{"id":606591,"date":"2021-07-30T09:23:19","date_gmt":"2021-07-30T13:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=606591"},"modified":"2021-07-30T09:23:22","modified_gmt":"2021-07-30T13:23:22","slug":"hollywood-star-ben-stiller-insists-hollywoods-a-meritocracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hollywood-star-ben-stiller-insists-hollywoods-a-meritocracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollywood Star Ben Stiller Insists Hollywood\u2019s A \u2018Meritocracy\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhollywood-star-ben-stiller-insists-hollywoods-a-meritocracy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=606591&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Stiller.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Hollywood star Ben Stiller, the son of the legendary comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, insisted that Hollywood was \u201cultimately\u201d a \u201cmeritocracy\u201d after criticism surfaced of the new film \u201cThe Rightway,\u201d which is directed by Steven Spielberg\u2019s daughter Destry, written by author Stephen King\u2019s son Owen King, and features a cast of children of famous actors.<\/p>\n<p>The comment from Stiller was precipitated by Vanity Fair contributing editor Franklin Leonard, who tweeted, \u201cHollywood\u2019s a meritocracy, right?\u201d in response to a tweet that noted, \u201cHopper Penn (Sean Penn\u2019s son) and Brian D\u2019Arcy James have been cast in \u2018THE RIGHTWAY\u2019 from director Destry Spielberg (Steven Spielberg\u2019s daughter) and writer Owen King (Stephen King\u2019s son).\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.0545454545455\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Hollywood&#8217;s a meritocracy, right? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jELCVujYyB\">https:\/\/t.co\/jELCVujYyB<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard\/status\/1420194758496976898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Stiller responded, \u201cToo easy @franklinleonard. People, working, creating. Everyone has their path. Wish them all the best.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.8\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Too easy <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@franklinleonard<\/a>. People, working, creating. Everyone has their path. Wish them all the best.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RedHourBen\/status\/1420202550083473418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Leonard replied, \u201cI do, without fail, but I also think it\u2019s important that we acknowledge those paths.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stiller stated, \u201cYes. Just speaking from experience, and I don\u2019t know any of them, I would bet they all have faced challenges. Different than those with no access to the industry. Show biz as we all know is pretty rough, and ultimately is a meritocracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"12.398576512456\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Yes. Just speaking from experience, and I don\u2019t know any of them, I would bet they all have faced challenges. Different than those with no access to the industry. Show biz as we all know is pretty rough, and ultimately is a meritocracy.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RedHourBen\/status\/1420208066998333447?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>That impelled Leonard to respond, \u201cI don\u2019t for a second doubt that they\u2019ve all faced challenges. They\u2019re human. I simply reject the claim that the industry is \u2013 in the short term or long term \u2013 a meritocracy. If it were, how do you explain the utter lack of diversity behind the camera? Lack of merit?\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"11.515527950311\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I don&#8217;t for a second doubt that they&#8217;ve all faced challenges. They&#8217;re human. I simply reject the claim that the industry is \u2013 in the short term or long term \u2013 a meritocracy.<\/p>\n<p>If it were, how do you explain the utter lack of diversity behind the camera? Lack of merit?<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard\/status\/1420208497648541696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201c100 percent agree,\u201d Stiller echoed. \u201cDiversity is much bigger issue. No question. And I see your point, access is access. So yes. I\u2019m saying that untalented people don\u2019t really last if they get a break because of who they are or know or are related to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Leonard would not be dissuaded, answering, \u201cFundamentally disagree, and again numbers don\u2019t lie. Based only on the exclusion of other folks, statistically speaking, roughly 1\/3 of the industry has their job not because of merit, but because of other factors (who they know, colonial legacy, sexism, whatever).\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"18.223270440252\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Fundamentally disagree, and again numbers don&#8217;t lie. <\/p>\n<p>Based only on the exclusion of other folks, statistically speaking, roughly 1\/3 of the industry has their job not because of merit, but because of other factors (who they know, colonial legacy, sexism, whatever).<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard\/status\/1420212204536619010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He added, \u201cAnd we both know plenty of unqualified people who manage to stay employed for reasons other than their talent, though both of us have enough decorum not to name names.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"9.4090909090909\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">And we both know plenty of unqualified people who manage to stay employed for reasons other than their talent, though both of us have enough decorum not to name names.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard\/status\/1420212273084211203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 28, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Commenting on a Twitter user who pointed out nepotism is common in other fields. Leonard wrote, \u201cThe difference is that most of those folks will acknowledge the nepotism that contributed to their success. Like I said, Hollywood folks tend to believe that it\u2019s a pure meritocracy and their success is an indication of their merit alone.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"10.508591065292\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The difference is that most of those folks will acknowledge the nepotism that contributed to their success. Like I said, Hollywood folks tend to believe that it&#8217;s a pure meritocracy and their success is an indication of their merit alone.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard\/status\/1420547386984714242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>That prompted Stiller to answer, \u201cWow. Really? I totally owe a huge debt to my folks and in no way have said I didn\u2019t. Why make broad generalizations? You argument about diversity is very sound and I agreed with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.4823008849558\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Wow. Really? I totally owe a huge debt  to my folks and in no way have  said I didn\u2019t. Why make broad generalizations? You argument about diversity is very sound and I agreed with  it.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RedHourBen\/status\/1420548716096753669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Leonard concluded, \u201cI don\u2019t believe I\u2019ve ever said or suggested that you said that you didn\u2019t. Just that you said that Hollywood is a meritocracy. But again, I think we probably both know people do who believe that their success is solely a product of their merit and their merit alone. But again, the industry\u2019s failure on diversity is linked, closely, to the extent to which personal and familial relationships dictate opportunity and career sustainability in Hollywood.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"11.344537815126\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">But again, the industry&#8217;s failure on diversity is linked, closely, to the extent to which personal and familial relationships dictate opportunity and career sustainability in Hollywood.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklinleonard\/status\/1420549741692153862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Destry Spielberg weighed in on the debate, saying, \u201cI am just a young aspiring female filmmaker who admires the art of cinema. People can argue nepotism, but I know deep down that I worked hard to get where I am and it wasn\u2019t easy. Beyond proud of this film and proud of the team it took to make it,\u201d then later tweeting, \u201cI acknowledge that i was born with privilege! I own that through and through! I make it my mission to bring new talent into the industry &amp; give opportunities to artists of all backgrounds. No one should be left out because of the connections they don\u2019t have,\u201d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/1294672\/steven-spielbergs-daughter-destry-addresses-nepotism-claims-after-ben-stiller-sparks-debate\">E Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><em>member<\/em><\/a><em>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hollywood star Ben Stiller, the son of the legendary comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, insisted that Hollywood was \u201cultimately\u201d a \u201cmeritocracy\u201d after criticism surfaced of the new film \u201cThe &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-606591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=606591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/606591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=606591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=606591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=606591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}