Hollywood Sex Symbols and Politics

Halle Berry shows her support.

It has been a recent source of conversation on-line and on Talk Radio that conservatives have better looking women than Liberals.  Clearly there is no contest when comparing cougars Ann Coulture, Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman to the plastic faced Hilary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi.  Don't even get me started on the a-sexual Janet A. Napolitano.  Elizabeth Hasselbeck is as cute as they come, but when compared to the snide hags that populate the other seats on The View, she is a down right Goddess.

Taking this argument to Hollywood we find that although the liberal leaning media leads us to believe that all the good looking people are liberals, there are plenty of conservative Hollywood hotties.  A quick search on line finds that Cheryl Ladd, Heather Locklear, Angie Harmon, Jessica Simpson and  Sarah Michelle Gellar appear on many lists of conservative movie stars.  She originally became famous playing a dizzy blonde but Suzane Summers has since authored several books and often makes the rounds on conservative talk radio. 

The famous brunette to Marilyn Monroe's blonde, Jane Russell was a noted conservative.  Early in her career she had a botched abortion, causing her to be unable to have children. This may have been her moment of clarity as she later became an opponent of abortions and helped establish the World Adoption International Fund.  In the 1950s she held Bible studies classes at her home.  In 2003 she gave an interview to an Australian newspaper, The Daily Mail.  With tongue clearly in cheek, she described her politics, "These days I’m a teetotal, mean spirited, right wing, narrow minded, conservative Christian bigot, but not a racist."

Although she has not been know for her political opinions, Raquel Welch was born and raised a conservative Christian.  In a 2010 interview with parentdish.com she said that  "I think Alec Baldwin is the bomb. He's very good company, quick-witted and very funny and personable. I think he's coming into his own now. I think he's great, very masculine, which I like. I don't agree with his politics, which is okay, but he's a formidable actor."  She has never been noted for her politics as much as her contemporary Jane Fonda.  During Vietnam, Welch showed support for the troops at USO shows while the famously liberal Fonda betrayed them by meeting and sympathizing with the Vietcong. 

One of the hottest Hollywood conservative sex symbols is Bo Derek.  At the height of her career, Derek was known for dropping her clothes for films and Playboy pictorials.  Nothing seemed conservative about her.  However, she openly supported George H Bush, appeared at Republican National Conventions and attended Ronald Reagan's funeral services at his Library.   She does not get as much press for her politics as she did for her nudity but she has become a woman of conviction.  She has spent much of her post acting days as an animal rights advocate.  She was once scheduled to appear on a British television talk show but backed out minutes before going on when she learned the other celebrity guest was O. J. Simpson, who had then recently been found not guilty of a double homicide. 

The main stream media often gets it's Hollywood political sound bites from such out spoken liberal actresses as Susan Sarandon, Barbra Streisand, Janine Garafalo and Rosie O'Donnell.  I know, that is a sad list of unattractive women, but to be fair Hollywood does have some hot liberal political activist actresses.  Lindsay Lohan tried to be a part of the Obama campaign until they turned her offer down.  He accepted Oprah Winfrey's support, why not Lohan's?  

Alright, alright there are some notable liberal Hollywood hotties such as Jennifer Garner, Uma Thurman and Charlize Theron.  Even Madonna donates to democrats.  During his campaign, Halle Berry told the Philadelphia Daily News that for Obama, "I'll do whatever he says to do.  I'll collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear."   I am sure Obama could find something for Berry to do that does not involve picking up paper cups.  Beyonce has likewise made herself available for President Obama's needs, singing at any event he asks her too.

Many celebrities try to keep their political opinions private.  However, Hollywood is noted for it's loose lips.   One rumor for the break up of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston was their difference in political views.  Pitt, a noted liberal, supposedly disagreed with Aniston's more conservative opinions.  Pitt's current wife Angelina Jolie has not made her political views publicly clear but according to a report on the conservative web site newsbusters.org, a source claimed that , "Angie isn't Republican, but she thinks Obama is all smoke and mirrors."  Perhaps Pitt enjoys a good political argument with his hot wives.  Hey, whatever foreplay works. 

So who has the better looking women, conservatives or liberals?  Of course the answer is both, right?   Sure the Republicans can brag about Bo Derek, but Marilyn Monroe was a Democrat.  Although noted for her affair with President Kennedy, she had other involvement with politics.  In 1956 she went with her left wing husband Arthur Miller to Washington when he was summoned to the House Un-American Activities Committee.  In 1960 she reportedly told the British writer W. J. Weatherby "Some of these bastards in Hollywood wanted me to drop Arthur, they said it would ruin my career. One reason I wanted Kennedy to win is that Nixon is associated with that whole scene."   Had Nixon won I doubt if she would have let him give her the horizontal Presidential seal of approval.

The only known picture of Marilyn Monroe with Bobby and John F Kennedy,1962.

In 1959, President Eisenhower was playing host to Russian Leader Nikita Khrushchev, who spent part of his American tour in Hollywood, where he was to meet many stars.  Although the Republican administration did not want Miller there, they insisted that Monroe meet Khrushchev.  According to Lena Pepitone's memoirs, who was Monroe's maid, "At first, Marilyn, who never read the papers or listened to the news, had to be told who Khrushchev was,"   "They (the studio) told Marilyn that in Russia, America meant two things, Coca-Cola and Marilyn Monroe. She loved hearing that and agreed to go....She told me that the studio wanted her to wear the tightest, sexiest dress she had for the premier."  Marilyn responded to Pepitone, "I guess there's not much sex in Russia."

Politics has never been considered sexy, but that does not mean we do not want to see a sexy woman give her political opinion.   It does not even matter what side of the aisle she prefers.  There is a good chance we' are not really paying attention to what she has to say anyway.   Political opinions divide while sexual attractiveness unites.