I'm So Disappointed In You: Celebrity Missteps

[Affogato]

2 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Actor Zackary Levi. Didn't love him or hate him, he was just kind of there in the entertainment sphere. Recently he announced his support of a certain person, and along with that comes the crackpot conspiracy theories. He used the death of Broadway star Gavin Creel to suggest he died from the Covid vaccine.

I had no idea he was a whack job before this. 

I want to like Chuck and as near as I can tell he has been nice to fandom, but also heard about the other stuff. 

[Blergh]

14 hours ago, Affogato said:

I want to like Chuck and as near as I can tell he has been nice to fandom, but also heard about the other stuff. 

It's each poster's call to like  or dislike whoever one may choose to.

However, please keep in mind that the performer  played a character named Chuck from 2012-2019 but  Mr. Levi himself is NOT the scripted fictional character offcamera - and that virtually every sentient individual adult has the capacity  to be nice to at least X amount of folks of their choosing but that  doesn't erase those times when a person hasn't been nice. .or has shouted fire in crowded theaters.

Edited October 27 by Blergh

[Spartan Girl]

It hurts because Flynn Rider/Eugene is one of my favorite Disney men. Fuck Levi, seriously.

[Irlandesa]

I've been hearing weird stuff about him for a while.  He's the one who went on weird rants that people should see his movie that was bombing in the box office and rumors are that he tries to convert people on sets to his religion.  He's been openly anti-vax for a while too. 

[Salacious Kitty]

What religion? Is he some sort of wacko fundamentalist?

[Irlandesa]

7 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

What religion? Is he some sort of wacko fundamentalist?

I don't know.  I believe it's some sort of Christian-based religion, but I don't know which one, nor do I think it's one of the most recognizable ones. I just read about it on a movie site that was talking about his whining Instagram or TikTok posts.  It's just a rumor but one I find easy to believe.  

[Makai]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

I've been hearing weird stuff about him for a while.  He's the one who went on weird rants that people should see his movie that was bombing in the box office and rumors are that he tries to convert people on sets to his religion.  He's been openly anti-vax for a while too. 

I was a huge Chuck fan so I followed Zach and his co-lead on instagram and I can clearly remember when he started with the weird shit. It was right around the time he left LA to build a compound in Texas (2017 according to google). At the time I thought he was heading toward being a crazy survivalist type so I’m not surprised by any of it.

[SunnyBeBe]

I hesitate to post this on this thread but couldn’t find a better alternative.  Please pardon me, if there is one.  I’ll justify it first with the stories I read that Rachel revealed heated verbal fights between she and her husband that seems a bizarre thing to boast about. But my primary concern was her health, which seems to be suffering.  There’s a lot of speculation.  Anyone, who’s followed her a while know?  I used to watch her some and always found her to be a ray of sunshine. Please pardon the pun.  Lol  She’s making public appearances, so I think questions are reasonable, especially about screaming matches.  

 

https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/rachael-ray-reveals-screaming-matches-amid-health-woes-1973920

 

https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/health-and-families/rachael-ray-health-update-slurring-video-b2634530.html

 

 

[Enigma X]

I am definitely ok to accepting I am wrong on this, and my opinion can be clouded by Levi reported as being overly religious (imo) way before 2017, but Levi has been on this road pre-2017. Take my opinion on this with a grain of salt because it relies heavily on what I deem as annoyingly weird. In all honesty, maybe I realized I just didn’t like the guy.

i just think I heard a lot isolated misogynistic and homophobic things about him that were hand-waved off because he was given a lot of benefit of the doubt early on and was never a big enough star for anyone to make a big deal about it. These isolated things started to all add up. 

Edited October 27 by Enigma X

[AgathaC]

9 hours ago, Makai said:

I was a huge Chuck fan so I followed Zach and his co-lead on instagram and I can clearly remember when he started with the weird shit. It was right around the time he left LA to build a compound in Texas (2017 according to google). At the time I thought he was heading toward being a crazy survivalist type so I’m not surprised by any of it.

I was also a huge Chuck fan. Also saw the filmed performance of She Loves Me. I always liked him and thought he was charming, but never knew much about him otherwise. Usually when I love a show, I learn all I can about the casts, but, for some reason, I didn’t on this one. Maybe it was instinct?

Anyway, when I first stumbled on his vaccination stuff, I was disappointed, but not really surprised, somehow.

I’m not one who can easily separate an artists’ work from what I know about their private lives, so I think any Chuck rewatch will likely be pushed many years into the future.

[Affogato]

12 hours ago, Blergh said:

It's each poster's call to like  or dislike whoever one may choose to.

However, please keep in mind that the performer  played a character named Chuck from 2012-2019 but  Mr. Levi himself is NOT the scripted fictional character offcamera - and that virtually sentient individual adult has the capacity  to be nice to at least X amount of folks of their choosing but that  doesn't erase those times when a person hasn't been nice. .or has shouted fire in crowded theaters.

Ok. Yes, I realize he is not Chuck, that Chuck was a character on a tv show. Also, from the outset I have known he was an evangelical Christian, which is something I have trouble identfying with personallyand often find problematical itself.  I am also aware that for many Trump is a package deal, including  some conspiracy theory beliefs. anyway, i have been aware he is somewhat problematical for some time, but at one point I hoped it would prove different. I’m sorry he has doubled down. 
 

[ABay]

I did use to like him. I enjoyedChuck until the horrible ending, and I was happy when Levi showed up on the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. My opinion of him has changed.

[Trini]

I also used to count myself as a big fan of Levi; the turn he has taken recently (but it's been gradually leading to this) has been disappointing.  :(

I guess I'm one who can separate art and the artist (depending...), so I'd still recommend Chuck; but that was before all his messiness.

Edited October 27 by Trini

[Makai]

4 hours ago, Enigma X said:

 

I am definitely ok to accepting I am wrong on this, and my opinion can be clouded by Levi reported as being overly religious (imo) way before 2017, but Levi has been on this road pre-2017.

 

I agree. He was always one of those celebrities that brought up God a lot and there were things that I side-eyed but he was obviously very close with his former co-stars and celebrities who are extremely progressive. 2017 was when I noticed that he really started to really go off the rails and started to give major conspiracy theorist vibes. 

31 minutes ago, Trini said:

I guess I'm one who can separate art and the artist (depending...), so I'd still recommend Chuck; but that was before all his messiness.

I’m usually the same way and I still would recommend Chuck. There is so much to love about it and Zach isn’t even the most problematic cast member. I’m not sure how I would feel rewatching it now. 

[Blergh]

9 hours ago, Affogato said:

Ok. Yes, I realize he is not Chuck, that Chuck was a character on a tv show. Also, from the outset I have known he was an evangelical Christian, which is something I have trouble identfying with personallyand often find problematical itself.  I am also aware that for many Trump is a package deal, including  some conspiracy theory beliefs. anyway, i have been aware he is somewhat problematical for some time, but at one point I hoped it would prove different. I’m sorry he has doubled down. 
 

OK, I believe you now.

 

However, having others  not give one the benefit of the doubt that one DOES know to differentiate between performer/s and the character/s they've enacted is but  but one reason one should AVOID terming performer/s by said character/'s' name/s.

More serious than than though is how much more easily  a performer will either be sanctified or vilified by the character's fans/phobes due to the likability/hatred of the actions of the character via  being termed by said character rather than  via their positive or otherwise actions.

I mean, I have to admit that sometimes it has been a chore to differentiate between the actions of a beloved/loathed character and their performer's actions but  calling performers BY their character's names just makes it that much more difficult to give kudos/place blame on actions the performer does offscreen.

(e.g. I often have found myself actively hating the actions of onscreen actions Nellie Oleson and being happy when she'd get her just desserts. However, I've been careful NOT to term Alison Arngrim as 'Nellie' due to the many good works and important activism she's done down the decades- not to mention that she seems to be a friendly and fun person to interact with if one has reason to do so).

 

Anyway, all the above said, I do hope Mr. Levi somehow finds his peace and maybe even sees the error of his ways.

[Affogato]

54 minutes ago, Blergh said:

OK, I believe you now.

 

However, having others  not give one the benefit of the doubt that one DOES know to differentiate between performer/s and the character/s they've enacted is but  but one reason one should AVOID terming performer/s by said character/'s' name/s.

More serious than than though is how much more easily  a performer will either be sanctified or vilified by the character's fans/phobes due to the likability/hatred of the actions of the character via  being termed by said character rather than  via their positive or otherwise actions.

I mean, I have to admit that sometimes it has been a chore to differentiate between the actions of a beloved/loathed character and their performer's actions but  calling performers BY their character's names just makes it that much more difficult to give kudos/place blame on actions the performer does offscreen.

(e.g. I often have found myself actively hating the actions of onscreen actions Nellie Oleson and being happy when she'd get her just desserts. However, I've been careful NOT to term Alison Arngrim as 'Nellie' due to the many good works and important activism she's done down the decades- not to mention that she seems to be a friendly and fun person to interact with if one has reason to do so).

 

Anyway, all the above said, I do hope Mr. Levi somehow finds his peace and maybe even sees the error of his ways.

Honestly, mr Levi is not (as far as I know) an ax murderer. He happens to be someone who has several opinions that are different than mine and exercises his right to express them. The most problematical thing about any fundamentalism is that it makes it difficult for people with different viewpoints to have honest, respectful discussions. 
 

you knew what I meant when I called him ‘Chuck’. I like many villainous characters, too. 

Edited October 28 by Affogato

[Blergh]

10 hours ago, Affogato said:

Honestly, mr Levi is not (as far as I know) an ax murderer. He happens to be someone who has several opinions that are different than mine and exercises his right to express them. The most problematical thing about any fundamentalism is that it makes it difficult for people with different viewpoints to have honest, respectful discussions. 
 

you knew what I meant when I called him ‘Chuck’. I like many villainous characters, too. 

No, I sincerely did NOT know what you meant when you termed Mr. Levi 'Chuck' (and nothing else) in your original post in the thread.

I mean not only had I never seen nor heard of the (2009-2012)series but the nickname is so generic that AFIAC, it could have been anyone from the late baseball legend turned Rifleman star Chuck Connors to  Peppermint Patty's nickname for Charlie Brown. Only because Mr. Levi had been brought up by the previous poster that you quoted did I think there was a chance that it might have been for a role he'd played that I had never heard of so Prof. Wiki educated me on Mr. Levi's iconic role on a show I'd missed via having worked 2nd shift throughout the original airing.

Anyway, at least we now both know that you have been  able to distinguish this performer for the role he'd played-regardless of what you had initially termed him.

 

 

Edited October 28 by Blergh

[Makai]

12 hours ago, Soapy Goddess said:

This is what I don't understand. Nothing personal, but because Levi took a stance and some fans don't like it, they are no longer fans? And opinions have changed?

For me, it’s not because he took a stance. It’s because he took a whole series of stances that demonstrates that he supports basic rights and freedoms being taken from me and others. So, yes, I am no longer a fan. 

Edited October 28 by Makai

[ABay]

I don't need to justify my liking or disliking a celebrity, or anyone else, here.

[Affogato]

9 minutes ago, ABay said:

I don't need to justify my liking or disliking a celebrity, or anyone else, here.

No, you don’t. 

[Affogato]

Thay said, Mel Gibson lost me a long time ago. 

[ABay]

11 hours ago, Makai said:

That is 100% to right way to watch Chuck. It should have ended with the season 4 finale.

Yes! That show had one of the worst final episodes I've endured.

[Mod-Tigerkatze]

Hi everyone, 

just dropping in to let you know that the conversation about celebrities, their opinions and fandoms has been moved to Small Talk: Take It Outside! Carryover Conversations. Kindly head on over there to continue the discussion and thank you for keeping the politics general, topic-related and non-personal.

Carry on!

[BetterButter]

Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned

Quote

Actor Jussie Smollett’s conviction on charges that he staged a racist and homophobic attack against himself in downtown Chicago in 2019 and lied to police was overturned Thursday over prosecutorial issues in an Illinois Supreme Court decision that did not address his claim of innocence.

 

[Milburn Stone]

1 hour ago, BetterButter said:

Jussie Smollett’s conviction in 2019 attack on himself is overturned

 

Sadly, the "prosecutorial issues" were real. The reporting here in Chicago made it very clear that our State's Attorney at that time, Kim Foxx, effed it up royally.

[Joimiaroxeu]

In the Jussie Smollett matter, I suspect he finally found the right people to pay off.

Maybe Jussie and Jonathan Majors can embrace their notoriety and do a remake of Bad Boys. They'd probably have to produce it outside of the US though because I still don't see Hollywood touching either of them. Not even Tyler Perry.

[merylinkid]

On 11/21/2024 at 4:51 PM, Milburn Stone said:

Sadly, the "prosecutorial issues" were real. The reporting here in Chicago made it very clear that our State's Attorney at that time, Kim Foxx, effed it up royally.

Effed up or not, he was prosecuted.   You don't get another bite at the apple because it turned out to be unpopular.    It's to protect everyone from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.   Even the people we don't like.   Because next time it could be someone we do like/sympathize with.

[methodwriter85]

I'm still baffled that Jussie Smollet was handed this AMAZING gift as an openly gay black man in the entertainment industry to get to be the lead of a hit show and he pissed the whole thing away. It's not like he was a newbie to the entire thing- he grew up in the entertainment industry. 

[andromeda331]

1 hour ago, methodwriter85 said:

I'm still baffled that Jussie Smollet was handed this AMAZING gift as an openly gay black man in the entertainment industry to get to be the lead of a hit show and he pissed the whole thing away. It's not like he was a newbie to the entire thing- he grew up in the entertainment industry. 

So am I. He threw his entire career away. What for?

[Ancaster]

12 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I'm still baffled that Jussie Smollet was handed this AMAZING gift as an openly gay black man in the entertainment industry to get to be the lead of a hit show and he pissed the whole thing away. It's not like he was a newbie to the entire thing- he grew up in the entertainment industry. 

I'm still baffled by parents who think it's cute to name all their children with made-up names starting with the same letter.  As if Jussie weren't bad enough, he has siblings called Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz.

[Notabug]

11 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

I'm still baffled by parents who think it's cute to name all their children with made-up names starting with the same letter.  As if Jussie weren't bad enough, he has siblings called Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz.

Made up or not, using the same first letter for all the kids is icky.  I had a family member who did that.  She ended up with 5 kids, 4 boys and a girl.  I remember when the 4th boy was born, she really didn't like any of the options left to her, but went ahead and gave the kid a name she didn't like very much in order to keep up the tradition.  Dumb.  She stuck with traditional names, maybe she should've made something up.

[Ancaster]

4 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Made up or not, using the same first letter for all the kids is icky.  I had a family member who did that.  She ended up with 5 kids, 4 boys and a girl.  I remember when the 4th boy was born, she really didn't like any of the options left to her, but went ahead and gave the kid a name she didn't like very much in order to keep up the tradition.  Dumb.  She stuck with traditional names, maybe she should've made something up.

I have friends (siblings) whose family tradition is to name all the grandchildren with the same initial letter.  At this point there are 16 grandchildren and it's got beyond stupid.  As is giving a child a name you don't like.

[Dimity]

1 hour ago, Notabug said:

Made up or not, using the same first letter for all the kids is icky. 

Reminds me of Josh Duggar's wife talking about picking their letter when she was pregnant with their first child.  Because of course they were going to have 19 kids of their own and they were all going to have names starting with the same letter. 

[andromeda331]

2 hours ago, Notabug said:

Made up or not, using the same first letter for all the kids is icky.  I had a family member who did that.  She ended up with 5 kids, 4 boys and a girl.  I remember when the 4th boy was born, she really didn't like any of the options left to her, but went ahead and gave the kid a name she didn't like very much in order to keep up the tradition.  Dumb.  She stuck with traditional names, maybe she should've made something up.

I don't mind give your kids names that start with same intital except in cases like this when your picking a name you don't like to do it. That's just stupid. And kind of crappy for the kid ending with a name his mom didn't even like. 

[Notabug]

35 minutes ago, andromeda331 said:

I don't mind give your kids names that start with same intital except in cases like this when your picking a name you don't like to do it. That's just stupid. And kind of crappy for the kid ending with a name his mom didn't even like. 

Luckily, it's a regular, mainstream name and not something fabricated out of thin air.  I'm not even sure he knows his mom wasn't keen on it.

[Wiendish Fitch]

7 hours ago, Ancaster said:

I'm still baffled by parents who think it's cute to name all their children with made-up names starting with the same letter.  As if Jussie weren't bad enough, he has siblings called Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz.

Jake at least got off easy.

[Milburn Stone]

On 11/23/2024 at 9:34 AM, merylinkid said:

Effed up or not, he was prosecuted.   You don't get another bite at the apple because it turned out to be unpopular.    It's to protect everyone from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.   Even the people we don't like.   Because next time it could be someone we do like/sympathize with.

I hope nothing I said made you think I disagree with this, because no one who understands our system of laws could.

FWIW, here's my recollection of the prosecutorial eff-up. Kim Foxx, the State's Attorney for Cook County, was/is a personal friend of Smollett's. She should have recused herself from the case and asked the court to appoint an outside attorney (i.e., an attorney who didn't work for her) as a special prosecutor. She didn't do the second part.

 

[Raja]

On 11/22/2024 at 6:02 AM, Joimiaroxeu said:

In the Jussie Smollett matter, I suspect he finally found the right people to pay off.

Maybe Jussie and Jonathan Majors can embrace their notoriety and do a remake of Bad Boys. They'd probably have to produce it outside of the US though because I still don't see Hollywood touching either of them. Not even Tyler Perry.

Seeing how Chris Brown came back with pictures of Rihanna in the public's eye I think it is just a matter of time. Just as all homicides don't get the death penalty.

Being with Meagan Good has already started Majors' public rehabilitation.

[DearEvette]

On 11/25/2024 at 10:48 AM, Ancaster said:

'm still baffled by parents who think it's cute to name all their children with made-up names starting with the same letter.  As if Jussie weren't bad enough, he has siblings called Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz.

Technically, All names are made up. Shakespeare made up the name Jessica.  I know people get clowned for giving their kids names of objects, but common last names like Smith, Cooper, Baker, Mason, Weaver, Fisher etc, were all jobs people did.

[Milburn Stone]

Smollett commentary today from long-time Chicago Tribune columnist (now retired) Eric Zorn, someone who can reliably be described as left-of-center.

(Scroll down to the headline that begins "Please indulge me.")

https://ericzorn.substack.com/p/zorn-more-lies-in-the-epilogue-to

Edited November 26 by Milburn Stone

[Joimiaroxeu]

10 hours ago, Raja said:

Seeing how Chris Brown came back with pictures of Rihanna in the public's eye I think it is just a matter of time. Just as all homicides don't get the death penalty.

Chris Brown was already a much bigger star than Jonathan Majors has ever been. And Rihanna didn't seem interested in possibly sacrificing her rising career to punish Brown. Unfortunately for her, much of the public reaction was to wonder what she did to provoke him.

10 hours ago, Raja said:

Being with Meagan Good has already started Majors' public rehabilitation.

Perhaps. It remains to be seen whether Good has enough juice in Hollywood to wash away Majors' sins. I still think their relationship is a business arrangement, with the most recent payment being an engagement ring she can flash on the red carpet while he grins.

Edited November 27 by Joimiaroxeu

[Makai]

On 11/26/2024 at 9:37 AM, Raja said:

Seeing how Chris Brown came back with pictures of Rihanna in the public's eye I think it is just a matter of time. Just as all homicides don't get the death penalty.

Being with Meagan Good has already started Majors' public rehabilitation.

It’s a lot harder for Black actors to recover their careers because they have to find a studio willing to cast them. That can be difficult enough for unproblematic Black actors. Just look at how little Jussie’s Empire co-stars have worked since the show was cancelled. 

Edited November 28 by Makai

[Stats Queen]

On 11/25/2024 at 11:02 AM, Notabug said:

Made up or not, using the same first letter for all the kids is icky.  I had a family member who did that.  She ended up with 5 kids, 4 boys and a girl.  I remember when the 4th boy was born, she really didn't like any of the options left to her, but went ahead and gave the kid a name she didn't like very much in order to keep up the tradition.  Dumb.  She stuck with traditional names, maybe she should've made something up.

I had cousins Mark, Michelle, Mary and Mike. 
Michelle married a Mark and Mary married a Mike.

Mike my cousin and his wife’s dad had the same first and last name…

[EtheltoTillie]

On 10/27/2024 at 10:24 AM, AgathaC said:

I was also a huge Chuck fan. Also saw the filmed performance of She Loves Me. I always liked him and thought he was charming, but never knew much about him otherwise. Usually when I love a show, I learn all I can about the casts, but, for some reason, I didn’t on this one. Maybe it was instinct?

Anyway, when I first stumbled on his vaccination stuff, I was disappointed, but not really surprised, somehow.

I’m not one who can easily separate an artists’ work from what I know about their private lives, so I think any Chuck rewatch will likely be pushed many years into the future.

I am seeing this late. I saw that Broadway performance on Broadway. Had no idea who he was. 

Edited December 7 by EtheltoTillie

[Spartan Girl]

Laura Benanti to Zachary Levi: “F—- You Forever”

[peachmangosteen]

Mandy Moore liked the post on Instagram, too.

[methodwriter85]

On 12/7/2024 at 5:24 PM, peachmangosteen said:

Mandy Moore liked the post on Instagram, too.

The choreographer Mandy Moore or the actress/singer Mandy Moore?

[Trini]

56 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

The choreographer Mandy Moore or the actress/singer Mandy Moore?

I can't check; but It's most likely actress/singer Mandy Moore, who co-starred with Levi in Disney's Tangled, (and other related spinoffs, etc.).

[methodwriter85]

20 minutes ago, Trini said:

I can't check; but It's most likely actress/singer Mandy Moore, who co-starred with Levi in Disney's Tangled, (and other related spinoffs, etc.).

I had totally forgotten about that. 

[Vermicious Knid]

Luckily, Levi is too old to appear in the live actionTangled that was just announced. 

Morgan Wallen pleads guilty in chair-throwing incident, will serve 7 days at a DUI education center and two years probation. Maybe they can throw in some racial sensitivity training at the same time.