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September 29, 2005
Don't Support Scumbags: Tell Roman, "NO"
If O.J. Simpson starred in a new film, would you pay to see it? Of course you wouldn’t (I hope). No sane person would choose to contribute to the coffers of a man who brutally murdered his ex-wife and her boyfriend, especially if that man avoided any significant punishment for his horrendous crime. (After Stalin died, the Soviet Union eventually de-Stalinized movies, erasing Uncle Joe’s image from “historical” films that were about as factually accurate about matters involving (or not involving) Stalin as Dan Rather is about matters involving (or not involving) Bush (hey, it’s late and it’s all I could come up with – give me a break!). Why is it that Russia, an interesting, but undeniably inferior country when compared to the United States, has found a way to wipe Stalin out of its films while the United States sits in idle mode and does nothing to erase the memory that was O.J. Simpson’s acting career? Seriously, how hard would it be to just digitally edit all O.J. Simpson scenes and replace Simpson with Ahmad Rashad? I cannot be alone in thinking that The Naked Gun – perhaps the finest comedy ever made – is forever tainted due to the presence of the double homicide-committing, satellite-pirating thug named O.J. (Wouldn’t you love to see Dianne Sawyer or Mike Wallace or any respectable news journalist (i.e. not Katie Couric) interview Simpson’s children (the ones he had with Nicole). What on earth must those two think of the old man these days? Can you imagine Thanksgiving. “Daddy, I know you didn’t kill mommy, but honestly, you killed her, didn’t you?”))
What if a rapist directed a new film? Would you go see his movie? I’m not talking about a Kobe Bryant-style rape, i.e. one that may or may not have happened. I’m talking about a genuine rape. If the thought of supporting such a horrid “human” being disgusts you, may I suggest that you do not see Oliver Twist, Roman Polanski’s latest film. (If you've seen the preview, you know that this isn’t the type of movie that will be difficult to skip.) In case the following flew under your radar, Polanksi raped a 13-year-old American girl in 1977. The little weasel didn’t want to be punished for committing rape, so he fled to Paris where he has resided for the last three decades. (France won’t extradite his sorry ass because Polanski is a French citizen. (Remind me that if I ever want to get away with rape to obtain French citizenship, commit the crime outside of France and then head back to France to sip coffee and smoke cigarettes with the merry folk.)) In addition to directing a film here and there, Polanski has been busy filing libel lawsuits when his good name has been tarnished by magazines. One can only hope that Polanski faces the music one day for raping a young girl. Until that day arrives, we can do our part by not seeing any of his films and by praying that Polanski gets eaten by a Grizzly bear.
Comments
Isn't being forced to live in France punishment enough?
Posted by: Jason C at September 29, 2005 08:14 AM
you're always so hard on roman, but it's not like the guy's out there as a goodwill ambassador, running for office, etc.; he's just making movies. should we boycott art by anyone who has ever done anything bad? if so, the world would be an art-less place.
Posted by: gator girl at September 29, 2005 09:39 AM
I'm pretty sure that there are approximately zero Grizzly bears in France.
Posted by: NYU Jew at September 29, 2005 10:52 AM
"Should we boycott art by anyone who has ever done anything bad?" she asks. "Of course not. We should only boycott art by convicted rapists who fled America to avoid punishment. That should keep the art industry thriving," the Fool responds.
Posted by: Fool at September 29, 2005 11:01 AM
NYU Jew, if there are no Grizzly bears in France, then I guess you'll have to pray EXTRA hard that Roman gets mauled by one. It's too bad he didn't make that documentary about the bears. I haven't seen that film, but apparently the director really does get eaten by a bear in the end.
Posted by: Fool at September 29, 2005 11:07 AM
i would rather see a great film by a rapist director than an awful film by a squeaky clean director. it's my time and money spent watching the film. the criminal justice aspect doesn't personally involve me.
Posted by: gator girl at September 29, 2005 11:21 AM
I share your distaste for Roman Polanski. I feel like I should be able to separate the art from the artist's personal life, but I was disgusted when he won the Best Director Oscar for "The Pianist," and perhaps even more disgusted that he wanted immunity to come back to the U.S. and attend the ceremony.
Posted by: The Attractive Nuisance at October 1, 2005 03:22 PM
