Maybe you know him from Top Gun or maybe you know him from Steel Magnolias, either way if you’re a person of a certain age (i.e. old like me), you’re going to feel this one in the chest. Rest in peace, Tom Skerritt.
News: Danny Trejo is in a pro-ICE movie and his son says he can’t get out of it
Danny Trejo is probably the most Mexican-looking* man on the planet. When you’re in the States and anyone says “Mexican,” an image of Danny Trejo is bound to materialize somewhere in the grey matter. So you can imagine my ire when I read the news about Trejo starring in what sounds to me to be an ICE propaganda movie.
Earlier this month, news broke that Trejo was working on a conservative film project attached to Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire.
Here is what’s verifiable:
Trejo was approached about working on a movie that is described by ABC News as:
Trejo’s son Gilbert has recently made a public statement about his father’s involvement on Pawn Shop, which included the following information:
He says his father did not know who Ben Shapiro was prior to signing onto the project.
Trejo did not know this was a pro-ICE movie before signing on.
Gilbert says his dad was presented with one version of the film and then it changed into what is now being described as a pro-ICE movie.
Gilbert says his father is now contractually obligated to finish working on the film.
He also says that his father has signed an NDA, and it’s not possible for him to speak freely about this current controversy.
Today, I learned that Trejo had previously done some voice acting on Mr. Birchum, an animated series produced by The Daily Wire and executive-produced by one Ben Shapiro.
Here is what I’m understanding so far about this mess (not verifiable but not completely unlikely to be true either):
I can see why a conservative, right-wing, pro-ICE group would want Danny Trejo in their movie, which glorifies ICE whilst ICE is enthusiastically violating constitutional and human rights daily. (Please see my first paragraph if you’re unsure of what I mean here.)
It’s plausible that Trejo was sold one version of the script and then it morphed into something else—something like pro-ICE propaganda.
The Daily Wire was involved with this thing from the start. I’m no investigative journalist, but that immediately made me suspicious of the project. Why wouldn’t it do the same for a seasoned actor?
Trejo has worked on a project linked to both Shapiro and The Daily Wire before. How did he work with them twice and stay ignorant as to who they were and what they were about?
Where the hell is this guy’s representation? Aren’t they supposed to look into possible conflicts of interest for the person they’re representing?
Is it possible Trejo was tricked into this? Yes. Is it possible he knew what he was getting into but did it anyway for the paycheck? Sadly, also yes. Am I going to take a beat before we draw and quarter him? Yes. That man makes up a big chunk of our tiny sliver of representation in movies. He does not get a pass; he gets a pause.
Ok I paused.
What does Gilbert Trejo mean when he says Danny agreed to do some voice acting for his friend Adam Carolla without realizing Carolla’s politics had changed?
Look, I’ve been a comedy fan—specifically stand-up—for my ENTIRE life. Carolla has always rubbed me the wrong way. He’s been this version of conservative since I can remember. And I don’t have the benefit of a personal relationship with him. So, he can say he used to be a Democrat all day, but what does that mean exactly when you’re a flaming conservative now?
Ultimately, the situation is suspect. There were too many opportunities for Danny Trejo and/or his representation to do some of their own investigating to ensure there were no conflicts of interest.
The grace I was trying to give Danny Trejo has been revoked. Ready the horses, raza!
*When I say Mexican I mean Mexican-American not Mexican National. Us Americans are rather liberal with our broad generalizations
News: A former South Park writer is building a website to expose the Cornell 7
Former South Park writer Toby Morton has launched the website:
TheCornell7.org
The website will eventually be populated with all kinds of information pertinent to the seven men accused of 😒 raping Jane Doe, some of whom only had to write an essay as punishment.
“I’m building this carefully, and it will take time,” wrote Morton on the site’s homepage. “I’ve already received names, photographs, documents, messages, and other information related to the case. Before publishing those materials, I want to make certain that every identity is correct, every photograph is of the right person.”
My only question is, where do we send the thank-you notes?
Former ‘South Park’ Writer Launches Site to Expose Information About Cornell University Sexual Assault Case: ‘There Will Be Accountability’ — variety.com
News: A Famous Actor Was a Jerk to Ke Huy Quan at the SAG Awards in 2023
Ke Huy Quan has written a memoir titled Never Say Die. It’s out now, and in it he reveals that during the 2023 SAG Awards ceremony, he was so excited to be there that he was taking selfies with as many stars as he could. Quan was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Everything Everywhere All at Once at the time, after a lengthy absence from the silver screen.
As Quan tells it, on the big day he ran into a well-known actor whom he respected and, without thinking about it, asked for a selfie. As he was taking the selfie, Quan pulled a face out of pure joy for the moment. The well-known actor looked at him “for a beat and then said sharply, ‘Why did you make that stupid face?’ I laughed, a little surprised and not quite sure what to make of it. He shook his head and added, ‘You’re not going to win tonight with that stupid face.’”
I’m guessing this well-known actor is also good-looking, well-liked, well-compensated, and widely respected. So what was the reason? We’ve all got problems. We’re all living through unprecedented times. We’re all struggling, but the rest of us are not out here spitting venom into Data’s ear on what could possibly be one of the most memorable nights of his life. Why do some people do that—see joy and immediately want to mock it, stomp it out, or both? Is it misery? It can’t just be misery wanting company.
Ke Huy Quan reflects on uncomfortable run-in with ‘well-known’ actor at 2023 SAG Awards – ew.com
This reminds me of a time several years back at a 311 concert. This band has mega fans who follow them all over the country. Some of these folks get REALLY into the shows and put their entire bodies into the physicality of being on the rail. They’re like the personification of joy, essentially, a bubble of energy front and center stage. At this show, this particular group of mega fans was absolutely losing their minds. 311 has been around for a long time, so even though some of us started listening to them in our teens, we’re fully middle-aged now. These folks look middle-aged to me. They look like they’re knee-deep in the minivan crew in their respective suburbs. However, they are living life to the fullest at this show and I respect it, even if they were rather standoffish and kind of mean when we were all in line.
I’m also on the rail because I too am a nerd, but I’m farther down, not front and center. About 30 minutes into the show, the security guard in front of me—a young guy who looked to be in his early 20s—pulls out his phone slowly and discreetly. I notice everything, so when I saw movement in my peripheral vision, I locked in. One of the drawbacks of being on the rail at concerts is that you’re extremely visible to all the folks with cameras on stage and in the area just before the stage. If you’re really opposed to being on camera at a concert, this is probably not the spot for you. When I see the security guy pull out his phone, I’m instantly on alert because I had just seen him watching the minivan crew absolutely lose their minds. A moment of judgment flashed across his face and it registered—noted. Actually, now that I think about it, it wasn’t judgment, it was mockery. He thought it was funny and, yeah, it did look a little funny. We’re old, I get it. But then I see this guy panning. He’s recording as many of us as he can. I have exactly one beat to figure out what I’m going to do, how I’m going to react, because I am standing directly in front of him and it’s only a matter of time until I’m in frame. Will I smile so we can laugh at them together or what?
I can’t do it. Sure, these folks were kind of jerks earlier, but we all have bad days, right? If I point and laugh, too, I’m just as much of a jerk. And so I chose to use my dark, almost black eyes to bore a hole directly into this young man’s soul when the camera got to me. Because I am me, I threw in a disappointed head shake. I am nothing if not melodramatic. In that moment, our eyes locked. He knew I knew. And now he had a decision to make.
He did the right thing. He met my gaze and locked in. He saw my “don’t be a dick” head shake, took a beat to register it, and ever so slowly put his phone back into his pocket. That’s right, me and a complete stranger were faced with a choice and we chose to grow our empathy in real time. Maybe it wasn’t a lot, maybe no one else will ever notice, but in that moment, we knew. We knew what we’d done and we were cool for the rest of the night. We even gave each other one of these 😏 when it was time to go home.
It’s hella easier to not have regrets when you’re not actively trying to extinguish someone else’s joy. Besides, there is far too little joy in this world right now. Let it live. Let it grow. Let it expand instead of snuffing it out.
News: Matthew Lillard messed up big time, he recognizes that and he’s trying to do better
We can all agree that Matthew Lillard—our favorite Shaggy and the best serial killer of the ‘90s—is a stand-up guy, right? We all love him, right? Right!? Glad we can all agree on that. So, you’ll understand that I was more than just taken aback upon finding out that Lillard would indeed continue to work on Scream 7 despite what had happened to Melissa Barrera.
For those who are unaware: Barrera made comments in support of the people of Palestine, and she was subsequently fired from Scream 7. She was supposed to play the lead role in that film. We (all us movie freaks) fully expected Matthew Lillard to stand in solidarity with Barrera and at least speak up on Palestine, but he didn’t. In fact, he went ahead and did the movie. A lot of us were disappointed, but what can you do? Today, however, today we get a good update. Lillard has seen the error of his ways.
Matthew Lillard “ashamed” for returning to ‘Scream’ following Melissa Barrera firing: “I’m on the wrong side of history” - ew.com
News: The fans have brought Coyote vs Acme back from oblivion.
If you’re unaware of the lore, let me bring you up to speed. Warner Brothers made this great movie, Coyote vs Acme. It was meant to be something like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?—live action and animation, all in one. Warner Brothers made the movie, us moviegoers read about it and got excited, they were about to release it, and then news broke that it was being shelved.
I was on Twitter when it happened. We were all pissed. Some of us more than others.
Eventually, it came out that Warner Brothers was shelving the movie as a tax write-off. And that’s what set Twitter ablaze. We were furious. Plenty of us had been hyped up for quite some time. We were excited to finally see this project completed, only to find out they axed it out of greed.
A gang of rich folks at the studio decided they were going to deny us this cinematic break from reality because they needed just a little more money than they already had.
The internet was furious, as you can imagine. Movie Twitter was offended, horrified and just plain pissed. Eventually, I tapped out of the conversation because it was leading nowhere—or so I thought.
Suddenly, one day, poof! There was news that the movie was back on, just not via Warner Brothers.
I always wondered how it all went down, and now we know.
Warner Bros axed this Looney Tunes movie. But fans refused to accept defeat - smh.com.au
If you’ve seen it, let me know your thoughts.
News: Drunk History is back from the dead
Today in News That Doesn’t Suck:
Comedy Central is bringing back Drunk History.
I don’t know about you, but this is something I can rally behind. Finally, some good news in this crazy world. I mean, I’ve never seen an episode of Drunk History that didn’t make me actually laugh out loud. When the guests are especially well chosen, dear god, it’s comedy gold. Thank you, universe, I needed this.
Comedy Central’s ‘Drunk History’ Returning With Three Short-Form Episodes This Fall - deadline.com
News: There are four movies coming out about billionaires and one very unsettling woman
Release the Orcas! There’s a trio of movies coming out that puts a few of billionaires under the microscope—and one intensely unsettling woman.
I realize not everyone has the ability to be as chronically online as me at this age, so try not to judge. Or, alternatively, lean into it. Either way, thanks for joining me on today’s installment of: Did you see that thing online?
So, did you see that clip of Elizabeth Holmes going around social media yesterday? It’s a clip from You Can See Everything, an A24 project where filmmakers follow Holmes around, moving in with her for two weeks before incarceration. I thought the clip was monumentally unsettling. Holmes gives off more uncanny valley than any real human being can and should have to tolerate. I initially thought the clip was from a mockumentary. It does not appear so. I am wholly invested.
We’re also getting another look into Mark Zuckerberg via Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning. It’s meant to be a sequel to The Social Network but Sony keeps calling it a companion piece. I’m unsure what they mean by that. Considering that Sorkin’s on record having said that Facebook is out of control, I’m excited to see where he takes this.
Andrew Garfield is playing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in the new Luca Guadagnino movie Artificial. I enjoy Guadagnino’s dreamy filmmaking style, and Garfield’s performances tend to land with me. His capacity for intense drama using just his facial expressions is exceptional. Hopefully we get a strong statement on what’s real and what’s artificial. Fingers crossed, people.
Lastly, there’s Musk. The running time is four hours. I’m already exhausted.
Hollywood Puts Four Tech Moguls on Trial in October Movie Pileup - hollywoodreporter.com
News: Ethan Hawke (a newer member of the MCU) still not the biggest fan of the super hero genre but that interview is about so much more
Look, it’s great that folks love their comic book movies. It’s fun to watch them get excited for the latest iteration of saving the world in capes. And, it’s easy to get swept up in that excitement. At first even I was a fan—Keaton Batman for life—but then they took over. Every blockbuster, superheroes. Every summer, superheroes. Every modern-day cultural movie moment, superheroes. It’s been that way ever since and the capes are starting to suffocate.
Photo: Tommasso Boddi
When asked about his thoughts on superhero movies now that he’s part of the MCU Hawke said, “If people like Scorsese and Coppola don’t come out to tell their truth about how there are more important things than making money, who’s going to?” Hawke added that critics needed to do better too saying, “If you keep reviewing these movies that are basically made for 14-year-olds like they’re “Fanny and Alexander” or “Winter Light,” then who the hell’s going to get to make “Winter Light”? I appreciate the elder statesmen of the community reminding people not to set the bar too low. I know it makes some people think they’re stuck up, but they’re not stuck up.
Ethan Hawke: Marvel Is ‘Extremely Actor-Friendly’ but ‘Might Not Be Director-Friendly’ - variety.com
What Ethan Hawke likes about working with Marvel is that actors are given lots of freedom to do their jobs. Unfortunately, he says the directors don’t have that luxury.
In this same interview with Indewire, Hawke discusses Tom Cruise’s career, working with Richard Linklater and the ending to Before Sunset. He goes on to talk about his upcoming HBO docuseries that focuses on Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward called The Last Movie Stars and all he’s learned during his long career. Worth a read if you too are a movie nerd.
Ethan Hawke: I’m at ‘the Beginning of My Last Act’ as an Actor - indewire.com
Russell Crowe has some strong feelings about 'Master and Commander'
I get that critique is part of the deal, I mean look at the nonsense I write on here. But was it necessary to tag Russell Crowe in the Tweet? To be honest, I don’t like the movie much either but maybe that’s because I’m an immature hack, who knows.