Debbie, you crack me up. To think I used to like this Matt Damon freak. YUCK!!! Now I only like Debbie Schlussel!!! 🙂

cinerx on August 17, 2007 at 12:30 am

The chances of resurecting masculinity in Hollywood are about as good as the chances of Ann Coulter being asked to speak at the Democratic National Convention (or Debbie Schlussel being asked to speak to a CAIR convention).
ACTUALLY, WHEN I WAS ONCE OUTED AT A CAIR-MICHIGAN EVENT, THEY REPEATEDLY ASKED ME TO COME TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK. I DEMURRED.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

WillPower on August 17, 2007 at 1:01 am

Debbie, whatever you think of his various performances, I’ve never heard anyone accuse Daniel Craig of having a “huge ego.”
WELL, NOW YOU HEARD ME ACCUSE HIM OF IT. HOW DO I COME TO THAT CONCLUSION? HERE’S HOW: ANYONE WHO POSES FULLY NUDE IN A BATHTUB LIKE HE DID HAS A HUGE EGO. SORRY, BUT IT’S CLEAR TO ME THAT HE WANTS US TO SEE HIM MORE OF HIM THAN WE ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE. SOMEBODY GET HIM A TOWEL.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

sg5 on August 17, 2007 at 2:23 am

Debbie:
Two things strike me about Damonís comments and his self perception of his movie roles. There is a canyon separate the concept of Bourne and Bond. Bond, even in the books is a fantasy character invented in the imagination of Ian Fleming out of his own wartime experiences in the British Special Operations Executive. James Bond superspy is meant to be about as real as Captain Kirk. The Bourne character (of the book) takes a much more serious look at the world of espionage and what it does to menís (and womenís) character. You canít compare the two.
My second observation about Damon is that his so disconnected from the real world that he cannot separate reality from the movies. Back in the old days actors knew they were just playing a role. I canít imagine Gregory Peck engaging in an argument about fighting an air war with Jimmy Stewart on the basis of his role as BG Savage in Twelve OíClock High. Peck knew he was playing a roll while Stewart actually flew missions and was group commander.
Matt, wake up! Bourne is just a movie character based on a work of fiction. You are not Bourne. You are an actor.

jerry on August 17, 2007 at 8:36 am

I am missing something, and this time I know exactly what it is. And after reading the linked article, it is – context.
I would like to know if Damon was asked to compare and contrast the Bond character to the Bourne character? Or, did he just voluntarily go on a screed about the two? Damon was in England and I would think the British press, being what they are, would think to ask such a thing.
I am not much on comic books, meaning my knowledge is limited, yet I am sure the authors of Superman and Batman could enter into some sort of discussion about the characters of each, their motivation, angst, genesis and history … whatever. The Authors could even discuss who is best, or who would win in a duel. There would be the standard chest thumping, name calling, my guy is better than yours, etc.
In fact, it has already been done. I don’t remember the outcome but the two (Batman and Superman) did compete. Heck, even Flash raced Superman at some point.
I wonder what Damon would have said if asked to compare and contrast Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes to Bourne? Another fictional British character that has become iconic.
I am not defending Damon by any stretch, but context would be nice. Besides Superman, Batman, Bond, Bourne and Holmes are all fictional characters.

zyzzyg on August 17, 2007 at 8:57 am

Damon is an actor, an artist paid to play make-believe. But he’s one of my favorites. So he gets deep into the character…so what? All great artists are a little whacky, and the rest of us should indulge them a little.
Granted, I’d like to think “The Unit” series more accurately portrays the character of all American black ops warriors, but for all we know there could be a piece of truth to the Bourne character.
Far worse Hollywierdos out there than Damon…keep your powder dry Debbie!

melchloboo on August 17, 2007 at 9:08 am

Method actors… arghhh! That reminds me of a story when Lawrence Olivier and Dustin Hoffman were making the film “Marathon Man”. There was one particular scene that called for Hoffman’s charactor to look trashed having been without sleep for days. So what does Hoffman do? He actually goes several days without sleep to look the part. While filming the scene Sir Lawrence Olivier sees that Hoffman can hardley function and asks why. When Hoffman explained he had gone without sleep for several days to give the scene the feel of reality Sir Lawrence simply said, “My boy, why don’t you just act”. Too simple I guess.

Rich B on August 17, 2007 at 11:25 am

I do not know what either man is like in real life, but Craig looks like a rescuer and Damon looks like a rescuee.

feralcat9 on August 17, 2007 at 5:10 pm

jerry, ‘Bond, even in the books is a fantasy character invented in the imagination of Ian Fleming out of his own wartime experiences in the British Special Operations Executive. James Bond superspy is meant to be about as real as Captain Kirk.”
I disagree. Sure James Bond is a fictional character, but in the Ian Fleming books he comes across as much more real and not so Supermanish.
In the books Bond is frequently conflicted, especially when he is sent to kill bad guys who have not done him wrong personally.
In fact, he is never a “superspy” in the books but frequently more of a highly skilled civil servant.
Jerry, I think you are basing your arguments on the screen James Bond, not the one from the books. There is a vast difference.
I wish the Bond films were more like the books. The James Bond of the books are much more of a rugged, tough guy than the dashing film guy with all the wisecracks, and much more interesting.

The_Man on August 18, 2007 at 1:41 am

For G-d’s sake, can’t we go the movies without encouraging the actors to believe in their parts once the movie has been filmed?
The new Bourne movie is a legend already. Who cares if Matt Damon is nude in a bathtub with Daniel Craig? The days of Hollywood casting real men are over, thanks to women who prefer fantasy to reality.
Jack Black is the only real man on film today, don’t believe for a second he couldn’t seduce the women and take the bag guys to a power lunch at the Ivy in a new James Bond movie.
BTW-Those stupid pricks at the Ivy don’t know the difference between bothering celebrities and taking a honest to g-d tourist photo, either, STOP hiring illegal aliens you idiots, what??? are you not charging enough??? The place looks like a sactuary city.
I have to plot something really foul like a stink bomb for the next time I eat there.

code7 on August 19, 2007 at 8:30 pm

zyzzyg pondered
“I am missing something, and this time I know exactly what it is. And after reading the linked article, it is – context.
I would like to know if Damon was asked to compare and contrast the Bond character to the Bourne character? Or, did he just voluntarily go on a screed about the two? Damon was in England and I would think the British press, being what they are, would think to ask such a thing.”
The context missing in this article can be found here:
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=228575972&p=zz8576678
Some quotes from this article follow:
“Damon’s character, assassin Jason Bourne, has been likened to 007.
But the actor said the two could not be more different.
“The Bond thing, I understand the comparison because they are both agents and it’s the world of espionage and all, but the characters are so fundamentally different they almost don’t bear comparison,” Damon said at a press conference in London for The Bourne Ultimatum.””
“Asked if the Bourne films were better than Bond, he replied: “It’s not better or worse, it’s just different and it’s almost impossible to compare.””
This is very similiar to an Associated Press interview with Matt Damon reported on July 24, 2007 here:
http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=269902&GT1=7701
Some quotes from that article showing context follow:
“Matt Damon’s amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne shares initials with another notorious screen operative. But other than that, Damon doesn’t see any similarities between Bourne and James Bond.”
“Bourne and Bond may be very different men, but that still leaves the big question: Which one would win in a fight?
“It’s tough. I wouldn’t bet against Bourne,” Damon said. “Bond had all those gadgets, though.””

PsychoKat on August 19, 2007 at 11:47 pm