Actor Sean Penn is usually up for any kind of weird, populist uprising, whether it makes sense or not. The guy is, after all, known for befriending former Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez and singing his praises on national television (while shaming those of us who find tyrannical socialism distasteful). And Chavez, before he died, returned the praise:

“Every day, this elected leader is called a dictator here, and we just accept it, and accept it. And this is mainstream media,” he said in 2010. “There should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kinds of lies.”

In turn, Chavez praised his “friend” for his pursuit of “truth.”

“I was reading the declarations from our friend Sean Penn, the famous American actor,” Chavez said during a televised rally years ago. “Penn defended what he considers to be the truth.”

So it’s just a little bit odd Mr. Penn would express reservations about the newest community organization effort surrounding the #MeToo movement, a populist movement that would seem to be right in his wheelhouse.

Sean Penn on the #MeToo movement: "We don't know what's a fact in many of the cases. Salacious is as soon as you call something a movement that is really a series of many individual accusers, victims, accusations, some of which are unfounded" https://t.co/OxZmdlo4KC

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 17, 2018

On The Today Show, Penn said his reservations stem from a fear that the movement is too “black and white.”

He’s not wrong. It is. The movement is also hampered by some of its better known faces, who have apparently taken the opportunity to use the effort as cover for some fairly dramatic and public catfighting following the tragic death of a man who likely deserved better than having his name wrapped up in their nonsense.

Perhaps it’s cynical to wonder about the reasons Mr. Penn might find this particular populist movement objectionable, dealing as it does with women who say they’ve been targeted (up to and including outright assault and rape) by sexual predators.

So here’s to the benefit of the doubt, Mr. Penn. Welcome to thinking rationally about difficult situations. Now…about Maduro…