Hawaii 5-0 and the Pearl Harbor veterans
Claymore and Bill have sent us links to the story about the trouble at the Pearl Harbor memorial ceremony between the veterans, their hosts and the production crew of the TV show “Hawaii 5-0”. Apparently CBS issued an apology;
I’m a fan of the show (well, more accurately, I’m a fan of Grace Park) and I’m fairly shocked that they’d treat actual Pearl Harbor veterans like this.
The main character is supposed to be the son of a Pearl Harbor veteran and the show has always spoken reverently of the battle at Pearl Harbor and the men who fought there that day. It’s unfortunate that the reverence didn’t carry over to the moment they were actually confronted with real veterans.
The only way they can get me back as a weekly viewer is to have more scenes of Grace Park running along the beach in a bikini for no apparent reason.
Category: Shitbags
Yeah instead of saying “sorry if anyone was offended” how about sorry for interrupting the ceremony and stepping on gravestones? FFS what are these people thinking issuing a statement like that? Fuckin’ half ass apology.
what do you expect from Hollywood? The world is belongs to them..and what they make up.
And here I thought the Japanese kids laughing while at the Arizona Memorial was the most disrespectful thing I had witnessed. At least the kids had the semi-excuse of ignorance of history.
I agree with you Jonn, I only watch it to see Grace Park and the scenery there. More Grace Park, … in a bikini or kicking the shit out of someone is what is needed to draw me back
There’s at least as much ignorance behind this as arrogance and disrespect.
This is why most Hollywood scripts are so naive in their depiction of the military. They just don’t know any better. Their understanding of what’s proper comes from other movies and TV shows, which were also written by people who don’t know any better.
Another “if” non-apology?
These things are popping up with annoying frequency.
Regarding the Japanese laughing at the Arizona Memorial, particularly in the movie you see before going out there, I found this out. In the Japanese culture, when they are reeeeally nervous or disturbed, they will often giggle. It is a cultural thing. And I cannot imagine a place they would be more nervous that the Arizona Memorial, unless it would be MCRD Parris Island or MCRD San Diego. They get really antsy around Marines for some reason.
I feel this show has gotten way out of control. This kind of behavior is the icing on the cake. If the mayor of Hawaii condons this just for the money this stupid show brings in, that does not say much for him, now does it?
Its not a stupid show and if it wasn’s for it many people would not have a job. The crew did not do anything wrong apart of shoiting a film!” !
Wow Grace Park is 37, not that that is old (I’m older), but still nice to look at.
Yeah, that show pretty much lost me as a viewer.
I read the report but did not watch the video. Those SOBS. They are making a TV show that will portray the utmost respect the actors can muster–and the reality is they were literally walking on the graves of those they pretend to honor. The bastards.
I remember once, years ago, following a car with a Pearl Harbor plate on it. I can’t recall how many miles I stayed with it until the driver stopped. All I wanted to do was shake his hand. And these bastards are walking on the graves of his fellow sailors? Man, if I had a pissed-off meter attached to me right now it blow the gauge.
My scoutmaster(BSA & ESA) was a Pearl Harbor survivor…for real. He was one of the lucky one’s to escape an impending underwater grave. For the cast & crew of “Hawaii Five-Zip” (as I shall forever refer to them) is a flat out blatant crock of shit. Maybe if it’d been Donald Bellesario things would have been different. A whole lot different….
Here’s the direct link to CBS Feedback Form. No fuss, no muss. When it comes up, select the show and have at it. As with letters to newspapers, your sentiment is not only YOUR sentiment, but to CBS represents thousands who feel the same way but did not take the time to share their views.
http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php
Thanks 2-17! Lets give ’em hell, people. garryowen
I zoomed in on the picture of the crew and the C-Stands holding up the frame and while the legs are close I can not see any equipment actually resting on a gravestone. When you set up the frame you rest it on “apple boxes”, the small wooden boxes you see in the picture because it makes it easier and doesn’t damage the ground under it, like gravestones, grass, etc etc. I’d like to see a picture of them walking on headstones or gear resting on it. For some, even having it close might offend, but if it’s not resting on it, I have no problem with it myself. Since people have no real idea how making movies or T.V. shows actually works, what is common sense to me may not be common sense to others. If this show was conducting themselves in such a manner, it would be something they are doing all the time. This would lead to a bad reputation and no matter how much you think Hollywood can do whatever it wants, businesses would start to close their doors to them. Also, this is a business. While they have a permit for that area no one has the right to interfere with shooting. This goes for the post earlier today with OWS and Law & Order. I don’t go into your office and start snapping pictures of your co-workers and watching you work do I? No. These are not circus monkeys. This is job and they are their to work the standard 12hr shoot day. As far as scheduling I would have tried my best to do it on any other day. But if I couldn’t, and was surprised by a group that I wasn’t informed was going to be there, I would have worked something out with them and made adjustments accordingly. That’s just what you have to do when you shoot on location no matter what size the production. Furthermore, a lot of crew people are Vets. In fact, I employ them where ever I can and did this past Saturday. A behind the… Read more »
Hey Csaey. Before I tell you, very politely, to go screw yourself, did you READ the report or just watch the video. As a matter of fact, I’ll save myself some time. If you wrote what you wrote after you read the report, go screw yourself. If you didn’t, read it.
What gets me are the earpiece douchebags running around shushing everyone. Eat shit, fuckstain.
Claymore, I agree that sending a newbie P.A. with bad people skills over there is never the right thing to do. However, the only reason I’m calling out this article is because things just don’t add up. Plus he opens it up with all these things unrelated to the situation at hand. Even if I agree with what he said, he seems like someone with an ax to grind with anyone he so chooses. This simply boils down to “he said, he said” and no compelling proof on either side. But the bottom line is, if a film permit is granted, that is space rented and paid for by a production company. I have a serious problem with OWS idiots shutting down Law & Order, shutting down jobs. But I also have a problem with anyone, Vet or not, disrupting an active shoot. I think people do not understand that for the time they are shooting legally, it is not public property. If time permits, and productions do this all the time, cast and crew take pictures, sign autographs, whatever, and everything is cool. But that time is put into the schedule and work comes first. If they show us a picture or video of someone disrespecting and Vet or gravestone, and they where not fired, then, yeah, fuck ’em up.
By “fuck ’em up” I mean in publicly, not violence.
Even if I agree with what he said, he seems like someone with an ax to grind with anyone he so chooses.
I don’t buy it. The dude is a tv reporter from Boulder. Last time I checked, Boulder wasn’t exactly a bastion of right-wing ideology and his profession is eat up with liberals, not that he himself identifies with that moniker in any of his writing (as best I can tell). What possible axe would he have to grind? The only thing he seemed to be supporting were the vets that they were hosting at the memorial. If anything, the production crew were the intruders, in my opinion.
Before I make too many assumptions, not to mention letting my blood pressure rise, I have a few questions.
– Did the Veterans group organizers pre-arrange with the cemetery management to have their ceremony at that particular time and day?
– If they did, to what responsibility do we hold the management company?
– Did anyone from the memorial group organizers attempt to talk with anyone of authority in the production staff to try to arrange some sort of compromise for a few hours?
– Did anyone attempt to bring to the attention of the staff that allegedly was disrespecting the gravesites and service that what they were doing was disrespectful?
– And can you honestly tell me that this was a major memorial service and no one was taking pictures or video, especially if things were as egregious as is being reported?
While I am in no way condoning any of the alleged actions on part of the production staff, nor do I think that half-assed sort-of apology is sufficient, I am not ready to jump onto this bandwagon. I think both sides acted irresponsibly and the squeakiest wheel is being heard right now.
I am the Bill that sent this lead to Jonn along with Claymore this morning, for the uninformed this occured Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, home to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, it is run by the VA. Casey, maybe you won’t mind when you are under the ground if someone walks on yours, but I will never walk on the grave of someone as storied as a vet who died in the service of his or her country. Maybe Jane Fonda’s when she get laid to rest, but I don’t want to stand in line ever again. Also my father was a Pearl Harbor survivor and have a cousin who’s name is listed on the MIA at the same cemetery, WW 2 USMC.
Ah Hollywood. When the crew for “Contact” came to film at New Mexico tech, the stars made sure that the great unwashed wouldn’t be with in a mile of them.
I don’t watch TV much anymore. This is one of the reasons why. Production crews that will cater to the whims of their stars and will go out of their way to prove “no animals were harmed” act like total sh_theads at a graveyard?
I’m never watching this crappy show. I knew many WII vets. My grandpa built B-29’s.
Shame on CBS. But it’s to be expected.
H50 could have made this a big win. The week of the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and a bunch of guys in their late 80’s and 90’s arrive at your shoot in the Punchbowl… you treat them like KINGS. Make a fuss, bend over backwards, make a damn effort. You don’t shush them and chide them for being in the way, and you DAMN sure don’t interfere with their ceremonies. A good number of these guys hadn’t been back to Hawaii since the end of WWII, and will never be able to make the trip again. What could have been a huge WIN for CBS has turned into a FAIL for lack of effort and foresight.
I’m with Bubblehead Ray on this one…. And Casey? You can paint it any way you like, but what happened on that day, at THAT ceremony, should never have been “handled” like that. I, also have up close and personal experience with the film industry, and in my opinion, Hawaiii crew could have come out of this smelling like roses if they had chosen to do the decent, RESPECTFUL thing for these Veterans. Sad state of affairs when the crew’s schedule – or budgetary constraints – take precedence over the dignity of this group of OUR Veterans.
No slack from me AT ALL for those morons…
Hey Hawaii Five-O , you suck !
I will never watch this show again. The nice CBS people can watch it. Not me,
My first thoughts on this is that knowing the number of people that would be visiting graves during the week of December 7th, no permits should have been issued to a filming crew knowing what a mess they make with equipment and people.
My second thoughts are that the disrespectful people from the filming crew owe all of the Veterans a personal as well as a public apology. You might want to consider giving up one of your slots to show the survivors of Perl Harbor and combine it with your apologies and many well placed “Thank you”. I don’t care if you’re speaking to a WW I, WW II, Korean, Vietnam, or Veterans from any war… They went thru hell to give us our freedoms! A lot of them lost family and friends in the process. The first thing out of your mouth should be “Thank you for your service!”
My last thought, knowing that the second thought will never happen, is to boycott the show and all its sponsors. It’s a shame that you have to hit someone in the wallet to get a little bit of disserved respect. But it’s more of a shame that the people of this filming crew didn’t seem to understand that these survivors of Perl Harbor were there to honor and respect their friends and family that paid the ultimate price to protect our country and freedoms. Shame on all of you!
Ira “Jake” Jakob USAF (Ret)
100% Disabled, Not Ready To Quit!
In my dealings with CBS, I have found them to be arrogant with and contemptuous of their viewers and their actions the most egregious of any of the networks. Their reputation for nastiness is legend. While I, too, am appalled by this behavior, I’m not surprised by it or Lenkow’s response. He fits right in with the CBS crowd.> Linda Lang Bartell
After hearing both sides of the issue here, I’m fairly confident that the show will no longer be on my watch list. I found it interesting enough to watch since its inception, but this is inexcusable. Besides, three to four hours of TV a week is two much (H5O, NCIS and its offshoot, and occasionally Psych).
The simple grunt in me just says f’em and yearns for a production crew to attempt to interrupt my activities in the near future. The more rational side of me hears the counterpoints made in comments 16,19,and 22 and still fails to see how anyone (much less an entire crew, wasn’t there at least one person with some situational awareness?) could disrespect veterans on their own turf, so to speak. As some of the comments above state, this could have been an extremely positive experience for both the vets and the show.
As a Casket Team Leader and Funerals NCOIC I have walked on many graves in the hallowed ground of Arlington. In such crowded space it is impossible to carry a few hundred pound casket containing the remains of a hero or their loved one to their final resting place. I’m sure most would not mind being awakened by the footsteps of Soldiers laying a comrade down to rest–I know I wouldn’t. I feel much differently about equipment being used by people who just don’t get it.
Sure would like to have a conversation with the signator on the permit for the film crew. What possible rationale could there be to allow filming on this date?
If any group can use this hallowed ground for any purpose on any day they wish to, what is the point in having permits?
No, I would never expect dignified behavior from Hollywood. But I do expect NPS or whoever to eliminate potential conflicts such as this through the permitting process.
Its not a stupid show and if it wasn’s for it many people would not have a job. The crew did not do anything wrong apart of shoiting a film!” !