Funny or Not So Much?
By now, I am sure that everyone has seen the infamous Tom Cruise saying: "You're a Jerk" clip. If not, you have probably been asleep for the past two or three days. I have seen it on the news, on the internet and heard all about it on every radio show that I listen to (even this morning, three days after the fact, they are still talking about it on morning radio shows).
At the London premiere of "War of the Worlds", Tom was squirted in the face by a fake microphone that was held by a fake reporter. The reporter was apparently a part of a reality t.v. show that pulls pranks on stars. The show had already pulled the same stunt with Sharon Osborne (who in turn poured a bucket of ice water on the guy), and I heard today that they had done the same thing to some other actress (but I don't remember who it was). The fake reporter was arrested (I guess he was arrested for public display of a prank), and released on bail.
My question today is, "Did Tom overreact?"
I have really gone back and forth on this. I am not much of a practical joke guy. For one, they usually end up failing or backfiring on me :). Secondly, there really is no use for them...the point of them is usually to embarrass someone, or make them look stupid. On that line of thought, I see where Tom was coming from...I possibly would have reacted in a similar fashion.
But at the same time, it was just a squirt of water. Did the guy really need to go to jail over a squirt of water?
posted by Kevin Yates @ 10:49 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
not that i'm a huge fan of stern, but he brought up the excellent point that in today's day and age, there's no telling what "unknown" substance is coming out of the fake microphone. it's not a prank anymore...it's scary. i think tom was completely correct in going off on the prankster in this situation.
I kind of had that thought too...that is why I am not completely against Tom's reaction...again, I would have probably reacted the same way.
It is a pretty crazy world, and there is no telling what could happen. However, you would think that the press would be screened before they were able to get that close to the stars anyway. I am sure they will be now.
Speaking of getting close to stars, the next way people will find to harass stars is via cell phone cameras. These Portable Papparazzis will make a killin' off some of the shots they could take "on the fly" - I smell a lawsuit! :)
I am sure there have been some lawsuits already...just not so much in the public eye.
this tom cruise thing will bring more of an analysis to it though, i am sure.
btw...i heard today that he is not pressing charges. He also said that he responded the way that he did because he is a scientologist...and scientologists are strong and not affraid to back down...they are also forgiving.
Guess I have been asleep, I have no clue what you are talking about...Guess I will check it out!
Ha! Any normal person who got pranked in that way would have sworn at the prankster and forgotten about it. The person went to jail because the person he pranked happened to be a film star. As such, I think the bloke going to jail, however briefly, is a crying shame. That stuff could have been anything, but as it was it was only water. Why should that bloke be punished because he had the opportunity to do something hidous? The fact is, he didn't, and probably would be appalled at the idea. That he was jailed is simply symptomatic of the ridiculous value we place upon celebrities over and above everyone else.
I agree...there is more value placed on celebrities...be it movie stars, music stars or sports icons. Definitely a problem in our society. I have an undergrad in education, and I feel that jobs such as teaching should be praised more...and paid more for that matter.
That was part of my original struggle too. Even though, I came around and eventually came to terms with how Tom reacted...and eventually agreed that I would probably have done the same. I still didnt think that the guy had to serve time in jail. Even though it could have been anything, the fact still remains that it was water.
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