Spike has always been a turd.
shareI think he just has a need to draw attention to himself, but I imagine that he is angry that this whole story was pretty much written, directed and produced by white people. That is a legitimate complaint I guess. I just get tired of his constant nit-picking, even if it is valid. I get it, thanks for mentioning it. Ok ... now what?
shareI imagine that he is angry that this whole story was pretty much written, directed and produced by white people. That is a legitimate complaint I guess.
Apparently there are some people who really don't like "Green Book", and think it's another condescending "white savior" movie. Fair enough, if you don't like a movie, you don't like a movie.
But that still doesn't make it a good idea to walk out during someone else's big win and to rain on their parade, in front of the AMPAS who you hope will vote for you some day, and in front of all the industry bigwigs who you need to fund your films. Sure, I appreciate a good publicity stunt, but this guy is just plain rude, and if that's how he plays studio politics no wonder he never gets everything he wants.
I like Spike's films...a lot. And I do think he's been unfairly ignored by AMPAS over the years (Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, for instance, were unfeasibly ignored by the Academy). However, I do wish he'd let his films speak for themselves. He has a big mouth, and sometimes I don't even think he believes some of the combative crap he says. I think he feels compelled to be an enfant terrible and take a certain side in every issue.
Also, I'll admit I haven't seen Green Book yet, but judging by the trailer the black and white leads help one another, and that no one man is more the 'saviour' than the other.
I appreciate that race relations are a lot more stark at the moment, and that we can't pretend that the type of vile racist attitudes depicted in this period film have somehow disappeared today, but I also think that there is a real resentment among some people in the media to any film that presents black and white characters working together in cooperation and friendly unity.
It's particularly baffling when I see white liberal commentators attack such stories on this basis. It makes me wonder if they're self-hating white people, or if they must be racist themselves to believe that interracial cooperation is somehow a impossibility. Or maybe they just think that every other white person, except them, is a racist.
It's precisely that sanctimonious 'my sh*t don't stink but everyone else's does' attitude that annoys me about so many white libs.
I haven't seen "Green Book" yet either, so perhaps we aren't the best people to comment on it.
However, Spike Lee's behavior is an open target!
Dude, if you want the AMPAS to reward you for your brilliant filmmaking, BEHAVE YOURSELF at their functions! Do your grandstanding elsewhere.
He's a passionate man fueled by a sense of urgency. His movie tried to portray that the threat is here now and we must act. He was also wound up after winning an Oscar, if anything he's going to rise to the occasion and be his true self with no apologies. Its prob not how I would have handled it personally but I'm not an African American. I was happy for his win and liked the interaction between him and Samuel L.
shareI agree, which is why I said that Spike has to be the center of attention and draw attention to himself. However, as true as that may be I think his sensibilities are honestly acquired and I do not know what it is like to have one's who cultural existence threatened, and appropriated, ignored, etc, and I am not sure anyone in a position to would not do the same thing. It was not a big deal, but he has the right to express himself, like the football players SHOULD have the right to take a knee.
shareOf course everyone should have the right to express themselves freely, but that doesn't mean that free speech is free of consequences, or should be. If your free speech offends someone else, then they have as much right to their opinion and to defend their position as you do.
Like, if you want the AMPAS to recognize your brilliance, exercise your freedom of speech and action some place other than at their big formal event where everyone else is on their best behavior! If you want a group of people to vote for you in the future, do NOT act like a troll in front of them. "Tact" is when you express yourself freely and openly, but take a little care to avoid stepping on any more toes than you need to, because you may need a favor from the person above those toes in the future.
> Of course everyone should have the right to express themselves freely, but that doesn't mean that free speech is free of consequences, or should be.
> If you want a group of people to vote for you in the future, do NOT act like a troll in front of them.
So you are unhappy with his choice of how to express himself. So am I ... but it is his call. What is it you expect to do about it?
When you get the chance to make your decisions as to what to do at the Oscars, let me know and we can discuss it from a real point of view, but at this point you are not making any point that I can see?
"So you are unhappy with his choice of how to express himself. So am I ... but it is his call. What is it you expect to do about it?"
Complain?
Seriously, you may see my natterings as a pointless waste of time, but I see it as promoting good manners and good sense! And this world is so lacking in good manners and common sense that I don't see discussing or promoting either to be wasted effort. Any discussion of common sense might lead to someone, somewhere, maybe doing something intelligent for once.
Good manners from the Hollywood elite? This is a time for these people to think of any way they can to grab the spotlight, manners be damned. That is how the world is these days because these people set the tone for everyone's actions. Kanye West at the Grammies was it?
I don't know how to restore civility to society, but I'm pretty sure that mentioning it on the internet has not effect, and maybe even provokes more rudeness when they think they have an audience. I know because I've tried. Have you ever tried to break a fight up? 9 times out of 10 both participants will turn on you rather than cease hostilities.
Fighting seems to be the only exercise Americans get anymore, and the rush they get provides the only real emotion as well.
"Fighting seems to be the only exercise Americans get anymore, and the rush they get provides the only real emotion as well."
Perfectly said. Sad state of affairs, indeed.
I have always hated award shows but for awhile, I watched them anyhow. Most all of them. I finally had enough when, in the ancient year of 1996, the MTV Movie Awards gave The Craft "Best Fight Award" over a Jackie Chan film. Enough with the wrong movies winning everything. I don't even go out of my way to find out the results anymore. I might watch some aftermath news about the Red Carpet or any controversy but that's it.
I don't agree with you about what should be OK in these settings BUT ... I have to admit that if the Oscars became a wild west riot of celebs warring with each other over camera coverage via insane jackass behavior (like Spike & Kanye but even more juvenile and extreme) then I would actually tune back in. Some fights. $5000 gowns getting torn. Upsetting performance art. Turbo childish behavior. Vomiting. Open sexual acts.
If your take on the situation is accurate then this escalation is to be expected and tolerated. I don't like it but I think I would like it.
One of BlacKkKlansman's writers appears to be white, judging by the people up on stage with Spike when he went to collect their Best Adapted Screenplay Award.
share"he is angry that this whole story was pretty much written, directed and produced by white people"
Because for a white person to write, direct, or produce a movie in which there is a black character is racist.
Spike definitely hates Green Book. He gave an interview on This Morning and they talked about it. He hates Driving Miss Daisy too, the last film that robbed him of an Oscar. He hates movies that trivialize black folks instead of empowering them, no matter how good they're made.
shareOne thing "Green Book" did not do was trivialize a black person.
share