I wasn’t going to address this because it has nothing to do with awards season and is so inside baseball no one really gives a crap, but what the hell, Jeff Wells has libeled our very own Ryan Adams and something has to be done about it.
Ryan has been banned from making comments over at Hollywood-Elsewhere and if I make one on his behalf it’s deleted. He’s a good friend, someone whom I can count on to keep the site running so that I can occasionally go out to the market, walk the dog or have anything resembling a social life. Before he came on board, I could never leave this site. I am grateful to him, appreciative of his kindness, his hard work and his friendship. He’s done nothing but have my back since 2006. He does not deserve to be called a “wee man,” or to have his character assassinated by a Jeff Wells rage spiral gone wrong and a lot of people who are too scared to use their real names but must lash out savagely under the comfortable cloak of anonymity, otherwise known as “mama’s skirt.” Really tough there, like spitting on people’s heads from a bridge where no one can see you.
In his distorted rundown of our podcast Jeff Wells casually throws around the word ‘racist.’ In our discussions of how Selma has been dinged this awards season never once did we use the term “racist.” The focus of the discussion has been mostly around the portrayal of LBJ in the film. It has become a nearly insurmountable story. It is a film ABOUT racism. What we’ve said was that the people who dominate the conversation, who fall too easily into the trap Oscar season sets for contenders – a system that is very easily manipulated by savvy publicists – tend to be white men. Does that mean they’re racists? No. I don’t think this effort to sink Selma IS about racism. But it is about the cultural identity of white men and their defensiveness of that identity and their dominance of the media — purely and simply. There are so many “white men” and the defensiveness of some in the white male voice that dominates the media. So many great reviews and defense piece – like this must-read in Vulture.
We don’t throw around the word “racist” casually.
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“Ms. DuVernay is simply no better than Griffith or any other filmmaker who felt the need to distort the truth for their own purpose.”
Are you kidding with this? I mean actually look deep down into yourself, put politics and Sasha’s love for DuVernay aside, which clearly bothers you, and reminisce the “villain” parts of Selma. Actually think about it. Did you see it? Is this just you following one or two sources without having seen the movie? Whatever your feelings are of the movie you went waaaaay overboard comparing Ava DuVernay to the director of one of the most racist movies in history.
I think that’s appalling. It would be nice if he apologised. And if he does it would be nice if we folks accepted it.
Ryan, I know it would upset you, this whole episode – but really, nobody here would think any less of you.
Anyway don’t spend anymore time on it.
This is probably the most human awards blog I’ve encountered–and I’m probably one of the few regulars here who thinks Sasha and Ryan could go even further with their discussions on diversity. Keep fighting the good fight!
I love Awards Daily and enjoy listening to you Ryan and Sasha, but what brings me to this site and Hollywood Elsewhere and Gold Derby is my passion for movies and my interest in recognizing the best of film. I am sorry you and Mr. Wells are having a conflict but I honestly hope this doesn´t become a big issue in your page because any conflict you may have is for you alone. Jeff shouldn´t have posted that on his page. I honestly belive you can´t talk Oscarwatching without checking what other bloggers or critic are saying and sometimes things do get ugly, but it shouldn´t grow this big. I respect Sasha defending Ryan, but just let it go. I understand it is kind of a slow year with not much to talk about but let´s talk films and Oscars. As this page used to say: The trick is to stop caring (or something like that)
I’m just waiting for Michael Jackson to show up eating popcorn.
TEAM RYAN. Keep on doing what you’re doing.
I think this site and especially Sasha’s style is an acquired taste..Not for everyone..I dont even remember for how long I have been coming to this site..not only during awards seasons, but probably every single day during year, multiple times in some days…the other day I landed back from Puerto Rico and the first site I checked when i turned on my i phone was this site…Do I agree with everything Sasha and Ryan say? Hell no! Do I like everything they say? No! Yes sometimes they are a bit too much and I am not afraid of sharing my feelings here…and I think sometimes they got the golden axe of Ryan:) oh well…but at the end of the day, it is not about agreeing or disagreeing with each other but more about being part of a community (yes i think this is a community in itself, with a range of personalities!). Funny part is that everyone is sooooo worked up all these awards and OSCARS…everyone has their favorites etc..and we will forget about these the morning after the Oscars (may be a bit longer for some of us!)…it will take only a couple of days before Sasha/Ryan will have “;let’s take a look at this year’s Oscar movies” article….and life will move on…
Over the years I myself had some heated debates with both Sasha and Ryan but I think calling Ryan all those names is unfair…I dont know him personally but I never thought of him as a ratfuck alcoholic (never heard of ratfuck before by the way:)…even if he is, he must be the most level-headed alcoholic…
Oh well….next stop is sunday night at the Golden Globes…and enjoy all the movies…
Maybe if the makers of Selma had portrayed a more historically accurate version of LBJ than they wouldn’t be having the trouble they are having. Instead they unethically portrayed him as a villain. Ms. Stone you clearly have a thing for Ms. DuVernay: you predicted her a Screenplay nomination for “Middle of Nowhere”. If you and Mr. Adams could stop being clouded by YOUR partisan feelings you could realize that the inaccurate portrayal of LBJ is just as dangerous as Griffith’s portrayal of blacks in “Birth of a Nation” (although this was tragically the historical view of Reconstruction at the time). No one White or Black (or any other Race) deserves to be portrayed in film any less fairly than what actually happened. Ms. DuVernay is simply no better than Griffith or any other filmmaker who felt the need to distort the truth for their own purpose. It’s astonishingly unfortunate neither you, Mr. Adams, nor Ms. DuVernay can admit how genuinely wrong you are. After so many untruths that have distorted not just History but more tragically humankind’s views of themselves and their world we are now at a point in our collective timeline particularly in the United States trying to correct those distortions of which far too many and far too many people insufferably continue to hold dear. We don’t need anymore Selmas; we need full portraits of what actually happened. Maybe one day you’ll prefer accuracy to partisanship. History hopes so.
Get your facts straight then we’ll talk.
http://fair.org/blog/2015/01/08/its-critics-of-selma-who-are-distorting-civil-rights-history/
We don’t need anymore Selmas
Yeah, that’s what it really comes down to, right? More of same.
I actually came to know about Wells’s site through Awards Daily. I went there, read a few articles and comments and left running. I thought everything was so out of place that I never felt the need to go back there for more. It didn’t feel to me that Wells’s place really cared about movies. Even though I don’t comment much or agree with everything, here I have found a more balanced view and sentiment, where film IS the main course.
I’ve always felt welcomed here and have to thank Ryan for his help [deleting] patching my posts with my bad spelling and grammar. And Ryan and Sasha for responding to my inquiries when necessary. Thank you both for being who you are and for keeping this place what it is.
As someone said here…Team Ryan! 🙂
Maybe if the makers of Selma had portrayed a more historically accurate version of LBJ than they wouldn’t be having the trouble they are having. Instead they unethically portrayed him as a villain. Ms. Stone you clearly have a thing for Ms. DuVernay: you predicted her a Screenplay nomination for “Middle of Nowhere”. If you and Mr. Adams could stop being clouded by YOUR partisan feelings you could realize that the inaccurate portrayal of LBJ is just as dangerous as Griffith’s portrayal of blacks in “Birth of a Nation” (although this was tragically the historical view of Reconstruction at the time). No one White or Black (or any other Race) deserves to be portrayed in film any less fairly than what actually happened. Ms. DuVernay is simply no better than Griffith or any other filmmaker who felt the need to distort the truth for their own purpose. It’s astonishingly unfortunate neither you, Mr. Adams, nor Ms. DuVernay can admit how genuinely wrong you are. After so many untruths that have distorted not just History but more tragically humankind’s views of themselves and their world we are now at a point in our collective timeline particularly in the United States trying to correct those distortions of which far too many and far too many people insufferably continue to hold dear. We don’t need anymore Selmas; we need full portraits of what actually happened. Maybe one day you’ll prefer accuracy to partisanship. History hopes so.
Maybe I’ll draw and publish a caricature of Wells – see what happens.