Tehran Bans Paper Showing George Clooney Wearing "Je Suis Charlie" Button

The current Iranian regime has recently put on a diplomatic smiley face, presumably to make a nuke/sanctions deal with major Western nations. However, behind the smile remains a ruling, militant Islamic theocracy. Those fun loving beards in Tehran just revoked the license of a newspaper which had the (dare I say it) chutzpah to publish a photograph of George Clooney wearing a "Je Suis Charlie" button. According to a Reuters report reprinted in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the offending three-week-old publication had supported a reform movement in the Islamic Republic. Now the Iranian newspaper will not be free to speak its mind, or anything, for that matter.

Real-Life "Up in the Air" Frequent Flyers Go on the Record

A recent San Jose Mercury News story focused on the u

ber-elite of frequent flyer travelers. These are characteristically businesspeople that fly hundreds of thousands of miles annually. Similar to George Clooney's character in the movie Up in the Air, these endless travelers scheme and plan to collect as many frequent flyer miles as possible. Yes, they do keep score, and high achievement, as measured by accumulated mileage, greatly matters to them. The story isn't too long, and it's fun to read as a window into this select group.

The article reminded me that Up in the Air's dialogue was pretty good. Here's an example, taken from imdb.com:

Natalie Keener: Hungry much?
Ryan Bingham: Our business expense allots forty dollars each for dinner. I plan on grabbing as many miles as I can.
Natalie Keener: Okay, you got to fill me in on the miles thing. What is that about? You're talking about, like, frequent flyer miles?
Ryan Bingham: You really want to know?
Natalie Keener: I'm dying to know.
Ryan Bingham: I don't spend a nickel, if I can help it, unless it somehow profits my mileage account.
Natalie Keener: So, what are you saving up for? Hawaii? South of France?
Ryan Bingham: It's not like that. The miles are the goal.
Natalie Keener: That's it? You're saving just to save?
Ryan Bingham: Let's just say that I have a number in mind and I haven't hit it yet.
Natalie Keener: That's a little abstract. What's the target?
Ryan Bingham: I'd rather not...
Natalie Keener: Is it a secret target?
Ryan Bingham: It's ten million miles.
Natalie Keener: Okay. Isn't ten million just a number?
Ryan Bingham: Pi's just a number.
Natalie Keener: Well, we all need a hobby. No, I- I- I don't mean to belittle your collection. I get it. It sounds cool.
Ryan Bingham: I'd be the seventh person to do it. More people have walked on the moon.
Natalie Keener: Do they throw you a parade?
Ryan Bingham: You get lifetime executive status. You get to meet the chief pilot, Maynard Finch.
Natalie Keener: Wow.
Ryan Bingham: And they put your name on the side of a plane.
Natalie Keener: Men get such hardons from putting their names on things. You guys don't grow up. It's like you need to pee on everything.

I can't imagine flying nearly a half-million miles, never mind ten million. Would you really want to spend that much time in commercial aircraft and airports?

George Clooney at 50

The LA Times entertainment blogger site noted that George Clooney recently threw himself a 50^th birthday party at an area restaurant. The invited guests were supposedly sworn to secrecy for the run-up to the event and during the celebration itself. Of course, the idea of discretion in Hollywood is elusive to manage. The word did indeed get out, not that anyone east of the San Fernando Valley and west of the Hudson River greatly cared.

The birthday party, however, does provide an opportunity to consider Clooney’s career. He has managed to successfully navigate the small screen (ER) and the big screen, something of a rare event in the entertainment business. I have not watched his TV work; I have seen some of his motion pictures. His best role was the cynical, world-weary legal fixer Michael Clayton. His performances in the flawed, but interesting Syriana, the cautionary tale Good Night and Good Luck, and the curious O, Brother, Where Art Thou? deserved more credit than he received. His skillful touch in Up in the Air showed a willingness for self-effacement that one wishes Clooney would exhibit off-camera.

Clooney also has earned praise for his work illuminating the Western world to the ghastly Darfur conflict and the repellent neo-colonial mineral grab pursued by the world’s principal economic powers.

Yet, Clooney remains something of a pariah among his peers. Why? The words “difficult,” “arrogant,” “abrasive” are too frequently associated with him. Even in a business filled with equally “difficult” and “demanding” individuals,” Clooney stands out near the head of his class. That’s not a competition that’s desirable to win. The reputation has cost Clooney any realistic chance at winning major awards from his peers or from unforgiving movie critics.

In the end, non-insiders don’t care about any of Clooney’s personality flaws. We do care about his next projects, and can only hope he’s made better choices than The American.