Last week, during a show called "Varney & Co.," host Charles Payne facilitated a panel discussion about "Lego" asserting that the kid-friendly flick was actually an anti-capitalism screed in disguise, with the villain Lord Business -- who Payne said resembles failed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney -- standing in for CEOs everywhere. Payne said that such sentiment was typical of Hollywood, citing recent films like "The Muppets" and "The Lorax" with demonizing business owners.
"Hollywood has its own agenda, and we're kind of used to this, but it feels a bit more threatening when they start to push this out to our kids over and over," Payne said.
One commentator added that Hollywood thinks it can get away with embedding anti-capitalist messages aimed at children because it knows the films will make tons of money regardless of who they happen to alienate. She also questioned why Frank Capra classic "It's a Wonderful Life" would choose Mr. Potter as its main antagonist when he was just a banker in town. (She seemed to forget that Potter stole thousands of dollars from a struggling working man, but that's an argument for another day.)
The entire segment is worth a watch, mostly because it just becomes more and more baffling as it goes along. Though maybe we're wrong, and the happy-go-lucky, candy-colored kiddie flick based on a popular toy set is indeed full of propaganda. We were just having too much fun being indoctrinated to notice. [via The Playlist]