It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
You’re right, DP. The obviousness of Wells’ postings would be funny if they weren’t, you know, racist. As much crap as you get for your opinions, they are _nothing_ compared with the regular dose of arrogance, pretentiousness, and bile-filled resentment Wells regularly dishes up.
If I coined the phrase, “Blacademy awards,” I would perhaps tread more lightly. But that was obviously a joke, and Wells’ posts are something else.
I take your point, Miles… and your awareness that it is obviously quite different.
I’m Black… and I still hate “blings”, so I have no issue with Wells on this.
I think most people hate ostentatious displays of wealth, whether it be nouveau or not. Wells’ hostility is pretty striking, though.
I wonder what’ll happen if he he has a chance to interview Jamie Foxx, an actor who isn’t unfamiliar with “bling” and Mr. Foxx decides to taje exception to Wells’ obnoxious comments.
I suppose this puts you in the position of Meadhead…
Meathead…
I don’t think the run at the Ziegfeld is for the African-American audience, as much as for the Broadway crowd who sold out every single screening of Chicago its opening weekend here. Really, if they were trying to do some sort of thing targetting the potential black audience for Dreamgirls, they could have set something up at the Apollo or Beacon Theatres and made a lot of money. The Ziegfeld tends to get the Broadway crowd, out-of-towners, etc.
“The blings have taken over the bar at the rear of the Beverly Wilshire. Weekends there are like New Year’s Eve in Dubai…gangstas and ho’s…guys with socks on their head or Iranians with shaved heads pulling up to the valet in $75,000 rich-asshole sports cars. The Beverly Wilshire used to have a touch of class…no longer.”
Hmm…that last line is pretty bad, suggesting that these stereotypes “bring down the property value”… are you sure Jeffrey isn’t doing a “Borat-like bit”?
You have to give Wells credit for a pretty evocative description. “New Year’s Eve in Dubai” is a great line.
And I share much of his distaste for the obnoxious culture he’s railing against.
I won’t weep, however, for the “loss of class” of Beverly Hills. The person driving the $75,000 sports car is usually an asshole anyway, Iranian or not. Old money elitist snobs and Bel Air aren’t any better than nouveau-riche braggadocio in my book; you can burn down that whole side of town and it wouldn’t cause me to lose any sleep.
But what was “Jeff Wells’ Ego” have to say?!?!?!
Remember when Wells posted about the Miami Vice Q&A this summer?
He slagged off on the black female journos in attendance as if they were too stupid, horny for Foxx and classless to keep up with the likes of his chickenchest and motheaten pompadour.
He’d be lucky to get a gig cleaning the bathrooms at Ebony or Jet.
As someone that reads Wells in addition to Poland, this just turns my stomach. I can deal with Jeff being a sourpuss, but racist, I think I am going to have to unsubscribe again…
Everybody has their own brand of being politically incorrect – you do it all the time, DP. I do think the knee-jerk reaction that Wells was being racist is off-base. Do you really think he’s a racist? I know exactly what he’s talking about with blings but i don’t think it’s a “black thing” but an across the board CULTURAL thing. It’s the jeweled braces thing, the Madonna thing, the P. Diddy thing…it’s a “thing” and there’s no denying it. He was saying that he thought the roadshow was aimed at that crowd. I happen to disagree with that but to nail him as a racist is not fair, imo.
Ostentatious displays of wealth by the newly rich in Hollywood/Beverly Hills? That used to never happen in the old days.
Uh, Biped… I know he is racist… and sexist… and homophobic. And I have been far too indulgent of it over these many years by not calling him out or exposing the truth. But believe what you like about whom you like.
To be brutally honest, there are people in this business, both gay and female, who know full well how abusive some can be in this regard and still indulge the offenders simply because it is business as usual. Bullies must be confronted or they will continue to believe that being bullies is not only accepted, but a successful mode of discourse.
And that includes me when people feel I cross that line. Even if I disagree, the awareness that I will be confronted by it keeps me conscious of the price of my actions.
Does someone have to shout
I stayed at the Beverly Wilshire this past weekend, which means that the place really has lost all class.
Devin – You are a man of somewhat darker, tanner pigmentation without the $75,000 asshole sports car. How’d you get in?
I put a sock on my head and had Warner Bros foot the bill.
Isn’t Devin a wop or something?
Guinea is the preferred nomenclature.
Come on, people, let’s just take a couple of steps back. We all need to sit down and watch “Crash” together, including Wells. Didn’t you people learn anything from that movie? We’re all capable of being Hitler or Gandhi, sometimes simultaneously.
PS: By “you people”, I didn’t mean any specific group. Or did I? Now I’m confused. Damn you, Haggis!
Wells doesn’t need to be racist to be a reprehensible human being. The post in question is just the charry on top to a solid recent streak of self-loathing bullshit that’s reaching a critical mass. There’s nothing useful on that site. I mean, the Oscar prognostication and box office predictions here can reach a ridiculous pitch on this site, but at least this place doesn’t reek with Wells-brand bile and flop sweat. He’s a hateful man who really and desperately needs therapy or another lethal stab in the hand to put him out of his misery.
That being said I think it’s always hilarious to watch a racist try to explain why he’s not racist and ends up only making himself look more racist. Mell and Jeff should take their act on the road.
The Irishman’s here to take all you Guineas’ money.
I always thought it odd that a guy like Nicol would profess his admiration for J-Wack. Now it makes a little more sense.
For me, Jeff really did himself in with this one. Not because it was any more hateful or ignorant or biased than anything else he’s written. Just that it comes at the end of a particularly fecal period for him. My initial response to the post in question was exhaustion. I mean, I love hearing info and opinions about the Industry. That’s why I come to these sites. But after reading the God-only-knows how manyeth screed about some easily identifiable people who are “bringing it all down” just wears me out. His bitterness, sense of being excluded, defensiveness, and overall knowledge that he hasn’t really accomplished much with his time on Earth has overwhelmed any entertainment value his site can provide. Now it just feels like being stuck in a room with someone’s racist friend. You realize you have better places to be.
In the end, I appreciate that David tries to approach his work and his blog with good humor and a fairly generous spirit. That will always beat the amputated, poisonous spirits of Wells and his ilk.
I think bipedalist is on target. The “blings” are no different than the Paris Hilton/Lindsay Lohan/Britney Spears crowd who party till all hours and then get into auto accidents. Rich jerks are rich jerks regardless of skin color.
I agree that rich jerks are rich jerks regardless of skin color. So why connect the two elements so succinctly?
“That would be the racism, Bob.”
P.S. Angry Jeffy wrote to show his rage at my suggestion that he is old. The issues of racism and homophobia… not so much.
“Angry Jeffy wrote to show his rage at my suggestion that he is old.”
Except that he mentions in his Casino Royale that the last time a Bond movie got such applause was at Spy Who Loved Me. That movie came out 29 years ago!!! (presumably when that picture was taken for his masthead… )
“So why connect the two elements so succinctly?”
I’m not sure if this is a rhetorical question or not…
What I am surprised at is how many of the regular commentaters here have been posting there, myself included. I know it’s just stroking Wells’ ego, I’m going to try and refrain. The guy is such a self-hating, negative spewing, racist homophobe prick. He defines hater.
JeffMCM, AladdinSane, Joe Leydon, Nicol D, and many others are all posting there now. And truthfully, you are all the reason I’m going there more and more. To see how we all respond to Jeff’s hatred and irrationality.
I say we all stop being baited.
The ONLY decent article (as in interesting read) Wells has done in the last 10 years was the anonymous interview with the big-tim agent, after Cruise got fired that talked about this impending territorial war between the talents and the suits.