What Recession? Hollywood Elite, Soros Make Massive Contributions to Bankroll Inaugural

As the economy sinks deeper into recession, wealthy Democrats, oblivious to the plight of the working man, plow full speed ahead by lavishing vast sums upon Barack Obama and what promises to be the biggest ego-fest in American history.

Some of President-elect Barack Obama's most glamorous Hollywood supporters kicked in major money to bankroll his inauguration next month, it was revealed yesterday.

Sharon Stone donated $50,000 to the historic celebration, which will feature several black-tie balls and could draw as many as 5 million people.

Also donating $50,000 were actress Halle Berry and actor Jamie Foxx.

Not to be outdone, the majority owner of the Democratic Party is kicking in a cool $250,000.

Billionaire George Soros kicked in $50,000, and other Soros family members gave a combined $200,000.

That ought to buy a lot of caviar.

But remember, this is the party of working families.

Sure.

Instant Karma: Dimwit Actress Banned in China

Now if we could only have her banned in the United States, all would be well with the world.

OK, just kidding about banning her here, not that I bother to watch anything she's in.

But let this be a lesson to Sharon Stone and Hollywood. Saying stupid things can have financial repercussions. Maybe some day they'll figure this out, and realize why Sean Penn movies continue to be box office bombs.

Sharon Stone's "karma" comment is having an instant effect on her movie-star status in China.

The 50-year-old actress suggested last week that the devastating May 12 earthquake in China could have been the result of bad karma over the government's treatment of Tibet. That prompted the founder of one of China's biggest cinema chains to say his company would not show her films in his theaters, according to a story in The Hollywood Reporter.

"I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else," Stone said Thursday during a Cannes Film Festival red-carpet interview with Hong Kong's Cable Entertainment News. "And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma? When you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?"

Ng See-Yuen, founder of the UME Cineplex chain and the chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, called Stone's comments "inappropriate," adding that actors should not bring personal politics to comments about a natural disaster that has left five million Chinese homeless, according to the Reporter.