Recently, I was approached about lending my voice to a film enttiled "Running with Arnold," a documentary about the political ascension of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I read the script and agreed to do the narration. I went to a studio here in NY and recorded the text to picture, which I had not seen before.
The film's producers had offered to screen the film for me, but I did not have time to see it. I based my decision on the script I read and went ahead. When I recorded the tracks, I was somewhat dismayed by some of the images I saw.
I am certainly not a supporter of Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think he was unqualified for his curent job when he ran in the bogus recall election. I believe he is unqualified for that job today. As dull as Phil Angelides' campaign has been, I believe that he would better represent the interests of more Californians than Schwarzenegger could ever hope to. Schwarzenegger is not a leader. Like Bush, he is a front man for a group of powerful interests and he is reading from a script. The filmmakers hammer Schwarzenegger over his private behavior and his record as governor. But Schwarzenegger deserves to be treated fairly and the film's images of Nazi rallies were over the line.
I asked that my voice and name be removed from the film and I returned the fee I was paid, which was earmarked to be donated to charity, and I had an attorney issue a cease and desist order against the filmmakers so that they would comply with my demands. The filmmakers have thus far refused to accommodate my requests and have claimed that they have delivery deadlines for distribution that prohibit them from granting them.
"Running with Arnold" is not a bad film. It isn't a good one either. The people of California have the right to reelect an unqualified man to lead their state, and they have the right to do so without unfair and ultimately offensive images of the Third Reich thrown in for bad measure. Don't forget to vote on November 7th.
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