Tim Robbins Lectures Broadcasters
Now thisis a speech worthy of mash-ups. I’m ashamed that YouTubers haven’t had fun with this yet.
Enjoy 6 “guilty-pleasure” minutes of Robbin’s tuff love to the broadcasters at NAB. You know- the power elite that steward the Great American Ideal… The video wasn’t captured, ironically, because TIm Robbins forbid video recording of his speech.
But if you have some time, savor his words with a nice boxed wine. You’ll have acid flash-backs to Tom Cruise’s Scientology pitch… It’s an attempt at Kennedy-like inspiration that was as funny as a 3 a.m. wake-up call, and as cheechy as a 1970s after-school special. It brought me back to Matt Damon explaining why Sarah Palin wasn’t going to cut it. Thanks, Damon. We couldn’t make our minds up about Palin because Katie Couric’s interview left us eager to learn about her first book (but I’ve heard she’s read two now).
Does anyone else cringe when they hear Hollywood actors talking down to Americans from a higher plane, or dangerously weighing in on politics? Pretty soon they’ll start running for offi.. oh, never mind.
In case you decide to abstain on the Calgon bath of Robbin’s homily, let me sum it up… It seems broadcasters are cowardly chasing ratings, cow-towing to focus groups or scrambling for their next promotion, while they can instead be soaring the American spirit.
Shoot, TIm. I was kinda feeling like broadcasters were doing their best to prop up the American family because I’m busy watching Stephen King film adaptations. No wonder NYC revoked his right to vote.
You know, I should go to sleep. I’m in London taking an early flight back, and just heard a BBC report about something called “frequent flier” torture. I’d last 2.5 minutes of interrogation if it involved sleep deprivation or listening to a barbershop quartet of Robbins, Cruise, Damon and that irritating southern-accented CNN lady that won’t let the Peterson trial fade.
Of for Christ’s sake Kevin, you can’t possibly exepct me to read all the shit you just posted here only because you’re bored at the airport.
Every time I see a celeb speak out like this, even if I agree with the principal or not, I always think of the great Screenwriter William Goldman. He wrote two books called “Adventures In Screen Trade, 1 & 2”. Goldman won two screenwriting Oscars and was given so many opportunities to direct, all of which he turned down. Why?
Not so much Actors, but “Stars.”
He described the world of the star, how they are surrounded by so many people making money around their persona and sometimes, even talent, that live in a world where they are never told they are wrong. They are never challenged. Their custom-fit Hollywood blinders eventually lead them to believe in their own bullshit. Their surreal lives have long-since taken the fork in the road from plight of the everyman they claim to represent…
The problem with celebrity actors grandstanding like this is that they truly believe that they are part of the “WE”. Tim Robbins seems to believe he understands things a bit better than the rest of us. And even though, yes, of course the news should be less depressing, but we don’t need a lecture from T.R. that’s the equivalent of a high school student running for Junior Class President. Instead of inspiration, “WE” usually feel like we’re being talked down to.
And that won’t get my Junior Class vote! 🙂
Okay I lasted about 2 minutes into the speech before I cut it off. I think he was high when he gave it.
Bobby’s got it right when he says the problem is that they actually believe their hype. It would be like Kevin actually believing he was a viral video genius. Wait…
I don’t mind that celebs have opinions. My problem is that even if I agree with what they’re saying, I can’t help but feel that they expect me to believe what they’re saying because of who they are. I tend to believe in truth more than the person speaking the truth. I know people from back in my janitor days who probably have life figured out more than Robbins or Cruise or Damon ever will if they got together and held a conference.
Oh by the way, Kevin, you are SOOO out of touch with your CNN references. That “southern accented” lady is Nancy Grace and she’s moved way off of the peterson case to the Caylee Anthony case. She calls the mom suspected of killing the kid “tot-mom”.
I’ve been wanting to make a video for a while where I tape part of her show and then when she says something particularly egregious I yell at the TV “SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU IDIOT!!!!” Just haven’t done it yet.
Of all the stars I’ve met and done business with, Steve Gutenberg was the realest, most down to earth regular Joe. The rest were like spoiled teenagers or paranoid fiends. Those people live very isolated/insulated lives.
Hang on Kevin you’re a bit off on this one. He was invited to speak and he had it in his contract that there was to be no video or audio taping and according to the narrative his people or the host didn’t turn off the audio, who’s fault is that?
Reasons why on all fronts were not made clear.
Regardless, he wasn’t speaking to the American People he was invited to speak to a bunch of broadcasters, the 4th estate. They know his politics and they had a pretty good idea of what he would say.
Personally, I don’t think his opinion is any more valid than anyone elses, but he still gets one, and let’s not forget it was Reagan who opened wide the Hollywood door to politics and TV that crowned JFK the winner of the debate, while radio said it was Nixon.
The one thing I think we do agree on, the American People have the power. They just need to get off their ass and participate, voting’s just not enough.
Well obviously jan has a hard-on for tim robbins.
It’s kowtow, not cow-tow.
We have a lot of cow towing here in the piney woods. Horse towing too. And people who live in tow trailers.
I like Tim Robbin’s movies, but that speech he gave made me want to kick him in the head.
@8 well I agree with some of his politics, but if all it take is being fair to get a hard on these days why are sales up on viagra?
@9 not your job.
Fame and popularity is part of US culture, so I guess it matters to the majority. Don’t forget, more people vote on American Idol than voted for President of the United States.
It’s stuff like that that makes me want to switch parallel worlds with my double.
@12 I agree with your comment to @9
“David” is really MaryLand. MaryLand, you don’t need to use a pseudonym with us.
Impressed I know how to spell that big word? I didn’t even look it up to check. I refuse to look at dictionary.com every time I’m worried I’m spelling something wrong anymore just because i’m afraid of the spellling nazi. NO MORE FEAR!!! NO MORE FEAR!!!
(Hope I spelled it right.)
Sorry, sukatra, “David” is not me. I was actually quite ashamed that he caught that before me. But I was very busy at work.
I have actually started a “Word of the Day” email to several people I work with because they have such a limited vocabulary.
And, BTW, you spelled pseudonym just fine.