HATING HOLLYWOOD: HOLLYWOOD CAREER MELTDOWNS AREN'T NEW—CALL IT THE "ARBUCKLE" FACTOR. Fatty Arbuckle was the biggest Hollywood star ever. Arbuckle was the only movie star ever who was so big he had complete artistic control over everything he did. Only Orson Wells ever had that, and then only for one picture. Arbuckle's $1 million per year salary for three years back in the no tax days of 1920 is still an inflation adjusted record. Arbuckle is still the symbol of what can happen if you cross the line. Major careers can end in a nanosecond whenever public activities are opposite the performer's "image" of gentleness, kindness, patriotism or morality. "Don't cross that line" is the 11th Commandment for a star.

Many Hollywood careers have been nuked in nanoseconds. Career fragility is a constant. Starting with Arbuckle in 1921 who had the image of a harmless pie in the face comedian til he was brought down by the accusation of the rape/murder of a bit player and prostitute (he was acquitted), many careers have ceased to exist when the line is crossed.

Charlie Chaplin was another silent superstar who had his career go south after a series of dalliances with women, his (wrongly convicted in a paternity suit), notorious cheapness, and his supposed Communism (False charges; he was refused re-entry into the country anyway) ended it, but by that time he had completely lost his "touch" and his audience. Ingrid Bergman was a superstar who had portrayed rigorously moral women and nuns for years, but when she started a public adulterous relationship with an Italian movie director her huge career was ruined.

Robert Mitchum, famous as a bad guy, got busted for pot and easily survived. That's because he was a lesser actor and the pot bust "fit". Portraying the good guy can be dangerous as hell if the public believes that is who you really are. James Cagney HAD to do "Yankee Doodle Dandy" because the "perception" that he was "Red" was hurting his career. Many careers were in jeopardy back then, but most who had screen personas of either outsiders (Garfield and Bogart) or outright gangsters triumphed. Their "outsider" image made them "Teflon" personalities. The modern sex freaks (Lionel Ritchie, Rob Lowe, Madonna) who have done despicable things have public personalities as horrible people, so nothing has happened.

There hasn't been a major star career "event" since Bergman. Til now.

There is no doubt the Dixie Chicks are major talents. They were atop the charts. They were superstars who actively cultivated an audience composed of military families, police families, Americans who are patriotic, have lost family members in war, and who value "tradition". When Ms. Maines chose ENGLAND to slam the President on the eve of war it was like Bergman or Arbuckle throwing feces in the faces of their fans. It's over. It now looks like the only way they can save their careers is to "cross over" and become an anti-establishment Republican bashing pop act.

This is why so many "stars" are gutless when it comes to standing up as individuals for acts like the charity rips after 9/11. They are terrified of the "Arbuckle" factor. They aren't afraid to act in a mob of Left activists because they feel they can hide in the "cover" of numbers. At least that is what they have come to believe. Yet did the really big stars take a public stand against the war? Kidman? Cruise? Roberts? Crowe? Not a chance. They know the score.

It's not likely the Dixie Chicks can "cross over" to the drug sodden sex crazed pop side of life but we shall see. And what about the "careers" of the rest of the Hollywood "gutless weasels"? Most are in career holes anyway: Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange, Tim Robbins, and the rest are so far removed from stardom that further decline will go unnoticed (check their box office grosses). Personalities like Danny Glover and George Clooney will be hurt because every time one of their movies is released many will bring back the old quotes. The Arbuckle factor will prevail.

Things, as they say, happen. Nothing is as fragile as stardom.

Link HERE for the full Fatty Arbuckle story. Very long read, very interesting