Politician turned actor turned politician Fred Thompson may have a Hollywood strategy when it comes to his presidential run (after all, he did announce his candidacy this week on the Jay Leno show), but he'll have a hard time getting a Hollywood audience.
For starters, the entertainment industry Democrats are much too busy shuttling between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton fundraisers to even think about helping out a fellow actor, let alone a conservative Republican one. And the Hollywood Republicans -- what few there are -- already have yard signs out for the far more moderate Rudolph W. Giuliani.
So what's Thompson to do? Take the show on the road and rake in the dollars elsewhere. The place that made the former Tennessee senator rich as an actor cannot be counted on to pour cash into his presidential run, especially if he's going around bashing gay marriage and Roe vs. Wade. The minute he comes out strong against embryonic stem cell research -- a fervent Hollywood cause -- he'll be banished from every cocktail party north of Sunset Boulevard.
"You're asking me if people here will support Fred Thompson?" said Donna Bojarsky, a longtime industry political consultant. "How do I put it? No. No. And no."
Politico Andy Spahn, who has enough Hollywood clients to pack a Directors Guild gala, was more diplomatic.
"I think he will raise some relationship money from people who know him and have worked with him," Spahn said. "But I don't think he'll raise much beyond that here. His political views are out of sync with the community."
And Spahn is not just talking about the Hollywood Democrats. Thompson's political views are at odds with those of many industry Republicans, who tend to be fiscally conservative but socially progressive.
That's why Giuliani --pro-abortion, pro-gay and 9-11 tough guy -- has found a foothold. "He's the only Republican I ever hear anyone talking about," said Bojarsky.
Giuliani's campaign contributions reflect the popularity.
His donors include actors Adam Sandler, Ben Stein, Melissa Gilbert, Kelsey Grammer and Kevin James. Producers Joel Surnow and David Zucker have also written checks.
On Thursday, the Giuliani campaign announced that actor Ron Silver, who backed George W. Bush during the last go-around, was onboard as an advisor to the former New York mayor's campaign.
