Changes

The lack of [[morals]] and [[values]] in [[Hollywood]] culture has been destroying the fabric of American culture, particularly the family.

The lack of [[morals]] and [[values]] in [[Hollywood]] culture has been destroying the fabric of American culture, particularly the family.

There have been, however, a handful of prominent people whose work in Hollywood opposed these values. [[Charlton Heston]], [[Jim Caviezel]], [[Ricardo Montalban]], [[Ronald Reagan]], [[James Stewart]], [[Pat Boone]], [[Paul Schofield]], [[Lisa Whelchel]] ("The Facts of Life" sitcom's 'Blair' who refused a storyline where she would be the first of Eastland's girls to become a non-virgin), [[Walt Disney]] and many others practiced conservative values while working in Hollywood and the productions of these and many others also reflect these values, irrespective of the names associated with them: [[The Chronicles of Narnia]] and ''Independence Day'' (a 1996 movie about the U.S. being attacked on [[Independence Day]]) being recent examples.

Although the social elite of Hollywood may have held different values that Main Street America, the disparity was hidden from the public.  First, many film studios and actors hired publicity agents to control what life-style facts became known to the public. Certain personal indiscretions were considered "off-limits" by journalists and not generally reported, such as [[Marilyn Monroe]]'s connection to various [[organized crime]] and political figures.

 

Second, both the film studios and the television networks had codes of acceptable content.  Actors who were living by Hollywood values were creating films and television programs that carefully avoid sexually explicit themes or foul language.  For example, the code required that if a married couple were to be shown in a bedroom scene, they would have twin beds and would be wearing [[pajamas]].

 

Third, after the [[United States Supreme Court]] ruled that the First Amendment protected certain forms of literature and motion pictures that were previously considered [[pornographic]], the case law developed that applied local community standards when deciding whether a particular work was to be protected.  This had the effect of decoupling national values from Hollywood values and started a race to the lowest common denominator.

 

Finally, over time, the media has shifted from being concentrated to being dispersed.  The three major television networks shifted to thousands of cable channels, and the adoption of the Internet by the general public made controlling the spread of news and the fabrication of false public images by movie studios impossible.  As a result, [[tabloid journalism]] and [[reality television]] spread the full impact of the Hollywood lifestyle throughout American culture.

Hollywood values include a flagrant disrespect and disregard for:

Hollywood values include a flagrant disrespect and disregard for: