‘Closeted’ H’wood GOPers
Supporters of Romney in a Dem sea
LOS ANGELES — They sometimes feel like the loneliest people in Hollywood, biting their tongues on set and meeting behind closed doors.
They are Mitt Romney supporters in an industry famous for its lefty leanings and overrun with A-list Democrats — from George Clooney, Eva Longoria and Scarlett Johansson to director Steven Spielberg and studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Some have made speeches on Romney’s behalf, but most are reluctant to stand up and be counted as the election draws near.
“There’s a quiet group of people in Hollywood who are meeting and growing and supporting Gov. Romney. But I’d like to see this group decide to come out of the closet and start speaking out,” Janine Turner, star of the hit 1990s series “Northern Exposure,” told the Daily News.
“There’s freedom of speech in Hollywood, but only if you’re liberal,” the staunch conservative claimed. “We were glad when Clint Eastwood stepped out (at the Republican National Convention in August). I’m just sorry it’s not more. We just need some people to make some brave steps. We shouldn’t be asked to tape our mouths shut.”
Indeed, more than a dozen Romney-supporting actors and studio executives contacted by The News declined to comment about their choice for President.
Turner, 49, said her fellow showbiz Republicans fear the type of subtle snubbing that she felt when she stumped for John McCain and Sarah Palin in 2008 while shooting a recurring role on the NBC drama “Friday Night Lights.”
“I noticed my popularity on the set started to dwindle. People went from, ‘I just love working with you,’ to glares. They saw I was on Fox News and didn’t approve,” the Emmy-nominated actress said. “I had one actor follow me out and whisper, ‘I’m with you, but don’t tell.’ I won’t say who it was. Interestingly enough, I wasn’t called back the next season.”
She said she also was in advanced negotiations for a major-label cosmetics campaign in the past six months but feels she lost the job after the advertising team visited her website.
Actor Orson Bean, recently of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” said he and other fellow Hollywood Republicans have learned not to share their political leanings.
“There aren’t too many of us in Hollywood,” he told The News. “I don’t bring up politics sitting on the set of a TV show. I think it’s rude. I assume most of my fellow creative people are Democrats by and large.”
Bean, 84, is the father-in-law of the late conservative commentator Andrew Breitbart and a regular guest on Dennis Miller’s right-leaning radio show.
“By and large, it seems to me that conservatives think liberals are mistaken and liberals think conservatives are mean. I don’t want to get dragged into that,” he said.
The list of actors openly supporting Romney is not long. It includes Miller, Jon Voight, Stephen Baldwin, Chuck Norris, Patricia Heaton and Gary Sinise, all of whom have made cameos at Romney events.
“Clueless” star Stacey Dash felt the heat when she recently voiced her support for Romney on Twitter. “Wait, did Stacey Dash Really endorse Romney today?! REALLY????!” fellow actor Samuel L. Jackson tweeted in response.
Former “Happy Days” star Scott Baio — who has a new show called “See Dad Run” — also made his political passion for Romney well known on Twitter. “You can battle it out,” he told “Access Hollywood,” “just be friendly about it.”