Posted by xkot at dws105-44.jacksonville.net on August 01, 2001 at 18:16:50:
In Reply to: Some bad, bad news concerning me and GLAAD posted by Kevin on July 31, 2001 at 17:52:15:
This is my commentary from my website, http://www.xkot.net , posted in support of Kevin. (I'm sure he doesn't remember talking to me on AOL...LOL)
The link above is a post Kevin Smith made to his webpage about a letter he got from a representative of GLAAD criticizing his new film.
This has already been discussed in great detail on MeFi, but I feel like editorializing here for a few reasons... one, I carry a lot of Kevin Smith news. The other is I used to talk to him once in a while and he's one of the nicest people alive. Plus I haven't been on my soapbox in a while and I want to make sure it will still hold my weight.
So sure, Kevin Smith's movies contain a lot of juvenile humor - everything from having sex with a dead man on a toilet to a fortune teller with three nipples. He uses that dumb humor to examine mature issues. That's how you get your point across to young people these days - they don't listen to outright preaching. You have to give them a message that doesn't look like one. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... and of course, sometimes a joke is just a joke. The point is that it's possible for crude humor to have a positive message.
Still with me?
Movies - even the stupid ones - reflect real life. Real life is not always nice. In real life, people say hateful things. Is that good? I don't think so. But is that a reason to make filmmakers pretend it doesn't happen? Denying a problem exists only allows it to become worse. The only way society will ever overcome discrimination is to look at it head-on for what it is.
The character of Jay in Kevin Smith's movies makes a lot of homophobic jokes. Why? Because he's gay (or at least a little into it) and is insecure about it. He makes fun of gays because he's in denial. I dare you to tell me that's not true to life. Everyone knows the people who pick on them the most are afraid of something.
Yes, there will be people who don't see past the obscene jokes. But Kevin Smith's heart is in the right place, and his way of reaching young people is one of the few approaches left that will get their attention. So enjoy the movie on whatever level you like - dumb comedy or social commentary. Just get off his back about it.