As it goes, here are some prefatory comments.
I am not a star struck kind of person. I don't get autographs. I don't go to some wacky location because a star might be walking by at high noon. I am not a member of any fan clubs. I have nothing against folks who do these things; I just don't do them.
I have had only two brushes with famous people. One was a guy I went to college with (Steve) who went on to be Steve from Blues Clues. He was a great guy in college, and he was a great guy when he was in the show. He is now a great musician. But, I knew him when he was just another college kid.
The other guy was an actor on a famous soap and was playing the lead role (in that play by the name we don't mention) when I was an intern at the PA Shakespeare Festival. On the day he arrived, he was surrounded by a swarm of bee-people. Everyone kissed his butt. I was a lowly box office intern and resident bagpiper. I had been given my instructions about the guy: if he comes to you, send him to us.
On his second day there, he came to the box office all puffed up like a Greek God. I, however, was reading a Margaret Atwood book, and had no interest in becoming one of the butt kissers. I never heard of the guy, and while acting on a soap gives you amazing visibility, it doesn't really prepare you to wave around a sword while reciting Shakespeare.
So, he swaggered up to the window where I was perched with said book, and demanded to know if I knew who he was. Without looking up at him, I replied, "well, I hope you aren't St. Peter because I am not finished with this book."
He stomped his foot. No joke.
He demanded to know if I actually worked there to which I relied, "Indeed, I do." And after he demanded to know if I would help him, I finally looked up at him, closed the book slowly with a bookmark, and said, "I believe that is why they are all here" and pointed to the swarm of bee-people.
I added, for a nice touch, that he was far too important for a lowly intern to care for, and, thus, he should go to the Big Man for all his ticketing needs. I hoped he didn't think I meant Bill, himself, but who knows? He declared that anyone and everyone should help him, and I replied, "My dear...I don't care if you are the reincarnation of the Bard himself. It's not my job to help you." I was snarky, true. But, I was 21 and an English, not theatre, major.
Our initial exchange kicked off a strange relationship. Every day, he stopped by the window. He came to visit me out of a personal challenge to covert me to become a Bee-person, I think, or for some witty exchange. Who knows why actors ever do the things they do...they are paid to act like someone else all the time. It was fun to wait for his daily visit, though. He would come up, all puffy like he was King Neptune, and ask for some dumb thing. Would I get him a glass of water? No. Would I give him a piece of paper? No. On the day after I had a day off, he asked me for two things. Paper and pencil?
No. I am still an intern. All Equity pencils are kept in the safe.
By the end of the season, we had formed this great un-friendship/friendship thing. He loved to torment me, and I loved to ignore him. Our witty exchange always ended when I would say, "but, alas, I am a lowly intern." (Side note: I loved his wife; she was simply the nicest person I had ever met in show business, and she was a famous soap actress, too).
At the cast party, he signed autographs for everyone in the cast. He brought one over to me and said, "Well, I know you don't want one. But, here is one anyway (it even had my real name on it; I didn't know he even knew it - he always called me Curly)." I smiled at him and replied, "Don't worry, Lancelot, I won't ever forget you, but my Mother wanted an autograph and you spared me the shame of having to ask, so thank you." We both laughed so hard about the idea that I would lower myself to ask him for an autograph. But, I would have for Mom (who, by the way, didn't watch soaps; she watched C-Span).
So, all that said, I am not a star gazer.
And, what, pray tell, has this all to do with Gerard Butler?
Well, it is just to say that I wasn't part of his ever-growing stalking club or whatever people call themselves that travel around the world to see his image brush by on the corner of mid-town.
I heard an interview with Gerard Butler on the Howard Stern show (yeah, yeah, keep your comments to yourself). I had never heard of Butler, but given that most movies I watch have animated animals or talking trains in them, it is no wonder.
I actually kind of felt sorry for the guy. I didn't know that he was handsome or smart or anything, but he kept trying to talk about amazing things like books (do actors read?), and everyone kept bringing it down to the chics he sleeps with or dates. I was interested in the movie he was pushing (Machine Gun Preacher) because it reminds me of the work Vickie and Thom Hicks do in Sierra Leone at Nazareth House. He wanted to talk about so many interesting things, but, sadly, all he got to talk about was his A list of bedmates. That was boring.
About a week later, I showed "Beowulf and Grendel" to my 12th graders, and, lo, he played the part of Beowulf. We were comparing that rendition to the rendition with Angelina Jolie and the actual poem. I hate the Jolie version (not that it is her fault; I hate the script). The Butler version is better but still wrong, but at least it has the good sense of having a different title than the original poem. Of course, there is always some stupid love scene, but aside from that, I thought it was an interesting take on the poem, and the costuming was gorgeous.
Then, a few days after that, I read about the movie Coriolanus - apparently Butler is in that, too. And, since I am always looking for movies to share with my students, I was intrigued. If a good movie of the Shakespeare variety is coming out, and I have time to swap out the play we read, I will definitely go for the blockbuster hit to make it all the more appealing. Bribery at its finest.
So, since I heard about this actor three times in a short span of time, I looked him up. He is, indeed, handsome. But, more impressive...he is quite bright. He is trained as a lawayer (the best acting school on the planet, really). He is also very caring, as he was really touched by his experiences in the Sudan. He appears to drive his own car around, and, sad for him, the paparazzi love to stalk him. Women throw themselves at him whenever he is in public. There are countless sites devoted to adoring him (Really? People have that much free time???).
What I like about him, though, is that he is trying to be a regular guy and an incredible artist. He is in the business to act - he doesn't care about all the other stuff. He seems slightly uncomfortable by all the press. The guy isn't married, and no one will leave him alone about it. But, really, if you read his resume, the guy is super busy. He takes on these hugely difficult roles (physically and mentally draining), and he is all over the world shooting scenes. He does his own stunts, apparently, and almost drowned while shooting a movie about Xtreme surfers.
The guy is all about his craft. And, I hope he gets a million of those awards that they hand out (I never know the difference between Grammy, Emmy, and Golden A-Hole). He really is a brilliant actor, and he deserves to be recognized for the craft of acting and not whether one of the desperate housewives spent a week in his bed.
I like him because he seems so real. Like, I can see him at his Mum's house eating cereal. I don't know who he is dating, and I don't care. I do wish I knew the name of the book he mentioned on the Stern show because it sounds like an interesting read (something about our souls making contact with each other). But, even if I were a gorgoeus hotty model and famous, I wouldn't ever want to go in public with the guy. I don't know how he ever makes it to the loo, for Pete's sake. He is constantly surrounded.
If I were ever the type to meet a guy like him, I wouldn't waste his precious time asking about stupid crap; I would want to know what he is reading and what kinds of roles he has on his bucket list. I would love to see him make more movies that can be used in English or History classes. We are in dire need of updating the classics.
One of my bucket list dreams is to write the screen play for a movie version of Dante's Inferno. If I could hand pick the actors, I would cast Butler to play Dante, Sean Connery to play Virgil, and Kate Winslet to play Beatrice. I would have Kenneth Branagh direct. it would be amazing. Lots of smart actors running around talking about real things other than clothes and models.
But, anyway, I look forward to seeing Coriolanus. I am not sure I will see the surfing movie, but I will wait for his next adventure.
PS. Wonder why I didn't post a picture of Sir Butler? I don't want to encourage the paparazzi. Every time we gawk at their work, they think they have the right to invade his personal life. Give the guy a break.
I am not a star struck kind of person. I don't get autographs. I don't go to some wacky location because a star might be walking by at high noon. I am not a member of any fan clubs. I have nothing against folks who do these things; I just don't do them.
I have had only two brushes with famous people. One was a guy I went to college with (Steve) who went on to be Steve from Blues Clues. He was a great guy in college, and he was a great guy when he was in the show. He is now a great musician. But, I knew him when he was just another college kid.
The other guy was an actor on a famous soap and was playing the lead role (in that play by the name we don't mention) when I was an intern at the PA Shakespeare Festival. On the day he arrived, he was surrounded by a swarm of bee-people. Everyone kissed his butt. I was a lowly box office intern and resident bagpiper. I had been given my instructions about the guy: if he comes to you, send him to us.
On his second day there, he came to the box office all puffed up like a Greek God. I, however, was reading a Margaret Atwood book, and had no interest in becoming one of the butt kissers. I never heard of the guy, and while acting on a soap gives you amazing visibility, it doesn't really prepare you to wave around a sword while reciting Shakespeare.
So, he swaggered up to the window where I was perched with said book, and demanded to know if I knew who he was. Without looking up at him, I replied, "well, I hope you aren't St. Peter because I am not finished with this book."
He stomped his foot. No joke.
He demanded to know if I actually worked there to which I relied, "Indeed, I do." And after he demanded to know if I would help him, I finally looked up at him, closed the book slowly with a bookmark, and said, "I believe that is why they are all here" and pointed to the swarm of bee-people.
I added, for a nice touch, that he was far too important for a lowly intern to care for, and, thus, he should go to the Big Man for all his ticketing needs. I hoped he didn't think I meant Bill, himself, but who knows? He declared that anyone and everyone should help him, and I replied, "My dear...I don't care if you are the reincarnation of the Bard himself. It's not my job to help you." I was snarky, true. But, I was 21 and an English, not theatre, major.
Our initial exchange kicked off a strange relationship. Every day, he stopped by the window. He came to visit me out of a personal challenge to covert me to become a Bee-person, I think, or for some witty exchange. Who knows why actors ever do the things they do...they are paid to act like someone else all the time. It was fun to wait for his daily visit, though. He would come up, all puffy like he was King Neptune, and ask for some dumb thing. Would I get him a glass of water? No. Would I give him a piece of paper? No. On the day after I had a day off, he asked me for two things. Paper and pencil?
No. I am still an intern. All Equity pencils are kept in the safe.
By the end of the season, we had formed this great un-friendship/friendship thing. He loved to torment me, and I loved to ignore him. Our witty exchange always ended when I would say, "but, alas, I am a lowly intern." (Side note: I loved his wife; she was simply the nicest person I had ever met in show business, and she was a famous soap actress, too).
At the cast party, he signed autographs for everyone in the cast. He brought one over to me and said, "Well, I know you don't want one. But, here is one anyway (it even had my real name on it; I didn't know he even knew it - he always called me Curly)." I smiled at him and replied, "Don't worry, Lancelot, I won't ever forget you, but my Mother wanted an autograph and you spared me the shame of having to ask, so thank you." We both laughed so hard about the idea that I would lower myself to ask him for an autograph. But, I would have for Mom (who, by the way, didn't watch soaps; she watched C-Span).
So, all that said, I am not a star gazer.
And, what, pray tell, has this all to do with Gerard Butler?
Well, it is just to say that I wasn't part of his ever-growing stalking club or whatever people call themselves that travel around the world to see his image brush by on the corner of mid-town.
I heard an interview with Gerard Butler on the Howard Stern show (yeah, yeah, keep your comments to yourself). I had never heard of Butler, but given that most movies I watch have animated animals or talking trains in them, it is no wonder.
I actually kind of felt sorry for the guy. I didn't know that he was handsome or smart or anything, but he kept trying to talk about amazing things like books (do actors read?), and everyone kept bringing it down to the chics he sleeps with or dates. I was interested in the movie he was pushing (Machine Gun Preacher) because it reminds me of the work Vickie and Thom Hicks do in Sierra Leone at Nazareth House. He wanted to talk about so many interesting things, but, sadly, all he got to talk about was his A list of bedmates. That was boring.
About a week later, I showed "Beowulf and Grendel" to my 12th graders, and, lo, he played the part of Beowulf. We were comparing that rendition to the rendition with Angelina Jolie and the actual poem. I hate the Jolie version (not that it is her fault; I hate the script). The Butler version is better but still wrong, but at least it has the good sense of having a different title than the original poem. Of course, there is always some stupid love scene, but aside from that, I thought it was an interesting take on the poem, and the costuming was gorgeous.
Then, a few days after that, I read about the movie Coriolanus - apparently Butler is in that, too. And, since I am always looking for movies to share with my students, I was intrigued. If a good movie of the Shakespeare variety is coming out, and I have time to swap out the play we read, I will definitely go for the blockbuster hit to make it all the more appealing. Bribery at its finest.
So, since I heard about this actor three times in a short span of time, I looked him up. He is, indeed, handsome. But, more impressive...he is quite bright. He is trained as a lawayer (the best acting school on the planet, really). He is also very caring, as he was really touched by his experiences in the Sudan. He appears to drive his own car around, and, sad for him, the paparazzi love to stalk him. Women throw themselves at him whenever he is in public. There are countless sites devoted to adoring him (Really? People have that much free time???).
What I like about him, though, is that he is trying to be a regular guy and an incredible artist. He is in the business to act - he doesn't care about all the other stuff. He seems slightly uncomfortable by all the press. The guy isn't married, and no one will leave him alone about it. But, really, if you read his resume, the guy is super busy. He takes on these hugely difficult roles (physically and mentally draining), and he is all over the world shooting scenes. He does his own stunts, apparently, and almost drowned while shooting a movie about Xtreme surfers.
The guy is all about his craft. And, I hope he gets a million of those awards that they hand out (I never know the difference between Grammy, Emmy, and Golden A-Hole). He really is a brilliant actor, and he deserves to be recognized for the craft of acting and not whether one of the desperate housewives spent a week in his bed.
I like him because he seems so real. Like, I can see him at his Mum's house eating cereal. I don't know who he is dating, and I don't care. I do wish I knew the name of the book he mentioned on the Stern show because it sounds like an interesting read (something about our souls making contact with each other). But, even if I were a gorgoeus hotty model and famous, I wouldn't ever want to go in public with the guy. I don't know how he ever makes it to the loo, for Pete's sake. He is constantly surrounded.
If I were ever the type to meet a guy like him, I wouldn't waste his precious time asking about stupid crap; I would want to know what he is reading and what kinds of roles he has on his bucket list. I would love to see him make more movies that can be used in English or History classes. We are in dire need of updating the classics.
One of my bucket list dreams is to write the screen play for a movie version of Dante's Inferno. If I could hand pick the actors, I would cast Butler to play Dante, Sean Connery to play Virgil, and Kate Winslet to play Beatrice. I would have Kenneth Branagh direct. it would be amazing. Lots of smart actors running around talking about real things other than clothes and models.
But, anyway, I look forward to seeing Coriolanus. I am not sure I will see the surfing movie, but I will wait for his next adventure.
PS. Wonder why I didn't post a picture of Sir Butler? I don't want to encourage the paparazzi. Every time we gawk at their work, they think they have the right to invade his personal life. Give the guy a break.
Hello, your blog was picked up by one of those dreaded fan sites! Nice blog. We like Gerard (Gerry as he prefers to be called, because no one can pronounce it correctly), he is sensitive, bright, and very funny. He works hard on every film, whether it is a success in the long run or not. I recommend you watch two other films: Dear Frankie, a Scottish film about a deaf boy; and The Phantom of the Opera, in which our Gerry plays the Phantom... or as King Leonidas in 300.
ReplyDeleteI am retired, but he is fun for me, like a randy nephew whose antics make me laugh. You might enjoy some of his early interviews on Craig Ferguson and the Leno show because we get to hear his lovely accent. Carry on, nice blog!
Thank you for commenting! I had seen Phantom years back in the theatre - I didn't realize that was him! That was a great movie! I have seen parts of 300 ("I am Sparta") in a graduate class, but I will have to watch the whole movie. I will definitely watch Dear Frankie - that sounds good. Oh, and I think I saw the one PS I love you. I saw that in the theatre, I think. I will also check out Ferguson's show. Thanks for the tips!!!
ReplyDeleteI meant no disrespect to your fan club, by the way. I am sure he appreciates all that you do for his public image. My life is so crazy busy that I can't imagine being able to devote that much time and energy to a star. Have you had the chance to meet him?
Is he nominated for any of the awards that are being held next week (I think they are the Grammy Awards, but I am not entirely sure).
Hi,
ReplyDeleteNice article!
The book you were querying about is Resurrection by Neville Goddard. It is published by DeVorss Publications. Should be on Amazon :)
x
Regards
Frisby
Thanks so much, Frisby! That is what I "thought" the title was, but when I queried it, there were like a bajillion and a half results. It is much better to know the author, as well!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Beth, so impressed with your educational background, what you teach sounds great. I am a retired attorney, got my Masters in Anthro, with an emphasis in Archaeology, in 2008, and slowly working on a Masters in Geography, may or may not finish it! I do presentations on Archaeology and Geography for a large senior citizen's group called OLLI, Osher Life Long Learning Institute, located on a California campus.
ReplyDeleteThe fan site is Weirdly Obsessive Gerard Butler fan site, fun and pretty light hearted; people post sightings, tweets, etc, about Gerry. Did not get into being interested in him until late 2010, have no idea why at this late date in my life! I too saw Phantom, and then never thought about him again until 2010. He also did Rocknrolla, a British film directed by Guy Ritchie, and a very early Scottish film about a former girlfriend dying of cancer called One More Kiss. He is very high energy, high metabolism, and I always want to pat him on the head and say slow down a little! He is so much into doing his own work, that he nearly died a few weeks ago, during a two wave hold down. He had to be rescued. He talked about it in more detail on the Graham Norton show (British talk show) on Jan 6. You can find it in Youtube...not that I am obsessed myself...:)
I always say I would like to have him as garden statuary in my back yard. I have a friend who is a professor of Anthro, and she also follows him, as does a woman doctor back East. He is definitely a mixed bag, a skirt chaser, but a sensitive guy at heart, always well liked by the cast and crew of every film he is on. He is lots of fun.
I think he must have the most intelligent fan base of all of Hollywood!
ReplyDeleteI taught English at the college level for 17 years, and then had a Ghandi moment and wanted to go out and change the world. I walked away from my tenured position to work at a boarding school for kids that need change to succeed. So, in a sense, I feel a little bonded to the idea that Gerry left the field of law, lucrative as that was for him at the time, to pursue his own dream of acting. Neither of us appear to have any regrets about the choice :-)
I read about the two wave deal while doing some (scanty) research for this post. It reminded me of the story he told on Stern's show about when he was hanging off the side of a cruise ship. He seems to like to test limits of human capability. If he were arrogant, I would think he was doing it for the approval of others; but, it seems that he does it more for the approval of himself. By pushing the limits, he can feel alive in himself.
It can't be easy being that cute. People always focus on his looks and disregard his substance. Perhaps pushing the limits is a way for him to remind himself that he is more than just good looks.
Not having been blessed in the looks department, I can't say for sure, but I often feel sorry for people who are drop dead gorgeous. People always get to know me because of my sense of humor or brain or whatever. No one is my friend because I am cute, rich, or famous. There is a lot more freedom when you aren't special, really.
I will check out the Norton show. My son and I are going to watch 300 tonight. He also wants to watch Gamer. Is that any good?
Hi Beth - I'm the one who posted your blog entry on the WOGBF site! I have never been involved in any other fan site and stumbled upon it by accident when I re-watched Dear Frankie and wanted to find out more about Gerard because his performance really moved me. It is a fun place to visit and has a strong sense of community. I'm glad you 'get' Gerry.
ReplyDeleteToday I went to see Coriolanus with a group of theatre friends. It was an extraordinary film - one of our group who is a director said he thought it was the best film adaptation of Shakespeare that he had seen, and I have to agree. The language is delivered in such a conversational style that it is easy to follow the story and to feel deeply involved in the conflicts. The stark settings in Serbia and Montenegro make the contemporary connection very real for us. I felt very lucky to have witnessed performances by such skilled actors. I hope you do get to see the film.
Thanks, Fifi! I live and work in the rural Appalachian Mtns of Virginia, and we don't get a whole lot of movies out this way, but I am hopeful that it might get into Charlotte, NC or maybe Bristol, TN. I have heard excellent reviews of it, and, let's face it, 21st century kids like 21st century weapons :-O
ReplyDeleteWe so desperately need more Shakespeare on film! Romeo and Juliet was excellent, and I have liked a few different adaptations (it is bad luck to say it, and I am directing the musical Grease right now, so, y'know - never hurts to be careful).
I would love to see some of the lesser known Shakespeare (like Coriolanus) done...like Pericles or any of the history plays.
I am so glad you wrote, and your trip out sounds like it was a blast :-)