Pat Boone has had an epic and long career in Hollywood, so when he blasted the current state of tinsel town, people were paying attention.
Pat Boone originally made his mark in Hollywood as a squeaky clean teen idol during the ‘50s and ‘60s. He has seen the best and worst the show biz lifestyle has to offer. Boone has been outspoken on his Christian values in the past, but no one could imagine the legendary crooner would be so abrasive in his remarks on modern Hollywood.
Boone was out promoting his faith-based film The Mulligan, which focuses on forgiveness. According to Fox News, “Boone said it takes a lot to impress him these days when it comes to taking on a new role. In leading a successful decades-long career in both music and movies, Boone said moral values are missing from today’s film industry.”
“The film industry was a great export for America for so many years,” Boone explained. “We were showing America in its best light. Even though crime was dealt with – because bad things do happen in life – but almost all American movies ended with good triumphing and good people doing righteous things. Criminals were always apprehended and punished,” he continued.
“But now, the whole thing is upside down,” the veteran entertainer said. “Some of the biggest films now show people getting away with the worst things. Lawbreakers are even celebrated. The criminals are becoming bigger. Heroes are doing worse things than criminals and being rewarded for it. The movies being made now are immoral, and they’ve lost their meaning.”
Boone’s criticism wasn’t just limited to movies. The Grammy-nominated singer also sounded off against Netflix over their series Big Mouth, an animated puberty comedy series. “Here’s a nerdish young kid – and he and his friends are learning about masturbation, oral sex – all kinds of things,” Boone said of the show. “And this is on Netflix. I don’t even know how they can even defend it, but it’s there. It’s all out there. Parents will just see it’s an animated show and think it’s OK for their kids to watch it … I mean, how bad can we get?”
The longtime musician wasn’t finished as he went on to claim that Hollywood as we know it is committing suicide. “And it’s not just on streaming services,” Boone said. “On television, you can hear all sorts of swear words. Nothing short of actual pornography is celebrated on television now. I don’t know how to put it strongly enough, but I just think the film industry is committing suicide.”
Boone also weighed in on how this affects our country. “America’s image is being destroyed. High ratings have become more important these days,” he said. “We used to try to put our best foot forward. Sure, people can criticize those films today and call them unrealistic, but we were being altruistic. We wanted to present people in the best light. Now, we’re just taking pleasure in profit, presenting people in the worst light and celebrating it.”
People might not know that Pat Boone turned down a film starring Marilyn Monore due to his Christian values. “I would have loved to do a movie with Marilyn Monroe,” he clarified. “We were both under contract at 20th Century Fox. But I just thought it was an immoral story in which a younger guy gets involved with a still beautiful, but slightly over-the-hill cabaret performer played by Marilyn Monroe.”
Boone explained that he loved the idea of starring alongside the iconic actress, but at the time, he reflected on how the storyline would affect his fans. “I’ve got to follow my own conscious,” Boone declared. “I’ve got millions of teenage fans. I’d love to make a movie with Marilyn Monroe, but I can’t make this immoral story. Teenage fans will undoubtedly get the wrong message and think it’s OK to have an illicit affair.”
Pat Boone isn’t alone when it comes to his thoughts on modern Hollywood. Many Americans are as frustrated as the Christian celebrity is with the state of entertainment in this country today. Some may say it was a different time back then and scoff at such values today. However, many Americans still appreciate an entertainer that stands for the exact ideals they were raised with.
