I don’t know how it came up, but someone I was talking to mentioned how they hoped Q-leaning folks didn’t discover Conspiracy Theory, that 1997 Julia Roberts/Mel Gibson film where a ranting cab driver is actually right about the big bad government conspiracy after all! I had seen the movie when it was in theaters, but that was a while ago, so I decided to stream it — but Gibson, and my memories of his anti-Semitic tirade during his 2006 arrest for drunk driving (for which his conviction was later expunged), were more than I could take. (It also seems to romanticize stalking in a way I am not cool with, but that’s a different conversation.)
I’m apparently in the minority, as Gibson is set to direct the latest Lethal Weapon movie. His continued success is proof that “cancel culture,” that Twitterific phrase, is kind of a bullshit notion, as even Gibson’s arguably non-criminal acts seem like the sort of thing that might get one booted from society.
Gibson isn’t the only pubic figure convicted of a crime but seemingly beloved despite it. (Hell, in some cases you can even get fired for mentioning civil allegations against a public figure!) Why do you think that, despite loud public claims that “you can’t do anything anymore without getting canceled,” many folks seem to enjoy flourishing careers in the public eye despite troubling criminal pasts? And what high-profile celebrity transgressions do you with more folks would take note of? — EB
Just a theory! I think someone like Mel Gibson gets to keep having a career because he was historically very mainstream, so he still has half his fans, and perhaps even gained some far-right fans who want to reward anti-Semitism. Whereas Louis CK's and Woody Allen's fans were primarily left-leaning, and it seems like we're less likely to overlook egregious bad behavior. Sort of ironic, because until Me Too and 'cancel culture' came into its own, the right was so outspoken about how terrible celebrities are, what with always voting for Democrats and not letting the GPO use their songs in campaign rallies.
I was just watching a YouTube live video where the vlogger found out about Rob Lowe’s sex tape with the underage girl in real time and she was horrified. She’s in her late 20s, but I’m 38 and I’m not sure I knew about that when I was watching him on The West Wing in the late 90s. He’s had a hell of a ride on the Robert Downey Jr Express since then.
Just a theory! I think someone like Mel Gibson gets to keep having a career because he was historically very mainstream, so he still has half his fans, and perhaps even gained some far-right fans who want to reward anti-Semitism. Whereas Louis CK's and Woody Allen's fans were primarily left-leaning, and it seems like we're less likely to overlook egregious bad behavior. Sort of ironic, because until Me Too and 'cancel culture' came into its own, the right was so outspoken about how terrible celebrities are, what with always voting for Democrats and not letting the GPO use their songs in campaign rallies.
Pete Townsend never seemed to get much blowback for the internet usage which got him on a sex offender's registry in the UK.
I was just watching a YouTube live video where the vlogger found out about Rob Lowe’s sex tape with the underage girl in real time and she was horrified. She’s in her late 20s, but I’m 38 and I’m not sure I knew about that when I was watching him on The West Wing in the late 90s. He’s had a hell of a ride on the Robert Downey Jr Express since then.