It’s very tiresome hearing the “I don’t know shit about what you went through personally but I decided you’re privileged so can discount anything you have to say…hey why do we keep alienating people towards the other side? We’re the tolerant ones” brand of liberal. Just toxic lazy sludge of an argument.
But yeah, I get why Harris wants to be “apolitical”—you may have entertainment that should be for everyone and it can be a break from the politics that most people are tired of and many are genuinely traumatized by. But getting to that—people are sick of it because Trump and his right wing movement have intentionally made everything political. You can’t even watch sports without seeing dipshit hockey players kissing that freak show ass. So try as he might, Harris is going to find himself dragged in and forged to pick a side.
Maybe if the bastard dies and his gross movement withers we can go back to when many forms of entertainment were an escape from this shit, but not until then.
Thank you for not talking about the SOTU speech... I can't look at the news this morning because everyone is blathering on about it. It'll be forgotten in 2 or 3 days! Sheesh.
And by means we must acknowledge the contribution of that most notable authority and arbiter of cultural, social, and mythological authenticity, accuracy, and propriety, Elon Musk.
“The most vocal critic (of Christopher Nolan’s new version/vision of The Odyssey), Musk publicly stated on X that Nolan has "lost his integrity". He amplified arguments that casting Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy contradicts the "fair-skinned, blonde" description in Homer's original text.”
Well nuance can be very difficult in public statements. I presume it is not an easy position to be in, especially with a number of influential people and groups going "Aaaahhh I want movies without politics (visibility of minorities) in them!"
Ain't that the truth! Cons have made all art political for many years, but it's gotten worse since maga has taken over "conservatism." It's exhausting, and VP Harris alluded to it when she ran for president. I don't blame artists who don't want everything that they do to be political, but it's not a "both sides" problem. One side has decided to politicize every single thing on earth, which includes the arts. Also included - athletics. However, cons don't like it when the political message isn't to their liking, so that's when they whine about "politics in the arts," or "in athletics," or "in 'fill in the blank'."
Sure, I would have preferred something more along the lines of “It is sad that we cannot speak of our commonalities as vulnerable and resilient human beings without also acknowledging the powerful political forces currently levelled against so many vulnerable people. That said, this is a movie about what is possible when we listen to and embrace the better angels of our nature.” But publicity tours/promo events are a media meat grinder designed to produce soundbites to sell product, not promote human rights, and given his life, work, and multiple previous affirmative statements, I'm giving NPH a mulligan on this very human, “imperfect” verbal stumble. People who want to attack “privileged cis White gay men” would do better to aim their blunderbusses (and slings and arrows) at actual MAGA fascist privileged cis White gay men like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, that Nazi guy aiding and abetting Trump's destruction of the Kennedy Center, and Peter Thiel.
NPH came out of the crucible of "child acting" fairly well, from what I can see ftom the outside. He has had some missteps in public, the birthday cake of a dead singer who became famous young comes to mind- and I find this statement less than I want but not nothing. He is, after all, an entertainer, an artist. The work is what speaks. His work has been at an incredibly high standard and I'll pretty much always watch him if given the chance. The Tony song? Dedicated to the kids who are in the middle of nowhere? Was incredible. The Superbowl halftime show when Mr Bunny gave his Grammy to a child who represented his younger self is the same message. Believe in yourself.
stance against fascism. But does that mean EVERY film has to take a stance? To me cinema is about the human condition. And sometimes fascism doesn’t play a part. Unfortunately most people see Harris as a gay person first and an actor second. They’ve put him in a box and criticize when he’s not in the box they don’t think he should be in.
"Disagree with the individual but don’t bash his identity."
100%. But I would like to also suggest this grace extends to the groups the left has no problem stigmatizing as well, such as white men (sometimes expanded to include white women as well), Boomers, people living in rural areas, to name the most obvious. This really needs to stop, but sadly humans gonna human and bigotry knows no ideology.
You realize there are TONS of white men and Boomers and rural citizens on the left...right? except for the boomer part (gen X here) I tick those boxes. When people criticize white men or rural folks, I know EXACTLY who they are talking about (not me) so I don't take offense. Hit dog gonna holler, I don't holler 'cause I didn't get hit
Just because you don’t feel the animosity personally, because you don’t happen to tick each box in the outlined target, doesn’t mean the stigmatization doesn’t exist. In other words, it’s not all about you.
It’s very tiresome hearing the “I don’t know shit about what you went through personally but I decided you’re privileged so can discount anything you have to say…hey why do we keep alienating people towards the other side? We’re the tolerant ones” brand of liberal. Just toxic lazy sludge of an argument.
But yeah, I get why Harris wants to be “apolitical”—you may have entertainment that should be for everyone and it can be a break from the politics that most people are tired of and many are genuinely traumatized by. But getting to that—people are sick of it because Trump and his right wing movement have intentionally made everything political. You can’t even watch sports without seeing dipshit hockey players kissing that freak show ass. So try as he might, Harris is going to find himself dragged in and forged to pick a side.
Maybe if the bastard dies and his gross movement withers we can go back to when many forms of entertainment were an escape from this shit, but not until then.
Don't you expect Shady V is refining the worst neorx verbal diarrhea for his not-impossible acceptance speech?
This is a great piece, thank you. I really appreciate how incisive your writing is without sliding towards mean or smug.
Thanks! That means a lot.
Anything within a league of "mean" is richly earned anyway, from what I've seen
Thank you for not talking about the SOTU speech... I can't look at the news this morning because everyone is blathering on about it. It'll be forgotten in 2 or 3 days! Sheesh.
And by means we must acknowledge the contribution of that most notable authority and arbiter of cultural, social, and mythological authenticity, accuracy, and propriety, Elon Musk.
“The most vocal critic (of Christopher Nolan’s new version/vision of The Odyssey), Musk publicly stated on X that Nolan has "lost his integrity". He amplified arguments that casting Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy contradicts the "fair-skinned, blonde" description in Homer's original text.”
PS Fuck Elon Musk.
Well nuance can be very difficult in public statements. I presume it is not an easy position to be in, especially with a number of influential people and groups going "Aaaahhh I want movies without politics (visibility of minorities) in them!"
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑚, 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ, 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 “𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑡” 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝐴𝐺𝐴 𝑎𝑔𝑒.
Ain't that the truth! Cons have made all art political for many years, but it's gotten worse since maga has taken over "conservatism." It's exhausting, and VP Harris alluded to it when she ran for president. I don't blame artists who don't want everything that they do to be political, but it's not a "both sides" problem. One side has decided to politicize every single thing on earth, which includes the arts. Also included - athletics. However, cons don't like it when the political message isn't to their liking, so that's when they whine about "politics in the arts," or "in athletics," or "in 'fill in the blank'."
Sure, I would have preferred something more along the lines of “It is sad that we cannot speak of our commonalities as vulnerable and resilient human beings without also acknowledging the powerful political forces currently levelled against so many vulnerable people. That said, this is a movie about what is possible when we listen to and embrace the better angels of our nature.” But publicity tours/promo events are a media meat grinder designed to produce soundbites to sell product, not promote human rights, and given his life, work, and multiple previous affirmative statements, I'm giving NPH a mulligan on this very human, “imperfect” verbal stumble. People who want to attack “privileged cis White gay men” would do better to aim their blunderbusses (and slings and arrows) at actual MAGA fascist privileged cis White gay men like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, that Nazi guy aiding and abetting Trump's destruction of the Kennedy Center, and Peter Thiel.
NPH came out of the crucible of "child acting" fairly well, from what I can see ftom the outside. He has had some missteps in public, the birthday cake of a dead singer who became famous young comes to mind- and I find this statement less than I want but not nothing. He is, after all, an entertainer, an artist. The work is what speaks. His work has been at an incredibly high standard and I'll pretty much always watch him if given the chance. The Tony song? Dedicated to the kids who are in the middle of nowhere? Was incredible. The Superbowl halftime show when Mr Bunny gave his Grammy to a child who represented his younger self is the same message. Believe in yourself.
Good advice.
Not bad for a song and dance man.
I agree that cinema should take an overt
stance against fascism. But does that mean EVERY film has to take a stance? To me cinema is about the human condition. And sometimes fascism doesn’t play a part. Unfortunately most people see Harris as a gay person first and an actor second. They’ve put him in a box and criticize when he’s not in the box they don’t think he should be in.
"Disagree with the individual but don’t bash his identity."
100%. But I would like to also suggest this grace extends to the groups the left has no problem stigmatizing as well, such as white men (sometimes expanded to include white women as well), Boomers, people living in rural areas, to name the most obvious. This really needs to stop, but sadly humans gonna human and bigotry knows no ideology.
🎯 thank you
#NotAllWhiteMen, Amirite?
Thanks for proving the point sweetie 😘
You’re welcome!
Oh, and don’t call random women sweetie. It’s demeaning. But #notallwhitemen know that.
Ok honey bunch. You might want to consider it was meant to be, but #notallselfrighteousbigots can get that, obviously (I'm a woman, sweetie)
So, calling strangers a diminutive name is ok?
You realize there are TONS of white men and Boomers and rural citizens on the left...right? except for the boomer part (gen X here) I tick those boxes. When people criticize white men or rural folks, I know EXACTLY who they are talking about (not me) so I don't take offense. Hit dog gonna holler, I don't holler 'cause I didn't get hit
Just because you don’t feel the animosity personally, because you don’t happen to tick each box in the outlined target, doesn’t mean the stigmatization doesn’t exist. In other words, it’s not all about you.