Gore Reminds Hollywood to Be Responsible

Vice President Al Gore sounded a well-worn theme Thursday, calling on the television industry and Hollywood in general to exhibit “deep responsibility” in its role of setting “the moral tone of the nation.”

In a tame address before about 1,000 executives at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Gore underscored the expansive opportunities lying at Hollywood’s doorstep. “Today, the American entertainment industry is booming,” Gore said. “Fourteen thousand new positions will be created this year. It has rejuvenated the California economy, which is tied as never before to the industry.”

Speaking to the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, he predicted that the ranks of producers, actors and entertainers will grow by 50% to fill the worldwide demand for American films, music and television shows.

“You form our national and increasingly our world consciousness,” Gore said. “The products of the American entertainment industry are the world’s window on America and on ourselves and our most cherished values.”

Some in the industry expected Gore to use the opportunity to take Hollywood to task for glorifying drugs, violence and sex--reinforcing a recent admonishment by President Clinton. But Gore struck a moderate tone, stressing the good TV can do. “So many TV shows, songs and movies have changed the way we think about issues,” he said, mentioning the role the Archie Bunker character in “All in the Family” played in making Americans reflect on their own prejudices.

Gore also singled out the openly lesbian TV character “Ellen” for praise. “When the character Ellen came out, millions of Americans were forced to look at sexual orientation in a more open light,” Gore said.

His remarks contrasted with those of former Vice President Dan Quayle, who denounced the title character in TV’s “Murphy Brown” for having a child out of wedlock.

Gore conceded that Hollywood does not bear the full responsibility for violence and drug and tobacco use among youths. And he praised the industry for its partnership with Washington regulators over the last two years in creating a rating system for television, agreeing to air three hours a week of educational children’s programming, and most recently, for helping tackle political reform.