Hollywood Analysis: Hotshots and potshots

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Once again, Hollywood is damned if it does, damned if it doesn't.

Like other institutions of American life, the entertainment industry has reacted to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in a variety of ways -- including an impressive outpouring of energy in the promotion of generous giving for the victims and the heroes at ground zero.

Unfortunately, the venerable sport of Hollywood bashing -- which seemed to be suspended during the first weeks following the attack -- is making a robust return to "the way it used to be" pre-Sept. 11.

Take the example of the New York Post's Andrea Peyser, who wrote a column last week trashing Heather Graham, Drew Barrymore, Liza Minelli, Rosie O'Donnell, Kelsey Grammer, Elizabeth Hurley and Julia Roberts.

"They come off tough when defending the rights of farm animals not to be ground into veal," wrote Peyser. "So where are the stars, now that humans need them?"

So where was Peyser last week when an all-star lineup of Hollywood talent was coming into her city to appear with Paul McCartney and friends at the VH1-sponsored "Concert for New York" at Madison Square Garden?

She must have heard about it. Except for airstrikes in Afghanistan and anthrax scares up and down the East Coast, the concert is practically all the New York media talked about for the past week.

In addition to a music lineup that featured Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Elton John and Billy Joel, celebrities onstage included Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and Susan Sarandon. One of the major organizers of the event -- the man who, in fact, enrolled McCartney's participation -- was Miramax Pictures honcho Harvey Weinstein.

Organizers thought enough of the heroes of ground zero to reserve a few thousand of the best seats in the house for them -- no charge -- while paying customers forked over up to $10,000 for the privilege of attending a truly historic concert.

(Promoters have been known to describe concerts from time to time as historic, but this one really merited the distinction.)

A lack of information may render Peyser's indictment of Graham, Barrymore, Minnelli, et al., defective.

Citing "sources," she reported that Graham -- who is promoting the new movie "From Hell" -- canceled an appearance on "Late Show With David Letterman" because she was "anthrax-spooked." With no evident journalistic motivation, Peyser snidely characterized Graham as "the newly serious star of 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.'"

The columnist reported that Drew Barrymore "dumped the New York premiere" of her new movie, "Riding in Cars With Boys" and "high-tailed it to California after reluctantly finishing her hosting duties at 'Saturday Night Live.'"

It was widely reported that Barrymore had difficulty going through with her "SNL" gig. But it was not so widely reported -- and Peyser therefore had no reason to know -- that it was Sony Pictures executives who made the decision to cancel the New York event.

Michael Kelly repeated the Drew Barrymore story in a Washington Post column about the anthrax scare last week.

His source? The New York Post gossip page.

With nothing else to go on, Kelly ended the column with a call to readers to make Barrymore pay.

"Boycott Drew Barrymore's movie (you know it's no good anyway)," he wrote.

It isn't clear that Barrymore is deserving of this journalistic smackdown. But even if one could prove that she is, what did the rest of those who worked on the movie do to deserve that kind of vilification?

Kelly's sneering pan of a movie he showed no sign of having seen does not reflect well on a man who is responsible for leading very public discussions about important issues.

It's a good bet Kelly would not appreciate it if I suggested that you boycott his column because "you know he's going to write about something he doesn't know anything about anyway."

Although it was widely reported, neither Peyser nor Kelly mentioned a series of contacts last week between White House representatives and a group of movie and TV producers intended to explore ways in which the entertainment industry can be of service in the war against terrorism.

At the most visible session, in Beverly Hills, Calif., Chris Henick, deputy assistant to the president, and Adam Goldman, an administration liaison to the entertainment industry, met with more than two-dozen powerful industry figures, including CBS President Les Moonves, HBO Film President Colin Callender, Showtime President Jerry Offsay and Warner Bros. Television President Peter Roth.

According to those who attended, the conversation turned often to the example that directors like Frank Capra set during World War II. Capra, John Ford and George Stevens directed many inspirational films as part of the war effort.

Hollywood lore is replete with stories of stars who enlisted during World War II, interrupting their careers so they could be part of their country's military campaign. It would be unreasonable to demand that contemporary stars follow in the footsteps of James Stewart and Clark Gable and rush down to the recruiting station to be fitted for a uniform.

First, Hollywood figures who signed up were part of a vast company of volunteers and conscripts who answered the call for a huge standing military force -- a call that has not yet gone out in 2001.

Second, as our president has reminded us on numerous occasions since Sept. 11, this is a new kind of war. It calls for a new kind of response and comprehension from all of us -- including opportunistic snipers perched in newspaper offices.

Now back to our newfound -- and hard-earned -- national unity.