Sean Penn Describes His Election Reaction

Actor, director and vocal Bush opponent Sean Penn has spoken out on the election of Barack Obama.

"I was sitting on the edge of the bed with my family watching our new president-elect," actor/director Sean Penn said Thursday night as he collected the Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the Los Angeles chapter of BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

"I have never been able to put the word 'my' before president before," he added, prompting loud applause from the British-American film industry crowd that also honored actors Tilda Swinton and Don Cheadle and director Stephen Frears.

Penn stars in "Milk," opening later this month.

Read Penn's blogs and more celebrities talking politics.

Comments

[tiznow]

Since Sean Penn, like many in Hollywood, seem so enamored with socialism, I would like to propose that big time actors like Sean Penn put their money where their mouth is and support a socialistic agenda for actors. Instead of making millions per movie, an actor such as Penn should be paid perhaps $250,000 a year,
which would still make him rich, according to liberal criteria. The difference in his salary and what a free market would pay him could be paid to the struggling actors who may have more talent than he has without the connections or luck. The disparity in income between what big name stars make compared with the average actor is not much different then incomes in a third world country. Sean Penn is a somewhat talented actor who is also a hypocrite and who needs to take a hard look at reality. He appears to be sorely lacking in self awareness.

[Smigs]

So glad Mr. Penn may finally be relieved of the the tax cuts he must have found so odious. I'd feel differently about Mr. Penn's pride if I felt he was less self serving and more altruistic. Why would a rich, liberal like Mr. Penn deny giving a former friend and definitely not rich Utahan film maker a release so said film maker could distribute his award winning little movie. Because Mr. Penn must protect his brand. Justice comes in many forms and the decisions we make in our private lives affect how our public opinions are weighted.

[grecogrant]

tiznow ..sounds like green monster go away, obviosly oyu know nothing about the arts or true acting..his ego isn't as big as you a*s

[grecogrant]

Screw the knuckleheads .your a damn good actor , Spencer Tracy and Bogie would be proud!
Thank you for all of your help everywhere!

[tiznow]

Sean Penn has a new movie coming out, so, of course, he has to get himself into to news and link himself to Obama. As an ignorant actor and nonentity in world politics, he is attempting to link himself to Obama and give himself some credibility, which is sorely lacking as he is Hugo Chavez's boy.

[flatlandernw]

why such a hater tiznow? Sean Penn like many other socially conscious actors/performers have chosen to use their celeb status to try to make the world a better place! they could just as easily rake in their millions and live well-fed, insulated lives. Instead, Penn, Clooney, Robbins & Sarandon, Bono and many others are willing to draw criticism of small minded people in order to stand for peace and justice. If that is living in some kind of fantasy world then step into my rabbit hole Alice! Sean Penn is a hero!!! Lighten up Tiz!

[aicon]

tiznow.. WTF.. you really just talk cause you have a mouth. what a waste of bits and broadband to read your hateful comment. I am just tell you that you are an id%*t cause I think it is time that smart people start speaking out to bigorty and ignorance.

[Cene 70]

The fact that his comments have gotten attention is not his doing, but more so of the the people who have chosen to hear him. Having said that, I will direct you to one gentleman called Francois Marie Arouet ( aka Voltaire) who once said " I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". It is , I think, a proper way to look at Sean Penn's observations and to that effect yours as well.

[psatm]

It's easy to see why Republicans lost this time, all you have to do is read tiznow's post. Wrong on the facts, bitter, divisive, mean-spirited. Just like the McCain campaign.

tiznow, when you put travel to the mideast to talk to foreign leaders on behalf of peace, or when you go to a hurricane-ravaged part of our country to help victims, THEN you can talk about Sean Penn. He's much more of a patriot than most. Until you do as he did and put your money and your personal safety where your mouth is, keep your ignorant thoughts to yourself.

[barackobama4prez]

i remember he wasn't so in love with BHO in the summer. he wanted hillary.

[EDM]

I actually thought quite highly of Sean Penn when he was rescuing people in New Orleans during Katrina. Yeah he's rich, but is he a bad person for trying to help? Is he a bad person for feeling that his country had turned into something not intended by our founding fathers?

[tiznow]

Sean Penn is just another example as to why celebrities living in a fantasy world should just shut the f up. Like Clooney, Streisand, et al, they are living in a dream world. Their incomes and assets are such that taxes have no effect on them. They don't have a clue about the problems faced by the working man and can afford to advocate a socialist agenda because it wiil not affect them. They are clearly not interested in the future of our country.

[ChandraSF]

I suppose you want celebrities condoning senseless wars, running up of the National debt by trillions of dollars, and failure of the executive branch at every level. In case you haven't heard, Bush's approval ratings are lower than Nixon's. Republicans prefer loyalty to integrity, which is why they paid such a high price in this election.

[tiznow]

I agree with you in that the Republicans used to be the party of fiscal and personal responsibility whereas now they are instrumental in the expansion of government. As a fiscal conservative and social moderate (I voted no on prop. 8 in Calif.), I have much anxiety regarding the direction in which our country is heading. I long for the days when Clinton was held in check by a Republican Congress and our country prospered and we had a surplus; Clinton is looking like much more of a fiscal conservative than Bush (Thanks to the fact that Hillary's health care agenda tanked). I am probably dreaming, but I would like one of the parties to come up with a candidate who is a fiscally conservative candidate, who values personal responsibility over collectivism and who embraces religious freedom as well as the freedom not to believe, rather than pandering to the religious right. The current collectivist attitude of Bush, Pelosi, and Obama is going not going to lead us to economic prosperity. I am hoping that Obama is a pragmatist rather than an ideologue and that he realizes that 'wealth redistribution' is not the road to prosperity.

[edaem]

tiznow, yours is a typical response to celebrities unless those celebrities are Chuck Norris, Dean Cain, Janine Turner, Victoria Jackson and Donald Trump and they are supporting the republican candidate. How hypocritical! They are Americans too and have a right to voice their opinion and give their support just like the rest of us. And don't worry..as President-elect Obama said, 'he may not have earned your vote but he has heard your voice and he will be your President too'.

[reallymolly]

I know I posted similarly in another thread, but: Does your argument also extend to such Republican celebrities as Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood, Fred Thompson, etc.? Those are just a few who actually became politicians. What about the other Republican celebrities who use their fame as a platform? Chuck Norris, Hank Williams, Jr., Mel Gibson, Kelsey Grammer, Charlie Daniels, Stephen Baldwin? Do they also earn your ire as "celebrities living in a fantasy world should just shut the f up"?

I'm venturing a guess not.

[maca]

Funny how righties always call anyone who EARNS their fortune a hypocrite, while those born with a silver spoon in their mouths (George Bush, anyone?) can do no wrong in their eyes.

And you clearly don't understand socialism. They're rich so socialism wouldn't affect them? Huh? If Obama were truly pushing a socialist agenda, the rich would be the FIRST to try and stop him. Just because your god Ronald Reagan handed the wealth of our country to the top 2%, doesn't make a sensible president who wants to reverse that a "socialist". Simply an American.

[GenXer]

Just like W and Cheney.

[chrismatthewsmustgo]

I am not always a fan of the man in the White House (such as Mr. Bush) but The President, regardless of who it is, will ALWAYS be MY President (as is Mr. Bush). Period! The two are inseparable. Some people (celebs or not) feel they can just take a timeout or leave the country (pout, whine or cry) because they did not get their way (like getting bottle service at a Vegas night club). BS I say. If you don't like your President please just leave and do not come back? My ancestors were slaves but they were also American's. When slavery was over they remained, without rights but they remained and believed in the process. Obama or not -- as I would support McCain too -- If you don't like your President get involved, be an active and engaged citizen, vote ... Or just leave.

... Chris Matthews (and Scarborough) Must Go! Tired of their rants and egos.

[tiznow]

You are right! Although I did not vote for him and disagree with his agenda, Obama is my president, just as Bush,Clinton,Bush,Reagan,Carter,Ford,Nixon,Johnson,Kennedy, and Eisenhower have been during my lifetime. If one truly feels that negatively about the president as Sean Penn has, then one should move to a country more in tune to his or her personal philosophy, such as Cuba or Venezuela. I would hope that it would take more than a "star" candidate such as Obama with his thin resume and meager record of accomplishment to make Penn proud of his country. Despite all his well-publicized efforts to enhance his image, he is clearly a very shallow person who wouldn't do anything charitable if it didn't draw attention to himself.

[Raminovsky]

I like Sean Penn, and he likes me too. Nah, he doesn't even know me. Do I care? Heck no. He's superstar, whose best film by far was 'Fast Times At Ridgemont High'. As far as celebs entering politics (ok apart from Reagan - but not Schwarzenegger) I would say four words. Do not do it.
Why? Well, for one because...who CARES what a multi-millionnaire party loving guy who has done more coke to kill a herd of elephants wants to say?! You have no basis. You live in a huge mansion on Mullholland Drive, or wherever, and we're supposed to sit their slack jawed in awe of what you're saying about life, poverty, race relations, the environment etc. Give me a break. Just call up at Mark Wahlberg and George Clooney and hit the Jack Daniels and talk about scoring chicks when you were in your 20's.

[retrocozayshin]

Gonna have to say "Dead Man Walking" was his best role.

So, are you saying that people with a lot of money shouldn't have an opinion on issues that affect all of us? That would be pretty dam.ned self-centered of them to just sit there and live in a well financed bubble. If you don't like what they're saying why don't you stop listening?

Here's another take on it. Who CARES what some anonymous internet poster says about ANYTHING? I've never understood this ration of crap celebrities get for being activists. Maybe it's jealousy.

[Sundalecat]

I drank three bottles of Champange with my wife and we woke up with a hangover in celebration of Obamas win. Are you all interested?

[solid]

Yes. What did you do with your wife after the champagne and before the hangover?

[retrocozayshin]

Yeah, that's totally analogous to what Sean Penn said. Thanks for opening my eyes.

[ElitistWhitePerson]

If you are sick of celebrities, then close the magazine. Or turn the channel on your TV. No one forces you to read or watch them.
And remember, they do have the same freedom of speech granted you. So if someone asks them a question, they have the right to respond honestly.
Don't like. Don't look. Enough said.

[rowzeer]

It reminds me of a comedian that would say that his brother in law would say, "G*y s*x? Every time I keep thinking about two guys having s*x it grosses me out" and he tells him "then why do you keep thinking about it?"

[retrocozayshin]

Thank you.

[greg32]

I can now sleep at night knowing that Sean Penn is happy.

[carolinealicia]

Oh thepoliticalcat, I'm supporting you solely based on my partiality to cats buttt

I guess this was someguyinNC's scenario:

"Man I am SOOO sick of celebs. They're all on my TV. GEEZ~! Just so sick and tired of hearing their opinions. that would force me to use my thumb or index finger on the remote to change the channel! Won't have to worry about that online, whew... OH!!! An article on Sean Penn, who happens to be a celebrity. And the article is entitled 'Sean Penn Describes His Election Reaction' undoubtedly containing this celeb's opinion, which I do so abhor. Man, now these celebs are making me click links and forcing my eyeballs to scan an entire article about this celeb Sean Penn's opinion. Luckily I'm signed in, so I can grip about how I was FORCED by this celebrity to read this article in the comment box below...."

My my my...those celebrities have some nerve making you read article about them. The audacity!

sincerely, some girl in North Carolina

[SomeGuyInNC]

I read alot about all sorts of subjects but I guess to disagree on this site is to be dissected.. well, you guys keep up the good work.. a guess there is no room on the HuffBlogs for dissenting views.. and to whom it may concern, I made this account just recently and I'm going to delete it thanks for your riveting discussion.. geez, and some of you have the gall to write things about how an adult acts! Thanks Huffington Post , you should be proud of the level of social and political discussions taking place on your site..

[SomeGuyInNC]

I, personally, am tired of anything a hollywood celeb has to say. These people are not brilliant, they make movies...wow! Now, I'm not adverse to watching a Penn flick, but I really don't care about his political views or brad pitts, or jolie, or degeneres, or robbins, or any other actor/actress in hollywood. I am realistic enough to know that very few people give any relevance to anything I say, but can someone explain to me why what overpaid celebs say is politically or socially relevant?

[thepoliticalcat]

Fine. No one is forcing you to read about them or listen to them. If it's not important or relevant to you, why are you reading the reportage? Get a copy of popular mechanics, join your local library, take out a good book or two. Stop reading "celebrity" reportage.

[SomeGuyInNC]

First of all, you can hardly turn on a news channel with out seeing a celeb endorsing something and that is why I comment . And not that it is any of your business, but I have plenty to keep me occupied just curious, possibly ,if anyone else agreed but maybe, something you missed in my comment is why are they relevant... just would like to understand, Thanks politikitten...

[reno1190]

AGREE

[Teritt]

Apparently you think you have rights and people want to hear what you have to say, otherwise you wouldn't be posting them here, correct? So what make your job so much better than his? Are you saying that only those that share your occupation have the same rights to say what they think about the election, and other occupations need to keep quiet?

[SomeGuyInNC]

not saying that at all...wow... is it so hard to discuss something without having your motives questioned...just wondering if someone could tell me why I should care what these people say... and I ask that humbly not with malice... jeez, people, put the brakes on

[ChristianEcon.com]

So everybody's a citizen except celebrities?

[SomeGuyInNC]

no... but when do you ever her of just some garden variety politics from real people not making fists full of cash? Whrn was the last time some news reporter tracked you down for your opinion

[tiznow]

I enjoy Penn as an actor, but the guy is clearly living in a vacuum. He's very wealthy (and should be, as he is talented and does good work). He obviously feels guilty about his easy success otherwise why would he suck up to people like Chavez and Saddam Hussein. His idealism, though well intentioned, has left him blind. He profits from capitalism, far more than most of us, yet rejects it.
I think he is the ultimate hypocrite, until he gives up all his worldly possessions.

[repugnicansfearme]

Who cares?

[SomeGuyInNC]

exactly... who cares

[Melissa]

I'm soo terribly impressed, I can hardly stand it!