Grandy Assails Helms’ Arts Stance

Former actor Fred Grandy, now a Republican representing Iowa in the U.S. House of Representatives, said today that the National Endowment for the Arts is being “held hostage by some extremist groups.”

Grandy, who appeared in the TV series “The Love Boat,” said it is “ridiculous” that Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) is blocking passage of the NEA reauthorization bill on censorship in the arts.

He said Helms will “be opposed by members of his own party in the Senate.”

Helms added language to the NEA appropriation bill that prohibits funding works that depict a variety of named sexual activities and are deemed to have no redeeming social value.

Grant recipients would be required to declare that they would comply with the restrictions.

Grandy was interviewed on the “Fox Morning News.”