Topic: Top Gun

The Department of Defense has influenced over 1,000 movies and television shows by providing military equipment in exchange for script approval. Films like Top Gun: Maverick and The Martian are cited as examples of "anchoring" the American flag to heroic moments. Recent media has even attempted to portray the TSA as a heroic agency, sanitizing the image of government bureaucracies for public consumption.

The ethical responsibility of actors in choosing roles that may serve as propaganda is debated, citing Top Gun as a classic example of jingoistic media. Belzer shares an anecdote about a brilliant scientist friend who turned down lucrative offers from the Pentagon and CIA to use his hologram technology for military purposes. The segment concludes that while individuals must pay rent, those with principles will reject work that contradicts their values.

Modern films like "Argo," "The Hurt Locker," and "Zero Dark Thirty" are characterized as CIA propaganda and recruitment tools. Sanders argues that the inclusion of specific military hardware proves these films passed through the CIA's Hollywood liaison bureau. He also notes that "Top Gun" famously featured military recruitment booths directly outside movie theaters to capitalize on the film's influence.

Major motion pictures like *Top Gun*, *Independence Day*, and *Battle of Los Angeles* function as extended recruiting advertisements for the U.S. military. The Department of Defense provides actual firepower, aircraft, and personnel for these films even during active wartime to ensure a steady stream of new recruits. This close cooperation demonstrates the military's reliance on Hollywood to maintain its volunteer force while occupying 150 nations globally.