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annathepiperTonight I reached a realization. My mom and Dad had Elvis. I, apparently, have Russell Crowe.
Let us compare:
Speaking as both a lifetime Elvis fan and someone who has definitely settled down into long-term Crowe-watching ever since he ousted Harrison Ford off the top of my Favorite Actors List, I detect a distinct pattern in figures of popular culture that catch my attention.
The recent brouhaha about Mr. Crowe having gotten into yet another brawl has seemed more annoying than usual to me; this time around it includes allegations that he was making racial slurs, on top of being generally drunk, rude, crude, and socially unacceptable in a public place. Part of me is bummed about that. I adore his brilliance with a passion and worry about a man I've never met because I don't want to see him destroy his own brilliance; I find myself wondering if I'd have had the exact same frame of mind if I'd been born early enough to be around for Elvis' decline, too.
It also doesn't help matters much that over on greatbigsea.com, where there had been a nice thread about Russell singing a GBS song, somebody had to come along and announce their opinion that anybody who considered themselves a fan of Mr. Crowe ought to be checked into a mental hospital, and called him a "violent criminal", and blathered about there being a new story every week about him being in this, that, or the other fight that police have to break up.
I cannot deny that he has a violent streak and that he is a hot-tempered sunuvabitch a lot of the time. But calling him a criminal just seems entirely uncalled for. :P So does, even indirectly, ragging on people who are obviously his fans in what had previously been a thread expressing pleasure that his band had covered a Great Big Sea song. I wasn't exactly thrilled about being told, even indirectly, that I ought to look into a mental hospital.
I didn't answer the poster directly, just announced that I wasn't going to get into it on that forum since it was off-topic and invited anybody who wanted to civilly discuss the matter with me to email me.
I'm bummed that there are people out there who only see Mr. Crowe's violent, hot-tempered side. But then again, that's the one that gets all the press. People aren't as interested in knowing that all evidence also suggests he has a lasting devotion to the woman he loves (as opposed to the dozens of actresses he alledgedly impregnates just by breathing in their vicinity, if tabloids are to be believed), a wicked keen sense of humor, a strong bond to his family and loved ones, and a complete and total lack of interest in a lot of the stereotypical shallowness connected with Hollywood and the entire movie industry.
But I'm also bummed that he seems to be developing a disturbing trend of letting that violent, hot-tempered side off its leash more than usual lately. I really want him to quit that. I don't want to have to decide that he's an irredeemable asshole even if he is brilliant, because, well, that would suck.
The announcement up on Gruntland.com about the cancellation of the TOFOG tour mentioned not only the impending operation his dad is going to have, but also Crowe's apparent desire to just go home, be with his family, and most of all be with his beloved.
Yo, Russell! Go home. Smooch Danielle. (Barenaked Ladies lyrics come to mind here: "If you need her, you should be there, GO HOME!") Commune with your guitars and your cows, and contemplate the virtues of makin' with a little less drunken brawling. Take up tai chi. Take up bonsai. When you come back up to the States, make another movie, a nice gentle movie, about DAISIES! Or PUPPIES!
Do something, whatever it takes, 'cause I wanna keep watching your movies and buying your records. And that'll be real damn difficult if you wreck yourself.
Let us compare:
- Speaks with an accent (Tennessee vs. Aussie), check.
- Violent streak, check.
- Over-imbibes in intoxicating substances, check.
- Struggles with weight issues, check.
- Tendency to make grown women turn into squealing teenyboppers (ahem, er, or so I've heard), check.
- Propensity to waggle knees while wielding a guitar in public places, check.
- Elvis was brilliant at singing and did some not half-bad acting. Crowe is brilliant at acting and does some not half-bad singing.
- Elvis owned a flotilla of Cadillacs. Crowe owes a herd of cows.
Speaking as both a lifetime Elvis fan and someone who has definitely settled down into long-term Crowe-watching ever since he ousted Harrison Ford off the top of my Favorite Actors List, I detect a distinct pattern in figures of popular culture that catch my attention.
The recent brouhaha about Mr. Crowe having gotten into yet another brawl has seemed more annoying than usual to me; this time around it includes allegations that he was making racial slurs, on top of being generally drunk, rude, crude, and socially unacceptable in a public place. Part of me is bummed about that. I adore his brilliance with a passion and worry about a man I've never met because I don't want to see him destroy his own brilliance; I find myself wondering if I'd have had the exact same frame of mind if I'd been born early enough to be around for Elvis' decline, too.
It also doesn't help matters much that over on greatbigsea.com, where there had been a nice thread about Russell singing a GBS song, somebody had to come along and announce their opinion that anybody who considered themselves a fan of Mr. Crowe ought to be checked into a mental hospital, and called him a "violent criminal", and blathered about there being a new story every week about him being in this, that, or the other fight that police have to break up.
I cannot deny that he has a violent streak and that he is a hot-tempered sunuvabitch a lot of the time. But calling him a criminal just seems entirely uncalled for. :P So does, even indirectly, ragging on people who are obviously his fans in what had previously been a thread expressing pleasure that his band had covered a Great Big Sea song. I wasn't exactly thrilled about being told, even indirectly, that I ought to look into a mental hospital.
I didn't answer the poster directly, just announced that I wasn't going to get into it on that forum since it was off-topic and invited anybody who wanted to civilly discuss the matter with me to email me.
I'm bummed that there are people out there who only see Mr. Crowe's violent, hot-tempered side. But then again, that's the one that gets all the press. People aren't as interested in knowing that all evidence also suggests he has a lasting devotion to the woman he loves (as opposed to the dozens of actresses he alledgedly impregnates just by breathing in their vicinity, if tabloids are to be believed), a wicked keen sense of humor, a strong bond to his family and loved ones, and a complete and total lack of interest in a lot of the stereotypical shallowness connected with Hollywood and the entire movie industry.
But I'm also bummed that he seems to be developing a disturbing trend of letting that violent, hot-tempered side off its leash more than usual lately. I really want him to quit that. I don't want to have to decide that he's an irredeemable asshole even if he is brilliant, because, well, that would suck.
The announcement up on Gruntland.com about the cancellation of the TOFOG tour mentioned not only the impending operation his dad is going to have, but also Crowe's apparent desire to just go home, be with his family, and most of all be with his beloved.
Yo, Russell! Go home. Smooch Danielle. (Barenaked Ladies lyrics come to mind here: "If you need her, you should be there, GO HOME!") Commune with your guitars and your cows, and contemplate the virtues of makin' with a little less drunken brawling. Take up tai chi. Take up bonsai. When you come back up to the States, make another movie, a nice gentle movie, about DAISIES! Or PUPPIES!
Do something, whatever it takes, 'cause I wanna keep watching your movies and buying your records. And that'll be real damn difficult if you wreck yourself.
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no subject
Date: 2002-11-19 06:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-11-19 09:45 am (UTC)I have not stopped admiring Mr. Ford; Mr. Crowe, however, is just the one I'm louder about for the time being. (And I could also say something rantful about Mr. Ford, too; I mean, CALLISTA FLOCKHART?! Harry, Harry, what are you THINKING? Okay, I'm done now.)
Agreed!
Date: 2002-11-19 11:04 am (UTC)But, on the other hand, I'm not sure I'd like to hang out with him. Even the most generous readings of the news reveal him to be hot-tempered and foolish. I don't believe half the things the media says - once someone gets a reputation for being unfriendly towards the media, they go out of their way to print all the bad and only the good they absolutely must print. But still, he's not someone I really would like to be stranded on a desert island with.
I just hope he stays out of trouble enough to not totally alienate his fanbase, and keep making movies, because I want more of them.
Re: Agreed!
Date: 2002-11-19 10:55 pm (UTC)But thank you, Kirby, it's nice to know I am not out on Mars with my opinion. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2002-11-20 04:56 pm (UTC)Owes them to who(m?)?
:)
no subject
Date: 2002-11-20 05:01 pm (UTC)*snicker* I hadn't noticed my typo. Owns a herd of cows, of course. Good catch, Sarah! And thank you for the bright note. ^_^