I had a friend of mine say to me the other day something that slightly offended me.  For anyone that knows me, I have to say it takes A LOT to offend my sensibilities.  Call it whatever you like, desensitization or ignorance or even choice, it doesn’t matter.  What others say of me isn’t something I can change, so I figure why worry about it.  I know that there will always be someone with unkind words.  That’s okay.

But what my friend had said to me was that he didn’t watch movies or trust actors because he equates them with politicians, whom he doesn’t particularly like.  Not that I blame him, politicians are like leeches on the taxpayers’ wallet.  What with their lifetime salary and all that crap.  But don’t let me get off topic. He also said he feels like actors don’t know themselves and that’s why we gravitate to this profession.  I’ll give him the slap down the next time I see him.  Let’s tackle the politician thing today…

His reasoning is sound.   He says that politicians are just actors that focus on gaining parts in the congressional theatre instead of parts in movies or on stage. Okay, so maybe those aren’t his exact words.  But he did plant the idea.  He says that we aren’t any different from the politicians.

While on the surface he has a point, I didn’t know how to sit him down and tell him the difference between the lies that congress-people tell and the “lies” that actors tell without keeping him outside the dance studio for hours.

Politicians influence the lives of people by passing their laws and rules which never seem to benefit the entire country as a whole. I’ve said it before that the only thing that congress does is fight for the people who have and those who have not.  Every once in a while one side or the other wins a battle in the war of power.  But like our “war on terror,” it’s a war that will also never end.

Politicians lie to get the public to buy into their propaganda so that they get voted into their cushy new job.  That’s all. It only serves one person really.  The politician.  Of course, there are the people who buy into their rhetoric and therefore feel like the politician is their “friend” in congress.  In truth, they don’t care.  They’ve already got their money. What do they have to worry about?  So they wait it out and see who’s got the best deal for them.  Which of the lobbyists will have something in exchange for their vote?  That’s where their allegiance can be found.

Rarely, one will come along with a conscience and will try to do the right thing.  So far, he’s left a lot to be desired.

Actors are merely instruments.  Harry Connick Jr. wouldn’t be able to make some of the great music he’s made without a piano.  B.B. King wouldn’t have been able to move people with his blues without his guitar.

Actors influence the lives of the public by making them talk about humanity, love, or philosophy and whether or not they agree with the play.  The lucky ones get a paycheck and when the show finishes it’s run, those finish up as well.   So it’s clearly not for the money that theatre actors pursue this life.

A play cannot shine it’s light on humanity without the actors to give it voice.  We are merely there to bring to life the message that someone took great measures to put to paper.  To raise up in harmony the issues that plague our world and beliefs.   I want to be a key on the piano that helps to play the tune.  I want this life because I think mankind is better than what we are doing on the Earth right now.

People think that being a politician is a noble profession, but as I watch all these scandals and all of these attack ad campaigns, I have to laugh at how wrong they are.

I think its more noble to inspire with creativity and emotion than with money/corruption and separatist tactics.  If you agree, leave a comment…or if you disagree I dare you to leave me a comment.