Ben Stein puts conservative spin on John Hughes’ legacy
Ever since reading his 1979 memoir “Dreemz,” I’ve had a soft spot for Ben Stein, the former Nixon speechwriter who became a character actor, game-show host, political pundit, poster boy for creationism and New York Times investment columnist (a gig from which he was fired last week because he appeared in commercials for a credit-report company).
On an afternoon between the 2000 presidential election and the end of the Florida recount, I ran into Stein in the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hotel, and we had a cordial discussion about the preferable outcome.
This week at the website of The American Spectator, Stein has shared his memories about the late director John Hughes, who cast Stein in the memorable role of a biology teacher in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
Stein salutes Hughes as “a stunningly talented director, a wildly funny writer, a great friend,” and, Stein notes twice, “a Republican in a town where being a Republican takes some courage.”
Apparently, the “righteous dude” leaned to the right. Fair enough. I dare say Hollywood could use some more diversity of political opinion. But after you read Stein’s blog entry, check out the reader-comments section, which is filled with Holocaust denials and veiled death threats against “Barack Hussein Obama.”
Of course, such things happen at a lot of Web sites where readers are enabled to comment, including this one. It’s no reflection on conservatism. But I’m guessing that the humane Mr. Hughes would not want his name associated with such things. I can almost hear him calling out to the absent moderator of the blog: “Stein?…Stein?…Stein?”
Joe — I appreciate your recognition that Hollywood could use a bit of political diversity (in the same way a drowning man could use a bit of a life preserver). However as insane as some of the comments you reference are, please do not leave the implication hanging out there like a lead balloon that those kinds of sentiments and passions are the exclusive domain of right-leaning folks. One need only peruse the comments of any given story on your front page (especially those related to the recent St. Raphael scandal) to find a healthy dose of lunatic ramblings spewing vitriol against any and all things Conservative). Truthfully, I was impressed by your initial statement and then put off by the fact that you ultimately returned to barely-veiled form.