Opinion: Is Hollywood playing politics?

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US President Donald Trump is often in a war of words with Hollywood lambasting the US entertainment industry as being alleys of liberals and Democrats.

In recent weeks Hollywood and US television have been on the frontline of tackling racism and sexism – viewed by some as “Politically Correct” liberal causes.

Iconic Hollywood Sign. /Reuters Photo

Hollywood moment

From the disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s arrest and charging with rape to Tuesday’s canceling of the television show “Roseanne” due to the star’s racist tweets Hollywood’s response to these actions have been quick and decisive.

When Weinstein was charged on Friday, yet to be proved guilty or innocent, Hollywood was quick to react.

Actress Asia Argento, who days earlier made a stern warning to other yet-to-be-outed abusers at the Cannes Film Festival tweeted throughout the morning as Weinstein surrendered to police in New York City.

“Today Harvey Weinstein will take his first step on his inevitable descent to hell. We, the women, finally have real hope for justice,” she said.

/Twitter/@AsiaArgento

Back in October 2016, Argento was one of the first of more than 80 women to go public with her allegations.

Other alleged victims, Hollywood insiders, and media figures took jabs at the former super-producer on social media and on US chat shows and newsrooms.

'You're fired!'

Hollywood’s moment of basking in the sunlight of victory was hit with another bombshell on Tuesday – the battle against sexism. Hollywood was now picking up another leftwing cause fighting racism. That day US television's most-watched show of this season, “Roseanne”, was canceled.

"Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show," said Channing Dungey, the president of ABC Entertainment, in a statement.

/Twitter/@shondarhimes

The prompt decision to pull the plug on the hit revival show came just hours after the star of the show, Roseanne Barr made a racist tweet about former US President Obama’s senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.

The quick action got rave reviews from members of Hollywood.

Hollywood producer Shonda Rhimes tweeted, “As I tell my 4-year-old, one makes a choice with one’s actions. Roseanne made a choice. A racist one. ABC made a choice. A human one.”

Some critics called this quick action “left-leaning politics” causing many to wonder whether or not Hollywood is playing the role Trump has always cast them as?

In fact, since this article was originally written on Wednesday morning US time, the US president joined the chorus of critics Wednesday night blasting ABC tweeting that the company's CEO Bob Iger never "called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the horrible statements made and said about me on ABC."

Trump did not respond to Barr's racist and offensive language just ABC's canceling of her show.

/Twitter/@realDonaldTrump

War of Words

In an interview with the “New York Times” in January, Trump referred to Hollywood as the “liberal movie people” citing their disapproval of his words or actions.

His disdain for Hollywood runs deep. When Donald Trump first announced his intentions to run for US president, the reality TV star faced a backlash from other celebrities. It’s believed this is what led to his campaign trail attack on Hollywood that continues even now as he is in office.

Trump has spent countless nights since taking office exchanging verbal jabs with many of the “Hollywood elite” as he calls them.

Offline the war of words often continues.

Tuesday night during a rally in Nashville, Tennessee the US president decided to take a swipe at rap mogul, Jay-Z.

"His language was so filthy it made me look like the most clean-cut human being on Earth. It’s true."

Immediately a slew of critics took to social media to remind the president of his own use of bad words.

US President Donald Trump holds a Make America Great Again rally at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, US, May 29, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Moral high ground?

Those who may charge Hollywood of being leftwing must be reminded that the Harvey Weinstein scandal was originally seen as a threat to the Democratic National Party as many of their top politicians received contributions from the disgraced media mogul.

But whether or not you are a Trump Supporter or believe that the entertainment industry has a leftwing bias many people have pointed out that the current US president is actually a creation of this film and television industry gaining fame on the reality show “The Apprentice.”

While Trump has consistently charged Hollywood and the entertainment industry of being full of ‘liberal elites’ actor George Clooney reminded him that he is the ‘Hollywood elite’ he rails on.

“People in Hollywood, for the most part, are people who moved to Hollywood to have a career. So this idea of ‘coastal elites’ living in a bubble is ridiculous,” Clooney told the Daily Beast during an interview. “I just look at it and I laugh when I see him say ‘Hollywood elite.’ Hollywood elite? I don’t have a star on Hollywood Boulevard, Donald Trump has a star on Hollywood Boulevard!”

(Cover: US President Donald Trump touches his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. /Reuters Photo)