian people if they meet the same fate as the Iraqis after Penn's visit.