This is a kind of bizarre political crossover story that we debated whether to cover. Actress Susan Sarandon, 65, is involved in activist causes in her native NY City and often speaks at protests and events around the US. I googled “Susan Sarandon protest Youtube” and found videos of her at Occupy Wall St, and in Madison, WI during the union busting protests in 2011. She’s also been an outspoken anti-war advocate, and made appearances at protests both before and after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The first thing that came to mind when I heard this story, though, is the speech that Susan and her then longterm-partner, Tim Robbins, made at the 1993 Oscars about the plight of HIV-positive Haitian refugees in America. (I couldn’t find video of that, let me know if you can find it.) Word was that they were banned from the Oscars after that, but Susan of course won Best Actress in 1996 for Dead Man Walking. She didn’t mention anything political in her acceptance speech at that time, and Tim was there in the audience.
In a new interview with documentarian activist Michael Moore, Susan claims that she was denied security clearance recently to visit the White House, and that her phone is being tapped. (Sidenote: Remember Moore’s 2003 Oscar acceptance speech against Bush?)
Controversial activist and actress Susan Sarandon has never kept her opinions to herself, and she is now claiming that her outspoken political opinions have made her a security risk.
“I’ve gotten my (FBI) file twice,” the liberal activist revealed during a Q&A session with filmmaker Michael Moore at the Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday, reported the Los Angeles Times.
“I know my phone was tapped. If they’re not surveilling you then everyone else has cameras on phones.” She added, “I was denied security clearance to go to the White House [next week], and I don’t know why.”
Moore responded by saying: “I never think about it. It would unwind me. I assume everything I’m saying in an email or saying on the telephone is being looked at,” he added.
The Fahrenheit 9/11 and Capitalism: A Love Story documentary maker also revealed that he thought the phone-tapping scandal that rocked Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, News Corp in the UK, could happen in America.
“I’m interested to see what happens with Fox News and phone hacking,” said Moore. “I really can’t believe it just happens in Great Britain. Because really, who cares about just hacking phones over there?
“I’ll make a prediction about something — I think the phone-hacking thing Murdoch is involved in … is going to be investigated, and it will be found that it’s been going on here too. I just have a gut feeling.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Sarandon outraged the Catholic Church recently when she referred to Pope Benedict XVI as a “Nazi” during an interview last October.
[From Radar Online]
Again, we really didn’t want to touch this story. I do want to say that I think Susan is wrong about any scandal occurring this side of the pond due to phone tapping. If she’s right that her phone is under surveillance and it’s a government entity doing it, that’s pretty much legal under the Patriot Act. If The National Enquirer or Star is hacking her phone, then we might get an investigation.
Note by Kaiser: I think CB is right, in that it’s perfectly possible (and “legal”) that a government agency could be tapping Susan’s phone (or anyone else’s). But I think the discussion about Murdoch and the phone hacking in the UK is related to that in an unexpected way – did anyone watch the Frontline episode devoted to the hacking scandal? What surprised me most was the British government’s complicity in the press’s hacking of public figures. That’s one of the reasons that it took the New York Times (working with The Guardian) to break the story internationally – because the British government was stonewalling just as much as Murdoch’s people were. What the UK hacking scandal showed me was that an ultra-right-wing press operation can work concurrently with a government when they share common interests.
Susan is shown on 4-2, 4-18 and 4-22-12, credit: WENN.com
I’m convinced phone hacking is going on everywhere, including america. Murdoch rules the world.
I agree. Given the cross-pond News Corp connections and the Fox News/GOP connection, it would seem highly unlikely that the same things weren’t going on over on this side of the pond.
Meanwhile, I’ve got to say that I love Susan. She rocks!
Yep. I totally love her too. If they had a file on Tupac that was 2 ft. high when he was only 20 and had just began to speak out against injustice, imagine what her file must look like.
Yeah, I’d believe it. She’s very politically involved and outspoken, and gives large sums of money to special-interest groups.
Any government that can design and vote in something as Orwellian as the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act really doesn’t give a shit about anyone’s privacy.
Highly doubt the government really cares about what Susan Sarandon has to say. This is her own egomania.
And did the thought ever occur to her that she was denied WH access because she was an outspoken activist against a war we’re still fighting and she has a history of making a scene?
Really? In the past, the gov’t has investigated Mad Magazine and Hugh Hefner. There’s a huge history of the gov’t watching/investigating Hollywood celebrities (remember McCarthyism)?
…John Lennon and Yoko Ono…
There probably is a file on her. I’d bet on that. But did they tap her phone? Of course not. She’s not that important.
Just wait ’til they get CISPA rolling.
“ultra right wing press operation”? Much of the British phone hacking took place under a Labour (i.e. NOT right wing) government, if you’re suggesting Murdoch and the gov’t were working concurrently.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/phone-hacking-scandal-timeline_n_1341773.html
The hacking began under the Thatcher and Major governments, then Blair courted Murdoch and Murdoch saw the political tide was changing, and they worked together. But yes, Murdoch himself and his press are ultra right-wing, regardless of his association with the Blair government.
@ surprised, ‘New Labour’ and current plain ‘Labour’ were/are not really a socialist/left party anymore- Thatcher ruined that because she had everyone fooled into believing and spending as if they were making a middle class income, so Labour naturally had to appeal to them and change. They occupy the centre and just tiny bit to the left. It is the same with Conservatives (centre and slightly right), and Liberals. They pretty much have all the same ideas or jump on to any bandwagon. I wish we had parties with clear ideas of who they are like in France, foe example (I watched some of it on Sunday and it got me excited!!!).*sigh*
Murdoch has remained so cosy for so long due to his power over the media in the UK. Tony Blair was an opportunistic, self-serving git so he probably quite happily handed his soul over and the rest of the PMs (‘Left’ and ‘Right’) of the last 30 years didn’t want to f*** with that kind of power (ha!) and possible mess up their political chances.
I want to see his empire crumble, but I can’t see it ever happening…
She’s a crazy b. end of story. Conspiracy theorists like her and Moore will end up senile, entertaining eachother alone- because no one else cares.
And just because no one else cares, agencies and large corporations get away with ignoring laws, behaving as if they are the law. (c.f.Koch Industries, Blackwater/Xenon)
@Nanea, ITA.
@Nanea, ITA.
I liked her in Dead Man Walking. That’s a good picture.
I saw her when she was here in Madison…she was at Ian’s Pizza of all places (although Ian’s made bank during the protests because people from all over the country/world were ordering pizzas for the protestors…they had a board up with all of the places that had called in with orders)
She came into a vintage store a used to work at, a few times. She’s nice. She’s tiny.
I love Ian’s. I’m totally bummed the one by me (by Wrigley, in Chicago) closed!
We’re at Ians all the time, but we just moved here last fall so we missed out on the chance to see Susan! I have played ping pong at her place in Milwaukee, however.
How are you liking it so far? I love this city, but I’ve graduated now so my take on the city is different than when I was still at the UW.
They won’t roll out the red carpet for Sarandon at the WH so the only logical conclusion for this is that the gov’t has its eye on her? Riiight…
Kind of speaks volumes that neither the right or the left want her anywhere near them. It always irritates me when celebs offer up these holier than thou verdicts on how things “should” be, and how the gov’t is always wrong. If you’re so damn smart, get your ass out of Hollywood and run for office.
Seriously. I like Sarandon but she’s not as important as she thinks. Gotta love celebs who think they’re revolutionaries…
There,s a pretty big gulf between not having the red carpet rolled out for her and being denied a security clearance, which in this instance means she was perceived as a possible threat to the Pres or First Lady, or possibly their reputations.
That’s not what she said. You might want to read again.
totally off topic but she’s gorgeous
Haha I was just thinking it must suuuuuuck for her kids to have a mom who’s hotter as a senior citizen then they’ll ever be in a lifetime. Same goes for Demi Moore and even the ever loathsome Sarah Palin.
Susan can’t get any roles so she has to drum up press on herself hoping the attention will get her work. The left is as bad as the right…extremism never succeeds at the macro or micro level. Me I’m a middle of the road gal…there are two sides to every story and somewhere in between is the truth. And my final point…every action has a consequence…good or bad so if SS and MM want to be outspoken and provoking almost to the point of inciting lunacy and violence, well then they will garner ALL the attention they seek. After all that is what they want so that is what they are getting so why the complaining? Oh yeah attention getters looking for a “paying audience”.
Can’t get any role? Yeah right, that’s the reason why she has 9 movies on her list in 2012/2013 and some TV series.
Not any big roles people have heard of. Shes an attention seeker-always has been.
Middle of the road gal?? In your own mind maybe.
interesting and, if true, scary.
Well we all know how much we can trust the government. After all they would NEVER lie to us! The patriot act is a joke, one used to subtly take our freedoms away and our rights as well all under the guise of protection. This is a celeb website not a political forum, but please don’t tell me that you dont realize how we’re subtly being manipulated by the government ,Banks, and corporations of the world.
Only in the UK? Unlikely.
Her phone probably is tapped. And Michael Moore’s, too. The reality is that there’s no such thing as privacy — for anyone, not just the rich or famous or outspoken — in this digital age.
On a frivolous note, she looks fantastic even though that black outfit is not the most flattering on her. It still makes me sad that she and Tim broke up.
I am confused with her logic..the current white house and department of Justice are controlled by liberal Democrats who are in line with Sarandon’s political beliefs. The security clearance and passes are controlled by them and the secret service so Ms. Sarandon should be pointing the finger at them and not the latest right wing scapegoat.
Washington and the DOJ is not controlled by “liberal Democrats” unless they are pretending to be warhawk “Republicans”. Enough with the phony left-right paradigm. The Dems and Repubs are two wings of the same bird of prey. The fact is that fascists are in Washington now and will continue to rule the roost even after the next election. Don’t bother to vote unless it’s for someone who will get rid of the Federal Reserve and stop this massive ponzi scheme that is economically destroying all of us.
Shes a nut job as her comments prove hence why she was denied clearance. Sure phones may be taped but why hers? Why does she think she is so important the government would tap her phone? Because she is a liberal – please so is Obama. Surely there are MUCh more important people whose phones are being taped into. She is paranoid and has an ego – assuming because she is famous she would get clearance. She needs to get over herself.
You just never know. You don’t want to piss off the FBI or the Secret Service, and who the hell knows how that can happen-only “they ” do. Let’s hope Susan stays safe and can find a phone she can make private calls on. Best to keep low key in situations like this-always.
Meanwhile, we are all invited (if we kick in the cash to enter) to have dinner with Barack at his BFF George Clooney’s house on May 10th.
I would rather poke an eye out than vote for Romney (I still think of poor Seamus the Irish Setter); however, I have to say that Barack has disappointed me on more than one occasion. This celeb elbow rubbing is getting to be a bit much-to the point of tackiness. Just my opinion, and off topic anyway….
She’s always been outspoken.
But that is her right! And there’s nothing wrong with using your right to free speech.
However, White House security has no obligation to allow her access.
She’s either invited to an event and receives clearance or not. If she tried to pull a ‘Salahi’, she’d be turned away!
““I know my phone was tapped. If they’re not surveilling you then everyone else has cameras on phones.” She added, “I was denied security clearance to go to the White House [next week], and I don’t know why.””
First of all, she sounds as crazily paranoid as her ex.
Second, no one has a “right” into the White House. Maybe they just don’t want her there.
Suggested reading:
AMERICA’S AFRICA: Hollywood Celebrities Provide “Mood Music” and “Star Appeal” for US “Humanitarian Wars”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=30492
My phone was ‘tapped’ a long time ago, back when I had a land line and it made clicking sounds when it was happening. (Turns out someone was investigating my then boyfriend) Nowadays I think it’s harder to detect.
Now that we have the Patriot Act, I completely believe it could happen to Susan. This country is kind of f’ed up and police state-y that way.
nice glasses on her. she looks great! Who makes those?