A group of Hollywood environmentalists are defending their intentions to create an anti-fracking film funded by oil interests in the Middle East after unwittingly participating in a James O’Keefe’s latest sting.
In the video, O’Keefe’s undercover journalist plays a character named “Muhammad,” a member of a wealthy oil family in the Middle East who offers to fund a film to discourage fracking in the United States.
Actor Ed Begley, Jr. was joined by actress Mariel Hemingway and environmentalist film producers Josh and Rebecca Tickell who agreed to keep the sources of the funding secret.
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Begely defended Tickell’s actions
Rebecca Tickell also defended their actions in the video.
Since O’Keefe released the video, the Tickells have launched a crowd funding campaign to help them make their anti-fracking film.
In a lengthy statement on his crowdfunding site, Tickell defended his intentions.
“We thought to ourselves ‘oh the irony! We’ll use the funding from an oil company to make a film that promotes green energy!'” Tickel said defensively, reminding potential crowdfunders that it was really all American money anyway. “We figured – What better use of our money than to make a film to encourage changing that whole screwed up system?”
Tickel cited O’Keefe’s sting as proof that the pro-fracking movement would stop at nothing to stop them from funding their film.
“Apparently, its such a threat – that they felt the need to try and discredit us – to scare us – and to keep this movie from being made. It seems they think this movie – and the successful movement it aims to document – might be the most dangerous thing the fracking industry has ever seen. We see that as a vote of confidence that we should make this film,” Tickell wrote. “So here’s our request – if you care about the environment, if you want safe drinking water for your kids and if you want to join our mission – then help us fund this movie.”