George Clooney Challenges Authoritarians in Powerful Speech in Venice: “Stories Are Always Dangerous to People Who Peddle in Fear” At a time when empty platitudes and self congratulatory backslapping often dominate public discourse, it takes a rare talent to deliver a speech that simultaneously honors one's peers while skewering the powers that be.
George Clooney demonstrated this skill at the Venice Film Festival's opening ceremony, using his lifetime achievement award as a platform to challenge the authoritarian impulses sweeping the globe.
Clooney's own star studded resume – Hollywood A lister, humanitarian, and now de facto dissident – belies the irony of his position.