Stallone revisited
A fellow 451press blogger, Paul of toybender.com, has decided to take issue with my analysis of the Stallone’s Australian Steroid Adventure. Paul is 451’s resident doll expert, who has been decidedly snarky to me. His comment warranted response, I believe.
So if a foreign movie star comes over to the us and gets busted for something… like I dunno… getting a bj from a hooker, would that mean they are representing their country then and would you get all fired up about it? Stallone is an individual, not a government official in any capacity.
America is, without question, the number one exporter of culture in the entire world. How do we export this? Not on ships or planes or trains, but through the image of Americans in the media. Stallone doesn’t have the right of celebrity, he has the responsibility of celebrity. His actions reflect upon the culture he comes from, which is ours. He has done a great disservice to us all in Australia. That is my opinion on the social aspect.
However, legally, American celebrities are notorious for abusing foreign law *COUGHMADONNACOUGH* and getting away with it. This needs to stop. The “American royalty” has gotten away with too much, and I say Australia should string up Stallone as a warning to other celebrities: your movie credits are not a shield. Obey the damn law.
Sylvester Stallone, Australia, Human Growth Hormone
March 23rd, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Sorry if I came across as snarky. I don’t view celebrities as being able to have special privileges, nor do I think that they should be held up to some sort of gold standard as representatives of America. Should someone like Stallone respect another nation’s laws? Of course, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t go across the board for people from every strata of life and from every nation. Should he go to jail? Yes, because he broke the law. I don’t see how there should be an extra emphasis on it simply because of where he lives or comes from. You didn’t really answer the original question and thanks for mocking me with the doll comment.
Bijhan’s Note: Yes I did, and you ARE a doll expert, so… I don’t know why that would be mocking. I mean, that’s what your blog is about, right? GI Joes and such?
March 23rd, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Good thing Australia doesn’t have any celebrities that act poorly abroad. American celebrities should try hard to act like that fine lad Russell Crowe. You know, the one that likes to hit hotel staff with phones.
Seems like the ‘doll’ expert has a better understanding of the situation than you. In your tirade about ‘American Royalty’ you seem to overlook every foriegn born celeb who has poorly represented thier country and has gotten off easy.
Bijhan’s Note: That’s not even remotely true. I think Russel Crowe is a tremendous ass. But I wasn’t talking about Russel Crowe. I was talking about Stallone. Next time Crowe breaks American law in America, you will hear a blasting from me.
March 30th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
I’m sorry I didn’t reply before, but I’ve checked for a response and didn’t see any new comments. I thought you’d reply by using the comment system and not editing the originals to include your notes, so I never actually clicked on the comment button to see if anything was new. BTW: If you use the reply system, if someone subscribes to your RSS comment feed, then they will be notified whenever there is a new comment including one from the blogger.
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Anyway, if you want to go by the dictionary definition of doll, then yes, I’m a doll expert. I love collecting dolls, displaying dolls, and even writing about dolls. I’m sure you know however, that the word ‘doll’ can be taken in a sarcastic and derogatory way, since it is commonly accepted that it refers to small figures that look like babies or to Barbie type toys. Instead, the types of toys I cover are referred to as ‘action figures’ to easily differentiate them from the toys that are played with by girls, which are usually not as interesting to men-children like myself. It’s the same manner the term ’sports car’ is used to easily refer to a type of car. You might not have known that your use of the word ‘doll’ was going to be taken as an attack, but I’m sure you’re not that dumb.
March 31st, 2007 at 12:05 am
Paul… I am floored by the fact that you just willingly called yourself a man-child of your own volition.
Saved me time.
April 4th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Then instead of saying
“American celebrities are notorious for abusing foreign law…”
your argument would have been better served pointing out the fact that celebrities in general seem to believe they can flaunt the law. Your article implies that this is an American celebrity failing and not just another example of celebrity entitlement culture.
April 4th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Hey, I’m open with the fact my hobby is looked down upon by others, and I have fun with it. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about serious issues, I’m incapable of rational thought, or I don’t do adult things. I have a job, I’m getting married in a year, and I live in my own apartment. I just happen to dig on toys.
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To be honest, I was digging your blog (even though I’m certainly more conservative than you are) until you decided to knock me for my hobby. My comment that started all this might have come off as snarky, but I’ve said a lot worse on other blogs on the network and I’m friends with those writers. You write a political blog, so I figured I didn’t need to pull any punches when it came to commenting on your stance. The next thing I know, you attack me personally with the doll comment in a special post. If it had been any other reader would you have done the same? Are you going to personally attack every other reader who disagrees with you? With a political blog, I’d expect there will be comments that are a lot worse than mine was. Sorry that it had to work out like this, but I guess I’m not really welcome on your blog if I have to worry if you’re going to write an insulting post around a comment I make.
April 4th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Keith - Duly noted
Paul - You’re the only one I make fun of, because you make it so easy. First of all, you called yourself a man-child (a title shared by the likes of Pee-Wee Herman, see “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”) and secondly you closed your last comment as if you were breaking up with me.
I have a collection of Beast Wars Transformers, and can name all of the Maximals by rank. I also have a closet full of Star Trek novels. And I still don’t call myself a “man-boy”.
April 5th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Wow, you’re more immature than I thought.