Is Capitalism the New Socialism in Hollywood?

By Kevin Jackson

Leave it to a self-indulgent Hollywood actor, in this case Terrence Howard, to remind us how liberals think and how socialism should work -- to their benefit.

Howard, who has been mentioned to play the role of Obama in an upcoming biopic, was not cast in Iron Man 2 , the studio execs choosing Don Cheadle instead. The reason: Money -- with a twist.

You may find it surprising, but Howard was the highest paid actor in the first Iron Man, earning more than Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey, Jr, and Jeff Bridges, according to Entertainment Weekly. So what is Howard’s complaint?

They produced a great bounty with the first one, but they put it all in the storehouse and you were not allowed in, he says.

Howard believes he deserved a bigger piece of the $318M that the film earned, and the future bounty that he figured was a given with the inevitable sequel.

Forget that Howard enjoyed a hefty seven-figure payday in the first film, and the opportunity to be a part of the sequel. He had no stake in the film, except as an actor. No skin in the game, as it was. He got paid whether the film went boom or bust.

Yet as one can glean from his comments, Howard “wanted in” on a piece of the profit, and better yet, a guaranteed role in the sequel. Oh, and there was that pesky point of a percentage of the profit. Is there any doubt that Howard is part of the “Me-Generation” liberal mentality, where he wins -- no matter what?

In the sequel, it reported that only Downey got a raise. This revelation evoked the ire of Howard, and he had this to say to US Magazine:

They did it with everyone but Robert Downey [Jr], fumes Howard. One of the things that actors need to do is always stick together: one for all, and all for one.

From this statement by Howard you would surmise that he stood up for all the other actors during his negotiation in the first Iron Man film. After all, Howard was the highest paid. Yet something tells me that Howard’s agent didn’t call the agents of the other actors, and reveal the terms of his contract, and chant the cheer of the Three Musketeers, as he expected Downey to do.

Considering that Howard left his team out in the cold in negotiations for the first Iron Man (and Robert Downey, Jr. apparently did the same in the second), perhaps capitalism is the new socialism in Hollywood.