Michael Douglas Asked About Wall Street Crisis

UNITED NATIONS — Michael Douglas had to field questions Wednesday about the financial turmoil shaking world markets from reporters recalling his role in the 1987 film "Wall Street."

The actor sought to focus on the subject of Wednesday's news conference _ urging the United States and eight other holdout nations to ratify a nuclear test ban treaty.

Douglas won an Academy Award for portraying the rapacious banker Gordon Gekko, who popularized the phrase "greed is good" in the movie.

After world leaders here condemned the "boundless greed" of world markets, Douglas was asked to compare nuclear Armageddon with the "financial Armageddon on Wall Street."

But the likening to Gekko did not end there, with a reporter asking: "Are you saying Gordon that greed is not good?"

"I'm not saying that," Douglas replied. "And my name is not Gordon. He's a character I played 20 years ago."

Douglas, who married actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in 2000, has won two Oscars _ as a producer for 1975's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and as best actor for his role in "Wall Street."

Comments

[RoseMerry]

Yet another example of the sad state of journalism. How do these people get these jobs? How hires them?

Give 'em hell, Mr. Douglas!

[BlackJAC]

Perhaps they should've called him Andrew Shepard instead.

[barackobama4prez]

We need a plan to hide all the stupid people from the press.

[JohnFromCensornati]

The stupid people are the press.

[Bettysdad]

In an interview a while back, Douglas said that every so often some overly testosteroned Wall Street type would come up and credit Douglas for spurring him to get a job in finance.

He considers his role a failure.

[BlackJAC]

Budd Schulberg got similar credit regarding his book WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN? Some guy took it to be a how-to manual for clawing your way to the top of the corporate ladder; Schulberg intended it to be a character study of what motivated a person to act that way.

[Agentlady007]

I remember the son of Kirk Douglas best in 'Coma' and the TV show 'The Streets of San Franscisco'.
I met him in Beverly Hills first, then attending his father's birthday party in Paris.
He broke back into show business with his role in 'The Game'.

He is a Libra. He is a man who could help save the economy. He knows how to save money for the future.
Trust me on this one. He would rather save money one way and drive a thousand miles to prove there is a more economic solution than what is available next door from convenience.

In the long run he does this to prove a point. Money is not growing on trees.

[Agentlady007]

Theme Song From - 'The Jewel of The Nile': Starring Michael Douglas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YivWEs3zw&feature=related

[GolfingDevil05]

"Are you saying Gordon that greed is not good?"

No wonder we aren't getting anywhere. God help my stupid country.

[runutz]

That's really incredible - Very believable!

[Jingo]

A gutsy reporter would have followed up with a "Fatal Attraction" reference and asked Mr. Douglas about butt cellulite.

[honeydiva]

why don't the press hunt down the vp candidate and the presidential candidate and ask them some relevant questions? who gives a flying fig about an actor who doesn't want to be asked those questions in the first place.

[klandish]

Yes this is getting silly. Why isn't the Press making a constant drum beat for Palin to answer questions? Are they scared of something?McCain is acting strange and looks unhealthy. We don't need the next President of the United States to be a stranger who'll be manipulated by the exsisting powers.

[honeydiva]

Well, the press is beginning to think he's sick...we'll see if they follow up before we have the brain of a pet rock lady in the running for pres.

[Fair]

God, the press is hopeless.

[smartWENTcrazy]

Lol, they called him Gordon!

[Swerinjer]

Michael Douglas has more credibility and expertise than Bush.

[Kikaida1]

Whoah! Talk about damning with faint praise!

[ThoughtAboutIt]

Michael Douglas has more credibility and expertise than Bush, McCain or Palin.

[wazzucoug]

And he's certainly more qualified to render an opinion more so than John Keating McCain!