Hollywood’s Loyalty to Clinton Put to Test

As Hollywood writer-director Gary Ross disembarked with his family this week at Union Station in Washington, he thought back on the classic Frank Capra film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and the idealism Jimmy Stewart evoked as a new U.S. senator first laying eyes on the nation’s capital.

Ross, who wrote the 1993 presidential comedy “Dave,” said he had always felt the same way whenever he came to Washington, whether it was as a congressional intern at the age of 15 or years later when he wrote speeches for President Clinton.

This week, however, in the wake of Monicagate, Ross said different feelings washed over him as he drove past the stately monuments to American democracy. “There was a sense of sadness just driving through this town for how tawdry the whole thing had become,” Ross said. “Normally, you can’t help but feel a sense of idealism. It was pretty palpable.”

Since the 1992 presidential campaign, Hollywood has been a bastion of support for Bill Clinton, but today, with calls for Clinton’s impeachment ringing in the corridors of Congress and the news saturated with endless recountings of sex in the Oval Office, Hollywood’s loyalty is being severely tested.

So far, the scandal does not seem to have dampened either enthusiasm for Clinton’s agenda or the financial support the entertainment industry regularly gives the Democratic Party.

On Saturday, Clinton is scheduled to appear at a “Unity ‘98” dinner that is expected to raise at least $1.3 million for the Democrats in this fall’s midterm elections. The dinner is being held at the Beverly Hills home of Haim Saban, who runs Fox Family Worldwide Inc., as well as Saban Entertainment, which produces such children’s shows as “Power Rangers in Space.”

But from expressions of personal distaste for Clinton’s conduct with former White House intern Monica S. Lewinsky to revulsion over the investigation mounted by independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr, emotions are running high among longtime Democrats in the entertainment industry.

With calls for Clinton’s impeachment in the air, Barbra Streisand issued a personal statement Thursday attacking “partisan inquisitors” in Washington whom she said are after the president’s scalp.

Other supporters say that although they strongly disapprove of Clinton’s conduct with Lewinsky, they do not think it warrants impeachment and only wish the scandal would end.

“It is shameful what he did, but it is personal--it is private,” said producer and former TriStar Pictures President Mike Medavoy, one of Clinton’s earliest backers in the film industry. “I in no way think that Clinton did something that I would be proud of as part of my life. On the other hand, in my view, it’s been politicized.”

Steve Tisch, one of the producers of the Academy Award-winning film “Forrest Gump” and a big Democratic contributor, said he was “personally disappointed” with Clinton.

“I wake up every morning and turn on the ‘Today’ show and read the L.A. Times and New York Times and wish it would go away,” Tisch said. “I’m frustrated as a citizen, I’m frustrated as a Democrat and I’m frustrated as someone who has spent time with the president. Enough already. Let’s move on.”

Tisch said the scandal has made him “much more cautious” about taking phone calls from politicians seeking campaign contributions.

For Ross, the Clinton scandal has simply meant that the president’s agenda is being lost in a blizzard of sex, lies and videotape.

“Like a lot of former supporters, I’m angry at the squandered opportunity and the lack of judgment on his part,” Ross said. “I don’t care what people do with their sex lives, but he was entrusted with the hopes and dedication of a tremendous amount of people and to have squandered all that is disappointing. But, having said that, I think what’s happening on the part of the Republicans is a lot worse and a lot more dangerous.”

Saban said he is unwavering in his support for Clinton and so livid over Starr’s actions that he believes the independent counsel “should be tried for treason.”

“We’ve got a country to run, embassies exploding and we’re dealing with dresses!” Saban said in frustration.

Saban said that when he greets Clinton this Saturday at the fund-raising dinner he will say to him, “Mr. President, we’re behind you even more than we were before. Deal with the issues in front of us as much as you possibly can and this group of zealots will allow you to, and we’ll always be there for you.”

As impeachment becomes an increasing possibility, the gravity of the debate has alarmed Hollywood.

Scott Carter, an executive producer of ABC’s nighttime talk show “Politically Incorrect” with Bill Maher, said celebrities now call him wanting to speak about their concerns for the country.

“I think some people had an initial period of disappointment with the president and some people felt, ‘Let’s wait until the Starr report comes out,’ ” Carter said. “Since then, we’ve noticed a lot of people saying they have now heard a lot of the evidence and they can now make a decision.”

Over the years, Clinton has developed friendships with some of the most powerful celebrities and executives in show business, including Streisand, Tom Hanks and the triumvirate that owns DreamWorks SKG--Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg.

On Thursday, Streisand lashed out at Clinton’s pursuers.

“As the media reports in its own public opinion polls, the American people are not buying into the carefully orchestrated campaign to distract them from what really affects their lives,” her statement said. “The people are seeing through the blizzard of manipulation and innuendo that is aimed at distracting them from the issues in the upcoming election which should be receiving the highest priority.”

She listed these issues as education of our children, care for the elderly, tax cuts for working people and a strong foreign policy.

“Americans refuse to be bullied by partisan inquisitors and self-appointed pious moralizers,” Streisand added. “How wise our founding fathers were in trusting the wisdom and fairness of ‘We the people.’ ”

Donna Bojarsky, a public political consultant who has been a political advisor to actor Richard Dreyfuss, said Hollywood--like the public in general--is willing to separate public from private lives.

“No one is going to defend his personal actions, including himself,” Bojarsky said. “But people in Hollywood and people who live in California have a tremendous stake in the California economy. I think those things, as well as being able to handle international crises like Mideast peace and the Balkans, those are the things people want to focus on.”

Few could resist the irony, however, of witnessing politicians who have bashed Hollywood over excessive violence and sex in movies, TV shows and rap music now voting to make public the Starr report with its boxes of salacious evidence.

“I read Ken Starr’s book and I saw his video and I wonder if this is the kind of material that Washington wants us to be making?” said producer and longtime Democrat Sean Daniel.

Added Tisch: “We look like mature, responsible grown-ups compared to what is going on in Washington.”