Take back Al Gore's Oscar, 2 Academy members demand in light of Climategate [Updated]

No, it wouldn't do anything for the environment.

But two Hollywood conservatives (yes, there are some) have called upon the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to rescind the prestigious, profitable gold Oscar statuette that it gave ex-Vice President Al Gore et al two years ago for the environmental movie "An Inconvenient Truth."

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FOR THE RECORD:
A Top of the Ticket post Dec. 4 about former Vice President Al Gore and the film “An Inconvenient Truth” incorrectly reported that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Gore an Oscar. Although Gore appeared in the film and participated in the Academy Awards ceremony, the Oscar was given to the movie for best documentary. The post also refers to the “leak” of controversial e-mails concerning research into global warming but did not explain how the documents were obtained. The e-mails were obtained by computer hackers who then leaked their contents to the public by posting them online.

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Roger L. Simon and Lionel Chetwynd, both academy members, are among a small, meandering pack of known political conservatives still believed to be on the loose in the liberal bastion of movie-making.

In 2007, Hollywood's academy sanctified Gore's cinematic message of global warming with its famous statue, enriched his earnings by $100,000 per 85-minute appearance and helped elevate the Tennesseean's profile to win the Nobel Peace Prize despite losing the election battle of 2000 to a Texan and living in a large house with lots of energy-driven appliances.

Chetwynd and Simon were prompted to make their hopeless demand this week by the ... 

... leak two weeks ago of a blizzard of British academic e-mails purporting to show that scientists at the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit systematically falsified data to document the appearance of global warming in recent years.

The university is reportedly investigating the claims, which added dry fuel to the never-ending political debate over whether the Earth really is warming as a result of human activity or if it's just normal natural cycles and the debate is what's heated. The demand to withdraw Gore's award provides yet another opportunity to argue.

The startling leak comes at an inconvenient time just before next week's United Nations climate change meeting that will cause an immense carbon footprint with thousands of people flying up or over to Denmark to talk about saving the environment.

These airplanes will include Air Force One with its primary passenger President Obama, who's returning to the Copenhagen scene where he didn't help win the 2016 Summer Olympics for Chicago, which could do with a little global warming at this time of year.

Simon, a screenwriter who is also chief executive officer of Pajamas Media, a network of conservative online blogs, conceded he knew of no precedent for the Academy withdrawing a previously-awarded Oscar, despite decades of Hollywood hijinks and worse. But, he added, "I think they should rescind this one."

The controversial leaked documents have been assembled here by Pajamas Media and the Competitive Enterprise Institute. The joint demand by Simon and filmmaker Chetwynd is available on video here.

The television news-watching world in America has not learned much about the so-called Climategate scandal because it has not really been mentioned on the air except for a notorious cable news channel named for a three-lettered, wily, wild animal that often seems to revel in debunking liberal shibboleths.

Network news programs have been far more concerned with the obviously more important White House party-crasher story involving a couple of formally-dressed phonies.

The falsified documents do not come up in Gore interview excerpts published late last night here by Politico's John F. Harris and Mike Allen.

This week White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs claimed that global warming was no longer in dispute by most people. But a subsequent Rasmussen Reports poll of Americans finds only 1 in 4 adults believe that most scientists agree on the topic.

And while only 20% claim to have followed the leaked e-mail story Very Closely, nearly 60% believe it is at least somewhat likely that scientists have falsified environmental data to support their own global warming beliefs and theories.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photos: Associated Press

Comments

[Daisy]

What startling news! There are actually 2 outspoken Conservatives in the movie biz. Who knew?

[Tariq Aziz]

Someday, our grandchildren will look back at Al Gore's movie and laugh. This period of history will be remembered as a time when we elected the first black president, but also as the time when we were ignorant enough to believe in anthropogenic global warming.

[Ben]

Just let him keep the Oscar but, instead of for best documentary, for best film based on fiction.

[M B Green]

Thank you LA Times for exposing the scandalous behavior of global warming phonies whose spokesperson, Al Gore has become a mega-millionaire through this global hoax. I hope your readers are open-minded enough to realize that this has been going on for quite some time in the name of fame and fortune and not for science nor the betterment of mankind. The USA is about to sink under Cap & Trade on top of the unconstitutional takeover of 1/6 of our economy through the very unpopular seizure of our wealth and physical bodies under the cover of health care. In addition, Desmond Tutu is on his way to Copenhagen to present a petition on the of poor people of the world. WAKE UP! Wherever money is lined up, there is armed corruption ready to receive time after time. Americans are the most generous people in the world because they live in freedom and capitalism. With all the corruption in the Congress and White House czars, that generosity won't be available. We must remember, "The truth shall set you free." Let us agree to be truth seekers.

[Kerry]

I think we ought to start a class action suit against the scientists and then supenoa the documentation they have so the TRUTH has to be released this FRAUD has gone on long enough.... no wonder the Education system stinks we have morons teaching in our Colleges!!

[Crazy_Redneck]

Perhaps he can keep the Oscar. Just change the category from documentary to science fiction.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone were the first to expose this fraud a few years back with their "Manbearpig" episode of South Park...

I'm super serial!

[Prospector]

Ha! Good luck with that. You might as well cry out "God is dead!" It's off to the witch-burning pyre with you.

[kevin]

I only have one word MANBEARPIG!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ramon]

What a bunch of criminals. Pushing an agenda that will enslave this country to the U.N while calling themselfs' "Americans". They should be prosecuted with treason! Subjecting Americans to foreign taxes on a buch of lies! This is an abomonation to the freedom we have and enjoy as Americans. We are not subject to any World Governement, and we need to stand for our rights as Americans. No More Lies, and that includes you Mr. President! You very happy in serving the United Nations and not your own Country. Oh I forgot you are 1/2 American!

[Mohammed Achmed]

"Meandering pack of conservatives?"

How about FAT SLOB, LYING BASTARD, LIBERAL LOON PIECE OF CRAP" AL GORE?

[Where's the Objectivity?]

Mr. Malcom says, "The falsified documents do not come up in Gore interview excerpts.

What "falsified documents?" To the best of my knowledge, the controversial emails did not discuss any actually falsified data or documents. A few authors of some of the emails improperly and shamefully considered making an attempt to prevent opposing articles from being published in certain scholarly journals.

If there has been actual fraud, Malcom owes it to his readers (and the world) to cite the specific falsehoods. Otherwise, Malcom is merely providing P.R. costumed as news for Simon and Chetwynd.

Are right wing Chicago Tribune editorial policies creeping onto the L.A. Times news pages?

[Concerned American]

This author must love Al Gore, if you notice in the document they say:

"despite losing the election battle of 2000 to a Texan and living in a large house with lots of energy-driven appliances."

As an author you may want to do some research, because your savior Al Gore's house in TN uses more energy than a small city. His heated pool alone could heat a house for 1 year. He is a hypocritical loser who is in it for the "green", but not the same green as you would think, it's the GREEN BACKS!

enough said!!

[In it for a buck]

You fools! You won't be laughing so hard when you find out ManBearPig is real.

I'm serial!

[Hope for change]

Recinding Al Gorlione's Oscar would be a good first step; but what cause would the vapid hollywood actors use to fill the void?

If Oscars should be returned for fraudulent documentaries, what about Michael Moron-moore's movies? The guy made $50 MILLION dollars on movies trashing capitalism (can hollywood even spell hypocricy?), profited on stocks he owned such as Halliburton while decrying Halliburton as a "war profiteer" (what would that make moore?) etc etc.

Face it, fellas - there's a reason the hollywood elites disdain middle America; and theres an even bigger reason middle America doesn't watch the acadamy awards any more. Poor quality movies, and the academy's lovefests for conmen like gore!

As for Obama and Gibbs - there's a reason they use the word "believe" in global warming. Manmade global warming has been proven a fraud; and as such, is NOT based on science. So Obama and Gibbs "believe" in global warming as a religious belief, not based on facts; maybe more like some people believe in unicorns and leprechans!

[John]

Forget about rescinding the award. Let's have a reality show where Al shoves the oscar up a most inconvenient section of his anatomy in front of the audience.

It's a win- win option where all parties receive what they deserve and maybe Al's gait will reflect what the rest of us feel while watching him pontificate.

[Zack]

of course they falsified the data! It's like taking the word of the used car salesmen that the car you are buying is in good condition. He's lying every possible way because he is going to make money from it. These people lie to "prove" something so that they can get paid to "study" it more and then they get paid from that as well. Their big point is that the globe has raised .7 degree's in 150 years? They're points seems pretty dull.

[W. Darwin]

ITS NOT LEAKED - The data and emails where paid for and belongs to the public via Grants. Releasing information that has been subject to Stonewalling legal obligations to the Freedom of Information request to view data you own is not LEAKED, STOLEN or the LIKE. Much like when you are at work, the company and customer own the machines and IP you think are private.

[sue eighmy]

I have known for a while that Eric Holder deciding to have terrorists tried in New York was a smoke screen for something else. Wonder if this is it. To distract us while Osama goes to Copenhagen and signs away our country to the UN. Either that or to somehow pass Amnesty. Which one do you think more likely? This is after all the whole reason for Health Care Reform.

[Matriarch]

So would strong armed men come and "collect" his little statue? Or would they just shun that particular statue, declaring it "not an oscar anymore"? Don't get me wrong. I am totally in support of rescinding that con artist's award. I am just musing about logistics.

[Mike Cagle]

This is the dumbest thing ever. In the first place, it's strange that the LA Times doesn't mention this, but Al Gore never received an Oscar. A documentary about Al Gore got the Oscar. The film's producers got that award; Gore was just the subject of the film, and as such, not the recipient of the award. Secondly, the "climategate" thing is a phony controversy. None of the e-mails in question call into doubt the fact of climate change. It's just another fake outrage thing whipped up by propaganda outfits like Fox and the Pajama People.

[Brian]

Thanks a lot LA Times for posting my original post...much appreciated. I am sure you guys are all for free speech right???

[Strangebrew]

I find it very amusing that "An Inconvenient Truth" is exactly what these politicians, or is it scientists, are running into.

[Eliza]

That most Americans don't "believe most scientists agree on the topic" means only that too many of them have been duped by Fox News and the like. This is a ridiculous story about two petulant conservatives' silly, cynical ploy for attention.

[astralweeks]

In regards to those two academy members: BRAVO! Encore!

[Dutra]

Give him a truck load of those dorky statuettes. They are worthless.

[Clive Roberts]

We do have a problem when supposedly educated adults cannot bother to read beyond the headlines and targeted propaganda. Logic and common sense have been replaced by 'gut feelings' and 'what I believe'.

Most of the skeptics will be dead before it gets really bad.

[Janet Swartz]

I recently attended a rare public climate symposium at JPL-NASA in Pasadena. Seven experts in their respective areas of research gave a brief presentation on the results of scientific studies of satellite and other data that points to potentially catastrophic changes on all fronts: carbon levels, arctic ice levels, sea levels, temperature increases, etc. It was all quite chilling as these scientists presented trends in data that clearly mark increasingly rapid changes in our environment with a dire prognosis. I am convinced that global warming is a fact and that we as a species are just too arrogant to accept responsibility and make changes in our "civilized" convenient forms of living on this planet. Our unchecked use of this planets resources and our sense of entitlement above and beyond all the other creatures that inhabit this earth is appalling and tragic.

[Jeff]

Al Gore a con artist and outright fraud? Say it aint so!

[Edgar P]

You really shouldn't use words you don't know. Shibbeloths?

I think you mean shibboleths. Look it up in a dictionary.

[Gary Moyers]

Hooray!!! not only take it back, but the crook should be jailed and made to pay for all the damages his lies have cost taxpayers and the insidious brainwashing of youngsters.

[OGolly in Boise]

What a great, well-written story! Thanks.

[Ryan]

Love the cut off point after "hopeless" and before any explanation as to why they would want to make a demand like this. Bias? Anyone? Anyone?

[Richard]

Now, Hopefully they will take away AlGores Nobel Peace Prize and the Money he recieved for the award. Maybe Criminal charges on top of that for perpetuating a FRAUD on the Whole World. Some Countries have lost Billions of Dollars based on his Bogus movie and Clobal Warming/Climate Change Campaign.

[P J Evans]

The problem with their idea is that it's based on false premises: that global warming doesn't exist (they don't understand it, either) and that the stolen e-mails show some kind of plot, neither of which is true. And netiher of which bears on Gore's oscar, which was for a documentary, not for being a scientist.

(I'm sure they _never_ write anything that could be misinterpreted by their non-friends.)

[Sha]

So you fell for the "scientific consensus" of global warming?
Did you also fall for the "scientific consensus" of evolution?

The editors of the "science" journals do not allow dissenting scientist to post any opposing views about evolution, and instead paint these many scientists as cranks.

They won't even allow argument on the subject. Many atheist scientists do not believe there is any basis for evolution and yet they have been silenced.

Go see "Expelled No Intelligence Allowed."

[Juan Peron]

Just for the record:

Al Gore did NOT invent the Internet.

Al Gore DID invent Global Warming.

[Bjorn]

Personally I think Mr. Gore should be allowed to take his statue with him to jail where he belongs for fraud and for scaring kids all over the world.

[Marshall]

First of all, Al Gore doesn't have an Oscar. Davis Guggenheim has an Oscar for making a documentary about Al Gore and his global warming presentation. While the win was certainly political, how do the merits of the theories change the film. It's simply a document of a political figure and his passions.

[Gregory of Prescott]

Milli Vanilli could not be reached for comment.

[mrunpc]

Man made global warming is and has been the biggest HOAX ever perpetrated on mankind.

Al-E-Gore and his minions are stark, raving, mad and should be behind bars at best and brought up on charges of "international treason". Where's Nuremburg when you need it?

I've lived in Florida since the 100 year hurricane event a few years ago. All the enviro-Nazis predicted it was just the beginning of the "end", with far worse to come...and there hasn't been ONE hurricane to hit here since. Anyone notice the last 2 winters? RECORD SNOW AND COLD! And this one will continue that pattern.

All you doofuses who have been drinking the green coolaid for all these years have been victims of your own ignorance. WAKE THE HELL UP and start EDUCATING YOURSELVES FOR C.S!

[sandyinohio]

You've got my vote to take it back! Now, if we could just do something to take back votes for Obama...

[Allen Braun]

This article is wrong. The scandal is not about falsified data or research that supports the notion of global warming created by humans.

The scandal is that a publication presented only the "human caused" side and suppressed research from the "not caused by humans" side creating a publication bias. It's even worse in that the journal in question refused to publish any paper that referred to papers in other publications that supported the "not caused by humans" side of the argument.

It is not about falsified data. It is about deliberate bias.

[Ali Osborne]

Oh, come now. Algore probably sleeps with that statue, it's cold the way the
weather is getting to be. Most of us are not scientists, but smart enough to
know that God is in command of this planet including weather. When the
stars fall to earth I'll begin to worry.

[Brad]

Someone should mention that many of the assertions of "An Inconvenient Truth", such as the link between AGW and Hurricane activity and the so called "Hockey Stick" chart have since been discredited. The scientists wrapped up in Climatgate" happen to be the source for many of the assertions of "An Inconvenient Truth".

[Ray]

If Algore had any sense of decency he would surrender the Oscar forthwith. Decency is not a prevalent trait among our Liberal Elite however, so the idol will have to be confiscated by the authorities. They can accomplish this when they arrest him and his extensive gang of con-men around the world who have endeavored to empower and enrich themselves with the goofy fraud of "Global Warming".
Around the world, this religion cloaked in junk science has stolen hundreds of billions of dollars from taxpayers, damaged economies, spread poverty, and brought on an perpetual energy crisis.
Idiots, fools, and opportunists across the spectrum of society have joined the Global Warming congregation. With Algore as the High Priest and jerks like Michael Mann his disciples, they ruthlessly target anyone who dares to reveal the"science" behind the Con for the trash it really is.
Being a Chump is not a crime, and "you cant fix stupid". But if it were we would lose most of Hollyweird and a lot of otherwise good rock bands.
Being a Con Artist is a crime however, with punishment usually based on the level of damage the Con incurred.
In this case, unless a Dumb-Ass exemption is available, Algore and his Gang should be looking at life sentences.
When one considers the lives that have been lost due to the environmental hysteria Algore has propagated, it occurs that he and his gang deserve something more harsh.

[Beavereater]

Al Gore should be allowed to keep styrofoam replica of his oscar when he goes to prison for life.

[stinkin]

Really, just his Oscar?...how about the stinkin Nobel Prize?? This con man for the ages who is nothing more than a profiteering wh@re should go to prison with his inconvenient untruths.

[Patriot]

Follow the money. Gore has it set to make millions off the whole global warming myth. He's completely vested in it yet, lives in a huge house that is not green at all and flies all over the world in private jets.

Wake up people. You're being played!!!!!!!!!!

[jonas mas]

fox guarding the henhouse. Without global warming...the Scientists' fundings would be out in the cold....

[BOB2]

Are there fools in Academia? Yes, and they do a great disservice. But, then it would appear there are also fools at the Federal Reserve who were faking economic reports to avoid regulation of the pals. But, have all of the thousands of researchers who show the effects of the increase in CO2 on climate engaged in this "conspiracy". This kind of hype does raise problems with one small set of researchers, but does nothing to overturn the overwhelming legitimate evidence of the climate change threat facing us.

When those glaciers in the Himalaya's melt, and a billion people face starvations in India, China, and Pakistan will those nations be tempted to use their nuclear weapons to feed them?

It would appear that these two libertarian true believer crackpots in Hollywood are more part of an organized conspiracy funded by big coal, than any conspiracy by 95% of the world's most reputable climate scientists?