Posted by Duke_of_Fluke at 194.129.43.14 on January 16, 2000 at 20:02:22:
In Reply to: I'm fucking puzzled posted by Kevin on January 16, 2000 at 12:51:38:
I can explain everything, and sadly, it's all your own fault, Kevin. Sorry about that, wish it wasn't the case, but there you go.
See, like it or not, you're famous. People recognise you on the street, you're in the movies, on TV, in magazines. You are one of a select (but rapidly expanding) group of people who, depite maybe not believing it themselves, have been judged by the world to have "Made It", whatever that means.
Now you're certainly not alone, but your involvement in this site deviates drastically from Standard Famous Person Behaviour. See, SFPB was designed to curtail events like these, and if you look back through history, you'll see why there's a need for it. Remember Bull Durham, where Costner tells Tim Robbins how to deal with TV intervies (ie say plenty of nothing)? They never explained why in the movie, but it's all about self-preservation, baby.
Example: John Lennon in 60s TV interview lets slip that he believes The Beatles are "Bigger than Jesus". Result: Massive wave of anit-Beatles behaviour, leading to albums being burned in streets and uncomfortable time ahead for the "fab four". This is one of the reasons why famous people aren't really allowed opinions any more. It can cause problems. See also: Jane Fonda, Vincent Gallo, Dennis Hopper, anyone else who dared to have an opinion.
Say this Magnolia thing got out of hand. There are studios with lots invested in that movie, and because you are famous, and therefore popular and influential (and again, you have almost no control over this, sorry - these are facts because they are facts in people's heads), you are potentially a risk to someone's money/popularity/happiness/peace.
Like it or not, as fans, we have an idea of what you famous types are like and as there's famous people around, we get to pick and choose. Who'd you most like to get drunk with? What's your dream cast? Who should play Spiderman - all these little games that us little people play with ourselves to pass the time. What happens when you challenge those ideas (by, for example, hey, being yourself!) is pretty much in evidence on the board. Opinions, especially about other famous people, or famous people's work, or famous places, or famous incidents, or fucking anything other than "it's great, I love it" are never gonna go down well.
Which is why I never stop seeing famous people saying "it's great, I love it", and which is why I'm sick of it. Wouldn't you love to see Tom Cruise interviewed where he tells the truth?
Interviewer: Tom, what was it like working with John Woo on MI:2?
Tom: Well to be honest, Jerry, he pissed me of from day one, with his "Ooh, Tarantino-san love me, you love me too" attitude. I tried to get him fired, but the little weasel got out of it. Personally, I just wanted to get paid and outta there.
CUT TO: John Woo.
Woo: That prick! If I ever see him again, I'll cut his Yankee balls off for him! You hear me Cruise? You're dead, I ever see you again! DEAD!
Woo destroys set with baseball bat, screaming incoherently. I'd love it. But, sadly, we're stuck with this lame Hollywood preconception that everyone in Hollywood loves everone else, everyone is cool, everyone is clean living and everyone just wants everyone else to be happy.
I like it here, because you're not afraid to talk to us assholes. You're not afraid to give opinions, not afraid to tell us to fuck ourselves, yadda yadda. However, it is a world dictated by things such as SFPB and the reason why people freak out over the most trivial of issues, is because you've failed to behave in the manner expected of you. And in doing so, you force people to take sides, either the "yeah, I agree" side or the "oh, I thought he was above that, how dare he" side. It sucks ass, I know, but people are stupid to see what they've got here - a unique opportunity to converse with one of the famous, someone who we are fans of and someone who we've built up into being someone they're not.
Lecture over. Eyethankyew.