Ron Silver has passed at 62

Sad news today. I was shocked to hear that actor Ron Silver died this weekend of cancer. He was only 62.

Silver was probably best known to the public for his work in Ali, Silkwood, Timecop, The Arrival and on television in Law & Order. I personally found his work on the West Wing to be a standout among his television and movie performances.

Of course Silver was a true activist. He was a passionate supporter of America and our ability to choose. He co-created the non-partisan Creation Coalition – an advocacy group for entertainers. And he famously stunned Hollywood with his visible and vocal support of conservative values and President Bush after 9/11.

It was that change of political affiliation that virtually left him an outcast in Hollywood. In the industry that preaches democracy, activism, and freedom he spoke to the wrong goals in their eyes, and that meant he was persona non grata. I never ceased to be amazed how liberals, especially those in Hollywood, believe in free speech – as long as it agrees with their views, and seek to squash such speech when it does not.

“Often when I walked onto the set of 'The West Wing' some of my colleagues would greet me with a chanting of 'Ron, Ron, the neo-con.' It was all done in fun but it had an edge," Silver wrote in a Nov. 15, 2007, entry of his blog on the Pajamas Media Web site.”

But no matter how much Hollywood turned their backs on Silver, audiences did not. He is well-remembered and respected.

I believe that it is not the political affiliation that describes a true intent to see the best for America, rather it is the heart-felts commitment that is made to that goal. In that Ron Silver succeeded where so many activists for a day entertainers fall severely short. And it was that same kind of passion that made him such a wonderful actor.

My condolences to the Silver family.

White house Chief of Staff Rahm Israel Emanuel's big secret

Here is something that you only see in America. It is only in this nation that a man can rise from obscurity, come from a position of some ridicule, and become a powerful leader shaping the lives of millions. You might think I’m talking about President Obama, I’m not. I in fact mean his newly appointed White house Chief of Staff Rahm Israel Emanuel.

Now when I speak of his trials I do not mean his family. Though his fater was a memer of Irgun (a questionable Zionist group) and his mother once ran a nightclub, neither is a hardship or overly remarkable. Nor do I speak of Chicago, a city noted for its questioanable politics. And I definitely don’t mean the fact that the character Josh Lyman on The West Wing was modeled after him – that is a positve in my book.

No I’m speaking of the big secret of Rahm Emanuel. The item rarely spoken about. You won’t even see it on Wikipedia right now if you look. Rahm Emanuel is a ballet dancer.

When I say a ballet dancer I’m not kidding. He was trained in classical ballet. He was so good in fact that he was able to get a scholarship to the renown Joffery Ballet. He learned ballet at Evanston School of Ballet, and obviously he learned quite well.

In my 40 years of life I have heard many comments and jokes about ballet. This is mostly directed at male ballet dancers. I’m sure that we all have heard these comments. But somehow I don’t see cracking a joke like that at one of the most powerful men in the world.

But what does being classically trained in ballet say about the former 4th most powerful man in the House of Representatives? Perhaps this gives a clue.

“Intense would be a word I would have used even then," said Kerry Hubata, his former ballet teacher. "I've seen kids with physical talent but didn't work as hard. Others, who weren't as gifted physically but had the desire and didn't mind the pain, succeeded more. He had the drive.”

Suffice to say hard work and determination always pay off. And if the intensity of classical ballet is a reflection of this Chief of Staff, he will be quite the Chief indeed.

Christian Slater to get TV show - 3.14.2008.2

Well television may just get a bit more interesting soon. It’s not because American Idol is about to get canceled (I can only dream of that day so far). The reason is that there may be a new television program starring Christian Slater.

Now I am a fan of Slater. His work in Heathers and Broken Arrow were good. He has done many roles with a Nicolson-eque flair and a dark demeanor. It works, on the big screen and small. Similar qualities were brought to his work on The West Wing, a show I really enjoyed and virtually the last network television program I followed.

The new program is described as a Bourne Identity meets Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Now I’m not exactly sure how that can work. From what I understand the main character has an alter-ego that is a spy, and that he is unaware of. From what I can gather he is not playing a comical role but more in line with a 24 style.

I’m not sure this can work. But I want to give Mr. Slater the benefit of doubt. I look forward to seeing what this program might be like. Look for this in the fall.

Not much else to say about that.

But I know many people are hearing a lot of different things about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor of Senator Obama. For those that don’t normally follow politics but want to know my review of one of the speeches of Rev. Wright as opposed to the 5 and 10 second soundbites in the major news media you can go to www.mvass.com