A-Listers "Move On" Against Bush
Internet political powerhouse MoveOn.org is about to play its biggest celebrity card yet as the presidential election looms ever closer.
The controversial political action committee debuted 10 new celebrity-heavy anti-Bush television commercials Tuesday night at an event in New York. MoveOn has assembled a list of actors and directors any respectable Hollywood agent would sell his firstborn to work with.
Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Romijn, Darren Aronofsky, Donal Logue, Illeana Douglas, Richard Linklater, Martin Sheen, Margaret Cho and Moby are among those involved.
The stars are not simply giving money--instead, they have donated their talent to the spots, which will air one per week, starting Friday, on the group's Website.
"These ads from well-known directors and actors will validate the concerns many Americans feel about the President's failures at home and abroad," MoveOn's executive director Eli Pariser said in a statement. "Using humor and creativity, we believe they'll speak to a much broader audience than the same old Washington consultant-driven advertisements do."
Indeed, the new batch of slick commercials are a far cry from the usual humdrum cut-and-paste political ads currently plugging away on cable news stations. "The Pie," for example, plays more like a 30-second movie than a yawn-inducing campaign commercial. Directed by Allison Anders (Grace of My Heart), "The Pie" stars Ione Skye and Illeana Douglas in a diner face-off (take that Swift Boat Veterans for Truth!).
Grounded for Life star Logue pushes the tired political commercial genre even further with several irreverent spots featuring his Jimmy the Cab Driver persona. In "Jimmy the Cab Driver: Tax Break?," Logue's wacky cabby muses on the recent Bush tax cuts to an nonplussed fictional passenger in his New York City cab.
The content of the 10 different spots varies greatly according to each writer-director's creative vision. The sole unifying theme is a mistrust of President Bush's policies and a desire for change in November. Director Rob Reiner, for instance, contributes an ad that uses footage of President Bush from an April news conference in which Bush famously paused lengthily when asked whether he'd made mistakes as President.
Other spots include "It's His Job or Yours," directed by The Bourne Identity's Doug Liman and featuring a voiceover by Damon; "American Opinions," pairing writer-director John Sayles and Martin Sheen; and "Who Profits?," a spot featuring Johansson, Bacon and Ed Anser.
MoveOn spokeswoman Laura Dawn says the ads will primarily reside on the Website. The ads that test best will eventually make it onto television sets in key states before the November election.
The 2.25-million-member organization is currently fighting a two-pronged war against the Bush administration.
Earlier this month, the group helped corral some heavy-hitting musical talent for the Vote for Change tour. The tour, which kicks off Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania, features the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, R.E.M and the Dixie Chicks. Last week, Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson and Crosby, Stills & Nash announced that they would join the tour.
As for the celeb ads, the first short to air this Friday will be Register to Vote, written and directed by hip-hop icon and video director Benny Boom.
The Big Picture
Hamm 'n' Cheese Our fave goofball Jon seems sorta determined to prove he's nothing like Don Draper in real life
More PhotosMost Commented
- Bitch-Back! Breaking News—Johnny's a Hottie (915)
- Costars and Suits Give Robsten Their Blessings! (650)
- Rob and Kristen "Relaxed" Together in NYC (649)
- Blab Blab Blab: Is Twilight Sexist? (553)
- Truth, Lies & Ted: Twilight Special (478)
- Why Won't Sarah Palin Go Away? (442)
- Is Ugly Betty Ending? And Who Gets the Girl? (422)
- Adam Lambert: For Your Entertainment—or His? (422)
- Is New Moon Even Good? (422)
- Review: New Moon Is Either Just Fine or Way Mopey, Depending On Who You Are (353)
Top 10 Stories
- Michael Lohan Runs Out of Family Members to Alienate, Starts Leaking Jon Gosselin Tapes
- Housewives Idol: Kim Zolciak vs. Gretchen Rossi?
- It's a Sexy Job, but Adam Lambert's Gotta Do It!
- Donny Discovers Parts He Never Had Before for Dancing With the Stars Finale
- End of a Weird Era: Jon & Kate Plus 8 Signs Off
- Timbaland Denies Dumping Chris Brown
- New Sweet Home for Khloé and Lamar
- Family Wants Second Autopsy for Real Housewife Kandi Burruss' Slain Fiancé
- Sarah Jessica Parker Surrogate's Alleged Invader Found Somewhat Guilty
- No, New Moon Absolutely, Positively Didn't Beat Dark Knight
Fashion Police
Bring On the DramaLeave it to fearless fashionista Rihanna to make the fiercest statement on the AMAs red carpet
More Photos
Latest Movie Reviews
Get Your E! News Now
0 Comments
Now loading...