Monday, January 16, 2006

Self-important idiots congratulate themselves for bravery

That's it, I can't take it anymore. Amongst my fellow bloggers (you can see their sites to the right) I am going to take a brave stand. One that could bring scorn and ridicule to me. But here it is: I believe that art should not be publicly funded. THAT'S RIGHT.

Noise from the right-wing blogosphere: Ooooh Daniel, you're soooo brave. Let's all stand together and give each other awards. No, no, not from people outside of our group, just amongst ourselves. Let's give Daniel an award for his brave stance on public art. We'll all wear $10,000 dresses to our ceremony (in the case of the women... and possibly me... hmmmm) and then talk about starving children.

Such is the case of the Golden Globes, the Emmy's and whatever other ridiculous awards ceremonies that exist amongst the self-important "celebreties."

As you now know the film Bareback Mounting, errr, Brokeback Mountain has collected several awards for it's "brave" portrayal of gay cowboys. (something we have yet to see in real life as cowboys don't choose to be gay like interior decorators as a career move or college students do to get attention or to get back and mommy and daddy)

Actual quote from gay author of a film:

"I know as actors our job is usually to shed our skins, but I think as people our job is to become who we really are, and so I would like to salute the men and women who brave ostracism, alienation and a life lived on the margins to become who they really are," Huffman said.

No doubt Mr. (or Miss?) Huffman is worried that he could be ostracized by his fellow "celebreties" or the NY Times editorial page. The Passion of The Christ gets shunned by Hollywood and the major media and Mel Gibson is called a Jew-baiter.

But someone makes a film about cowboys who screw each other and amongst the awards, fanfare and adulation they are hailed as "brave."

Let this be a lesson in the liberal definition of "bravery" which is also why we don't see many liberals in the military.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://portland.craigslist.org/rnr/125999068.html
This must be you, it sounds just like you

Daniel said...

Not me.

And just so everyone knows, I've had people banned from Craigslist for posting libelous information about me there.

Anonymous said...

WOW..banned from another libber deal...me too!

Banned from BlueOregon, banned from emailing Randy Leonard.


Let's just keep up the good work Daniel,I wish you would run for office, cause these lefty's know you don't run from anything they put up. Jack Peek

Daniel said...

That's the thing. Why would I do an anonymous post on craigslist? I'm certainly not ashamed of my positions and will gladly post what I believe here.

Anonymous said...

I got banned from BlueOregon, I ALWAYS, put my name where I posted my true heartfelt positions.Jack Peek

Gavin S. said...

So Daniel I assume that you have seen Brokeback Mountain so that you can speak from first hand experience about the movie? Also in this so-called sex scene you don't even see anything. It is about 45 seconds of the movie and it is far from graphic.

FYI - Felicity Huffman is not an author, she is an actress on a little show called Desperate Housewives.

And for all those people who say that it's Hollywood's liberals who gave them this award - it's the Hollywood Foreign Press. Press from all over the world. I assume you will now say that the press is all liberal? You guys can always find an excuse or someone to blame things on...

So what do you say Daniel - you, me, tonight to see Brokeback Mountain? I'll bring some candy and soda - you can bring your concealed weapon - it will be a fun time had by all!

Your 'bestest' friend,
Bryan H.

Kaelri said...

"Let this be a lesson in the liberal definition of "bravery" which is also why we don't see many liberals in the military."

Lesse some facts and figures for that one, please.

Anonymous said...

Looks to me like Daniel said: "Actual quote from gay author of a film".

That would be a gay author of "A" film...not this film.

Anonymous said...

>> "But here it is: I believe that art should not be publicly funded. THAT'S RIGHT." <<

I agree with this.

Do you believe in censorship?
Well, I do. I don't believe the Government should be doing the censoring, however. But I don't think for one moment my child should be exposed to Hustler magazine. So, I censor my child.

Some have argued that not providing requested materials is the same as censoring them. Go to your childs library and see if Madonna's book Sex is there. Should it be?
If they don't provide it, is that censoring?

If you think so ... then all gov funding of art is censorship - - what they don't fund has been censored.

I firmly believe that art needs to be available to the public - I am ok with concepts being taught in school. I agree with Daniel, however, that the art it self should not be publicly funded.

Another question - what exactly is art? If a mime is a performance artist - you pay them to do something with their body -
or if a magician is an artist - you may actually participate in that performance -- then isn't an unlicened sex therapist also an artist ??? ( those folks are commonly known by the term prostitute, but since it has negitive connotations we should use the more PC terms )

If you think the government should fund art, then shouldn't they also fund prostitution?
( and no I don't mean in places like the Mustang Ranch where it was taken over by the Government)

Gavin S. said...

Jeff:

Just an FYI before you make statements that have no backing... If you watched the awards you would know that is in fact a quote from Felicity Huffman as she accepted her award - she an actress not the writer of any film. She is in Desperate Housewives. Also see the name at the end of the quote - it's also a big clue.

- Bryan H.

Tim said...

They're right, Daniel. She was in a different gay movie.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, Bryan...I have better things to do than watch the awards show and desperate housewives.

Gunslinger said...

Isn't the real point here about how movies like Brokeback, are hailed as fantastic and brave, because they breech a controversial issue, yet movies like Passion, which also breech contorversial issues (although not issues touted by the left as brave) are played down as religious right propaganda?

Ang lee shoud stick to making movies like The Hulk. I am sure it is visually stunning, and rivetting. The story sounds boring to me. Two guys one a cow puncher, and the other a rodeo guy go to brokeback to herd sheep. they have themselves a little gay love affair. The job ends, they part ways. Four years later, one contacts the other to see if they can "just be friends". Only to find out that their past is not escapable. Yawn.

I am not going to pay 9 bucks to see this movie.

I could also care less what the media around the world has to say about this film.

Brokeback, now in its 6th week, has only made $30M. Although audiences were up 1.4% over the weekend. King Kong, in its fifth week has had a 40% drop in audiences, but made 7.5M over the weekend, bringing its total to almost $203M Or Narnia, made 10M over the weekend for a grand 6 week total of 261M. Which almost doubles the film's budget. If brokeback, now also in it's 6th week is such a fantastic film, and is so important to our culture that it MUST be seen, why is it doing so poorly at the box office? Numbers don't lie. People are not interested.

Gunslinger said...

oh yeah, and for comparison: (it took me a bit to find it) Passion, in it's 6th week, made 10.6M for a total (at that time) of $370.2M. Gee, which movie did audiences prefer?
The overall total of Passion was $611M It ran for 22.3 weeks. Let's see if Brokeback lasts that long.

Gavin S. said...

It's actually doing amazingly great at the box office. King Kong is playing in 3500 theaters. Brokeback was in 5 theaters, then went to 69, then 217, then 483 and now it is in 683 theaters. It is a much smaller release. King Kong was meant to bring in a huge amount of money - hence the 3500 theaters. It's all about the scale. Brokeback will continue to expand as well.

Gunslinger said:
"Isn't the real point here about how movies like Brokeback, are hailed as fantastic and brave, because they breech a controversial issue, yet movies like Passion, which also breech controversial issues (although not issues touted by the left as brave) are played down as religious right propaganda?

Your side is touting Brokeback as gay propaganda. It all goes both ways. The media plays a huge part in this. It's never in anyone's favor. they make a much bigger deal out of all the issues.

It's funny how you guys and gals on the extreme right won't stop bitching about this movie. What's the point? People are going to see it if they want - if they don't, they won't. Give it a rest.

MAX Redline said...

"Brokeback was in 5 theaters, then went to 69,..."

Umm...well, okay. Guess that says it all.

Gunslinger said...

Brian, thank you for clarifying my point about people (on both sides) "bitching" about movies that are controversial. Extremest left folks were all in a tiff over Passion, and us wacko rights have our panties in a twist over a movie about gay cowboys. It is all in personal perspective.

My personal perspective: I am not interested in it because I do not agree with the gay lifestyle. It also looks like a boring film that relies on it's grittyness to make up for a lame story. You guys can have your gay cowboy movie, I will save my 9 bucks and watch something entertaining, like. . . Well, nevermind, there are no movies out worth a crap that I haven't already seen, so I will use said 9 bucks to buy a sixer of Dead Guy Ale, and sit at home and watch one of my 150 dvd's.

Daniel said...

Bryan, can't see the movie tonight but hey, maybe this weekend.

I have not seen it. I don't need to see it to know that I won't like it though. Have you ever shot yourself in the foot with a nailgun? I bet that you can reasonably tell me that you won't like it though.

You like this movie, and it won awards, only for the homosexual element in it.

Saying that these actors or screenwriters are "brave" putting this stuff out in the Hollywood environment is like saying that someone is brave for supporting the second amendment at a gun club.

Care for a friendly wager on which film grosses more, Passion or Brokeback? Loser has to wear a dress for a day... wait a minute... loser has to wear pants for a day!

Anonymous said...

Having seen this movie, yes it has gay people in it but it could just as well have been Romeo and Juliet. It is a love story about society denying people their right to love. At heart, it is not about gays or anything like that, it is a love story pure and simple. It has many universal lessons and is certainly worthy of the praise its getting.

Gunslinger said...

Here is a link to a fantastic crossover film featuring Brokeback.

http://www.eonline.com/Video/play.jsp?clipID=14542&adCat=mmgallery&mediaID=6

I found it quite "Riveting, Fresh, edgy, gritty, and a timeless classic"