Celebrities Aren't Always Bad 

I point you to two examples of celebrities who don't follow the convential wisdom as it were.

Probably my favorite author, Dean Koontz, commited a slight faux pas concerning the Asian community recently:

The author wanted his name removed from a film version of one of his books, so he sent a series of letters to the head of the Japanese company that owned the movie studio, mentioning World War II, the Bataan Death March and Godzilla.
...
At the event, Koontz began reciting each letter with the now controversial salutation, "Dear Mr. Teriyaki."

"My letter of 10 November has not been answered," one read. "As I am certain you are an honorable and courteous man, I would assume your silence results from the mistaken belief that World War II is still in progress and that the citizens of your country and mine are forbidden to communicate. Enclosed is a copy of the front page of the New York Times from 1945, with the headline, 'Japan Surrenders.' "

Another suggested to the Japanese executive, "We could have a few sake and reminisce about the Bataan Death March."

Not surprisingly, his comments are being criticized by many. But, as one person quoted in the article said:

"My writing peers need to spend more time writing and less time defending the free world from the menace of Dean Koontz," J.A. Konrath wrote in an e-mail to The Times. "Dean didn't blow up a nursing home — he simply recounted a humorous anecdote."

Maybe criticizing Koontz is viewed as a good way to get over writer's block. H/T goes to Tongue Tied for this one.

Example number two is the surprisingly right wing Bruce Willis. A major actor who's conservative? I know... I was surprised too. Samantha Burns points to this tiny little article in a puny little publication which quotes him:

Actor Bruce Willis has offered $1 million to anyone who turns in al-Qaeda terror leaders.

The patriotic "Die Hard" star will pay out for information on the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden, Aymen Al-zawahiri or Abu Musab Al-zarqawi, the alleged brains behind the 9/11 atrocity.

Willis announced his reward on the TV show "Rita Cosby: Live And Direct," where he also denounced biased media coverage of the Iraq war.

"I am baffled to understand why the things that I saw happening in Iraq, really good things happening in Iraq, are not being reported on," Willis said.

Of course... any time Madonna says anything negative about Bush or the war in Iraq, it gets front page coverage in the New York Times. Just goes to show you that its not the fact that celebrities are saying something, but what they're saying that's important to the media.