IN A WORLD where ONE MEME must STAND AND FIGHT
December 26, 2011 10:16 AM Subscribe
Danny Trejo IS Epic Beard Man IN Bad Ass (trailer - imdb).
The film will feature a good deal more walking away slowly from explosions than the actual incident did. It will also sand off the racist overtones of the original incident. The gentleman in question, Thomas Alexander Bruso, has landed on hard times.
The film will feature a good deal more walking away slowly from explosions than the actual incident did. It will also sand off the racist overtones of the original incident. The gentleman in question, Thomas Alexander Bruso, has landed on hard times.
In fairness, that looked to me like sprinting away from an explosion.
posted by stinkycheese at 10:25 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by stinkycheese at 10:25 AM on December 26, 2011
Epic trailer man.
posted by Fizz at 10:26 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Fizz at 10:26 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
I assume this going to really confuse white supremacists.
posted by stinkycheese at 10:27 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by stinkycheese at 10:27 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Don't think they're actually "making a movie about this" based on my perusal of the links, but that the incident semi-inspired a character that will be featured in a movie.
Which isn't to say that this isn't very interesting and entertaining.
Danny Trejo can do no wrong.
posted by davidmsc at 10:28 AM on December 26, 2011
Which isn't to say that this isn't very interesting and entertaining.
Danny Trejo can do no wrong.
posted by davidmsc at 10:28 AM on December 26, 2011
Wait, so Danny Trejo was a CIA agent all along?
posted by box at 10:28 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by box at 10:28 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
I was fucking born to watch this movie.
posted by brundlefly at 10:31 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 10:31 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
There are now more than 42,000 comments on the original YouTube post, and many of them are openly racist.
YouTube: many of them are openly racist
posted by nathancaswell at 10:31 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
YouTube: many of them are openly racist
posted by nathancaswell at 10:31 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
If you take an incident of a racist git beating up a black dude, and sand off the racism, what is left?
~ the sound of one hand clapping ~
posted by LogicalDash at 10:34 AM on December 26, 2011
~ the sound of one hand clapping ~
posted by LogicalDash at 10:34 AM on December 26, 2011
Hahahaha! Making fun of the mentally ill is hilarious!
posted by to sir with millipedes at 10:36 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by to sir with millipedes at 10:36 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hahahaha! Making fun of the mentally ill is hilarious!
It can be.
posted by xmutex at 10:37 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
It can be.
posted by xmutex at 10:37 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
At first I was like "Oh yeah! Epic Beard Man!"
But then I was like "Oh no. Epic Beard Man."
pretty sad story actually
posted by orme at 10:38 AM on December 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
But then I was like "Oh no. Epic Beard Man."
pretty sad story actually
posted by orme at 10:38 AM on December 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
It will also sand off the racist overtones of the original incident.
By setting up the aggressors to be a pair of bald white guys in flight jackets harassing a latino guy? Hmmm....
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:44 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
By setting up the aggressors to be a pair of bald white guys in flight jackets harassing a latino guy? Hmmm....
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 10:44 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
The real world has gone so far into the rabbit hole of Network the movie now looks tame by comparison. Mental illness is not cool to celebrate. I hope the movie makers donate some of the profits to housing this guy and getting him some meds.
posted by benzenedream at 10:47 AM on December 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 10:47 AM on December 26, 2011 [5 favorites]
A far more interesting story would have been to tell the story from the perspective of Amber Lamps. Racist white guy smart-mouths, goads and eventually beats down minority is no story... Beautiful white chick who sits by dumbly and lets it happen - that's the tale of our times. Fucking Hollywood - always backs the wrong horse...
posted by benzo8 at 10:51 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by benzo8 at 10:51 AM on December 26, 2011
Beautiful white chick who sits by dumbly and lets it happen - that's the tale of our times.
Every person with an ounce of sanity would stay out of that situation and let the lunatics exhaust themselves pummeling one another.
posted by xmutex at 10:54 AM on December 26, 2011 [17 favorites]
Every person with an ounce of sanity would stay out of that situation and let the lunatics exhaust themselves pummeling one another.
posted by xmutex at 10:54 AM on December 26, 2011 [17 favorites]
Don't think they're actually "making a movie about this" based on my perusal of the links, but that the incident semi-inspired a character that will be featured in a movie.
I think we can all agree that the most important part is the fact that an ersatz Amber Lamps is in the trailer. She's seated, serene, wearing headphones, seen when the woman is filming the incident.
That, and the fact that Danny Trejo is inherently awesome.
If you take an incident of a racist git beating up a black dude, and sand off the racism, what is left?
On the one hand, I totally understand why they didn't want to give in to the race-baiting of much of the fan base, but on the other hand, it's not as if those same race-baiters are going to be any more enlightened because the movie's switched the races around. The people who had liked how the white dude beat up the black dude will cry "reverse racism!" because now it's a hispanic dude beating up a white dude.
It's been a trope since about the mid-70s to replace black thugs with white thugs, especially generic punk-looking thugs, or mixed-race gangs: anything to avoid the outright appearance that a movie is pitting white heroes against hordes of black villains. It comes from a good place, but once in a while, especially when it's a "based on a true story" type of thing, it brushes against the edge of something bothersome that I can't quite put my finger on.
In this case, the trope crosses over from what had been a long-needed corrective from a certain kind of vicious, racist narrative, to something more like what Zizek has called "tact" - the idea that we often choose to be more "tactful" by outright ignoring or denying what is front of us. The idea of a man barging into the room of a naked woman, and then tactfully saying, "oh, sorry, I didn't see anything, Monsieur."
We all know that part of the appeal of the original video had been that the "black dude" had been aching for a fight with Epic Beard Guy, accompanied by the jeering of the camerawoman, but then there was almost comically-timed comeuppance when the black dude gets the stuffing beaten out of him. For many of those fans and commenters out there in YouTubeLand, Epic Beard Guy was a symbol of white people feeling threatened by black people, except in this case the black dude was absurdly driven to fight, and EBG even moves himself out of the conflict (despite having shared some muttered fightin' words earlier)...I mean, it was just such an obviously extreme scenario.
So when you make the movie out of his story, but you sand the racism, what you're left with is still the same racist narrative, except we've tactfully eliminated any mention of the racism which had made it appealing in the first place. We haven't actually eliminated the racism - just the mention of it.
posted by Sticherbeast at 10:55 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
I think we can all agree that the most important part is the fact that an ersatz Amber Lamps is in the trailer. She's seated, serene, wearing headphones, seen when the woman is filming the incident.
That, and the fact that Danny Trejo is inherently awesome.
If you take an incident of a racist git beating up a black dude, and sand off the racism, what is left?
On the one hand, I totally understand why they didn't want to give in to the race-baiting of much of the fan base, but on the other hand, it's not as if those same race-baiters are going to be any more enlightened because the movie's switched the races around. The people who had liked how the white dude beat up the black dude will cry "reverse racism!" because now it's a hispanic dude beating up a white dude.
It's been a trope since about the mid-70s to replace black thugs with white thugs, especially generic punk-looking thugs, or mixed-race gangs: anything to avoid the outright appearance that a movie is pitting white heroes against hordes of black villains. It comes from a good place, but once in a while, especially when it's a "based on a true story" type of thing, it brushes against the edge of something bothersome that I can't quite put my finger on.
In this case, the trope crosses over from what had been a long-needed corrective from a certain kind of vicious, racist narrative, to something more like what Zizek has called "tact" - the idea that we often choose to be more "tactful" by outright ignoring or denying what is front of us. The idea of a man barging into the room of a naked woman, and then tactfully saying, "oh, sorry, I didn't see anything, Monsieur."
We all know that part of the appeal of the original video had been that the "black dude" had been aching for a fight with Epic Beard Guy, accompanied by the jeering of the camerawoman, but then there was almost comically-timed comeuppance when the black dude gets the stuffing beaten out of him. For many of those fans and commenters out there in YouTubeLand, Epic Beard Guy was a symbol of white people feeling threatened by black people, except in this case the black dude was absurdly driven to fight, and EBG even moves himself out of the conflict (despite having shared some muttered fightin' words earlier)...I mean, it was just such an obviously extreme scenario.
So when you make the movie out of his story, but you sand the racism, what you're left with is still the same racist narrative, except we've tactfully eliminated any mention of the racism which had made it appealing in the first place. We haven't actually eliminated the racism - just the mention of it.
posted by Sticherbeast at 10:55 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
jesus christ xmutex
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 10:58 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 10:58 AM on December 26, 2011
Hey, by all means, if it's your thing, go on to city busses and get into the middle of crazy people fighting. Good luck with that. I'll be hanging out with Amber Lamps minding my own damned business.
posted by xmutex at 11:01 AM on December 26, 2011 [10 favorites]
posted by xmutex at 11:01 AM on December 26, 2011 [10 favorites]
I saw the real Epic Beard Man a couple of weeks ago (near 12th street bart station) and I nearly shit myself. He's a nerd superstar without actually being a nerd.
posted by lamp at 11:03 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by lamp at 11:03 AM on December 26, 2011
jesus christ xmutex
I would ask anyone who disagreed with xmutex's core advice "where do you live?" In all seriousness, not in a dismissive way at all. Because, in the city where I live, getting involved in an altercation like this is a great way to get beaten, shot or stabbed. I would 100% stay the fuck out of this situation were I to encounter it. And I bet New York doesn't have half of the latent racial tension that Oakland does, which makes getting involved even sketchier. If you live in a big city and you'd get involved in something like this rather than standing back and hoping the blood didn't spray in your face you're a better person than I am.
posted by nathancaswell at 11:06 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
I would ask anyone who disagreed with xmutex's core advice "where do you live?" In all seriousness, not in a dismissive way at all. Because, in the city where I live, getting involved in an altercation like this is a great way to get beaten, shot or stabbed. I would 100% stay the fuck out of this situation were I to encounter it. And I bet New York doesn't have half of the latent racial tension that Oakland does, which makes getting involved even sketchier. If you live in a big city and you'd get involved in something like this rather than standing back and hoping the blood didn't spray in your face you're a better person than I am.
posted by nathancaswell at 11:06 AM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
I'm the kind of guy who gets involved. Because I'm big and impulsive, and because when I was attacked by a crazy guy with a knife there was someone else who got involved (another big, impulsive guy). If I were an eighty pound girl, however, I'd try to make myself as invisible as possible in this situation and I will advise my daughter to do the same. Just as soon as she's allowed out by herself. In about thirty years' time.
posted by tigrefacile at 11:08 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tigrefacile at 11:08 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Anyone who thinks my comment is about whether they, or Amber Lamps, should personally have stepped in between EBM and Michael needs to learn to read better. Or I should write better. One or the other...
posted by benzo8 at 11:12 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by benzo8 at 11:12 AM on December 26, 2011
no i mean
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 11:12 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
because whatHahahaha! Making fun of the mentally ill is hilarious!It can be.
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 11:12 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Good on you but there's a difference between an innocent person being attacked by someone wielding a knife and two guys picking a fight with each other over some race shit. In my opinion. I'd like to think I'd get involved if someone was attacking an innocent person with a knife, but who knows, really.
posted by nathancaswell at 11:12 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by nathancaswell at 11:12 AM on December 26, 2011
because what
I don't know. Are there not tons of movies where some group or another including the mentally is made the butt of a joke? It happens. It can be funny. This whole "you can't make fun of this group of people" thing pretty much logically exhausts all of comedy now doesn't it. A lot of people laughed about the Epic Beard Man thing. Most people did. I don't feel badly about it.
posted by xmutex at 11:18 AM on December 26, 2011
I don't know. Are there not tons of movies where some group or another including the mentally is made the butt of a joke? It happens. It can be funny. This whole "you can't make fun of this group of people" thing pretty much logically exhausts all of comedy now doesn't it. A lot of people laughed about the Epic Beard Man thing. Most people did. I don't feel badly about it.
posted by xmutex at 11:18 AM on December 26, 2011
I will advise my daughter to do the same. Just as soon as she's allowed out by herself. In about thirty years' time.
she must be a hard case if she gets parole in thirty years
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:19 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
she must be a hard case if she gets parole in thirty years
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:19 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
nathancaswell, that wasn't in response to you, in fact. What happened to me happened on public transport in a confined space so it chimes a little. A guy pulled a knife on me because he didn't like the way I was looking at him. I wasn't looking at him but I had a black eye at the time (sporting injury) so in the crazy guy's mind I was some kind of a threat. Everyone got out of the way while I held his wrists and he tried to slash/stab me. Then a really big guy stepped in and saved me. So I'd feel, and have felt compelled to pay it forward.
posted by tigrefacile at 11:22 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by tigrefacile at 11:22 AM on December 26, 2011
Yikes, I got a knife pulled on me in Boston once, wasn't fun. Didn't progress to the point of struggling though, thankfully.
posted by nathancaswell at 11:24 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by nathancaswell at 11:24 AM on December 26, 2011
@mutex
im gonna link to this again, so sorry everyone who is sick of reading it, i am not trying to force a meme
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 11:26 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
im gonna link to this again, so sorry everyone who is sick of reading it, i am not trying to force a meme
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 11:26 AM on December 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Normal humor is a weak person making fun of strong people, or making fun of events beyond his control.
Conservative "humor" is a strong person making fun of the weak and powerless, for being weak and powerless.
Events beyond your control can include the infirmity or misery of others. It might not be pretty but it is pretty clearly a fact of life. Laughter can be a response at uncomfortableness. So two people might immaturely giggle at the antics of a mentally ill person, one person might be laughing at the weak and powerless, the other person might be laughing at events beyond his control. (of course, most people grow up and stop laughing at such things altogether, but that is another matter)
I suspect that is why some people laugh at funerals too.
posted by ian1977 at 11:34 AM on December 26, 2011
Conservative "humor" is a strong person making fun of the weak and powerless, for being weak and powerless.
Events beyond your control can include the infirmity or misery of others. It might not be pretty but it is pretty clearly a fact of life. Laughter can be a response at uncomfortableness. So two people might immaturely giggle at the antics of a mentally ill person, one person might be laughing at the weak and powerless, the other person might be laughing at events beyond his control. (of course, most people grow up and stop laughing at such things altogether, but that is another matter)
I suspect that is why some people laugh at funerals too.
posted by ian1977 at 11:34 AM on December 26, 2011
im gonna link to this again, so sorry everyone who is sick of reading it, i am not trying to force a meme
I'm glad the motivations and intentions of comedy are so clear to some of you as to be wrapped into a tidy little slogan.
posted by xmutex at 11:36 AM on December 26, 2011
I'm glad the motivations and intentions of comedy are so clear to some of you as to be wrapped into a tidy little slogan.
posted by xmutex at 11:36 AM on December 26, 2011
Wow, this is a coincidence I watched this video again this morning. Is this the first case of an internet meme being turned into the main argument to a movie? Interesting stuff, but still, kinda thin to base a whole movie on. Looks like one of those movies centered around one of those second-rate SNL characters, like Pat or Hans & Franz.
posted by falameufilho at 11:37 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by falameufilho at 11:37 AM on December 26, 2011
Also - I hope the original Epic Beard Man gets a residual. Looks like he could use the cash.
posted by falameufilho at 11:39 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by falameufilho at 11:39 AM on December 26, 2011
I was fucking born to watch this movie.
I say the same thing about Mommie Dearest.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:39 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
I say the same thing about Mommie Dearest.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:39 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Don't all jokes hinge on a reversal of expectation? So if we laugh at someone behaving abnormally it's because we don't expect abnormal behaviour. If we laugh at a joke made at the expense of the mentally ill it's because we know that subject is taboo.
posted by tigrefacile at 11:40 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by tigrefacile at 11:40 AM on December 26, 2011
I see movie trailers like this, or celebrity gossip mags in the supermarket, or 98% of cable television, and I just wonder: do the creators of this product have any positive feelings towards their audience whatsoever, or is it just overwhelming contempt?
posted by crayz at 11:43 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by crayz at 11:43 AM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
oh well
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 11:43 AM on December 26, 2011
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 11:43 AM on December 26, 2011
Sticherbeast: "It comes from a good place, but once in a while, especially when it's a "based on a true story" type of thing, it brushes against the edge of something bothersome that I can't quite put my finger on. "
I'm not a fan of Tom Clancy by any means, but I rather enjoyed the book "The Sum of All Fears", as lowbrow as it was. I remember when I went to see the movie version and instead of the original, somewhat credible scenario of Arab terrorists attacking the US with an Israeli nuclear warhead they dug out of the ground in Syria, we get this ridiculous neo-Nazi mastermind. Just like you, I understand it comes from a good place, and I also find it quite bothersome - even with a work of fiction.
posted by falameufilho at 11:51 AM on December 26, 2011
I'm not a fan of Tom Clancy by any means, but I rather enjoyed the book "The Sum of All Fears", as lowbrow as it was. I remember when I went to see the movie version and instead of the original, somewhat credible scenario of Arab terrorists attacking the US with an Israeli nuclear warhead they dug out of the ground in Syria, we get this ridiculous neo-Nazi mastermind. Just like you, I understand it comes from a good place, and I also find it quite bothersome - even with a work of fiction.
posted by falameufilho at 11:51 AM on December 26, 2011
The best part of this film is when Trejo's agent gets 10%.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:05 PM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:05 PM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Trejo is awesome.
I guess Hollywood is trying to cash in on the older demographic. First, there was Willis, Freeman, and Mirren in Red and then Hauer in Hobo with a Shotgun, now Bad Ass.
posted by porpoise at 12:16 PM on December 26, 2011
I guess Hollywood is trying to cash in on the older demographic. First, there was Willis, Freeman, and Mirren in Red and then Hauer in Hobo with a Shotgun, now Bad Ass.
posted by porpoise at 12:16 PM on December 26, 2011
This whole "you can't make fun of this group of people" thing pretty much logically exhausts all of comedy now doesn't it.
Only if you have no imagination and you have mistaken bullying for comedy.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 12:27 PM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
Only if you have no imagination and you have mistaken bullying for comedy.
posted by Bunny Ultramod at 12:27 PM on December 26, 2011 [4 favorites]
Who gives a shit what xmutex thinks is funny you judgemental pricks. Professing love for a two-dimensional stunt guy who has been given leading roles in movies for 13 year old boys is far worse.
Oh but he's relatable because he's ugly like all of you!*
*Now that's how you do judgmental!
posted by basicchannel at 1:54 PM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Oh but he's relatable because he's ugly like all of you!*
*Now that's how you do judgmental!
posted by basicchannel at 1:54 PM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
This is not an eponysterical comment.
posted by Beardman at 2:01 PM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Beardman at 2:01 PM on December 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
I agree with Sticherbeast, but I also think that so many people twisted the incident into some Bernie-Goetz-like racist victory makes it rather awkward for the filmmakers.
The "mental illness as comedy" thing is the one thing about Tim and Eric Awesome Show that makes me really uncomfortable, e.g. David Liebe Hart.
posted by Pope Xanax IV at 2:11 PM on December 26, 2011
The "mental illness as comedy" thing is the one thing about Tim and Eric Awesome Show that makes me really uncomfortable, e.g. David Liebe Hart.
posted by Pope Xanax IV at 2:11 PM on December 26, 2011
Oops, Sticherbeast definitely explained that in his post. Sorry, I'm not all here today.
posted by Pope Xanax IV at 2:13 PM on December 26, 2011
posted by Pope Xanax IV at 2:13 PM on December 26, 2011
On a different note, if it's still set in Oakland, that means two movies set here in 12 months! The only other one I even know was something involving an elephant or a gorilla or something from the early 90's.
posted by clorox at 2:44 PM on December 26, 2011
posted by clorox at 2:44 PM on December 26, 2011
You guys ever see the part after Epic Beard Man gets off the bus? He rages somewhat incoherently as people taunt him, then he wanders off.
I think we can all agree the young woman dubbed Amber Lamps is the key figure here. Some have called her a sign of our times, unwilling to get involved and make a difference. Some have called her a victim of our times, standing alone and embattled, mute and impotent when confronted with forces beyond her control. Some say she was added to the video after the fact,and she is actually viral marketing by American Apparel.
Who is the real Amber Lamps, victim? Scoundrel? Or something much more sinister.
posted by Ad hominem at 3:44 PM on December 26, 2011
I think we can all agree the young woman dubbed Amber Lamps is the key figure here. Some have called her a sign of our times, unwilling to get involved and make a difference. Some have called her a victim of our times, standing alone and embattled, mute and impotent when confronted with forces beyond her control. Some say she was added to the video after the fact,and she is actually viral marketing by American Apparel.
Who is the real Amber Lamps, victim? Scoundrel? Or something much more sinister.
posted by Ad hominem at 3:44 PM on December 26, 2011
The "mental illness as comedy" thing is the one thing about Tim and Eric Awesome Show that makes me really uncomfortable,
Gah, so that's what makes me feel ill watching that crap fest of a show. I never could put a finger on it, but every time i had friends tell me how great it was, i feel the same way i do when watching Toddlers and Tiaras, not even joking.
there was almost comically-timed comeuppance when the black dude gets the stuffing beaten out of him. For many of those fans and commenters out there in YouTubeLand, Epic Beard Guy was a symbol of white people feeling threatened by black people, except in this case the black dude was absurdly driven to fight, and EBG even moves himself out of the conflict (despite having shared some muttered fightin' words earlier).
See, i didn't see it that way. Take out the race, and that's how i felt. I've been confronted by people of all races, being bigger and having drunk and or aggressive people often trying to start fights, it wasn't "White guy beats black guy", it was "guy tries to start fight with person he thinks he can take easily, gets owned by him." I know people will always turn things to race, but that's not what i got out of it.
And to those who think mental illness is funny, i hope they get some sort of serious one, and don't have insurance. Let's see how funny they think that is.
posted by usagizero at 5:02 PM on December 26, 2011
Gah, so that's what makes me feel ill watching that crap fest of a show. I never could put a finger on it, but every time i had friends tell me how great it was, i feel the same way i do when watching Toddlers and Tiaras, not even joking.
there was almost comically-timed comeuppance when the black dude gets the stuffing beaten out of him. For many of those fans and commenters out there in YouTubeLand, Epic Beard Guy was a symbol of white people feeling threatened by black people, except in this case the black dude was absurdly driven to fight, and EBG even moves himself out of the conflict (despite having shared some muttered fightin' words earlier).
See, i didn't see it that way. Take out the race, and that's how i felt. I've been confronted by people of all races, being bigger and having drunk and or aggressive people often trying to start fights, it wasn't "White guy beats black guy", it was "guy tries to start fight with person he thinks he can take easily, gets owned by him." I know people will always turn things to race, but that's not what i got out of it.
And to those who think mental illness is funny, i hope they get some sort of serious one, and don't have insurance. Let's see how funny they think that is.
posted by usagizero at 5:02 PM on December 26, 2011
And to those who think mental illness is funny, i hope they get some sort of serious one, and don't have insurance. Let's see how funny they think that is.
Maybe thinking mental illness is funny is a mental illness.
And now, you've hoped misfortune on someone, because they have a mental illness.
I guess that makes you some sort of horrible person.
I hope that you...
posted by stifford at 5:40 PM on December 26, 2011
Maybe thinking mental illness is funny is a mental illness.
And now, you've hoped misfortune on someone, because they have a mental illness.
I guess that makes you some sort of horrible person.
I hope that you...
posted by stifford at 5:40 PM on December 26, 2011
I am a Motherfucker - documentary about Tom Bruso (aka Epic Beard Man). Part 2.
The title comes from the shirt Bruso was wearing in the original video, and that Trejo appears to be wearing in the Badass trailer.
Epic Beard Man followup: I am Homeless.
posted by mediated self at 5:53 PM on December 26, 2011
The title comes from the shirt Bruso was wearing in the original video, and that Trejo appears to be wearing in the Badass trailer.
Epic Beard Man followup: I am Homeless.
posted by mediated self at 5:53 PM on December 26, 2011
Exploitation films gotta exploit!
posted by elwoodwiles at 6:04 PM on December 26, 2011
posted by elwoodwiles at 6:04 PM on December 26, 2011
For a second there I thought maybe the grindhouse homeless vigilante thing was one of those time-has-come things like Antz/Bug's Life or Armageddon/Deep Impact, but seeing as how this is coming out almost one whole year after Hobo With a Shotgun, it looks more like lame piggybacking.
Sort of like how Cars 2 (2011) is just a total rip-off of Little Cars 2: Rodopolis Adventures (2007).
posted by dgaicun at 9:55 PM on December 26, 2011
Sort of like how Cars 2 (2011) is just a total rip-off of Little Cars 2: Rodopolis Adventures (2007).
posted by dgaicun at 9:55 PM on December 26, 2011
... OT, but speaking of the duplicate movie phenomenon.
posted by dgaicun at 10:11 PM on December 26, 2011
posted by dgaicun at 10:11 PM on December 26, 2011
I remember witnessing something like this a few years back.
The girlfriend of the time and I were checking out a couple horror movies at the local second-run discount theatre (I think it was Dr. Giggles, and I was sure it was Candyman). There was a large group of highly disrespectful and rather loud patrons behind us that did have some African-American elements.
They slowly built in volume and frequency throughout Dr. Giggles, and, after reaching a near peak during Candyman (to the point the GoTT and I were considering leaving and asking for a refund), a Caucasian woman towards the front of the theatre yells "Will you Nwords just shut the fuck up?"
The party behinds us vigorously demands the woman repeat her request.
She does so a second time, with the attendant poor choice of vocabulary.
One of the party behind us doesn't so much stand as unfold himself from his seat, and, forthwith, offers violence to the speaker of said poorly chosen prose.
Said female speaker than hops to her feet, offering what to me seemed both a paean to having a full collector's set of chromosomes as well as a serious object lesson against allowing incest, gladly calls out the towering person behind me.
Samizdata, in his man of action phase, then asks GoTT if we should bail or should I get involved, since showing up to teach my classes the next day with a black eye, missing tooth, or other easily visible sign of his lack of martial prowess would be a very bad thing.)
The two parties close the distance.
Samizdata/GoTT decides civil responsibility wins out, and Samizdata prepares to flank. A third party decides to intervene, and beats me, being much closer.
Said party is very soon sprawled apparently quite painfully on his back by the towering combatant.
At this point, Samizdata pauses his cogitation, looks at GoTT, and says "Fuck this. We're bailing now." As Samizdata bravely joins the 80% of the crowd rapidly deciding on discretion rather than valor, he hears the increasing clangor of the fracas behind him.
On the way out, Samizdata is not a complete wuss, and offers to wait to offer testimony to the local constabulary, which is accepted. They soon arrive and start escorting out several people of varying ancestry, cuffed, and bearing wounds of an exciting variety, in cuffs.
Samizdata then offers his account of the proceedings and is released to return home. On his return, he tries several time to call the theatre for a briefing on the denouement, but cannily deduces the theatre took their phone off the hook.
Samizdata returns to work the next day, hale and hearty.
TL;DR - nano race riot breaks out at movie theatre. Samizdata runs away and later spouts excessive verbiage in a vain attempt to make the story more memorable and amusing.
(Samizdata also did not realize what a bloody wall of text he spews forth and apologizes to any one inconvenienced. He also thanks $DEITY for spell check.)
posted by Samizdata at 10:49 PM on December 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
The girlfriend of the time and I were checking out a couple horror movies at the local second-run discount theatre (I think it was Dr. Giggles, and I was sure it was Candyman). There was a large group of highly disrespectful and rather loud patrons behind us that did have some African-American elements.
They slowly built in volume and frequency throughout Dr. Giggles, and, after reaching a near peak during Candyman (to the point the GoTT and I were considering leaving and asking for a refund), a Caucasian woman towards the front of the theatre yells "Will you Nwords just shut the fuck up?"
The party behinds us vigorously demands the woman repeat her request.
She does so a second time, with the attendant poor choice of vocabulary.
One of the party behind us doesn't so much stand as unfold himself from his seat, and, forthwith, offers violence to the speaker of said poorly chosen prose.
Said female speaker than hops to her feet, offering what to me seemed both a paean to having a full collector's set of chromosomes as well as a serious object lesson against allowing incest, gladly calls out the towering person behind me.
Samizdata, in his man of action phase, then asks GoTT if we should bail or should I get involved, since showing up to teach my classes the next day with a black eye, missing tooth, or other easily visible sign of his lack of martial prowess would be a very bad thing.)
The two parties close the distance.
Samizdata/GoTT decides civil responsibility wins out, and Samizdata prepares to flank. A third party decides to intervene, and beats me, being much closer.
Said party is very soon sprawled apparently quite painfully on his back by the towering combatant.
At this point, Samizdata pauses his cogitation, looks at GoTT, and says "Fuck this. We're bailing now." As Samizdata bravely joins the 80% of the crowd rapidly deciding on discretion rather than valor, he hears the increasing clangor of the fracas behind him.
On the way out, Samizdata is not a complete wuss, and offers to wait to offer testimony to the local constabulary, which is accepted. They soon arrive and start escorting out several people of varying ancestry, cuffed, and bearing wounds of an exciting variety, in cuffs.
Samizdata then offers his account of the proceedings and is released to return home. On his return, he tries several time to call the theatre for a briefing on the denouement, but cannily deduces the theatre took their phone off the hook.
Samizdata returns to work the next day, hale and hearty.
TL;DR - nano race riot breaks out at movie theatre. Samizdata runs away and later spouts excessive verbiage in a vain attempt to make the story more memorable and amusing.
(Samizdata also did not realize what a bloody wall of text he spews forth and apologizes to any one inconvenienced. He also thanks $DEITY for spell check.)
posted by Samizdata at 10:49 PM on December 26, 2011 [3 favorites]
My theory is that Amber Lamps is a symbol of our tendency to fixate on irrelevant background detail because we can't deal with what's happening right in front of our faces.
posted by Ritchie at 2:33 AM on December 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Ritchie at 2:33 AM on December 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's not enough to be a person of substance, you need to be a person of substantial substance, as in bigger than both parties involved. If one of the combatants is large enough or crazy enough to view you as a road-bump rather than a wall, retreat and get the police involved.
Especially in the Amber Lamps situation - the black kid should have recognized the crazy and gotten off at the next stop, as there are few things less wonderful than discovering you have a role ready for you in someone else's psychosis. Even if he won, he would have just beaten up a crazy old homeless man, not exactly a blow for civil rights. It shows he's not terribly bright and has a cruel streak - that combo isn't known for rewarding compassion with thanks and appreciation.
(And it's a shame that happened, Samizdata - watching a bad horror movie at a dollar theater with a primarily African American audience was a hidden gem of the movie-going world. It's like MST3K and Rocky Horror meets The Dozens... really interactive and rowdy. The worse the movie, the sillier the audience gets, and the more entertaining the experience. I'm usually a Serious Moviegoer, but I loved watching People Under the Stairs with audience members shouting, "Don't go in there! Don't go in there! Why'd you go in there? You stupid?" It took me a while to warm up to it, but once you accept it's happening, it's very fun.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 5:26 AM on December 27, 2011
Especially in the Amber Lamps situation - the black kid should have recognized the crazy and gotten off at the next stop, as there are few things less wonderful than discovering you have a role ready for you in someone else's psychosis. Even if he won, he would have just beaten up a crazy old homeless man, not exactly a blow for civil rights. It shows he's not terribly bright and has a cruel streak - that combo isn't known for rewarding compassion with thanks and appreciation.
(And it's a shame that happened, Samizdata - watching a bad horror movie at a dollar theater with a primarily African American audience was a hidden gem of the movie-going world. It's like MST3K and Rocky Horror meets The Dozens... really interactive and rowdy. The worse the movie, the sillier the audience gets, and the more entertaining the experience. I'm usually a Serious Moviegoer, but I loved watching People Under the Stairs with audience members shouting, "Don't go in there! Don't go in there! Why'd you go in there? You stupid?" It took me a while to warm up to it, but once you accept it's happening, it's very fun.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 5:26 AM on December 27, 2011
@usagizero
to be fair, though, they also make sport of the old and the lower classes!
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 8:50 AM on December 27, 2011
i feel the same way i do when watching Toddlers and Tiaras, not even joking.yes. thank you
to be fair, though, they also make sport of the old and the lower classes!
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 8:50 AM on December 27, 2011
Slap*Happy: "(And it's a shame that happened, Samizdata - watching a bad horror movie at a dollar theater with a primarily African American audience was a hidden gem of the movie-going world. It's like MST3K and Rocky Horror meets The Dozens... really interactive and rowdy. The worse the movie, the sillier the audience gets, and the more entertaining the experience. I'm usually a Serious Moviegoer, but I loved watching People Under the Stairs with audience members shouting, "Don't go in there! Don't go in there! Why'd you go in there? You stupid?" It took me a while to warm up to it, but once you accept it's happening, it's very fun.)"
Oh, I ever so fondly remember some good rowdy theatre crowds in my past (Where are we going? PLANET TEN! When will we get there? REAL SOON!), but there's a point when the rest of the audience would appreciate actually making out the audio, especially if your hearing isn't the best like mine. And with my lack of a discernable neck, I was Rocky Horror cast for a long time...
posted by Samizdata at 3:05 PM on December 27, 2011
Oh, I ever so fondly remember some good rowdy theatre crowds in my past (Where are we going? PLANET TEN! When will we get there? REAL SOON!), but there's a point when the rest of the audience would appreciate actually making out the audio, especially if your hearing isn't the best like mine. And with my lack of a discernable neck, I was Rocky Horror cast for a long time...
posted by Samizdata at 3:05 PM on December 27, 2011
I don't see it linked, but oddly enough, I first heard about Epic Beard Man right here on Metafilter, through a deleted thread and it's subsequent Metatalk page. While I completely understand the original deletion, there is a certain amount of interesting conversation and links for those that may, for whatever reason, want to read more on EBM.
posted by mysterpigg at 10:27 AM on December 28, 2011
posted by mysterpigg at 10:27 AM on December 28, 2011
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This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
also man, theyre actually making a movie about this, shit is getting too real :|
posted by This, of course, alludes to you at 10:23 AM on December 26, 2011