Entertainment news sites couldn’t care less about the new Hollywood Blacklist.
Conservatives are routinely canceled for their views. It’s undeniable. Just ask James Woods.
Yet the same sites decry a handful of stars punished for extreme, pro-Palestinian beliefs. Think Susan Sarandon and “Scream” alum Melissa Barrera.
Melissa Barrera says big acting offers went “quiet for like 10 months” after she got fired from SCREAM franchise: “I felt like my life was over.”
Now “Scream” fans tell her: “What they did to you is so messed up, I’m so sorry that happened!”https://t.co/AbELb9fVga
— Zack Sharf (@ZSharf) November 26, 2024
Both continue to work in the industry, though, which is something Woods and others can’t say.
The Hollywood Reporter revisited that topic, expanding the focus to show how Israeli artists struggle to get their visions to the screen.
Israeli content creators are increasingly becoming pariahs in the global marketplace.
According to the site, some Jewish artists can’t find funding post Oct. 7. That’s bad enough, but it gets worse.
Israelis have become persona non-grata, particularly on the film festival front — even when their work and social media profiles are apolitical….Israeli filmmakers say their projects are being deliberately excluded on the festival circuit by gatekeepers, some of whom have signaled support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement on social media.
We also hear from “veteran Hollywood dealmaker Craig Emanuel” who said festival programmers (including those from Sundance and the Toronto International Film Festival) fear “pushback and demonstrations” from anti-Israel activists.
That convinced them to avoid Israeli films and filmmakers regardless of the content. Pro-Palestinian protesters helped make this a reality. The Heckler’s Veto is alive and well within the creative community.
Shameful. Cowardly.
The THR report attempts a “both sides” argument, saying Israeli and Palestinian voices are being silenced.
RELATED: WHY ARE CRITICS IGNORING ‘SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE’
Read deeper into the piece and it’s hardly equal.
Stars espousing extreme pro-Palestinian views, including arguments accused of being anti-semitic, are occasionally targeted. One example? Far-Left creator Boots Riley slammed a screening of Hamas atrocities as “murderous propaganda.”
That caught the attention of “Snow White” producer Marc Platt, who questioned why his agency didn’t fire him. Riley remained with WTE, according to THR.
Yet some Israelis whose work is entirely apolitical are being shunned. Big difference.
Artists, in general, shouldn’t be punished for their views. Equally true? Hollywood A-listers should be outraged by what THR shared in its investigation. They have the clout and platforms to take a stand against this.
So where are they?
RELATED: HAVE WE GROWN NUMB TO CENSORSHIP?
The Hollywood Reporter, along with Variety, remain industry bibles. This wasn’t an expose published in an obscure web site. The story in question is now two days old.
Chances are many prominent actors, directors and screenwriters either read the story or heard about it.
Why won’t they speak out? They can frame it in an apolitical fashion, saying free speech matters most of all, and artists shouldn’t be punished due to their ethnicity or views.
They won’t, of course.
Why? Look at recent history as your guide.
The vast majority of stars stayed mum during the height of Cancel Culture. Woke scolds slapped trigger warnings on art, censored classic books and demanded comedians restrict their set lists during this period.
The celebrity class stood down. Some censored their own work without a fight. Others cheered Cancel Culture along.
The exceptions (Ricky Gervais, John Cleese, Rob Schneider) proved the rule.
The same will hold here.
What else won’t happen? Other news outlets won’t follow up on the THR report. We won’t see wall-to-wall coverage or smaller sites picking up on its troubling revelations. TheWrap.com, to its credit, ran a story about a documentary group allegedly pulling a paid campaign ad for an Israeli documentary.
The IDA denies the charges.
The The Wrap reports that the International Doc Association pulled a paid ad campaign for Oct. 7 doc ‘We Will Dance Again’, the filmmakers say they had arbitrarily singled out the film due to anti-Israel bias. IDA denies this & claims they “overbooked.” pic.twitter.com/qbabwtSEsh
—
Katherine Brodsky (@mysteriouskat) December 7, 2024
If a starlet takes a stand against the paparazzi, or a celebrity couple disbands, the media covers it intensely. You’ll find page after page on Google News about the subject.
Jewish artists censored for their identity? That won’t merit much attention. That speaks volumes, too.
Editor’s Note: It’s a brutal time to be an independent journalist, but it’s never been more necessary given the sorry state of the corporate press. If you’re enjoying Hollywood in Toto, I hope you’ll consider leaving a coin (or two) in our Tip Jar.
The post Report: Israeli Artists Censored by Hollywood appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.