The Rum Diary vs Vanity Fair
What the fuck is up with Vanity Fair???
Well, first of all -- hello! I'm finally back in the States. I arrived late last night. It was a long day but as far as international flights go, it went off without a hitch. However, I came home to my mom in the hospital and no hot water in the house. I don't mean to imply that these are of equal importance; just saying that the endless flight was fine, but being back home is kind of SNAFU.
Gosh, it feels great to be able to post to my blog and actually see the dashboard! Yay!
Well, on that endless flight from London to Chicago, I finally got to read the issue of Vanity Fair that has Johnny Depp on the cover. I've only been dragging it along in my carry-on bag through 4 different countries (I include the moments I was in Wales -- which is a really beautiful country, btw! If you like things that are gorgeously green, that is!). Anyway.
So what is the big brouhaha re: the rape word? You know, the comment was just so innocuous. And I say that as someone who also hates to have her picture taken and is a rape survivor. But that said...
Jesus Fucking Christ, who at Vanity Fair edited that incredibly offensive interview? You know -- I'm somebody who actually likes Johnny Depp and even I am taking a pass on The Rum Diary; making it the first Johnny Depp movie in the known history of the world that I am not going to see. Basically because I am an "animal rights lunatic."
I'd forgotten about the cockfighting scenes in Hunter's book. I'd skipped over those because I find cockfights and descriptions of them really horrible. (There's an unbelievably accurate description of a cockfight in The Day of the Locust; a masterpiece of 20th Century literature by Nathanael West and one of my all-time favorite novels. The horrific cockfighting scenes in that book are followed by a scene of attempted rape and for me, the rape stuff pales in comparison to the depiction of the abuse of animals.)
Anyway, I guess I am grateful to Vanity Fair for giving me a head's up that the cockfighting scenes in the film are depicted very realistically & thus giving me the option to not go see the movie. But referring to those of us who feel that the abuse of animals is always inexcusable, as "animal rights lunatics" -- come on.
You know, I have no problem with what anyone on earth wants to talk about in private. I know I say things in private that would amaze you (or amaze even me), but who the hell let some of those comments in that interview get as far as the printed page? Was it perhaps emailed in remotely and then just sent straight to press as is? (Sort of like my blog for the last 3 weeks???)
For the last two days of my stay in England, we were in Blackheath -- a wonderful area of London. I really enjoyed it there. And we were staying in the home of a woman who participates in cat rescues. Loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that I adore cats and being in this woman's home was a real treat for me. She currently has 14 rescued cats. Naturally, I loved every single one of them.
The ones who captured my heart most, though, were a 19 year-old ginger cat named Lucas. He was totally deaf, but unbelievably loving. He was so affectionate. He spent a good portion of both my nights there cuddled up close to me in bed. He was a very large cat but now he is very fragile; you can see all his bones. He is a really contented old guy; it's still very much worth having him alive on earth. Thank goodness for animal rights lunatics...
My other favorite was a 12-week old kitten who is disabled. He's an adorable tabby whose back legs don't work right, and he has only slight bladder control, etc. He was abandoned like a little piece of trash in a box at the side of some road when he was 6 weeks old because he clearly had a serious physical defect. He kind of hops around, but his little back legs are getting stronger now & he's learning how to use one of those little pads used for housebreaking puppies. And gosh does he love life. He loves to play in the garden, and to chase little toy mice. And he seriously loves to sit in front of the aquarium and watch the fish swim tirelessly around & around & around! This little kitten is heartrendingly cute and the people who are looking after him are fiercely devoted to helping him live a full and joyous little life. Animal rights lunatics that they are...
Well, since the Vanity Fair interview also informs us that Johnny Depp is now "really, really, really rich" (those are VF's italics for a change; not mine!), I guess it won't matter at all if I save my $8.00 that I would have spent on a movie ticket and use it to buy a couple weeks' worth of cat food for my own rescued cats here at home, right???
Christ, people. You know? Vanity Fair is just so fucking asleep at the wheel.
I leave you with photos of Lucas, the 19 year-old rescued cat; and Tiger-Bunny, the disabled kitten engaging in one of his favorite pastimes! And then I close with one of my favorite songs; I played it all over England. Okay, see ya, gang! Thanks for visiting!
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Well, first of all -- hello! I'm finally back in the States. I arrived late last night. It was a long day but as far as international flights go, it went off without a hitch. However, I came home to my mom in the hospital and no hot water in the house. I don't mean to imply that these are of equal importance; just saying that the endless flight was fine, but being back home is kind of SNAFU.
Gosh, it feels great to be able to post to my blog and actually see the dashboard! Yay!
Well, on that endless flight from London to Chicago, I finally got to read the issue of Vanity Fair that has Johnny Depp on the cover. I've only been dragging it along in my carry-on bag through 4 different countries (I include the moments I was in Wales -- which is a really beautiful country, btw! If you like things that are gorgeously green, that is!). Anyway.
So what is the big brouhaha re: the rape word? You know, the comment was just so innocuous. And I say that as someone who also hates to have her picture taken and is a rape survivor. But that said...
Jesus Fucking Christ, who at Vanity Fair edited that incredibly offensive interview? You know -- I'm somebody who actually likes Johnny Depp and even I am taking a pass on The Rum Diary; making it the first Johnny Depp movie in the known history of the world that I am not going to see. Basically because I am an "animal rights lunatic."
I'd forgotten about the cockfighting scenes in Hunter's book. I'd skipped over those because I find cockfights and descriptions of them really horrible. (There's an unbelievably accurate description of a cockfight in The Day of the Locust; a masterpiece of 20th Century literature by Nathanael West and one of my all-time favorite novels. The horrific cockfighting scenes in that book are followed by a scene of attempted rape and for me, the rape stuff pales in comparison to the depiction of the abuse of animals.)
Anyway, I guess I am grateful to Vanity Fair for giving me a head's up that the cockfighting scenes in the film are depicted very realistically & thus giving me the option to not go see the movie. But referring to those of us who feel that the abuse of animals is always inexcusable, as "animal rights lunatics" -- come on.
You know, I have no problem with what anyone on earth wants to talk about in private. I know I say things in private that would amaze you (or amaze even me), but who the hell let some of those comments in that interview get as far as the printed page? Was it perhaps emailed in remotely and then just sent straight to press as is? (Sort of like my blog for the last 3 weeks???)
For the last two days of my stay in England, we were in Blackheath -- a wonderful area of London. I really enjoyed it there. And we were staying in the home of a woman who participates in cat rescues. Loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that I adore cats and being in this woman's home was a real treat for me. She currently has 14 rescued cats. Naturally, I loved every single one of them.
The ones who captured my heart most, though, were a 19 year-old ginger cat named Lucas. He was totally deaf, but unbelievably loving. He was so affectionate. He spent a good portion of both my nights there cuddled up close to me in bed. He was a very large cat but now he is very fragile; you can see all his bones. He is a really contented old guy; it's still very much worth having him alive on earth. Thank goodness for animal rights lunatics...
My other favorite was a 12-week old kitten who is disabled. He's an adorable tabby whose back legs don't work right, and he has only slight bladder control, etc. He was abandoned like a little piece of trash in a box at the side of some road when he was 6 weeks old because he clearly had a serious physical defect. He kind of hops around, but his little back legs are getting stronger now & he's learning how to use one of those little pads used for housebreaking puppies. And gosh does he love life. He loves to play in the garden, and to chase little toy mice. And he seriously loves to sit in front of the aquarium and watch the fish swim tirelessly around & around & around! This little kitten is heartrendingly cute and the people who are looking after him are fiercely devoted to helping him live a full and joyous little life. Animal rights lunatics that they are...
Well, since the Vanity Fair interview also informs us that Johnny Depp is now "really, really, really rich" (those are VF's italics for a change; not mine!), I guess it won't matter at all if I save my $8.00 that I would have spent on a movie ticket and use it to buy a couple weeks' worth of cat food for my own rescued cats here at home, right???
Christ, people. You know? Vanity Fair is just so fucking asleep at the wheel.
I leave you with photos of Lucas, the 19 year-old rescued cat; and Tiger-Bunny, the disabled kitten engaging in one of his favorite pastimes! And then I close with one of my favorite songs; I played it all over England. Okay, see ya, gang! Thanks for visiting!
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