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08 October 2007

This is a George Clooney thread. So as not to derail the 'new people' thread, I thought I'd start my own thread on the subject. It is not intended to be a picture thread, btw.
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jonmc wrote:

I am one of the ones who despises George Clooney, because all his characters seem to prove the adage that if you're good-looking asshole behavior becomes proof of 'depth' and 'complexity,' whereas if you're homely it's merely proof of assholedom. This also debunks the theory that women are less superficial and looks-obsessed than men.

I have to disagree with just about all of that.

The opportunities open to Hollywood actors to make idiots of themselves are probably limitless. George Clooney appears to shy away from the celeb party/nightclub circuit. The only time I've ever seen him at a celeb party is when it's to promote a movie.

He's made films which are intelligent and sometimes risky for a Hollywood leading man. I don't think his characters are all assholes by any stretch of the imagination.

He's donated millions of dollars to charitable causes, and is prepared to use his celebrity status to publicise the plight of those in need (i.e. Darfur).

He does not appear to be pompous or self-important. He has a sense of humour about the absurdity of being a Hollywood superstar.

Yes, he is incredibly handsome, but that's not why I like him.

I can't bear 'handsome' actors, e.g. Brad Pitt, Mel Gibson, Matt Damon and the like. To me they have 'negative charisma' - their good looks turn me off.

I like a man with a mind and a conscience. I'd always liked Steve Buscemi, but he went up a thousand times in my esteem when, on September 11 2001, he dropped what he was doing and went immediate to his old firehouse in NYC to see how he could help. He spent the next week doing 12-hour shifts digging through the rubble for bodies. Now that's a real man, not some pretty Hollywood face.

And that's why I like George Clooney too. He's an intelligent, funny, self-deprecating man who is prepared to speak out in support of things in which he strongly believes. That he is also the most handsome man on earth is a bonus.

Discuss.

post by: essexjan at: 12:13 | 72 comments

He's a pretty good writer/director. I liked Goodnight and Good Luck.

posted by chuckdarwin 08 October | 12:19

George Clooney creeps me out, but I agree that there's nothing assholish about him. No one will notice this comment, since it wasn't made by jonmc.

posted by iconomy 08 October | 12:21

He's got beautiful hands.

posted by phoenixc 08 October | 12:22

Did anyone beside jonmc express a distaste for Clooney? I didn't notice it. Why does jonmc's opinion carry so much weight around here? He's a great guy, but he's no film expert. I like/dislike plenty of things jonmc dislikes/likes--George Clooney is just the start of it.

On preview: I see you there, iconomy. But I can't let this new evidence dilute my point.

posted by mullacc 08 October | 12:25

I'm with you essexjan. Although I may not like some of the acting choices ol' Georgie has made (*cough* Batman and Robin *cough*), I can't think of any particular movie where he's been particularly asshole-ish.

Why does jonmc's opinion carry so much weight around here?

The squeaky wheel gets all the grease?

posted by muddgirl 08 October | 12:28

Good idea, jan--thanks.

posted by box 08 October | 12:31

O Brother Where Art Thou.

He made a perfect Everett. Looked like he had fun at it.

posted by bunnyfire 08 October | 12:32

He started out in soaps and has clawed his way to the point where he's getting Oscar nods for directing... that's pretty damned impressive.

He has also produced some of my favourites... like A Scanner Darkly. I plan to see Michael Clayton in the cinema.

His new project is called Leatherheads - which probably won't be my cup of tea. But I'd love to see The Good German.

posted by chuckdarwin 08 October | 12:35

For all I know George Clooney himself may be a swell guy, but that's not the impression I get. He just comes across as "Mr. Ain't-I-Fucking-Great," which rubs me the wrong way. Makes me wanna piss on his car bumper.

Why does jonmc's opinion carry so much weight around here?

It only has the weight people want to give it. I'm continually shocked than anybody cares what my opinion is. I'm nobody of any importance, really.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 12:39

and to be frank, my loathing of Mr. Clooney is merely a subset of my loathing for successful, 'confident' people in general. I feel it's my duty to knock them down a peg.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 12:41

Ha! I considered doing the same thing, EJ.

For me, it boils down to the fact that the guy has had the same core group of friends for decades. That's a rare accomplishment for anyone, let alone a Big Hollywood Star.

Also, he makes me feel tingly in my squishy bits.

posted by jrossi4r 08 October | 12:42

..and now I gotta go do laundry and drink beer with the stinkin' drunks.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 12:49

Though I must say, as much as I enjoyed O Brother, Where Art Thou? I thought his performance was basically him doing an impression of Johnny Depp in Ed Wood.

I would also enjoy sexing Mr. Depp. And if Paul Rudd and maybe Peter Krause wanted to jump in, that'd be fine too.

posted by jrossi4r 08 October | 12:49

I like George Clooney. Now Peter Krause irritates the hell out of me.

posted by arse_hat 08 October | 12:54

As I rarely notice anything about an actor except their body of work, I like Clooney fine. Perhaps I shouldn't be so cavalier about what an actor says or does out of character--after all we have elected, and re-elected, an actor president--but so it goes.

And I'm a sucker for the Ocean's flicks. Sue me. And jonmc, since *I* am successful and confident, I'll win if you do the suin'! BWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH hah huh *ahem* just kidding bro.

And on preview: Krause irritates me, too, 'ceptin for Sports Night.

posted by WolfDaddy 08 October | 12:58

I want to sex everyone that jrossi likes! Dammit! i imagine that she would best me in any fight

posted by gaspode 08 October | 13:00

I'd never heard of Peter Krause but his imdb pics remind me of Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy, which makes him okay in my book.

I have no strong feelings about Mr. Clooney one way or the other.

squishy bits? ew!

posted by small_ruminant 08 October | 13:06

I like George Clooney, but I liked his aunt better. In fact, if it wasn't for his aunt, George might never have lasted long enough in Hollywood, to have made the jump from soaps to screen.

posted by paulsc 08 October | 13:12

Clooney's dreamy, no doubt about it. The Paul Newman of our times, me thinks. Though I understand the antagonism; I have similar reactions to Angelina Jolie, though, in many ways, I know she's a fine actor and person.

posted by Pips 08 October | 13:16

I found out the other day that the movie on my flight to the US is 'Ocean's Thirteen'. So I'll have GC (along, sadly with Pitt & Damon) on a loop for seven whole lovely hours.

posted by essexjan 08 October | 13:18

I'm not scrapping with a Kiwi, pode. You'd kick my ass. Now Jan, on the other hand, I think I could take. She's wee and I'm wily.

I'm actually related to Rosemary Clooney via my Kentucky kin. Still not clear on how, exactly, and I don't believe it's in a way that would make my lust for George particularly incestuous.

posted by jrossi4r 08 October | 13:22

I have similar reactions to Angelina Jolie, though, in many ways, I know she's a fine actor and person.

I was trying to think of female counterparts to essexjan's Pitt & Damon. Jolie is the only female lead I can think of that distracts me from the acting. She doesn't top any of my personal lists, but she's so over-the-top beautiful--like, aggressively beautiful--that she always seems mis-cast to me. Except in the video game movie, I suppose. Though when I was watching the trailer to Beowulf, I commented to a friend that if Angelina Jolie were playing herself in another movie it would look the same as the Beowulf trailer.

posted by mullacc 08 October | 13:24

I'm actually related to Rosemary Clooney via my Kentucky kin. Still not clear on how, exactly, and I don't believe it's in a way that would make my lust for George particularly incestuous.

I can see you both now, sitting on your porch playing 'Duelling Banjos' ...

posted by essexjan 08 October | 13:45

I'm not scrapping with a Kiwi, pode. You'd kick my ass.
Unless you're French. /cheap shot at Kiwis :)

posted by matthewr 08 October | 13:59

she's so over-the-top beautiful--like, aggressively beautiful--

SHE'S A MAN BABBY.

posted by stynxno 08 October | 14:26

I like Clooney just fine. He's like a poor-man's me. I feel kind of sorry for him, to be honest.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 08 October | 15:50

I don't care much for Clooney, for reasons I can't articulate.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 08 October | 16:03

I absolutely love "Goodnight and Good Luck" and "Syriana," and still giggle over some of the scenes in "O Brother." I give the man a thumbs up for picking good non-obvious material.

posted by deadcowdan 08 October | 16:32

Probably because he reminds you of me.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 08 October | 16:32

I like him. I like that he cares about his craft. I like that he does awful by the numbers films like Ocean's 12, but he also turns up in ambitious and yet imperfect jewels like Syriana and Solaris.

And Oh Brother, Where Art Thou was masterful.

So I'm a lover of the Clooney.

posted by seanyboy 08 October | 16:33

...my loathing of Mr. Clooney is merely a subset of my loathing for successful, 'confident' people in general. I feel it's my duty to knock them down a peg.

I absolutely fucking hate that attitude. People who tear down other people merely for being successful drive me batshit insane. Can't we be happy for each other?

posted by eamondaly 08 October | 16:54

Can't we be happy for each other?

No. He's the prom king going on to the success that he thinks is his due. We have to diss him a bit to remind him that he is still a mere mortal.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:16

that he thinks is his due.

See, he might LOOK like that, but his interviews make it clear he knows it's all dumb luck, and he's just decided to run with it as long as he can get away with, and meanwhile do some good if he can manage it. THAT attitude I like.

posted by small_ruminant 08 October | 17:18

See, he might LOOK like that, but his interviews make it clear he knows it's all dumb luck,

Please. He's a celebrity's nephew and a pretty boy. If he wasn't so handsome you wouldn't even be entertaining the thought. Screw his pretty boy ass.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:21

We have to diss him a bit to remind him that he is still a mere mortal.

That's a double-helping out of a 4-quart crock of shit, right there. My bet is that you need to diss him a bit to feel better about not acheiving whatever it is you consider success.

If it makes you feel any better, I think you're a success: MetaChat loves you. I don't feel any need to rip into you for it, though.

posted by eamondaly 08 October | 17:24

If it makes you feel any better, I think you're a success: MetaChat loves you.

That and 2 bucks will get me on the subway. Clooney is a success where it matters. That's why he needs to be ridiculed. Just to keep him honest.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:27

That's ridiculous. So you're saying you want him to be less sucessful for no other reason than he's a good-looking guy? And that somehow would teach him a lesson? In what, self-mutilation?

posted by eamondaly 08 October | 17:34

You should move to the UK. We hate success over here too.

posted by seanyboy 08 October | 17:36

So you're saying you want him to be less sucessful for no other reason than he's a good-looking guy?

No, I'm saying that he should quit acting like his good looks make his opinions more important than the rest of ours. and 99.9% of his success rests on his looks. If he looked like Ernest Borgnine, no matter how good an actor he was, he wouldn't be as famous or wealthy as he is. And what I'm throwing at him reminds of that. If he's listening, he's probably screwing two supermodels on solid gold sheets while his butler wipes his ass for him. He is not one of us. He is the enemey.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 17:39

He is the enemey.

People want to see pretty actors for the same reason they want to hear singers with good voices... or musicians with nimble fingers. It's the way of it. Leading men aren't ever going to be ugly even or common-looking.

Almost everyone in show business knows someone in show business. It's a very incestuous little circle.

posted by chuckdarwin 08 October | 18:00

Dude, it simply bugs me to watch a bunch of people who should know better acting like little girls at a New Kids on The Block concert over some celebrity.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 18:04

Maybe y'all should be talking about Bruce Springsteen instead. He's pre-approved for Mecha discussions. Shame.

posted by mudpuppie 08 October | 18:09

You wanna see real fawning undeserved adulation?
Ooooo, that Justin Timberwhatever is soooooo dreeeeamy!!!!!

posted by casarkos 08 October | 18:11

i go scrub out my soul now

posted by casarkos 08 October | 18:12

Uh, pup. Bruce has accomplished something beyond looking pretty, which is more than I can say for Clloney. He's an overadulated celebrity, we dont owe him any more.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 18:24

I can't goddamn believe I'm playing a part in this doomed and pointless discussion, but here goes: jon, you totally act like a little girl at a NKOTB concert when it comes to Bruuuuce. And members of his band. And Handsome Dick Manitoba, for Chrissake.

And, according to IMDB, Clooney has won 26 Oscars, and trust me when I say that, awards- and critical-acclaim-wise, that's just the tip of the iceberg. And he's working on an adaptation of James Ellroy's White Jazz. I'm not always a big fan of his work, but the man's an accomplished actor/writer/director/etc. by (almost) anyone's standard.

Now I'm going to get a beer.

posted by box 08 October | 19:13

I normally don't contribute to a thread like this, but I can't help it this time.

jon, everything you say Clooney does or feels is purely your perception of what Clooney does or feels. You have no idea what the man is really about. Not one of us knows the guy, let alone knows what's going on in his head. You really are basing your ideas of him on your insecurities*. You're a really smart guy and if you take a minute or twelve to think about it, you'd realise this is true.

Also, all Springsteen and Clooney are, are entertainers. That's it, that's all, period. That's all they can be to the people who don't know them.

*I'm obviously not you, but I share many of the same insecurities as you and I really do recognise where you're coming from.

posted by deborah 08 October | 19:20

No, I'm saying that he should quit acting like his good looks make his opinions more important than the rest of ours.

Actually, I don't think that's what going on. His general reply to that accusation is that the cameras are already on him. He gets more attention than he deserves or wants. Meanwhile, situations like Darfur get a small fraction of that press time. Therefore, he feels obligated to occasionally redirect the spotlight to more important things.

Makes sense to me. But then again, I am blinded by pure animal lust.

posted by jrossi4r 08 October | 19:57

jon, you totally act like a little girl at a NKOTB concert when it comes to Bruuuuce. And members of his band. And Handsome Dick Manitoba, for Chrissake.

well, the crucial difference is that I actually know Dick Manitoba and he hasn't recieved any kind of recognition. If it weren't for me, you probably wouldn't know he is. And Bruce..Bruce was a kid from nowhere who felt like an outcast most of his life until he picked up a guitar. Clooney was a child of showbiz family who probably had people going gaga over him when he was a teenager and still does now. That's the difference.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 20:34

Dismissing someone over circumstances beyond their control (what family they were born into, what they look like) reflects poorly on you, Jon. I couldn't give two moldy craps whether you like Clooney or not - there are plenty of people I dislike for reasons that often border on the ridiculous, but mostly just boil down to taste. But to try to justify that dislike based on some kind of misplaced class warfare sour grapefest... well it may be honest, but it's a side of you I can't admire.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 08 October | 20:50

I pretty much agree with everything essexjan said right at the start of this thread.

Also, it appears that Clooney can't win in jon's world. Either he's an arrogant asshole actor who does nothing, or an arrogant asshole actor who tries to do something. Either way he's an arrogant asshole actor.

*shrug* I like him. To me he seems pretty self-deprecating. I like that.

posted by gaspode 08 October | 20:51

To me he seems pretty self-deprecating. I like that.

You like that he's pretty. If he looked like Ernest Borgnine, I doubt you'd care how self-deprecating he was. He's a prom king, the type of guy who would've laughed at the likes of most of us back in the day.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 20:57

You like that he's pretty.

For fucks sake, jon, don't tell me how I think.

posted by gaspode 08 October | 20:58

Jesus, jon, give it a rest already. We get it.

posted by mudpuppie 08 October | 20:59

C'mon pode, don't insult my intelligence. If he wasn't so handsome we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'll watch Susan sarandon's movies but I don't delude myself that it's because I give a frog's fat ass about her opinion on Iraq or the death penalty. It's because she's hot. That's it.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 21:02

What? jon? Don't insult mine. There are plenty of good looking actors in Hollywood, many of whom are better looking than him. Granted I wouldn't kick Clooney out of bed, but that's not the reason I like him so much. Good night and good luck (where he is not playing a sex symbol by any stretch of the imagination) is one of my favourite movies, and he wrote, directed and starred in it. He's a talented guy.

You, of course, can and will think what you like.

posted by gaspode 08 October | 21:05

Man...I sure hope you never find out how rich and good-lookin' I am, jon. You'd never speak to me again.

posted by jrossi4r 08 October | 21:09

Whatever. It boils down to this: I don't like pretty people, I don't like smart people, I don't like succesful people. I consider it my duty to take them down a bit with my own repulsive stupid inadequacy. That is my function in life.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 21:09

*gets uglification surgery, loses PhD, forgoes tenure-track professorial position*

hopefully jon will like me now

posted by gaspode 08 October | 21:12

I'm exaggerating to make a point, but you kind of proved it for me. You would have to do all those things to understand what it's like to go through life being me (or somebody like me), but you seem to be aware of that, George Clooney isn't, which is one of the reasons I don't like him.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 21:15

Whatever. It boils down to this: I don't like pretty people, I don't like smart people, I don't like successful people. I consider it my duty to take them down a bit with my own repulsive stupid inadequacy. That is my function in life.

The only one that attitude "takes down" is you.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 08 October | 21:22

Flo, you don't think I'm actually aware of how people view me? an amusing retard? a charming loser? maybe an idiot savant? I know that's what I am and I accept that because it gives me a place in the scheme of things. But don't deny me the right to tear down those who have everything I don't.

posted by jonmc 08 October | 21:26

But don't deny me the right to tear down those who have everything I don't.

I deny you nothing. It just makes me sad, because I think you're better than that.

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 08 October | 21:28

I'm exaggerating to make a point, but you kind of proved it for me.

It's a point you've tried to make ~~13 times~~ (on preview: 14 times) in this thread, so far. Comes off more like people don't agree with you, and you're going to keep trying until they do. You're entitled to your opinion. Others are entitled to theirs. You don't need to change their minds, and you don't need to fucking restate your point, exaggerated or otherwise, every time you fail to bring people over to your camp. Just let it be already.

But hey, at least you're getting attention, no?

posted by mudpuppie 08 October | 21:29

"I don't like smart people" THAT is a lie. Some of your friends are very smart people. We have seen it here on mecha.

posted by arse_hat 08 October | 21:33

Jeez, I'm glad I went to bed before all this kicked off.

posted by essexjan 09 October | 01:26

yah, really. Me too. So silly.

posted by taz 09 October | 02:07

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by essexjan 09 October | 04:48

*streaks through thread, shouting*

"SOCIALISM! FEMINISM! SKINNY CHICKS ARE TEH BOMB!*

*runs out the other side*

posted by elizard 09 October | 10:21

It's funny; I like Clooney, but then I think he's a rare actor who has a very good sense of how to do his job, the way someone whose dad is a cop might make an excellent cop. He's not the greatest movie star we have (that's Denzel Washington); Clooney can do wrong but rarely does, and I find it hard to hate a guy who does such a good job.

I resent people who were coddled along all their life by either having someone occasionally or frequently tell them they were good or wonderful, or by not having someone occasionally or frequently tell them they were bad or shitty. But I don't know exactly who to resent. The kid for having parents who show their love by boosting his confidence? The parents for telling the kid something that's probably true for every kid, and which, while not necessarily serving truth, encourages the kid to grow into a more confident adult? Something happened (or didn't happen) somewhere that made me feel less than confident about myself. That didn't happen (or did) to Clooney. I resent that it didn't happen to me, but acknowledge that it's a lame and petty resentment.

The other lame, petty thing going on here is certain ugly behavior towards jonmc. Your nasty side stays hidden so well; why bother trucking out the inner bitch when you could leave well enough alone? Talk about predictable. Sure, he's making a richly opinionated (read 'ignorant' if you like) statement that many people disagree with. But people are disagreeing with him individually and in particular, bringing up specific reasons, and he's responding to them. It's no surprise to see you jump in to tell him to shut up; we've seen it before and I guess you just can't resist a race to the bottom.

So he looks like a bit of a bitch, and you get to be the dick that points it out.

Credibility suffers all around.

posted by Hugh Janus 09 October | 10:51

I suspect George Clooney is gay.

posted by rainbaby 09 October | 11:14

There's a bloke at work who looks like George Clooney. I mean, he really does look like him, even more so in real life than that picture. (His brother works at our place too. He looks just like Mr Bean.)

Every time there's been a vacancy in our team, I and another woman have lobbied hard to make our managers appoint him (the fact that he knows nothing about our area of the business is no deterrent to us, but apparently is a stumbling block to the managers).

I'd never spoken to him, just worshipped him from afar across the cafeteria. Our paths don't cross often, he's on the 9th floor and I'm on the 2nd floor, but one day I got in the same lift as him and one of his team mates.

I was about to swoon when he spoke. He has the most God-awful coarse Essex accent you've ever heard.

Gah!

Oh well, it's not that I want to actually talk to him or anything, is it?

posted by essexjan 09 October | 14:19

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