F is for Fame

F is for Fame

I had an interesting conversation with a coworker about something we had both seen on E News Daily the day prior. I harangue her daily about her reliance on Faux (Fox) News; I was shocked to see that watched something related to entertainment, and not something the continued to mention that the Earth was flat and that anyone with free thought should be shot for their nonviolence.

But we had both watched E! News Daily.

And, strangely, they still play entertainment news and it's in their name, unlike MTV which has nothing to do with music any more.

And she tends to harangue me back-if y’all know me, I don’t really like to sit and watch television. It depresses me and makes me think that there’s killer bees everywhere and that if I don’t vote, I’ll have to where a chastity belt for the rest of my known existence.

I am in the Deep South, after all.

She surprised me; I surprised her. And we both agreed. Gerard Butler is hot, talented and should be more famous.

I may hate commercial television, but with my ongoing existence as a cineaste, I do like my entertainment news when I remember to tune it.

I have the right, I believe, since I watch such a decent amount of it, to call Mr. Butler, “Gerard.”  When Elizabeth Taylor, people noticed I called her “Beth.”

Like I had fucking coffee with her last week.

If I only had!

So, when it comes to fame, I probably should clarify:  my definition is a bit different than getting money for not working and people exposing their breasts at you and asking you to sign them.

However, that would be kinda cool, in its own right too.

What I mean by fame? That your name is so well known that you have several Facebook fan pages that fill up. That your name goes above Tom Cruise’s to get people to go it. That you can appear at the Oscars and not have to have previously won an award.

However, you do have to be somewhat pretty on the carpet. Sorry. If I’m buying your tickets, I need massively eye candy (or, as I like to say “eye-crack”) or massively talented.

I get upset when I see what audiences like and don’t like. It astounds me of the stupidity of the masses. But, then again, Bush was elected. People went and said, “yes, he represents my values. He’ll make me appear stupid.”

And people like the Kardasians are still drawing people to watch their senseless drivel.

I know this business, this entertainment crap

.

And I am surprised by who isn’t more popular some times. I mean, jaw-droppingly, surprised. I’ve seen talents that make me want to hit the average Joe for not liking them.

I also want to strike people for being conservative, but I digress.

I’ve even kept names on my Evernote app on my phone. I’ll be sitting there, fingers all greasy from popcorn, having just watched such a movie and I’ll want to smack myself as to why the other 100 rows are empty behind me.

And, no, I hadn’t farted.

Like at some of these names:

Benjamin Bratt-Every time I see this man on screen, I cannot take my eyes off of him. Here’s the thing, however, he’s hot, yes, to be sure. But, for example, he was in “LA Mission,” playing an ex-chicano gang member, and, well, he gave me the skivvies. I switched to a Law and Order, and he’s playing a cop. Totally different characters, and he held his own, but, well, here’s the thing—there was a physicality that I noticed. He was a piece of meat, violent man; but with compassion. The cop in Law and Order, so by-the-book, you start to dislike him. Why isn’t this man more famous (by my hideously narrow-mined definition?)

Jim Carrey-Mr Kaching? Yes, this many talks out his asshole and makes a billion. So what the fuck am I talking about? He’s famous, yes, I get that. However, I’ve noticed this is a highly underestimated performer. I saw him in the Majestic and he was awesome! He doesn’t have to do comedy. But people only like him in with the ha-ha’s. And that’s wrong. He deserves to be seen as the actor he really is. The comedy got him in the door. He can, however, actually act.

Sutton Foster-My issue with this young lady is that she’s a total theater baby. She has stage presence out the wazoo. I bet, even if you’ve never seen her perform, she walks into a coffeehouse, and her sheer personality is stronger than the java in the pot. She’s on a stupid little family show called “Bunheads,” and she’s not over the top, but, stuck in a stupid premise—but her conviction is so good, we buy it and want to take the journey with her. I can only imagine what she would be like in mainstream cinema. I love this woman. We need to see her more!

Ryan Reynolds-Okay, here’s another one where my perception of fame is different from yours. He has already opened movies as the lead performer. But his humorous reputation and his abs arrive on the screen before anyone takes the time to see-this is a likable ersonality who deserves more than being second fiddle to Sandra Bullock.  The biceps alone mean he is being cast as action heroes, coupling with the wise cracks from his comedic strengths. But I honestly see him like Jim Carrey. He can handle much more serious scripts. Where are they? Who is willing to take the risk and cast him?  He has Harrison Ford written all over him.

Alan Ruck—Poor Mr. Ruck!  I saw him in Ferris Beuller’s Day Off and noticed him more than the lead. In fact, he kinda looks like my husOtter. So, maybe this is just a crush I have. But he even played a captain in a Star Trek movie.  He is always playing second

fiddle to some other big name, but my eyes always gravitate towards him. You know what, fuck it, I have a crush on him. I’ll just move on and forget I said anything.

Channing Tatum—He’s becoming more and more a household name, but there’s a reason he kept his moniker off of the deplorable “G.I.Joe Retaliation.”  He is moving onto bigger things, and he only appears in the sequel due to contractual obligations. But seeing him make the fairly standard “Magic Mike” last summer into something slightly deeper tells me there’s a better performer under those steely blues. He reminds me, for some odd reason, of Paul Newman. I would love to see him do a remake of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Scarlett Johansen (she recently appeared in it on B’Way).  His star, it seems, is about to break free. He suffers from the Too Beautiful Syndrome. Too many Hollywood types are cast due to their looks. As soon as they get ugly, they get an award and/or recognition. You want evidence? Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball; Nicole Kidman in The Hours; George Clooney in Syriana; Charlize Theron in Monster; Jennifer Laurence in Silver Linings Playbook.

Jimmy Smits—Alright, I have to bring my mother into this one. She cried, for a freakin’ week when Jimmy’s character died on NYPD Blue. She was afraid that she was going to have to go into therapy. Smits was a replacement when the lead bowed out and totally took over. Smits has dominated television and every time I see his handsome face, I want to take a journey with him as well. But, we never see him in movies. Or, better, good movies. Sure, he was in the Star Wars prequels, and, luckily, those were so bad that everyone looks good next to Hayden Christensen.  But he had, what, four lines? How is this possible? He’s terrifically authoritative and  that was evident in the West Wing, when he ran for president. But…Jimmy…my mother’s dying here. You have to get back on a screen somewhere!

Alright, I have a good twenty more names, but, for now, I think I’ve made my point.

We need to see more of these people, period.

Peace!

Roo