Nivea: The New Hitler

Did this ad bother you?
I didn't even think about it.
Know why?
Because I'm not fucking racist.
Racist think there's something wrong with it.
Think Tide and all those other detergents telling you "white" is clean. Yep. Racist think it's racist too.
People are so fucking stupid they have to come up with shit to be upset about. I get upset at dumb stuff, but this...this is a dumb ad for a dumb deodorant.
Ivory soap use to have a campaign about how light it was. 99.9% pure that it floats. Light+pure+floats...I bet you think white people are angels, muthafucka!

Okay, guys...just lighten the fuck up about these ads.
In fact, when you tweeted your phony outrage, they got more eyes on them. I guess the ad did work.

WTF is This And Why Does It Keep Happening

New people who haven't done much rely heavily on people who have.
So I thought.
People who haven't done much seem to think their school projects amount to experience. In "the real world" So you do your best to tell them what is an idea to do. Which they will inevitably hate. Not their problem. They only see one perspective. And cannot understand that anything can be interpreted in context.
Fine and dandy.

But..BUT...here is the rub. So, they don't like your idea..you challenge them to come up with better. And they do! Okay...okay...no problems there...then...you ask them for a script or a shot list or...just an idea of what they want. Crickets. Nothing concrete. No other ideas flowing. Nothing. Zero. Zip.

This has happened twice now.

The first was a cooking thing. The talent didn't care nor wanted to contribute. Until they saw the project...then they couldn't stop coming up with ideas. I think I get it...
No one in this town (at our level) has vision.

Vision is seeing potential. No one builds on foundation of ideas. Instead, wants to fix one that is already built. Why? Because they're fucking lazy. It is easy to criticize and put your nuts on the chopping block. But if an idea fizzles, you look the fool. A person who repairs a bad idea can walk away thinking they did what they could. That's cowardly. And why I haven't seen many people my age do shit. So afraid of "failing" Rather fail from the bleachers.
If you don't have the sack to take charge, you are null and void in any other conversation.

I Love Thandie Newton

Truth is a hard thing to speak of in this town. Truth is ugly and painful...and...well...very much necessary. But no one can be honest. Because people take honesty for mean-ness. And, for the most part, no one afford to ostracize anyone.

Thandie Newton has had a career most actresses would die for. Culminating in a brilliant Golden Globe nod as Maeve, the brothel madam of "Westworld". She deserved to win.

She is not afraid to tell the truth. And I beg beg BEG any of you getting in show biz, listen to her speak on Sam Jones' podcast Offcamera. It is literally a conversation off camera. Also, off the cuff. And brilliant. She has not the bitterness I exhibit in these blogs. No. She's pragmatic and deep. And is inspiring in the way we're always met with opposition when our ideas aren't made. She knows the pratfalls of.creativity and has lost many years in the throes of self-pity, absorption and general dissatisfaction of life. But had never derailed her spirit.

The human being is capable of much more than the pain we deeply feel. In essence, it isn't pain and heartache we attempt to recognize but a learning experience worthy of study.

Look, I'm making it sound super dull. It's not. She's academic but never patronizing. Hopeful, but very guarded. Honest about relationships with directors. And you hear great insight on a uneasy path.

Is she the winner in all this? I feel she has cracked a code. And can function amongst us. She is the battle tested Maeve character. Always questioning humanity and their motivation.

I love Thandie Newton. Made much more fascinsting by a simple conversation

Flakes!

I know, you're probably sick of me saying this over and over and over again.
Los Angeles is full of flakes. I'm one of them.
I only do projects I want to do. I need to get paid real money to give a shit. Kinda.
Here's the rub...people make plans and get busy. Know what most people are busy doing? Getting fucked up over the weekend. Because the week sucked. And if you're a working actor, you're bored. Weekends remind you of college (or whatever high school you had). That means you want to be seen and not work.

Know who succeed in Hollywood? People who say...and then do. The biggest thing in this godforsaken business is showing up. I'm dead serious. Most people IF they showed up WILL succeed. On time. I meant, show up on time and show up. MOST actors are fucking flakes, for...well, I'm can't come up with a reason. Other than they don't believe in the material. They don't like your fucking face. Or, they're lazy. Laziness is the worst excuse. Forgetting is probably worse than that.

Here's what happens. You coordinate a project. Then the talent says they forgot it was THIS weekend. They didn't forget. They put you off like a girl who doesn't like you would. A glam project they would juggle their Mother's will reading to get there. Nope. They think you're a dog. And then...expect you to welcome them with open arms. As if they are doing you a favor.

BIG BIG flag people...DO NOT EVER...EVER EVER EVER have anyone on your set that feels they are doing you a favor. You can feel like they are, but if they cop an attitude because they know...CUT THEM QUICK. It is the worse feeling in the world to have to worry about your movie and the feelings of some person who shows up wanting to be part of something but complaining the whole time. THIS is worse than flakes.

I sometime don't blame flakes though. Hell, I get surges of inspiration and want to leap to work. But then by the end of the week, I just want to watch shitty 80's sitcoms. My biggest fear is that I start to like that life. Because as I get older, it is easier to do nothing. The simple solution is to do what my friend Betsy has eloquently put...NEVER stop moving. You don't have to start if you just keep moving. Right? Common sense. Things stop for the dumbest reasons too. Creative differences, logistical problems, weather, etc...the point is to keep it moving. If people are around that feel they need to criticize...keep moving. Leave them behind. Watch these asshats cling onto your heels talking their shit as you keep moving.
Just don't be a flake, commit to what you say you will do, and do it.
I will do the same. We'll succeed together.

Alec Baldwin's Memoirs

Baldwin's got a new book out where he bashes a few Hollywood dudes, admits to cocaine and alcohol binges and regrets calling his daughter a pig. Nothing new there. He says of Harrison Ford how much resentment he had after Ford took over the Jack Ryan character. Baldwin, in my opinion, seemed more suited for the role as written.

Strange when a dashingly handsome dude has so many demons. He friggin banged Kim Basinger in her prime, the fuck can he complain about? Here's what...I think...and this is simply opinion, he may have been molested as a child. This type of hair trigger anger is due to some abuse of some kind. And being that he was a good Catholic boy, it's a matter of time before he admits it.

I like Baldwin as an actor. Guy's hilarious. But you can sense something much more...broken. A bloated has-been dsshing Hollywood face (go look at "The Hunt For Red October" to see how painfully handsome he was) replaced a star in the making. This is not to say he doesn't blame himself for derailing. I'll just wait for the real memoirs. When he OD's on painkillers or dies of diabetes to hear the truth truth.

Women Directors

People wonder why there aren't more female directors. That dynamic is changing now since women are acting more like (perceived) men. Case in point, the article about women having to pull their own weight in the household now. Which, by the way, side note...everyone needs a purpose. Not just having kids is a purpose. You think so, but most people still feel pretty empty after that, or when they're gone. You can live through your children this way, but...damn, is it more heartache.

Anyway, you should listen to the episode on "The Projection Booth" podcast on the making of "Making Of Mr. Right." They have interviews from the director Susan Seidlman, the writers Laurie Frank and Floyd Byars.

If you've ever seen the movie, you know that it has a very odd 80's sensibility. In loud colors and weird concept. Forget the movie, the casted John Malkovich as a sexy robot. Think about that for a second. This was okay'd by the studio simply because...Seidlman had broke the bank with "Desperately Seeking Susan" Everyone wanted the guy role. As written, it was meant for a Olympic god. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the name then. Guess what...he wanted to be in it. Also...Bruce Willis. He was hot off "Moonlighting" and "Die Hard and "Blind Date." He desperately wanted the part.

Here's where the movie (although critically a good movie, box office bomb). Having now the arrogance of a success, she simply put in oddball people...because she could. And anyone who questioned her was blasted with the fact that she was an creative mind that had created a success. Never mind that the reason for the success of "Desperately Seeking Susan" was because Madonna just had a massive hit record. The female roles were given to Glenn Hadley and Ann Magnuson. Both hardly sex pots.

And that's why women were/are terrible directors. Emotions get in the way of common sense. Seidlman never considered the money aspect of the movie. Only that SHE would be the star of the movie. Director as star is not an uncommon thing then. Scorsese or DiPalma for instance. BUT...

...she would not be overshadowed by a marquee name like Arnold or Bruce or...big name actresses. Because it would mean she wasn't in the limelight. Not a big deal. We all have egos. But, this one was at the expense of a lot of money riding on it.

These days, I think Kathryn Bigelow and Patty Jenkins have a more broader view of being a female director. It means not having to be the stars. Since already being a female director puts you on in the spotlight. The jealousy aspect did cut into Bigelow early on. Casting Lori Petty as a love interest to Keanu Reeves? Right. It's probably a response to ugly guys getting starlets. But that's not the world we live in.

If you can dump the jealousy part, then you will be effective. It's hard though. Even as a guy. I recall casting a girl I liked in two of my movies. When I discovered she had a thing for one of my actors, I split ties with her afterwards. NOT before getting what I wanted on screen. But...it could've been better.

Though I'm not immune, I'm also not working with other people's money. Imagine where she'd be now.

Feminist Getting What They Wanted

From a woman in regards to an article about men complaining about their wives:

"Interesting read, though slightly depressing. A great social commentary. It's seems to be more husbands complaining about wives. Generally Modern Women have very high stress levels and are expected to:
- Groom themselves to look beautiful
- Cook Food
- Clean the house
- Wash Clothes
- Go to work and make money for the family
- Make babies and look after them
-Work out
The whole process can be exhausting !"

Bitch...welcome to your feminist reality.
You asked for it, you got it. And men bitchin' about it? The fuck do you think we were listening to sincr cavemen times?

How does it feel to be equal? Oh right, you never wanted equal. You wanted preferential.

There is a difference.
And the kitchen doesn't look so bad anymore.