"..." (I'm miming it)
April 3, 2007 3:42 PM Subscribe
Why do people hate mimes? First you should get to grips with the history then get into a mime version of 9/11. Follow it up with an interpretation of Camus's The Outsider and Daniel Reyes's Mimes of the Caribbean. End your lesson with Mime World.
I think many who have disdain for mimes can recall when someone they knew was in the drama club and spent way too much time trying to impress everyone with the "I am caught in this box" or "Boy, this gust of wind is relentless" mimicry -- to the point of total annoyance.
posted by ericb at 3:50 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by ericb at 3:50 PM on April 3, 2007
As I've said before, it's those stupid outfits that piss me off.
Stripey shirts, suspenders and berets.
Hit 'em with my car.
posted by Dizzy at 3:51 PM on April 3, 2007 [3 favorites]
Stripey shirts, suspenders and berets.
Hit 'em with my car.
posted by Dizzy at 3:51 PM on April 3, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:51 PM on April 3, 2007 [18 favorites]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:51 PM on April 3, 2007 [18 favorites]
At least mimes can't further the annoyance factor by constantly saying things like: "This one time, at mime camp..."
posted by ericb at 3:53 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by ericb at 3:53 PM on April 3, 2007
For some reason I honestly love the 9/11 mime. Something so totally contradictory in the presentation versus the subject matter. And isn't that Enya? Which recalls fond memories of LA Story.
posted by meech at 3:57 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by meech at 3:57 PM on April 3, 2007
i find them stilted and limited (ballet too)...there's something about the restrictions and stylization that makes it not-so-entertaining (altho other limited, stylized things like puppetry don't affect me the same way--i guess limiting peoples' speech and movements is what it is).
i wonder if people 90 years ago+ (before radios and talkies) found them as weird too? It's interesting that it comes from of a truly non-limited performing genre originally.
posted by amberglow at 3:57 PM on April 3, 2007
i wonder if people 90 years ago+ (before radios and talkies) found them as weird too? It's interesting that it comes from of a truly non-limited performing genre originally.
posted by amberglow at 3:57 PM on April 3, 2007
Mostly because they gratuitously mock unsuspecting and innocent passers by. But that's my personal reason.
posted by psmealey at 3:58 PM on April 3, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by psmealey at 3:58 PM on April 3, 2007 [2 favorites]
Why hate mimes? Because we're no longer permitted to hate anyone else. (Well, except for white businessmen. They're fair game.)
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 4:00 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 4:00 PM on April 3, 2007
People hate mimes because they've heard other people say they hate mimes. It's like fruitcake that way; it's become a meme. The anti-mime meme.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 4:02 PM on April 3, 2007 [5 favorites]
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 4:02 PM on April 3, 2007 [5 favorites]
Turns out drunks love mimes, and mimes love being drunks.
posted by ericb at 4:05 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by ericb at 4:05 PM on April 3, 2007
.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 4:09 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by beaucoupkevin at 4:09 PM on April 3, 2007
I didn't hate mimes until I saw that 9/11 mime.
posted by serazin at 4:12 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by serazin at 4:12 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
Some mime hate probably has to do with the anti-French sentiment that is common in some circles of the US.
posted by bhouston at 4:12 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by bhouston at 4:12 PM on April 3, 2007
When the revolution comes, all mime-haters will be re-educated by watching Les Enfants du Paradis to see what true miming is. It's an awesome film, made even better by the story of how it was made...
"Les Enfants du Paradis (released as Children of Paradise in North America) is a 1945 film by French director Marcel Carné, made during the Nazi occupation of France."
Pierre Renoir took over the role of Jéricho (an informer) after the actor Robert Le Vigan was arrested for being a Nazi collaborator. One of his scenes survives late in the film.
A large number of members of the French Resistance worked on this film's crew, as Nazi power was at its peak in France and these fighters needed concealing.
posted by lekvar at 4:13 PM on April 3, 2007
"Les Enfants du Paradis (released as Children of Paradise in North America) is a 1945 film by French director Marcel Carné, made during the Nazi occupation of France."
Pierre Renoir took over the role of Jéricho (an informer) after the actor Robert Le Vigan was arrested for being a Nazi collaborator. One of his scenes survives late in the film.
A large number of members of the French Resistance worked on this film's crew, as Nazi power was at its peak in France and these fighters needed concealing.
posted by lekvar at 4:13 PM on April 3, 2007
I suppose that it's like clowning. Not many people like clowns.
Both can be aggressive - especially the busking types. They get in your space and try to "force" their entertainment upon you. Part of their shtick is audience participation, and many people are uncomfortable with becoming part of the performance - especially when they are invariably the butt of the "joke". So they'd rather not be anywhere near them for fear of suddenly being conscripted into something they're not comfortable with.
Then there's the makeup, the weird clothes, and the extreme effeminacy of certain performers (don't want to catch the gay, you know). And don't forget the association of clowns with child-molesters and murders (and by face paint association, mimes get this treatment too).
Most people don't deal well with "weird" and thus, most people don't like mimes.
That's my guess.
/ get away from me you freak, I'm not part of your "act"
posted by C.Batt at 4:17 PM on April 3, 2007 [4 favorites]
Both can be aggressive - especially the busking types. They get in your space and try to "force" their entertainment upon you. Part of their shtick is audience participation, and many people are uncomfortable with becoming part of the performance - especially when they are invariably the butt of the "joke". So they'd rather not be anywhere near them for fear of suddenly being conscripted into something they're not comfortable with.
Then there's the makeup, the weird clothes, and the extreme effeminacy of certain performers (don't want to catch the gay, you know). And don't forget the association of clowns with child-molesters and murders (and by face paint association, mimes get this treatment too).
Most people don't deal well with "weird" and thus, most people don't like mimes.
That's my guess.
/ get away from me you freak, I'm not part of your "act"
posted by C.Batt at 4:17 PM on April 3, 2007 [4 favorites]
Personally, my hatred of mimes rests soley on the shoulders of this man. And upon review, he's even less funny than I remember him being during my childhood. Apparently nowadays he even annoys bystanders with a theramin (!!????). Oh Lordy.
A friend in Boston has a better & way funnier reason to hate mimes than I do, though.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:25 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
A friend in Boston has a better & way funnier reason to hate mimes than I do, though.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:25 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
That 9/11 mime... ugh.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:32 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 4:32 PM on April 3, 2007
Other people making a spectacle of themselves is something I find uncomfortable and embarrassing. I find the people who gather and watch even more uncomfortable to be around, though.
posted by maxwelton at 4:41 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by maxwelton at 4:41 PM on April 3, 2007
I actually studied mime in grade school.
I enjoyed it and my yo-yo was by far the best performance of the recital.
...my poor parents.
posted by Mick at 4:44 PM on April 3, 2007
I enjoyed it and my yo-yo was by far the best performance of the recital.
...my poor parents.
posted by Mick at 4:44 PM on April 3, 2007
And isn't that Enya?
And I still clicked on it. This is one of those posts where I can't decide which link is more retarded. Impressive.
posted by phaedon at 4:46 PM on April 3, 2007
And I still clicked on it. This is one of those posts where I can't decide which link is more retarded. Impressive.
posted by phaedon at 4:46 PM on April 3, 2007
1. I first read it as Why do people hate miNes? The whole FPP reads much more surreal if you substitute that N for the second M all the way trough.
2. Dunno, with everyone say Oh how much they hate mimes I'm starting to like them.
3. Seriously though saying you hate X class of a group because a subset may be very annoying says more about the hater than the hated.
posted by edgeways at 4:46 PM on April 3, 2007
2. Dunno, with everyone say Oh how much they hate mimes I'm starting to like them.
3. Seriously though saying you hate X class of a group because a subset may be very annoying says more about the hater than the hated.
posted by edgeways at 4:46 PM on April 3, 2007
saying you hate X class of a group because a subset may be very annoying says more about the hater than the hated.
That idea, as you've used it in reference to mimes, might actually be more annoying than any mime.
posted by psmealey at 4:52 PM on April 3, 2007
That idea, as you've used it in reference to mimes, might actually be more annoying than any mime.
posted by psmealey at 4:52 PM on April 3, 2007
which link is more retarded phaedoned
For you, my love.
posted by phaedon at 4:55 PM on April 3, 2007
For you, my love.
posted by phaedon at 4:55 PM on April 3, 2007
I got to see Marcel Marseau perform a few years ago. He was remarkable. Bill Irwin is largely a mime performer and is similarly amazing. Heck, Rowan Atkinson is a hell of a mime much of the time.
I think the issue is that mime is something that "anybody" can do and, thus, you get some remarkably untalented people doing it - and doing it in situations where they can really make people uncomfortable.
Basically, any time you get an unfunny person doing something and claiming that they are an expert at it, a certain portion of the population turns off to that thing.
This is one of the ways that self-empowered morons (and I'm talking to you, untalented mimes who think you are good) ruin everything for us.
If only somebody had taken their legos away from them when they were children and never given them back.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:14 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
I think the issue is that mime is something that "anybody" can do and, thus, you get some remarkably untalented people doing it - and doing it in situations where they can really make people uncomfortable.
Basically, any time you get an unfunny person doing something and claiming that they are an expert at it, a certain portion of the population turns off to that thing.
This is one of the ways that self-empowered morons (and I'm talking to you, untalented mimes who think you are good) ruin everything for us.
If only somebody had taken their legos away from them when they were children and never given them back.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:14 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
No discussion of mime hatred is complete without a reference to the all time great mime-hating movie, Shakes the Clown, starring none other than Marty Fromage as the mime.
posted by alms at 5:19 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by alms at 5:19 PM on April 3, 2007
I got to see Marcel Marseau perform a few years ago.
For some reason I thought he was dead. But, nay, he is alive!
I found this article on him -- Brilliant Careers: Marcel Marceau -- "He remains the unquestioned master of the art that dare not speak its name. That's his strength and the art's weakness."
posted by ericb at 5:40 PM on April 3, 2007
For some reason I thought he was dead. But, nay, he is alive!
I found this article on him -- Brilliant Careers: Marcel Marceau -- "He remains the unquestioned master of the art that dare not speak its name. That's his strength and the art's weakness."
posted by ericb at 5:40 PM on April 3, 2007
I take it none of you are going to come and hang out in Gambier for the annual Mime seminar.
posted by Liosliath at 5:42 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by Liosliath at 5:42 PM on April 3, 2007
Ihatepeoplewhohatemimesorclowns.com
I's better grab that URL soon...
posted by Chasuk at 5:45 PM on April 3, 2007
I's better grab that URL soon...
posted by Chasuk at 5:45 PM on April 3, 2007
"He remains the unquestioned master of the art that dare not speak its name."
Are you implying that Oscar Wilde was a mime?
posted by lekvar at 5:47 PM on April 3, 2007
Are you implying that Oscar Wilde was a mime?
posted by lekvar at 5:47 PM on April 3, 2007
Q: Why do people hate mimes?
A: The Shields and Yarnell Show
posted by MikeMc at 5:47 PM on April 3, 2007
A: The Shields and Yarnell Show
posted by MikeMc at 5:47 PM on April 3, 2007
*adjusts volume*
*adjusts volume*
*adjusts volume*
posted by Smedleyman at 5:48 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
*adjusts volume*
*adjusts volume*
posted by Smedleyman at 5:48 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]
That 9/11 mime .... I'm speechless. (And not in a good way.)
posted by R. Mutt at 5:54 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by R. Mutt at 5:54 PM on April 3, 2007
I was just talking about this on here a couple of days ago. Apparently Shields closed up his new age art gallery in Sedona and is currently back on the road with Yarnell. If you live in So Cal or Florida... be very afraid!
A side note... Shields claims that Michael Jackson stole "the robot" from him.
posted by miss lynnster at 6:11 PM on April 3, 2007
A side note... Shields claims that Michael Jackson stole "the robot" from him.
posted by miss lynnster at 6:11 PM on April 3, 2007
I got to see Marcel Marseau perform a few years ago.
For some reason I thought he was dead. But, nay, he is alive!
And I thought it was Marceau.
posted by The Deej at 6:17 PM on April 3, 2007
For some reason I thought he was dead. But, nay, he is alive!
And I thought it was Marceau.
posted by The Deej at 6:17 PM on April 3, 2007
I didn't hate mimes until I saw that 9/11 mime.
posted by serazin
Yep. my thought, too. Well actually, my thought was that the 9/11 mime is the answer to "Why do people hate mimes?"
It's like the 9/11 tragedy was just an excuse to use the "trapped behind glass" move, just turned into "trapped behind glass and a FUCKIN' PLANE IS COMING!!!!"
posted by The Deej at 6:23 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by serazin
Yep. my thought, too. Well actually, my thought was that the 9/11 mime is the answer to "Why do people hate mimes?"
It's like the 9/11 tragedy was just an excuse to use the "trapped behind glass" move, just turned into "trapped behind glass and a FUCKIN' PLANE IS COMING!!!!"
posted by The Deej at 6:23 PM on April 3, 2007
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/j4m35/WETMIME-1.jpg
posted by exlotuseater at 6:36 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by exlotuseater at 6:36 PM on April 3, 2007
Strangely enough, I think there might be a neurological reason people hate mimes.
It turns out a part of the brain, when stimulated directly, will give rise to a compelling delusion of being followed by a stranger who imitates your actions. The investigators think this region of the brain may be involved in "psychiatric manifestations such as paranoia, persecution and alien control." (2nd link)
So mimes make your brain think you are going insane. It's a wonder they aren't all stoned to death.
posted by jamjam at 6:55 PM on April 3, 2007
It turns out a part of the brain, when stimulated directly, will give rise to a compelling delusion of being followed by a stranger who imitates your actions. The investigators think this region of the brain may be involved in "psychiatric manifestations such as paranoia, persecution and alien control." (2nd link)
So mimes make your brain think you are going insane. It's a wonder they aren't all stoned to death.
posted by jamjam at 6:55 PM on April 3, 2007
Mimes scare the heaven out of me.
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 6:55 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 6:55 PM on April 3, 2007
Was the 9/11 mime trying to be funny? Because I think...... maybe......pick some other stuff to joke about. If that's the case. It just seemed the way he was running in circles and making the "Oooooh gracious," face. I dunno. Mybe it's the white make-up.
posted by Wonderwoman at 7:01 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by Wonderwoman at 7:01 PM on April 3, 2007
My brain enjoyed the Mark Wenzel links, lynnster. It's a fine line between child molester and class act, I admit. But I bet I could watch him mime a whole baseball game (see 30 second mark).
posted by phaedon at 7:02 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by phaedon at 7:02 PM on April 3, 2007
I watched him mime through my entire childhood, phaedon. I wish I had a dollar for every bald head I saw him shine, every hot-chick-walking-up-stairs that I saw him imitate. That mime was EVERYWHERE in San Diego when I was a kid. He & Ted Giannoulas (originally the KGB Chicken) were obviously serious workaholics... you just couldn't avoid them. Even when you wanted to.
posted by miss lynnster at 7:12 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 7:12 PM on April 3, 2007
Mimes suck and should die a terrible, silent death...
EXCEPT this guy, who does one of the best versions of the aristocrats joke ever.
posted by Muddler at 7:16 PM on April 3, 2007 [4 favorites]
EXCEPT this guy, who does one of the best versions of the aristocrats joke ever.
posted by Muddler at 7:16 PM on April 3, 2007 [4 favorites]
OK I Love the ristocrats joke mime.
posted by Wonderwoman at 7:24 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by Wonderwoman at 7:24 PM on April 3, 2007
Mime is very, very hard. In high school, I cried in acting class while trying to execute the mime ladder.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:50 PM on April 3, 2007 [3 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:50 PM on April 3, 2007 [3 favorites]
I have found him. Yes indeed. The world's best mime. Errr... creative dancer. With chilling results. Featuring a very distinctive beat. Enjoy.
You're welcome.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:12 PM on April 3, 2007
You're welcome.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:12 PM on April 3, 2007
I hate that mime because even when he recreated one of those "I will always remember where I was when that horrible thing happened" moments to a soundtrack that is calculated to make me cry, he still made me say, "Meh."
Anyone who can make the still-fresh death of three thousand people boring deserves to be silenced for all time. I guess that's why that dude's a mime.
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 8:29 PM on April 3, 2007
Anyone who can make the still-fresh death of three thousand people boring deserves to be silenced for all time. I guess that's why that dude's a mime.
posted by freshwater_pr0n at 8:29 PM on April 3, 2007
Really? You're all going this way? Not one person likes the 9/11 mime? Well if you change your mind come join me in my office - left palm up, right palm up, arms stretched out to each side...
I have found him. Yes indeed. The world's best mime.
Juggling with two caps? Oh no you didn't...
posted by meech at 8:31 PM on April 3, 2007
I have found him. Yes indeed. The world's best mime.
Juggling with two caps? Oh no you didn't...
posted by meech at 8:31 PM on April 3, 2007
lynnster: ok, i took the bait and called the number at the end of the video. i got answering machine, but it is hilarious.
posted by phaedon at 8:32 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by phaedon at 8:32 PM on April 3, 2007
Phaedon, I actually found Mr. Create a year ago & posted that video to a friend's site (as part of a series I called "People I Would Rather Chew Glass Than Be Stuck in an Elevator With"). Anyhow, you know what? He wrote the first (and in essence, only) comment on my post. So oh yes, he is real. And he's workin' the dream, man. Buy a video!
posted by miss lynnster at 9:18 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 9:18 PM on April 3, 2007
Oh, and an interesting touch to his comment, btw... he listed his phone number to be dialed with the *82 before it. That way he knows who you are and can call you back any time he likes, I presume.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:21 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 9:21 PM on April 3, 2007
ken is waiting for us in the future. when buckethead and michael jackson do a show at burning man, he will be crowned king.
posted by phaedon at 9:42 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by phaedon at 9:42 PM on April 3, 2007
I will NOT derail this thread but OMG the KGB Chicken, the KGB Chicken, The KGB Chicken!!!!
Good times.
posted by Dizzy at 10:34 PM on April 3, 2007
Good times.
posted by Dizzy at 10:34 PM on April 3, 2007
Oh, you're not derailing anymore than I already have. :)
Honestly, I didn't totally appreciate the Chicken until I saw his replacement do Franken Friar. I now realize that in comparison the Chicken was practically high art. He's a lot funnier. And after seeing the video of him tackle Barney I also now realize another thing... that man is TINY! Didn't realize it because I was always a lot shorter than him back then.
Dizzy you'll like this other thing I found too: check out The Chicken touring Keith Olberman around town. Ha!
posted by miss lynnster at 11:11 PM on April 3, 2007
Honestly, I didn't totally appreciate the Chicken until I saw his replacement do Franken Friar. I now realize that in comparison the Chicken was practically high art. He's a lot funnier. And after seeing the video of him tackle Barney I also now realize another thing... that man is TINY! Didn't realize it because I was always a lot shorter than him back then.
Dizzy you'll like this other thing I found too: check out The Chicken touring Keith Olberman around town. Ha!
posted by miss lynnster at 11:11 PM on April 3, 2007
And actually... it's not really a derail. The chicken, in essence, was a mime. Just dressed better.
posted by miss lynnster at 11:14 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 11:14 PM on April 3, 2007
Thank you for making me look forward to baseball again.
posted by phaedon at 11:26 PM on April 3, 2007
posted by phaedon at 11:26 PM on April 3, 2007
Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese had it right. I seriously doubt anyone here saying they "hate mimes" actually has any feeling whatsoever behind that statement. It's just something people have said a lot that they've picked upt hat's sort of become the status quo, and people repeat it because it sounds funny. Not that I love mimes, it's just that when I think about it there's no logical reason why they should be particularly disliked.
I think the real question is, where did this come from? Perhaps in days gone by there was a small core of people who really did hate mimes, and that just spread through social pressure? Maybe some celebrity back in the day said it and people followed? I'm hoping the next Quarterly Journal of Mime Studies will have the answer.
posted by Sangermaine at 2:15 AM on April 4, 2007
I think the real question is, where did this come from? Perhaps in days gone by there was a small core of people who really did hate mimes, and that just spread through social pressure? Maybe some celebrity back in the day said it and people followed? I'm hoping the next Quarterly Journal of Mime Studies will have the answer.
posted by Sangermaine at 2:15 AM on April 4, 2007
The only way to deal with such people is to trap them in invisible boxes.
posted by psmealey at 4:44 AM on April 4, 2007
posted by psmealey at 4:44 AM on April 4, 2007
Hate is too strong a word, but I just think mime is lame. I agree that there are a lot of bad mimes who give the "art form" a bad name, but I saw Marcel Marceau as a kid and he didn't impress me much either.
Disturbing video of a young David Bowie miming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiKWEf2luMY
posted by Devils Slide at 6:21 AM on April 4, 2007
Disturbing video of a young David Bowie miming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiKWEf2luMY
posted by Devils Slide at 6:21 AM on April 4, 2007
That Bowie mime performance... I tried to hang in there because, I mean, he's Bowie. But then after it was over? I thought to myself: "Gee I must really hate mimes if David Bowie can't even make it cool." So there ya go.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:38 AM on April 4, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 8:38 AM on April 4, 2007
Mimes, whatever... But come on, in Shakes the Clown when they attack the mimes and have a rumble and someone puts a real cardboard box over one of the mimes and says "Get out of this box, bitch." Come on, that's the funniest thing ever.
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:27 AM on April 4, 2007
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:27 AM on April 4, 2007
Ummm. Guess who just e-mailed me a thank you for all of the hits on his website? Yep. So have I mentioned lately how much I love mimes? Because they totally rock.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:44 AM on April 4, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 9:44 AM on April 4, 2007
Being stalked by a mime?
There's no defense.
Those mofos are stealthy!
posted by Dizzy at 9:51 AM on April 4, 2007
There's no defense.
Those mofos are stealthy!
posted by Dizzy at 9:51 AM on April 4, 2007
Sangermaine : "I seriously doubt anyone here saying they 'hate mimes' actually has any feeling whatsoever behind that statement. It's just something people have said a lot that they've picked upt hat's sort of become the status quo, and people repeat it because it sounds funny. Not that I love mimes, it's just that when I think about it there's no logical reason why they should be particularly disliked."
I disagree. I certainly don't hate them, but I do dislike them. And that dislike started in elementary school, far before I knew of the mime-hate meme. What happened was that the school got some mimes to perform, and they were incredibly unfun to watch, and yet the teachers were telling us how very funny and talented these mimes were. That's about all it takes to make a kid go "this totally sucks". There were a few things like this which I thought sucked, and then found to actually be interesting as I grew older. However, I've still yet to see any miming which I've enjoyed, so I still dislike mimes.
I doubt this particular chain is all that unusual, so while certainly some people say they dislike mimes because of the status quo, I think a lot just dislike them because they find them boring and cheesy.
posted by Bugbread at 10:16 AM on April 4, 2007
I disagree. I certainly don't hate them, but I do dislike them. And that dislike started in elementary school, far before I knew of the mime-hate meme. What happened was that the school got some mimes to perform, and they were incredibly unfun to watch, and yet the teachers were telling us how very funny and talented these mimes were. That's about all it takes to make a kid go "this totally sucks". There were a few things like this which I thought sucked, and then found to actually be interesting as I grew older. However, I've still yet to see any miming which I've enjoyed, so I still dislike mimes.
I doubt this particular chain is all that unusual, so while certainly some people say they dislike mimes because of the status quo, I think a lot just dislike them because they find them boring and cheesy.
posted by Bugbread at 10:16 AM on April 4, 2007
Mark Wenzel, the mime from my childhood that I mentioned earlier, just sent me this. He was on NPR to talk about people's hatred of mimes.
My favorite quote: "You do get a lot of 'hey do the box, hey do the box. Pretend like you're in a box.' A lot of it is trying to explain to people I'm not like that. No, I'm a good mime."
posted by miss lynnster at 12:51 PM on April 17, 2007
My favorite quote: "You do get a lot of 'hey do the box, hey do the box. Pretend like you're in a box.' A lot of it is trying to explain to people I'm not like that. No, I'm a good mime."
posted by miss lynnster at 12:51 PM on April 17, 2007
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posted by hal9k at 3:50 PM on April 3, 2007 [1 favorite]