Monday, January 17, 2011

Show a Little Decorum or @(!* OFF!

Sexy is as Sexy does
Last night Ricky Gervais broke all the taboos! He shattered the world for millions of people. Tore down walls of polite civility and humanity in favor of self-indulging blabber mouthing! Children ran out into the night screaming up at the skies "WHY GOD WHY!!!!!" Mothers moved into the corner of the rooms weeping in disgust. Fathers picked up stood up, readjusted their house robe, and strode over to the television to flip the switch. Bachelors were a bit too drunk to acknowledge what was going on so we best not include them.

YES Ladies and Gentlemen, at the Golden Globes Ricky Gervais did a horrid and vile thing! He said everything we've been saying for months... but, but, but, he did it on television! Oh and some of those people were in the same room. Well, honestly, how are they supposed to ignore us insulting them now?

I found it none too surprising that when I got up this morning the internet was overwhelmed with "did RG go too far!?!" and HFPA being "annoyed" posts splattered across the internet. Many of these written by the same people who had dedicated many months to the lambasting of the organizations and celebrities that RG cast aside. What? Do we think Jolie and Depp are convinced The Tourist was their latest masterpiece beloved by all despite bland reviews, and fewer audience members than an Vanilla Ice comeback tour?

There is an odd sentiment in the USA that one can never call people out to their face on issues, and should instead resign themselves to laughing behind their back. Because we all know that works out so much better for them in the long run. They get to live in this lovely bubble in which they believe everyone loves them, and nobody thinks ill of anything that flows out of them. Just so long as they possess a direct use ($$) to us that is.

I wholeheartedly disagree with that notion. If I suck at something, please tell me. To be quite honest, it'll save me the embarrassment of doing it again (or at the very least inspire me to want to improve myself). Now I'm not saying anytime someone wishes to say something against a celebrity it should be done so on national television (doesn't stop late night talk show hosts). But I would acknowledge that these things at times need be said. Especially if it's from someone whose British, and hilarious (note: one of those two criteria excludes Graham Norton - I'll let you be the judge of which).

Besides, to all the news outlets who are quick to call out hypocrisy when any other individual in the limelight takes part in it, isn't it about time you took a glance inside?

7 better thoughts:

Walter L. Hollmann said...

THANK YOU! Everyone critiquing Ricky Gervais are the same ones calling the HFPA "starfuckers" earlier, or talking about how god-awful the Comedy slate was. But we mustn't insult the billionaire stars! They're too sensitive.

Bull. Johnny Depp owns his own island. Jolie has sex with Brad Pitt every night. They both had huge hits this year (Alice, Salt). I doubt they're losing sleeps b/c Gervais called The Tourist one-dimensional, and no one saw it.

Castor said...

Ahah I almost wished I watched the Golden Globes just to watch him insult all of them people. A-list actors are so used to being cajoled every step of the way that they can't even take the truth at face value anymore.

What did Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp expect? Even I, who couldn't care less about those awards show, wrote a rant about their undeserved nominations within an hour of the noms being released. Bravo Ricky Gervais!

Get over it Hollywood.

Jess said...

I think he had some terrifically funny bits (The Tourist stuff was funny), some of the other stuff pushed into mean or poor taste or just plain dated. RDJ's been out of rehab and/or jail for over 6 years - making fun of that starts pushing it into beating a dead horse territory. The Charlie Sheen riff was funny, and timely. I think he just went a bit too far with the awkward humor. Not a lot, just a few times.

The Film Cynics said...

Outstanding! I can think of no better place to call out the Hollywood elite than when they're all gathered together for a free meal so they can all pat themselves on the back. That guests were surprised at Gervais' incisive remarks tells me they have lost touch with the current climate of popular culture. A great post!

Jasper L'Estrange said...

Great stuff. Gervais - in the UK - has suffered a bit of a backlash recently (poor reception to his last tour, mixed reviews for his cinema outings) along the lines of "he's sold his soul to Hollywood". Yet most of the UK press today is lauding his efforts at the Globes as a heroic skewering of Hollywood vanity.

Gervais is braver than he's given credit for. He's also made a mainstream Hollywood comedy film ("The Invention of Lying") with an outright atheist subtext.

Nice to see that De Niro and Baldwin appeared to be finding it hilarious, even if Downey Jr and others seem to have had a sense of humour bypass...

Aiden R. said...

Well I thought he was freakin' hilarious and totally achieved what he set out to do. Dude laid out some brutal shit, but it was definitely the most memorable thing that's happened to The Globes in ages.

Chris said...

Gervais got noticed and was brave yes, but will it help his career in Hollywood, I doubt it.

You might think he doesn't even want to work in Hollywood by offending so many! Or maybe he believes the more controversial he is, the more interest there will be in him?

Was he just trying to be funny, or have some other hidden agenda?

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