Like a lot of people these days, the actress Kathleen Turner is very concerned about polarization in Washington. She has a special reason to be concerned: She’s coming to Washington’s Arena Stage to do a one-woman show, “Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins,’ based on the life and writings of the sharp-tongued liberal columnist. She tells the Washington Examiner:
“One of these challenges may be getting a wide enough breadth of people to come, you know, because people are so closed-minded now, that if they think it doesn’t represent their point of view, they’re not interested,” she said. “I’m afraid it will be like – if you’re a Republican, don’t go to the show – it’s a real shame both artistically and as a reflection of our nation’s mentality.”
Fortunately, liberals from Hollywood don’t have that sort of us-against-them mentality:
But while Ivins became famous for mocking former President George W. Bush, nicknaming him “Shrub” and “Dubya,” Turner told us that her approach to dealing with the Bush years was a bit more subtle.
“I had to do some real dodging there once in a while, but I pretty much managed it,” she said, explaining that she “purposely” never met Bush. “I used to be on the Kennedy Center artistic, you know, selection board and those events are always held at the White House, and so then I had to bow out for a few years, didn’t I?”
It’s a real shame when Republicans are closed-minded.