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(Or the other reason Actors are 'snobbish')
Today received an email from a reader of my site claiming that he loved all the movies I starred in....
"what f'n movies" was my first thought, I have not starred in any movies yet, I have acted in a few, some decent roles but no starring roles (yet). Then I realised that this guy is in a country that will have had the DVD release of maybe 1 movie that I have worked on in Thailand....
WTF? then....
I also annoyingly get this from locals here at times, like when out with friends last month having a few beers when a girl excitedly runs up:
"You were in Som Tam"
"Yes, did you see it?"
"Yes, twice"
"What did I do in the movie?"
After listening to her dribble on for about 10 seconds I rudely interrupted and again asked her what I did in the movie, she made a guess, which was wrong.
Why would anyone do that?
What do they think they will gain by lying and saying that they saw the movie, it's not like I care, I was just paid to act, I don't get a % of the take, I don't get to choose which take was best and how the editing goes together best, I have little input over my lines - which means here I am often saying something that I don't understand the relevance until I see the final edit and computer graphics overlay, even then sometimes I just shake my head but in a country where English is often the 3rd or 4th language it really has to be expected.
This sort of Ass Kissing goes on quiet a lot actually, so much so that I do ask questions such as in the above example. Why would I take time to talk to someone who is just bullshitting me from the start? It is easier just to be rude to them.
So here we arrive at the 'snobbish' actors who are to good to talk to the common folk myths... yes if you are a lying turd then I am too good to talk to you - pretty easy really, most normal people would agree with me.
At the recent Thai film festival Jean Claude Van Damme was in attendance and one of his recent films was showing (I think), while Ray, myself and a few of the Bangkok Adrenaline guys had a nice social time, a few beers, free snacks, a couple of photos for the media, a fan or two who recognised us - sitting and chatting with friends - I could see Jeane Claude virtually pushed into a corner and surrounded by Ass Kissers.
Being only about 3 meters away and tall enough to see over everyone I could watch as 1 person after another came up to Jeane Claude and started speaking the same banalities (tripe) as the last 50 people, ohh I love your work, do you still fight kickboxing, blah, blah, blah - my guess is that most of them are not true fans and most have only seen 1 or 2 movies that he has been in. I could see his eyes he looked tired, and I would be too of listening and being polite to the constant ass kissing and brown nosing of all these people you have never seen before and will never see again and more importantly they could not care less about you except you are 'famous'.
Now don't get me wrong I do appreciate real fair dinkum praise or compliments as I appreciate constructive criticism but these are linked to facts, to reality not bulldust.
This celebrity 'worship' must be commonplace due to the number and scope of trivial gossip magazines available at any newsagent. I mean who is Brad Pitt dating now? Why do you know this? Why should you even care? I have no idea, I think I heard he was with Jennifer Lopez at some stage but I could be very wrong (I just googled it - the answer is Angelina Jolie - so I was completely wrong)
Just imagine the rubbish that Brad Pitt would have to put up with on a daily basis....
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