Celebrity Slam - 01/25/12 by Allen Adams edge staff writer aadams@themaineedge.com Open mouth, insert skate As a rule, I tend to try and avoid politically-charged stuff in this space. It angries up the blood. However, sometimes stories come along - usually in a slow week - and they make their way into this space. Tim Thomas, goaltender for the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, refused to go along with the rest of the team on their celebratory trip to meet President Obama at the White House. He justified his decision on his Facebook page, saying things like "I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People," adding his belief that "This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers' vision" before finally closing with a statement about how this wasn't about politics or party, etc. Let me lead with one thing: this isn't about anyone's personal beliefs - everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if said opinion is at odds with what I believe. I'm not busting on Tim Thomas for feeling the way he feels. I'm not even busting on him for not making the White House visit; he's entitled to make that choice for himself. No, I'm busting on him for being totally disingenuous about it. If you're taking a stand, fine. Take a stand. But don't spend the first part of your statement talking about how terrible the government is (taking great pains to name all of the branches and everything), only to then spend the second half claiming that it isn't about politics. Of course it's about politics; like it or not, this kind of thing is automatically about politics. If you can't understand that, you're either kidding yourself or else you're hopelessly naïve. I repeat - this is not about what Tim Thomas believes. This is about his half-hearted explanation/justification. Honestly, part of me admires his willingness to express his convictions in such a way. But does anyone really believe that Thomas honestly thinks this isn't about politics? I don't think so, Tim. Express yourself It's awards season in Hollywood and everyone is just a little amped up. You just never know when someone is going to snap, drop the veneer of civility and actually reveal something honest. And probably petty or mean. But honest. So it was with Elton John's partner David Furnish, who did not take Elton's loss to Madonna at the Golden Globes too well. The two were competing for Best Original Song - John for "Hello Hello" ("Gnomeo & Juliet") and Madonna for "Masterpiece" ("W.E.") - and Madonna took home the hardware. Furnish immediately took to the Internet and unleashed this gem: "Madonna. Best song???? F**k off!!!" That was just the beginning. This promptly followed: "Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit. Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissism. And her criticism of Gaga shows how desperate she really is." Furnish later explained, claiming that his emotions got the best of him and that his passion for the project overwhelmed him. I supposed it could be construed as an apology, but frankly, it doesn't seem as if anyone involved is the least bit sorry. Children. They're all children. All right, Mr. Furnish. Here's the deal. I'm sure you and Elton worked very hard on the songs for this movie (though I bet I can guess who did the most work); I know that it was a pet project for you for a long time. However, that simply doesn't excuse your acting like a whiny baby just because you didn't win. Maybe you should put on your big boy pants and deal with disappointment like a grown-up. "Hello Hello" is a perfectly lovely song, but the foreign press didn't dig you as much as Madonna. Get over it. There's no need to make a spectacle of yourself over an award that, if we're being honest, is essentially meaningless. The Golden Globes are a joke - I hear Meryl Streep uses hers as doorstops. Is it really worth tossing out your sour grapes for the entire world to see? If it's any consolation, you may have lost the award, but she still has to wake up every day and be Madonna. In the game of Life, you're still winning.