You know Ben Stein either from his game show "Win Ben Stein's Money", or his Clear Eyes TV commercials, or his numerous appearances in several 80's movies, most notably Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
You probably know that he is a political commentator and one of the very few conservatives in Hollywood.
So, I'm sharing his opinion piece (as a transcript) when he appeared on the "Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo" TV show. It aired on Feb. 27, 2005, just before the Oscar ceremonies.
Here's the transcript: * * * * * * * *
MARIA BARTIROMO: Welcome back. In November [2004], voters overwhelmingly cited moral values as their #1 concern. Looking at the subject matter of this year's Oscar-nominated films, has Hollywood lost touch with the average American? Sometime actor and all-time social pundit Ben Stein has some thoughts in the matter. Mr. Stein, the floor is yours.
BEN STEIN: Hi, I'm Ben, and I used to be a movie addict. I used to go to movies all the time. Two movies a day, sometimes three movies a day. I strongly felt that movies and I were connected, that I was connected with the emotions and the values in movies. The people in movies were uplifting people: Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart. Situations in which the good guys won and the bad guys lost.
That's all changed. Movies are an arid wasteland of violence, degradation, sexual frivolity if not sexual violence, drug addiction, over and over and over and over again. Money obsession, coarse behavior, unpleasant people, unfriendly-looking people, ugly people, I'd have to say.
Somehow, movies have gone off the rails and are showing an America that does not connect with the real America. I travel in the "real America" all the time. The ordinary American is a sober, hard-working, decent man or woman, fearing God and caring deeply about their families. The people in movies are not like that, by and large. There are exceptions. They are cruel, tough people.
I tell you, somehow, the people who make movies between, say, 1985 and 2005, just totally lost their connection with the body politic. I'm not sure how it happened. I can give you a million examples, from movies that have praised assisted suicide, like "Million Dollar Baby", or movies that praise abortionists such as "Vera Drake". Somehow, something has gone terribly wrong and Hollywood is no longer connected with America. It's an island somewhere out in outer space.
Goodbye, Hollywood! * * * * * * * *
Posted by deathbystereo80 (Member # 2005) on :
Oh my God.
I think he's the one who's lost touch with reality.
Posted by HipsterMom27 (Member # 2161) on :
First he had me with: I strongly felt that movies and I were connected, that I was connected with the emotions and the values in movies.
That's how I've always felt about movies, in particular those starring the people he listed, so I thought perhaps Ben was going to say something positive throughout.
That ended very quickly with his generalized, outrageous dissing of 20 years of cinema.
I'd like to "Win Ben Stein's Money" so I can stuff it back in his mouth.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Gee, I think he is right on the MONEY. Seriously, what he said, is exactly what movies are portraying, it couldn't have been said any better.
I am glad that someone else sees what is going on. Movies and Television are gross.
Last night during American Idol, they previewed that new show OC, or whatever it is called-with Peter Gallagher...and just in the preview a girl was going to beat the crap out of a guy for putting the moves on her "girlfriend", and in the same episode someone was going to be black mailed by someone who said they would put a porno tape of them on the internet.
That is classy stuff, right?? Those are family shows??
That new show House, the previews for that looks insane too- the doctor looks like an alcoholic, my mom has watched that show- I said boy he looks like he would have a great bed side manor, and my mom said..he doesn't, but he'll save your life. I thought great, why can't people have a great bed side manor and still save your life, how come you have to be a jerk...that is what Simon Cowell from American Idol is all about- all about smashing people's hopes and dreams, and insulting them. I mean some of those people, you think what he says,but he can still get his point across and not be so cruel.
My friend said she was going to see The Pacifier over the weekend- that's Disney's new movie with Vin Diesel, that looks hideous. This is the kind of garbage Disney is producing. She says well it made 30 million dollars the first weekend, and I said...yeah..that's cause there is nothing else to go see, NOTHING. People will go watch anything, and I watch people coming out of the movies, and they aren't all excited about a movie, and saying that was great, I can't wait to see that again....nobody talks. I personally leave the movies, totally feeling like what the heck did I just spend money on. And my husband will say- oh well, we got out of the house and went and did something. Well, ok...but wouldn't you rather watch something uplifting??
The Series of Unfortunate Events was awful, they say it is a downer, but it is a kids movie..The kids are orphaned- Count Olaf is an abusive creep who wants nothing but their money, it has nothing about it that was positive. Meryl Streep's character was completely obsessive and a total nut.
Even Spiderman...they throw in the scene in the first one with the Westlemania dude, and all the skanky women in it, and Mary Jane comes from some white trash family, where the Dad is a bum, and she is trying to escape her pitiful life. That isn't positive to me. Even in part 2, where they fire Peter Parker from the Pizza Place, and the Pizza guy is giving him lip about his word not meaning anything...it is like give me a break-he's delivering pizzas on mini scooter in a huge city.
I think Ben Stein is right, I would love to write him a letter. I don't know if I would be supportive about everything he said, I wasn't sure about his last comments on abortion, and assisted suicide, but I see where he's coming from.
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
****Spoiler Alert***** Don't read if you want to see Million Dollar Baby and don't want to know a major plot point twist!!! * * * * * * * * *
What planet is Ben Stien watching movies on?!? I agree with Hipstermom... to say that 20 years of cinema is crap just shows how ignorant Mr. Stien is. Apparently he hasn't seen the same movies I have over the last 20 years...movies like Titanic, Saving Private Ryan, The Lord Of The Rings, Napoleon Dynamite, Whale Rider, Gladiator, Tombstone, Passion Of The Christ, Spider-Man.... the list goes on and on.... I liked Ben Stien, but now I think he is an idiot. And for Mr. Stien to say that real Americans aren't like that...again, what planet is this guy on? Over here in Dallas there are murders, drive-by shootings, rapes, drug busts, kidnappings and every sin known to man on the news every night. Does Mr. Stien not watch the news? Sure, there are a lot of decent people in world, but there are a lot of evil ones too. And I surely didn't think that Million Dollar Baby, by no means, PRAISED assisted suicide! Just because a controversial subject comes up in a film doesn't mean it is being praised....it's just a story!!! A story!!!! If I wrote a story about a serial rapist being chased by a woman who was raped...that doesn't mean that I am praising rape, rapists or vigilanties...that just means that I wrote a friggin' story!!! Come, on Mr. Stien!
Posted by HipsterMom27 (Member # 2161) on :
His hard-line stance that the last 20 years of movie-making has been the ruin of this country is ludicrous...I resent him crapping on movies that mean just as much to me as movies with Cooper & Bogart.
Perhaps he's jealous that his movie resume is limited to one persona.
Posted by Sam Hain 69 (Member # 3150) on :
Stein?
Stein?
Stein?
Stein?
Looks like nobody is home.
Posted by Brode (Member # 3732) on :
I can't believe this, Ben Stein seems to want us to return to the days of Father Knows Best. Yeah, there's alot of character there. He has a problem with ugly people being in film? I'm an ugly person myself, and if he wants to keep me out, he can go fornicate himself. He has a problem with a hero character having character flaws, having a personality, being a human being? Jeez.
And as for House, House is one of my favorite shows because of his character. He's brusk and wry and just hilarious, and at the same time he acts like more of a hero than any of the people he derides. If he was a smiling white knight who swept in and saved peoples lives, it wouldn't be a show. Times are alot more complicated than they were in the past, we don't want one-dimensional superheros... I believe Stan Lee in Mallrats said that all his superheros stood out because they had flaws. They were afraid, they were guilty, they acted like an actual human being. I can't shut my mind off and believe that an attractive character with no flaws, physical or emotional, is a human being ... which destroys the realities movies are supposed to create.
Stein just wants us to watch Leave It To Beaver and be ignorant to our own emotions and instincts.
Posted by StevenHW (Member # 509) on :
Sam Hain 69 asked:
quote:Stein? Stein? Stein? Stein?
Looks like nobody is home.
Try asking Bueller. Maybe he knows! Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Well, I disagree...when you have a person that is mean and rude-that is pretty one dimensional...that's it. I want someone who is strong, and can be assertive when they need to be, and make good judgement calls, but they are kind and caring, and compassionate-that is being multi dimensional.
You don't see that, you see rude, and crude, and the more rude and crude someone is...it is like this attitude of I am not here to make friends and be popular, I don't care if people like me-that's how people are...it's like I am going to say what I want and how I feel, and if it is mean, well tough bananas. And I don't like that attitude of people.
I did not agree with the fact that most people are upstanding people, infact I think most people are creeps- and that TV is portraying people correctly, but that's the actual problem. Is that families are so disfunctional, and messed up, it isn't a matter of putting down this movie is good and this one isn't, and that no movies are good, it is the reflection of society and the shape the word is in, to where you don't hear any good news in the news, you don't see the same biological parents together after 5 years maximum, you see kids with this attitude about them that is so self absorbed, and self centered, and they don't know anything different.
I have said it before...I walked home from school every day. I didn't grow up with Leave it to Beaver, but I grew up not worrying about everything, like someone kidnapping me, or molesting me, or trying to hook me on drugs- or huff gasoline, or try drugs that weren't ever heard of. All the kids in my class weren't on Ridolin and there wasn't 10 wrap around adults in each class for kids with behaviorial and emotional problems. Kids didn't say I hope you get hit by a bus and die, or spit in each others faces, or just be so mean that you can't believe it is a child doing it. And if your living somewhere that you aren't seeing this stuff escalating, then I wanna know where you live, cause I'll move there tomorrow.
I talked for a long time Friday to the mother of the boy that spent the night here with my son, and her husband is a police officer, and she said the same things, that she can not believe behavior of people, and she said she could not believe how Heartless people are, and how they don't seem to care about anything that doesn't directly affect them, and she said that her son was just ripped apart on the school bus, by girls that tormented the heck out of him. And one of my best friends.. her son had to report a kid a month ago for threatening to kill him, in the 6th grade, and he had a pocket knife in school. And he was terrified.
I know my own child is scared sometimes of school, and we don't live in a city, we live in rural amish country, and he has 2 5th grade classes of 20 kids. But...kids are not like when we were kids...they don't build forts outside, and watch Hong Kong Phooey...the stuff they are doing is violent. I know exactly what Ben Stein means in what he said.
Spoiler to Million Dollar Baby... > > > >
I don't believe in assisted suicide, because someone can't walk any more. That's what was causing the commotion. Is that disabled and paralyzed people were saying, just because you can't walk doesn't mean you don't have quality of life left, and that you should kill yourself. I think that is what he means...is what other people said about why they were against the movie, that it sends a wrong message to anybody who is disabled. I know it is a movie, and now I actually wanna see it,but it isn't that this is just 1 or 2 movies or a few- it is movies are made that are so violent, or so depressing- how they out number the positive.
Bigfoot listed some he really liked, and that is good, and a few of them I haven't seen,,,but Titanic, Gladiator, Passion of the Christ, and even Lord of the Rings-to me those are not uplifting movies, they may be well acted and well made, and that is ok, if that wasn't all there is. What I am saying is, if you have movies like that, that's cool, but make other types of movies that aren't so serious and are fun, and family oriented, and make you feel good to be alive. Half the movies I have seen that are new, if not more- have this draining effect on me, to where I am like numb afterwards, and think..wow that was so tragic.
I am tired of the depressing stuff, I don't know how people can stand it. It is in the news, in the movies, in the music, in the tv shows, in real life, people are on drugs for depression, I run in to people that have nothing but negative stuff that they talk about constantly..because they don't know anything else. I know people that all they do is worry about their health, and they talk about how rotten their family is to them, and how their job is awful, and how they are broke, and bankrupt, and life just stinks.
I am so sick of hearing about it. And you can try and drown it out, and say..then do this or do that and fix your life, but they don't know how, and won't.
So...I get where he is coming from, I am surprised that nobody else does.
[ 16. March 2005, 13:33: Message edited by: ISIS ]
Posted by Chris Fulmer (Member # 3197) on :
It all depends on one's personal tastes, I suppose. I personally am more conservative in what I like to see, but if something seems interesting enough I'll watch it. No matter how bad things look, they're always be a bright spot once in a while.
Posted by Obscurus Lupa (Member # 2700) on :
Well, I don't wholeheartedly agree with anyone's viewpoints here.
Isis, if you think The Series of Unfortunate Events movie was bad, you should read the books and then watch it again. I mean, Jim Carrey actually made Count Olaf into more of a mischievous goofball than an abusive murderer out for the fortune. I think it might've gone over better if they'd made the movie for older audiences. Jim Carrey is great, don't get me wrong, but I don't think you really feel sorry for kids who have to put up with a goofball (Well, there ARE murders to take into account, but you have a very, very hard time believing that Count Olaf was the one who killed these people.).
As for Spider-man, I personally think they are very cleaned up and good movies. I mean, not everyone's families are gonna be perfect . . . And the hero is gonna get a lot of flack, that's what ALWAYS happened in the cartoon (at least, the ones I watched). People aren't gonna be fair. I do agree about the wrestling thing, though, but I have to admit that I don't remember much about the scene. I think a lot of people like that Bruce Campbell was in the scene. (Er--At least I think he was.)
I don't think all of the movies in the time period Ben Stein suggested have been total rubbish. I do think he is right about the quality declining in recent years, though.
Characters don't have to be nice to be a rounded character. They can be very mean and have good qualities show through . . . It's just a different kind of character, Isis. I personally haven't seen House, but I'm sure just because the main character is good-looking he doesn't have to be a good guy. Plus he DOES save people . . . He should be given credit for that.
I don't think all movies are horrible . . . I do think drug and sexual references just get so overwhelming sometimes, but I do think there are fun movies out there that aren't like that. Take Shrek for instance, or Finding Nemo . . . The new movie Ice Princess seems like a very good, clean movie.
While The Pacifier sounds like a bad movie to me (most of the jokes seem like rehashes from other stuff), it doesn't sound like it's a terrible movie for kids.
I can totally see where you're coming from as far as children's behavior goes, because I can say I'm among the kids growing up today. I know what it's like to be sitting on the bus minding your own business--and then be told that you have a penis and look like a guy and have various insults hurled at you by some little punks because they've never seen a girl with red hair before. That was it. I had red hair, and that was the only reason they decided to insult me. Worst of all, only one of them got punished because I didn't know their names. Everyone loved them and they acted like jerks. Kids do act horrible nowadays . . .
But believe me when I say that there are still good people out there, and not everything has to be dark and depressing in this world. There are still people who care, and you've proven that just by having the feelings that you do. There are kids like me in our schools (and don't take that as being egotistical) who aren't bad kids, and we know the difference between right and wrong. I live with a wonderful Christian mother, and I have the best parents a kid could ask for--they made sure that when I was growing up, I knew that it was wrong to hurt people and that wrong deeds don't go unpunished. I hang out with good people who won't offer me drugs or ask me to drink or have underage sex. If someone I'm around makes me uncomfortable, I don't hang around them anymore.
I guess if kids make the effort to stay out of trouble, they can have a pretty good life set out for them. Trouble catches up with everyone sometime in their life no matter who they are, so I can't say that if you're careful you'll never have to deal with problems in life. I mean, sure, I've had people I thought I knew tell me they take drugs or have sex with multiple partners, but that doesn't mean that I have to let that lifestyle become mine. Kids do have to be more careful nowadays . . . Isis, your lifestyle from your childhood sounds just awesome, and it's a pity it isn't the same nowadays. But just know, there are kids out there who know how you feel and don't go out of their way to become those little punks you see insulting each other and spitting in each others' faces.
And if all else fails, you can always stick to watching DVDs when the theaters fail you and you just want to feel good.
[ 16. March 2005, 15:00: Message edited by: Obscurus Lupa ]
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
My mom gets the newspaper still, from my home town, we were killing time tonight waiting for my husband to get home, and I opened the paper, and I saw at least 7 horrible stories...
Here's an example of what I tried to say earlier
This is just a small article:
At least 10 dead. including 3 children, over bloody weekend
a 37 year old woman fatally stabbed her 6 year old daughter and her 10 year old son, before killing herself at about 2am. Police said her other 13 year old son called for help when he found the slain siblings.
At an all-night pool hall, a dispute escalated into a shootout that left 2 dead and 3 injured-1 critically. The gunfire killed a 20 year old and a 21 year old.
And in North Philadelphia. a 10 year old boy sitting in a van idling outside his father's store died when a bullet struck him.
Homicide Capt. R, Ross blamed handguns-and those who use them irresponsibily-for the chaos, which comes amid a wave of violence that has left some detectives and some city residences , numb.
Last year, police investigated 328 homicides, nearly one a day.
I also read another story about another judge who was killed, and someone shot their pregnant wife...it just never ends.
On the back of the paper is stories that are old, and they show them just to get a kick out of them, they are like from 1891- and they wrote there was a flood, and someone found an almost brand new shoe, and you could go to his house to collect it. There was a story about homeless people living in the coke ovens, and how different people took them food.
These stories are happening today everywhere, and it doesn't matter where you live.
And it is a reflection on all of us, and it is very sad.
Posted by Sam Hain 69 (Member # 3150) on :
If you read closely you will realize there were more murders in a lot of these places in the 80's.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Lupa, I think your are an extremely rare individual, and I don't think what you said was egotistical at all. I think you are doing great for your age, and everything that goes on out there, you are handling it wonderfully.
And my one friend has teenage girls and they are good girls, and I know more exist, but you guys are the minority.
Cause I have another friend who has a teenage niece, and she painted her entire room black, and writes poetry that talks about all kinds of horrid stuff, and she takes off from school, and ditches class, she is gorgeous too- she could have so much going for her, and she has a wrap around person going to class with her, and she's 17- but she has severe emotion problems from her family, and the other kids she hangs with come from the same stuff, and they are in to all kinds of trouble, and it is bad news.
I had kids around me who did stuff when I was a teen, but they were really rare, not one of my friends ever smoked, ever did drungs, a few drank beer here and there, but that was mostly guys. Teen sex was a thing, alot of girls were pregnant when I was in high school, but out of my group of friends I only knew maybe 3 that had sex while still in high school. Out of maybe 30-40 girls I knew well enough to know that about. Today it is completely reversed.
So, Lupa stay the way you are, your doing great!
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
I think maybe big cities do have lower murder rates, but it the smaller communities that are seeing the increase in violence, and that is why the numbers don't add up to what really is happening.
Posted by Brode (Member # 3732) on :
It seems you have more problem adjusting to society rather than how the movies depict society. I'm fine with my characters being ugly, both physically and personally. I rarely meet any Westleys, I meet alot more people who don't really know what they're going to do next. I don't meet alot of Doblers, I meet alot of people who are selfish, ignorant and frustrated. While it is wonderful to hear a story about a hero, we take the unconventional heroes to heart alot more, because they're the people we see every day.
As an adult, I'd like to see movies where the characters are true to life, yet still entertaining. I wouldn't subject my 7 year old to Monster's Ball, and I doubt many 7 year olds would care to watch it ... so I don't see how these movies with confused, ugly characters are responsible for the decay of western civilization.
And I don't believe that I should be subjected to sappy pap like the Ice Princess, regardless of how touching and cliche the story is.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Isis said: I don't believe in assisted suicide, because someone can't walk any more. That's what was causing the commotion. Is that disabled and paralyzed people were saying, just because you can't walk doesn't mean you don't have quality of life left, and that you should kill yourself. I think that is what he means...is what other people said about why they were against the movie, that it sends a wrong message to anybody who is disabled. I know it is a movie, and now I actually wanna see it,but it isn't that this is just 1 or 2 movies or a few- it is movies are made that are so violent, or so depressing- how they out number the positive.
The assisted suicide thing is controversial. But who are we as a society to decide for people? We don't know how they r feeling. The whole controversy about Million Dollar Baby is BS. Sometimes its not really like someone is living anyways if they are reduced to a vegetative state. And in many instances, its tougher to sit and watch them suffer than allow them to carry out their wishes. I think you need to watch Million Dollar Baby before you start making comments on the issues. Hilary Swank's reasons for wanting to die are pretty easy to understand at the end...
Posted by Noms, The Anti-Goof (Member # 2688) on :
I don't know who this Ben Stein is but from what I've read in this thread its no bad thing. Get a life.
Isis, it's nice that you have found a soul mate who's ideas are like yours but I have to say that I feel quite sorry for you. It seems that when you talk about modern movies /music / society etc all that you see is pain, hate, sufferng and despair. You are the classic example of "my glass is always half empty, not half full". What kind of life do you lead honestly where you can see no good in anything today?
You totally crap all over other's opinions and then claim not to have seen half the movies that we use to support our argument. Is this our fault that you limit your viewing? I can list hundred's of movies / songs that have an uplifting theme that were made after your precious decade but I see no point in listing them because you won't have seen those either...
I see a common theme to your arguments of late...
Isis: "Everything is rubbish"
Us: "No it isn't and here's proof"
Isis: "I wouldn't know about that I haven't seen them"
Us: "You should stop limiting your viewing then"
Isis: "It doesn't matter because in my world its all bad"
Us: "That's a shame but we don't all live in your world and we think life is great"
Isis: "I'll ignore that remark and change the subject about what happened in my nieghbourhood to prove my point"
Us: "Changing the subject won't change the fact that the majority of us disagree with your opinion"
Isis: "That's what I'm saying. In my opinion..."
Us: "Ah, so why didnt you say that instead of just stating how everything was crap in such a sweeping statement"
Isis: "Well you all twist what I say anyway..."
Noms Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Noms, you are so messed up, that your opinion of me means absolutely nothing to me, so keep twisting what I say as usual, and then say I said you would.
Posted by HipsterMom27 (Member # 2161) on :
Noms & other non-US rewinders: Ben Stein played the teacher in "Ferris Bueller" who talks about the Hawley Smoot Act in a very monotonous voice. He parlayed that role into a semi-career as a know-it-all...he had a tv program called "Win Ben Stein's Money" that pitted a contestant against him to answer questions and hopefully outwit Mr. Stein.
Next thing, he'll be showing up on "The Surreal Life" or some other dumb show featuring minor celebs in whacky 'real life' situations.
I would think you 'die-hard' [pun intended] '80s fans would object instantly to Stein's gross generalization, considering the films that were out in 1985 alone:
-Back to the Future -Cocoon -The Color Purple -Desperately Seeking Susan -Kiss of the Spider Woman -Out of Africa -Pee Wee's Big Adventure -Prizzi's Honor -Witness
Posted by Obscurus Lupa (Member # 2700) on :
Isis- I'm not saying bad things don't happen, and people would be cruel not to feel bad reading about murders in their town . . . But like Noms said, you've got to find the glass half full sometimes. I don't agree with a lot of what he said, but you should know, while you shouldn't ignore things happening around you, there is a sunny side of life. (Yeah, that was a song in O Brother Where Art Thou?--A good recent movie, although the main characters are crooks so you might not find it as entertaining as I did.).
Thanks for the compliments, by the way. (I know, I know, right after I'm like, "Don't be negative!") Kids have emotional problems . . . But not all of us are gonna paint our rooms black. I mean, a lot of kids in my school have emotional problems, but I don't think a lot of it goes to extremes like that. It's good that you're aware of what the kids are like in your neighborhood, though, and that you're being watchful of what your child is doing and who he hangs out with. It indicates that you're being a good parent, and I'm glad. Not every kid is so lucky to have a good mother like you.
Brode- Okay, I'll admit that Ice Princess is probably cliche, BUT--it doesn't sound half as bad as the typical teen love story (Five bucks there's a typical teen love story included in it, though.). Watch what you like, though, because I probably won't see Ice Princess either.
Hm, and a good recent movie . . . Danny Deckchair. Here's some reasons why: 1) Handsome main character with charm, but still has faults like pulling stupid stunts. 2) Non-plastic looking woman as a main character, also with charm, but faults. 3) Beautiful town that you want to live in. 4) Sweet romance with some complications. Here's the summary: Danny is either married or engaged to a shallow woman who hates that he has silly ideas all the time and she cheats on him (I'm assuming it's marriage or she'd have left.). One day at a party he has the idea to fill up giant balloons attached to a deckchair and see if he'll float up. It actually works, but he forgets the scissors to cut him down--so he floats far away, ending up in a town with friendly faces. While he stays in this town and starts a new life, his old life starts to catch up with him.
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
Hey, Isis...you say you want movies that are uplifting & positive...but isn't April Fool's Day one of your all time favorite movies? Isn't that like a bloody freakin' slasher flick? Now that's uplifting & positive! Posted by Noms, The Anti-Goof (Member # 2688) on :
quote:Originally posted by ISIS: Noms, you are so messed up, that your opinion of me means absolutely nothing to me, so keep twisting what I say as usual, and then say I said you would.
Thank you for proving my point...
Noms Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Bigfoot-April Fool's Day is totally uplifting, it is all a hoax, they are just having a great weekend with all their friends, it isn't even really scary-it isn't real life stuff. I love that movie, it makes me happy when spring comes, I love the idea of all of them having a weekend together.
I like horror movies! I don't like real life horror , and I don't like all the violence they put in to kids stuff, and the stuff that has nothing to even do with the actual movie.
Noms-you never have a point.
I am not talking about MY life..my glass is over flowing with fun, my life I control it, I do what I want, I watch what I want, and nothing I subject my child too is having an adverse affect on his mind-the things that do have an effect on him are the things I have no control over-like how mean the kids are at school, and sometimes how mean the teachers actually are. I am talking about the people out there commiting the crimes, doing the bad stuff, they are everywhere anymore, and because of them I have had to take more steps to protect myself-and I have done that. Nobody seems to understand what I am talking about.
I try and give examples of what I am talking about-and then I get...I am looking for the bad, and not the good, and my glass is half empty..that's not it....it isn't me...I am polite to people no matter what their attitude is towards me in public, I just want the same response back from people. Why is it, I can go in the grocery store today, and the check out woman practically is yelling at me...all I asked her was did I need to get the case of bottled water out from under the cart for her to scan it, and she yelled NO! My mom said what kind of bug is up her butt, and I said she must not like her job...but it is that kind of stuff, instead of someone being polite.
Noms, you don't ever need to feel sorry for me, and frankly that just makes you look bad to anyone that knows me, and knows anything about my real life.
I don't listen to today's music because it comes from 2005, I don't listen to it, because I don't like it. But, it isn't that I wouldn't like to like new music, it is that new music stinks to me. And when I say any of this stuff, I mean over all...of course there might be one song I don't change the radio too, or a movie I can sit through. But, it isn't like when I turn on the radio station I always hear something great coming out of it, like I use to, unless it is an oldies station...even my mom's music from the 50's and the 60's-I love. The other night we found a great oldies station, and we had an hour ride home from brother-in-law's house and we never changed the station once, and we were all singing and we all knew the words, and the people could actually sing, and the songs were fun.
Obviously I am not the only person on the planet that feels the same exact way I do, because Ben Stein is feeling it too, so I don't care who he is, what he has done in acting, he can see what I do, and says it exactly how I see it, so if he sees it, then I know it isn't just me, of course I know it isn't just me and Ben either, I actually know alot of people who think that way, and alot more people who are really coming around to complaining about stuff more than I ever did...my own mother and husband say stuff every day about the way the world is, and my son will say there's nothing on tv, and if I have the radio on a new station, just because there is nothing else on-he'll say can you turn it off please, because he doesn't even want to hear it either.
Posted by HipsterMom27 (Member # 2161) on :
It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.
It’s utterly impossible for me to build my life on a foundation of chaos, suffering and death. I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more"
Anne Frank, 1944
Posted by Obscurus Lupa (Member # 2700) on :
Excellent quote, Hipster.
Things can only get better. I mean, I might be unaware of my surroundings, but I'm pretty sure that my town isn't as bad as all that. Isis, I'm not sure what the people are like in your town, but the people around me, the people in the stores . . . sure, some of them aren't nice, you'll never be somewhere where everyone is nice, but they treat me very well for the most part. Bummer that you got yelled at. Although, from my perspective, it's actually quite funny to picture you all calm and being like, "Should I move the water from the bottom of the cart to be scanned?" and the lady freaking out like, "NOOOOO!" like it's a bomb or something.
Well, I'm not going to bother getting into this anymore for now, but I think it's nice to find the humor in things that go wrong. Mostly after it happens, though, 'cause I be pretty annoyed if I got yelled at, too.
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Isis said: Obviously I am not the only person on the planet that feels the same exact way I do, because Ben Stein is feeling it too, so I don't care who he is, what he has done in acting, he can see what I do, and says it exactly how I see it, so if he sees it, then I know it isn't just me, of course I know it isn't just me and Ben either, I actually know alot of people who think that way, and alot more people who are really coming around to complaining about stuff more than I ever did...my own mother and husband say stuff every day about the way the world is, and my son will say there's nothing on tv, and if I have the radio on a new station, just because there is nothing else on-he'll say can you turn it off please, because he doesn't even want to hear it either.
You must have alot of friends with extremely negative attitudes then. Sure, there are some bad things in the world, but face it there's always gonna be. You act as if NOTHING bad either came out of or happened in the 80s. As I have said before, I am as big of an 80's fan on here as anybody, but there were bad things to come out of it. You never mention the sexually risque type movies that came out in the 80s, and believe me there were plenty of them. You may as well live in a plastic bubble, cause there is always gonna be things in the world bad
Gives Isis the "Extreme Negativity of the Year Reward"
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Sorry, "Extreme Negativity of the Year Award." LOL...
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Isis said: Bigfoot-April Fool's Day is totally uplifting, it is all a hoax, they are just having a great weekend with all their friends, it isn't even really scary-it isn't real life stuff. I love that movie, it makes me happy when spring comes, I love the idea of all of them having a weekend together
You are completely conflicting what you say in this statement. Even if it is a hoax, it in in no way uplifting. I liked this movie, but to say it is uplifting is ludicrous. Every movie in a sense is a hoax in that we, as moviegoers, are transported to a make believe world where anything can happen. Of course, what I say will not matter since you are always right anyways. You state your beliefs in one post, and then state something that immediately contradicts your beliefs in the next post. If I go by your belief system, then April Fool's Day is uplifting since it promotes premarital sex and alcohol, but Million Dollar Baby is not because it is a modern movie and contains a controversial topic. After all, having a closed mind on all things modern truly makes one ignorant. And Simon Cowell is on a reality show. He makes money by acting like a scoundrel. He is basically a paid actor. All the judges are. It's called acting. This would also make the character in April Fool's Day played by Biff from Back to the Future a scoundrel as well since he consumes alcohol in the movie. At least that is how I see it if I use your thought process in my interpretation of all things modern versus all things past...
Posted by Sam Hain 69 (Member # 3150) on :
*sits and waits for round three*
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
MotleyRulz-for someone who can't stand Oprah Winfrey, you have some nerve calling me negative.
Obviously you are no where close to using my thought process, cause everything you said, was nothing that came out of my mind, that's fer sure.
What I meant by a "hoax"...is that nobody was actually killed, it was all a joke.
If Simon Cowell is acting like someone other than himself- then that isn't "reality" is it?
[ 19. March 2005, 05:45: Message edited by: ISIS ]
Posted by Obscurus Lupa (Member # 2700) on :
Isis, most reality shows aren't representative of reality. Just thought I'd point that out. I mean, reality shows have been known to hire actors to reenact things they didn't catch on camera--People have been hired on multiple reality shows to ACT like jerks--they're being characters, though, because some of them are actually normal people, y'know.
Posted by StevenHW (Member # 509) on :
Part of ISIS' post:
quote:...I think Ben Stein is right, I would love to write him a letter...
You know ...I think what it is about Simon Cowell...is he hates his name...I mean...come on... anyone with the name Simon has to be a bitter person in life- Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Thanks Steven, I just sent him a letter , and complimented him, and told him about the site, and said he should come check out this thread.
I sure hope he does.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
Ben Stein wrote me back...
Here's what he said, I copied and pasted it...I think a little says alot! Thanks Steven!!
Here it is:
I could not agree more.
Many thanks, Ben
Posted by Sam Hain 69 (Member # 3150) on :
quote:Originally posted by ISIS: You know ...I think what it is about Simon Cowell...is he hates his name...I mean...come on... anyone with the name Simon has to be a bitter person in life-
a dig that shows a total lack of class on your part.
there is a simon that post here you know.
Posted by Sam Hain 69 (Member # 3150) on :
quote:Originally posted by ISIS: Ben Stein wrote me back...
Here's what he said, I copied and pasted it...I think a little says alot! Thanks Steven!!
Here it is:
I could not agree more.
Many thanks, Ben
I emailed Kate Winslet and she wrote me back to
heres a small part that I copied and pasted it
I think you're hot too
Love Kate
Posted by MotleyRulz (Member # 3598) on :
Isis sad: MotleyRulz-for someone who can't stand Oprah Winfrey, you have some nerve calling me negative.
Whats that have to do with the price of eggs in China? The Oprah thing was only one thing I was negative on. Your negative on ANY and EVERY thing modern. Once again my point is proven that your arguements are weak and pointless. I live in a small town too, but I only see a small rise in violence. Maybe you have too much time on your hands since it seems that all modern happenings you discuss constantly involve negativity. You constantly beguile people (i.e., the Simon comment), and then wonder why people's attitudes change on you. If someone does not share your beliefs, you belittle them, and refuse to even consider their point on anything. Posts like these get old, but it also gets old of seeing you beguile people, flipping their switch, sitting back, and watching them get booted. I honestly think you get some sort of thrill out of that. I'm done with this post...
Posted by Noms, The Anti-Goof (Member # 2688) on :
Motley,
Don't sweat the Simon attack thing. Even on threads that I don't post on Isis has this constant need to take swipes at me.
I can't help it if she feels the need to draw me into conversation...
Noms
ps. Isis, now that Ben has e-mailed you does this mean that we can look forward to you citing him as one of your friends in the near future.. Posted by Devolution (Member # 1731) on :
Devolution here,
I originally didn't respond to this topic because in all honesty... I couldn't give a care about Ben Stein. Then I saw 40 replies, and I figured there had to be some fighting going on. Nothing like a good fight to start my Sunday.
We have a bunch of people arguing about stuff they have no control over. Or maybe they do. Don't watch it. Then you can't complain about it. People are going to make controversial movies regardless, AND mostly because people are going to watch them because they are.
Ben Stein has the right to his opinion, like everyone else. If Isis agrees, great for her. I am not saying that I do.
I refuse to even look at a post that talks about Simon Cowell, unless it's something bad about him. I admire his ability to be honest, if he is being honest, but otherwise, when I watch American Idol, I agree with him 95% of the time. But most cases, I just ignore him because he isn't an important person in my life.
If Ben Stein doesn't like any movies from the last 20 years, or Isis doesn't like any movies from the last 15, it really doesn't make a difference because they are going to make movies and music for a long time. There will be good ones and bad ones, but nothing is going to compare to the ones that you grew up liking. If you think about it, there are more kids movies out now then there were 20 years ago. Pixar might have made movies with a few adult jokes here and there, but all in all, kids and adults could watch the same movies now and the adults can watch them without getting bored out of their faces.
My bottom line... Just stop it. You, yourself can't do anything about things you don't want to watch except turn off the TV. Haven't we figured that out by now. The first amendment had turned against us about 12 years ago when NYPD blue first started with curses. It hasn't digressed at all since then. There was a time when HBO only played R-rated movies at 8pm or later, that is gone too. Folks, deal with it. Everyone here is online, you can get a good review of a movie days before you see it.
With that, I would like to go see the Ring 2. I like knowing that a movie might be good or bad, but it's going to take me viewing it to decide that.
We are DEVO
Posted by ValleyCat (Member # 1322) on :
quote:Originally posted by MotleyRulz:
Posts like these get old, but it also gets old of seeing you beguile people, flipping their switch, sitting back, and watching them get booted. I honestly think you get some sort of thrill out of that. I'm done with this post...
Contrary to belief, Isis has not been involved with why anyone has been booted off of here. So who's the one pointing the finger now?
I'll be the first to say I don't agree with where these postings go. Everyone has an opinion and it starts out a good debate, then it mushrooms into a heated argument. Why?..because everyone takes it personal now. Maybe it's because nobody can let it go or feels like they need to get in the last word...not really sure. All I do know is that in the end, Everyone including myself look bad.
I will say this though, this board is alot like life....the bad stuff gets all the attention. You can post a cool positive topic and get almost no replies, but start a controversial posting and the topic lights up like Chevy Chase's House in "Christmas Vacation".
For anyone new, this stuff happens quite often, but we all still love the 80's, just for different reasons. Posted by Devolution (Member # 1731) on :
Devolution here,
Valley said
quote:I will say this though, this board is alot like life....the bad stuff gets all the attention. You can post a cool positive topic and get almost no replies, but start a controversial posting and the topic lights up like Chevy Chase's House in "Christmas Vacation".
Amen.
We are DEVO
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
That's a good one Sam.
Posted by ISIS (Member # 1780) on :
It is true what Valley said. I have started hundreds of threads, probably thousands by now, just on memories of the "good" times of the 80's, and all the things about it that I loved, and why I am here in the first place. Very few people comment on those things ever...maybe the people who never ever post on a subject about all the fun and good things, have never had any fun happen to them ever.
Because...it is true when someone wants to get upset because I say life isn't the same...I have never said I hate life now, and my life stinks...the only thing I complain about is how negative people are, and when people start flipping out over it and taking it personally-they are the exact kind of example I am talking about-so there is no way for certain people on here to ever "understand" me, because we are living polar opposite lives. Sometimes I wonder why some people are here, because they don't have anything to say unless it is negative, not about life...but in general- to anybody, they can't even say hello to new people, or ever be complimentitive about anything-unless it has to do with themself.
The stuff I am complaining about isn't all about the movies either...but I do think that movies are a reflection of the time period we are living in.
And none of what I said was to start a debate with any particular person, I was only giving my opinion on what Ben Stein said, just like everybody else did, and because I feel like he was getting slammed for no good reason, because I feel the same way he does. And I said about the news because that was the first I opened a paper in who knows how long, and that was all that was in there, was story after story after story, but yet on the back page they ran stories from 100 years ago- and those stories were comical and uplifting and that wasn't so long ago-if you read one of those stories and then read one from today, you absolutely can see where we have come in the world.
Ben Stein did send that reply...for Sam to tell me not to make fun of someone's name, but then he and Noms can make fun of me, and practically call me a liar, that is where both of them seem to think there are rules for them, and rules for everyone else on here.
Noms has called me names, has attacked my family, and said he feels sorry for me, and everyone around me, and has said shut up to me, and Sam follows right behind him, and I barely have ever personally attacked either one of them, and if I have..they sure can't take it. And this is the first that I really have actually addressed what it is that they do.
I have left once to take a break, because of the very thing that Valley talked about, and that is how personal things get, mostly in the past-I never really cared...because I am not out to change anybody....I am just saying why I liked living in the 80's. And the reason it ends up going on and on, is because no matter what you say...someone is going to take what you said, and interput it how they want to see it, and that could be nothing like it was ever meant to be.
To me I don't like anger and the debating...but I do like to see people interacting. How come good things can't bring out the same response in everyone??
[ 20. March 2005, 11:17: Message edited by: ISIS ]
Posted by Noms, The Anti-Goof (Member # 2688) on :
Hang on let's get something straight here...
I have never attacked your family or called you names yet you continue to take swipes at me even in threads that I have not contributed to.
Did you not say to me in a PM that some of the things I take my kids to are sick??? If that's not a personal attack on me then I don't know what is.
I have no problem with a healthy debate but let's not twist things to make you sound perfect and me the bad guy...
Noms
[ 21. March 2005, 06:36: Message edited by: Noms, The Anti-Goof ]
Posted by Anna Sullivan (Member # 4010) on :
Yeah....I remember April Fool's. It scared the bejesus out of me when I first saw it...even after the ending. Not a fan of Ben Stein's words. It seems that, unlike the timeless Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Mr Stein has not transgressed the generational barrier. By Ben Stein's rationale, perhaps we should all condemn Ferris Bueller's Day Off for inciting delinquency and no honouring thy father and thy mother!! Really, that's the problem with being ultra-conservative, you are bound to be offended by too darn much.
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
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Although, from my perspective, it's actually quite funny to picture you all calm and being like, "Should I move the water from the bottom of the cart to be scanned?" and the lady freaking out like, "NOOOOO!" like it's a bomb or something.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
