I’m standing outside the Brown Palace Hotel here in Denver next to Sean Penn. A man approaches him and asks, “Mr. Penn, can I take your picture?” The bearded and shaded Penn replies, “Actually, I rather you not.” Even if you think actors could afford to be more tolerant of such things, I can respect that. And there was no yelling or violence. Even if not politically, the man who used to be married to Madonna has come far.