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Liberal Actor John Cusack to Play Rush Limbaugh in New Film He’s Developing

Nov. 3, 2012 2:05pm Billy Hallowell

Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh speaks during a secretive ceremony inducting him into the Hall of Famous Missourians on Monday, May 14, 2012, in the state Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo. Credit: AP

In addition to his acting abilities, John Cusack has become known for his progressive worldview and a penchant for arguing with conservatives (especially on Twitter). Now, the entertainer is ready to take his political antics to the big screen, as he is developing a film about radio host Rush Limbaugh.

Cusack’s company, New Crime Productions, announced the new project (working title: “Rush”) on Friday. Currently, the script is being refined, production is set for next year and Emmy Award-winning director Betty Thomas is already on board. Thomas, no stranger to bringing the lives of controversial radio hosts to the big screen, directed the 1997 biopic “Private Parts,” a film about shock jock Howard Stern.

Limbaugh is among the nation’s most popular, provocative and intriguing media figures. Earlier this year, he caught the ire of critics when he called Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student, a “slut” and a “prostitute” on air after she argued to Democrats in Congress that health plans should pay for contraception. He’s also been an avid critic of President Barack Obama.

According to the Associated Press, a publicist for Limbaugh said Friday he would check with the host for comment; so far, nothing has been released. Additionally, the agency representing Cusack, Creative Artists Agency, declined to speak out in detail about the project.

Judging from the actor’s past comments, statements and political activism, one wonders how Cusack will portray the controversial radio host. These elements considered, a positive portrayal is hard to imagine (however, it’s quite possible that the actor will be fair in his framing of Limbaugh). At this point, with little information about the script available, it’s difficult to definitively assess the film’s purpose and intentions.

John Cusack attends the GQ Men of the Year Award at the Komische Oper on October 26, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Getty Images for GQ

Despite his left-of-center views, Cusack has also been critical of President Barack Obama. While he attended Obama’s inauguration in 2008, he has taken aim at the president’s military decisions and his policies pertaining to civil liberties. In a Tweet on Friday, the actor commented about Hurricane Sandy, writing, “I’m no fan of president — but in GOP world — do we really want a privatized fire department?”

One final note: In reporting this story on Friday evening, the AP published some curious lines, describing Cusack and Limbaugh’s body types, highlighting the obvious differences and pondering how makeup artists will handle the depiction. Considering past on-screen transformations — and the astounding abilities that Hollywood has to mold actors into fascinating characters — this inclusion seemed odd.

The wire service wrote, “Cusack as Limbaugh isn’t typecasting, politics aside. Cusack is a slender, dark-haired 46-year-old, while Limbaugh is 61, balding and portly. But Hollywood’s makeup experts have probably had greater challenges.” It’s noteworthy that the AP wrote “politics aside,” yet went into a descriptive meandering that was, more likely than not, unneeded.

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Comments (126)

UseTP2wipe
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:51pm
This should be great! I really love John Cusack’s acting and his views. Rush could be portrayed as a slimy, bigoted, hateful, bigot, but that’s not a Hollywood portrayal, that’s real life. Wonder if the movie will delve into his failed relationships with women? Four times this staunch “family values” pig has been married, so far, yet he’s “A-ok” with the religious right. Makes sense.

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- kalli
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:14pm
  Rush, the man with more intelligence than you and the entire ship of leftwing progressive a**wipes together, could teach you a lot about love of country and liberty, and the high price paid to achieve them. Attacking Rush is like attacking Romney…it’s not an agenda to run on.
  
  Report this comment
- skippy6
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:16pm
  I don’t trust you sir I’ll just wave, thank you…….
  
  Report this comment
- taksavillage
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:40pm
  A lib attacking Rush for values is like a **** eating dog telling someone his breath stinks.
  
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- realindependent
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 5:33pm
  Amen Limbaugh is a joke and he is wrong 99.7% of the time behind his golden microphone.
  
  Report this comment
- charliegirl4u
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 5:45pm
  Uncool dude!!… ;(
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 5:53pm
  So, he’s a ‘bigoted bigot’? As opposed to an open minded bigot? Genius, LOL.
  
  Report this comment
- 000degrees
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 6:00pm
  2wipe….bigoted bigot?????? get your thoughts together man……You’re thinking with your estrogen….
  
  Report this comment
- pissantno.10
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 6:15pm
  use to wipe lose your goverment money for toilet paper . or is it just to much work to clean your self after unloading your brains
  
  Report this comment
- GerriDavid
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 6:23pm
  realindependant…..Just how much do you actually listen to Rush? Or are you like most liberals and just go by what you are told by other liberals? You have to tell us just one time that Rush was wrong…..
  
  usetp2wipe….So Rush has been married 4 times….so what does that matter? At least half of Hollywood has been married more than once and nobody cares. Maybe because they are Liberals and Rush is not.
  
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- horsehockey
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 7:39pm
  Hey, *sswipe, Rush really knows how to stick it to you lefties; and, Cusack a hasbeen that never was.
  
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- GPS-Tech
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 8:02pm
  John Cusack has always been a douche and always will be. His greatest achievement to date is the mega flop 2012 and that was a real piece of crap.
  
  Report this comment
- GPS-Tech
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 8:05pm
  @ U SIT 2 P
  Go troll on the huffpo comments section with rest of the sell outs, mentally ill and weak of mind left wing losers.
  
  Report this comment
- UseTP2wipe
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 9:20pm
  Gerridavid: Here’s the problem with your Hollywood analogy: people in Hollywood don’t condemn others for their personal foibles like Rush and the religious right do. That’s called being a hypocrite, and the right is great at that.
  
  Report this comment
- jstan442
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 9:26pm
  at least he marries the women–fluke just sleeps with anyone she can(and that is the meaning of ‘slut’)
  
  Report this comment
- Hanner
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 9:27pm
  @TAKSAVILLAGE– can’t quit laughing!!!
  
  Report this comment
- fmadsen
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 10:43pm
  Rush doesn’t claim to be a perfect human being and I don’t defend his failings. He is a very talented talk show host and will readily admit his imperfections. So you think he is any less perfect than John Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Gary Hart, Anthony Weiner, Barney Frank, John Edward, and more…..You worship at the alter of these Democrats and never speak badly of them. Oh yeah, then there was Teddy Kennedy. More women died in the backseat of his car than at the ’3 Mile Island’ nuclear plant disaster. You’re a hypocrite.
  
  Report this comment
- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 1:27am
  WHO LET THE DOGS OUT??!! Cusack is a talented albeit totally nutzoid Actor who has probably the worst record of SCRIPT CHOICE in HOLLYWOOD. I think he could have been at the very top of his field had his films been of more quality and here he goes again. No doubt other members of his talented family will show up in the film.
  Having said that I’m with KALLI…maybe he’ll learn something. RUSH, unlike wishy-washy O’Reilly types or Manic Hannity types, really informs people. His audience is not going to be swayed in the least by any negative portrayal which would have to include lies. THE SPONSORS who dropped him over the FLUKE remarks tried desperately to get back on board (he said no way Jose). THANK GOD for RUSH. Every generation needs a TOTAL TRUTH TELLER. BECK is that for me. Beck adds enough levity to keep people from feeling suicidal with the lousy news under that FREAK OBAMA’S Watch being as bad as it is.
  SPEAKING of the OBAMA FREAK: I notice that we have a NEW BATCH of trolls on board this weekend. I’m sure they are pulling out all the stops to try to dissuade us…everything from from BLACKS are going to ATTACK you if OBAMA Looses (yeah, right…that makes us want Obama at the helm) to every lie about MITT they can think of. Just like their dopy Stimulus package… we sat here and watch the DNC et al BLOW 1 B dollars which turned to dust that first debate. Start packin’ boys your turn is up.
  
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- leroi
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:25am
  Are you serious, you butt wipe, you want to talk about a PRIVATE Citizanes married life, but you don’t seem to want to talk about Clintons, or lets try Kennedy”s, we will add the butt head on tweeteer from New York, Oma’s husband, and lets not leave Elliot # 9 out. At Least Rush marries them, as opposed to leaving them at the bottom if a river. Bring it on you POS’S !
  
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- leroi
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 4:46am
  I Want One of you F**#@! wds . Your side tends to leave women dead, or so ruined there is no coming back, remember Monica? Lewinsky was her name. Marilyn, Monroe was her name, Mary Joe, Kopeckni was her name. You female groupies on the left make me sick, you don’t care about women being empowered, you all on the left just want to get jiggy with the guy in power, and that guy cares no more for you than he does the black community, or the jewish community, or the female community. All you are is bought and paid for hoes, at the tax payers expence, you make me sick
  
  Report this comment
- lordamercy
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 7:31am
  Troll!!
  
  Report this comment
- RobbieTLHughie
  Posted on November 5, 2012 at 11:13am
  Cusack, a multi-millionaire who has had more top-grossing movies than you, I assume – is a has been? Hahahahaha, you people are such geeks. You make up crap to insult people you don’t like, it’s effin’ hilarious.
  
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LeadNotFollow
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:37pm
.
John Cusack’s acting has really sucked for a long time now.
He’s not talented enough to convincingly play Rush Limbaugh.

Cusack will probably gain weight in order to play the role of Rush.
We can only hope, that after the filming, he won’t be able to lose the weight, and he ends up living the rest of his life looking like Chris Christie.
Karma!

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- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:45pm
  ooooff…
  
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- Chinishque
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:30pm
  Whats he gonna do…stand out in the yard with a radio playing Rush’s voice?
  
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Tankertony
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:37pm
And nobody will go to see the film, except leftist hacks…

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FieldJudge
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:35pm
A close acquaintance of mine dated Cusack years ago. She said the guy was polite and intelligent but not very smart. Based on his screwy Leftist tweets and this Rush movie story he’s still not very smart.

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- FREEDOMSTANCE
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 11:22am
  I’ve got some friends of mine who are incredibly nice people. But when it comes down to politics they don’t do a lick of fact checking. They just say they have always voted democratic and will continue to do so. I would argue that to be more stubborn than stupid. But, alas, in this day and time, deciding to be stubborn about the scary facts of today’s left…yeah…thats just downright idiotic. Btw love the profile pic. His ship is indeed to sinking fast!
  
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TROONORTH
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:17pm
“however, it’s quite possible that the actor will be fair in his framing of Limbaugh”

I think that the active term here is “framing”.

Let’s hope he puts a lot of liberal money into it and subsequently loses his shirt when he finds that movies full of left wing screed are not big box office except in election years. And Rush will have a ball with it of course.

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Gonzo
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:16pm
My banned list is getting very long, good thing I enjoy reading. I WAS a fan of Last Man Standing with Tim Allen…until last night.

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- momrules
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:35pm
  I watched it for the last time last night too. A shame.
  
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- Chinishque
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:33pm
  Gonzo, Didn’t see it…watching Bonanza on Netflicks… what happened?
  
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- Gonzo
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 5:50pm
  It was all about the election, It had a decidedly liberal slant. Allen’s character lost all the arguments with the ‘oh so intelligent’ youth in the family. You could tell libs wrote it because he didn’t use facts to back up his statements and they made him look like a buffoon. It was too much to take.
  
  Report this comment
- mercenary4freedom
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 8:43pm
  All those network shows are liberal garbage
  
  Report this comment
- Come_and_take_it
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 9:19pm
  The show was so funny last season. Why they chose to mess with it, I will never know.
  
  Report this comment
spinelessdave
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:10pm
One title says it all ” The Grifters “

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:04pm
I have seen a few films where I did like the way Cusack. But, to once again steal a term that I read here some time ago, looks to me like he is about to shoot himself in the clown shoes with movie.

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Grace1798
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:54pm
This actor just ruined his career.

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- TulsaYeeHaw
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 1:24am
  What career?
  
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N37BU6
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:48pm
Well, this will be a massive failure… one full of mischaracterization, misinformation, misinterpretation, and John Cusack.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:34pm
  He’ll win an Academy Award for it. You know how Hollywood works.
  
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MODEL82A1
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:47pm
“(H)owever, it’s quite possible that the actor will be fair in his framing of Limbaugh” Really?
What evidence exists to support this wild conjecture? When has ANY Liberal EVER been “fair”, or even Honest, when talking about Rush? There is Zero chance of it happening for the first time with this film.

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The-Monk
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:46pm
I wonder if they need permission from Rush to make a movie about him?

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- CatB
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 3:10pm
  Hi MONK
  
  Nope public figure .. but if it were a progressive they would find some way to try to shut it down .. like they did the movie about the Kennedy’s that they didn’t like. It got moved to another network.
  
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yiska8
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:46pm
Another Sarah Palin portrayal-esque film where it will heralded and awards given. Liberal on liberal love fests and hateful award shows.
“And the Golden Globe for best actor in an original film goes to John Cusack!!! For his gritty portrayal of controversial radio talk show host,Rush Limbaugh.
Congratulations, John!!! Hugs and kisses from the presenter, (a liberal casting couch starlet), and then onto the speech where he says he wanted to bring to light the hatred and venom spewed over the airwaves and why we should implement the “Fairness Doctrine”.
I can see, hear, and smell the stench already.
I like Cusack so much better in the 1980′s. Just shut up, and make us laugh Cusack! Entertain us. and collect your paycheck.
Rush Limbaugh cannot be portrayed believably by a skinny,whiny, liberal man who refuses to grow up.

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338lapua
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:44pm
You know what…….this IS a (somewhat) free country. Cusack can spend his money any way his heart desires. God bless him. He will most likely portray Rush in a less than positive light (big shock). Probably won’t go over well, he will look like an idiot and lose money. On the plus side,the money gets spent. That is a plus for those who receive a paycheck. I bet Rush gets oodles of material from every episode. And in three more days, progressivism/liberalism will be carried out to the dumpster of history…….where it has belonged for many, many years.
Raise a glass(AFTER YOU VOTE)!

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- tuffterf
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 9:48pm
  “He will most probably portray Rush in a less than positive light “, Is it possible to portray him in a positive light? One of the biggest a-holes on earth.
  
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kalli
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:44pm
Wooohooo! In the making, another brainless liberal waste of money from hollyweird. These people should be banned from making their senseless filth! The last time I wasted money to see a movie at a theatre was the early 90′s, and since, waited for the good clean ones to come to TV. Now, good and clean are dirty words in hollyweird.

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alias.stone
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:35pm
Cusack who has no love for conservatives unless he can make a buck portraying them. Typical Hollywood.

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- Chinishque
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:36pm
  I love this idea! Liberals ******* away their money on something nobody will ever care to see. I hope he throws everything he owns into making this “film”.
  
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barber2
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:32pm
Isn’t this just lovely: a Hollywood version of the Democrat Character Assassination Squad. Oh, joy. Anyone else getting sick of the Lefty smears? Disgusting. I used to enjoy going to the movies. No longer. Now I feel like I have to investigate the producers, etc. to see where my money is headed. NOBAMA 2012

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- momrules
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:47pm
  Same here Barber. I refuse to allow certain television shows into my home for the same reason. If a celebrity/director/producer chooses to trash me and my values I will not give them any of my money. Let the liberals support them, not me.
  
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- mercenary4freedom
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 9:03pm
  The Chicoms just completed the purchase of AMC Theaters in Sept for $2.6 billion.
  
  http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-company-wanda-completes-buy-amc-theaters-180522574–finance.html
  
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:31pm
Remember that’s spelled R-U-S-H. Limbaugh will laugh all the way to the bank.

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- DadRocked
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:05pm
  That’s America ! People may say different but we ALL watch out for outselves. Capilism? Call it what you may…
  
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DadRocked
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:26pm
Cusack as RUSH? “Controversial radio host” What’s controversial about him? If you’re like me I speak my mind. Rush does too! If this country got back to speaking their mind then NO ONE would wonder what where up to. It sucks because that was what we did ‘in the day’. We need to take the U.S.Senate too to get OUR county back to what we truly believe in. VOTE FOLKS and take everybody to the polls this Tuesday! A LANDSLINDE will STOP any conflicts. We need to get the vote out. Dad’s Son aka DadRocked

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- jackact
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:41pm
  @DadRock
  Well said.
  
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Ilikepeople
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:26pm
Is that like Carroll O’connor playing Archie Bunker? Or at least that’s how they are trying to make Rush Limbaugh seem. They do lump Limbaugh, and Archie Bunker in the same category.

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Mojoron
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:26pm
Hey I got a problem with Cusak: he’s too cute, he’s too skinny and he doesn’t have a brain.

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- CatB
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:44pm
  Yup .. other than that he would be perfect…. oh well .. just something else I won’t watch, or waste my time or money on.
  
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- ron2win
  Posted on November 4, 2012 at 3:42am
  He obviously doesn’t have enough brains to tie half of it behind his back ,like rush does when talking to a liberal !
  
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jackact
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:22pm
Gone are the days when Hollywood crafted quality biopics.
‘The Queen’ and ‘The Kings Speech’ were exceptions, as was ‘Ghandi’.
Those were all UK financed and produced films.
Big hopes for ‘Lincoln’ but otherwise this one will end up on the shelf next to most American biopics of the past 30 years.
Resigned to the dustbin of biased political trash that Hollywood still shamlessly craps.
Stay home
For the $12 bucks you could purchase a subscription to ‘The Limbaugh Newletter’
And learn something.

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- DadRocked
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:29pm
  Do Not Lose The Faith! It used to be is what MOST of us still believe in!
  
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Fonz777
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:20pm
So take heart liberals – a “screen in a box” is on it way with a ticket full of lies, liars and mischaracterizations!

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momrules
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:18pm
Rush will love this. He will laugh for days at Cusak’s effort to smear him and I don’t doubt for a minute that that won’t be the whole premise of the movie. A smear job. One great big liberal smash and grab.

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- Chinishque
  Posted on November 3, 2012 at 4:40pm
  More like …smash and lose. There is no way Johnny boy will make money on this thing…unless Soros or another big lib is paying him in the backside…
  
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honor007
Posted on November 3, 2012 at 2:17pm
Hollywood bites. Really? A movie about Rush? don’t get me wrong, I like Rush….but, really??????
have they no original ideas for good movies anymore??? I’ve seen one movie in the Theaters in 3 years, thanks Dinesh.

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