Guardians of the Galaxy James gunn fired!!! - Part 1

[JtheDreamer]

He makes jokes in Deadpool 2 about Julian Deneson having a "soft mouth" in prison that he'll need to use to get comfortable with other prisoners. He also jokes in the first movie about being molested as a child, plus all those Subway Jared jokes with "Agent Smith." He similarly claims he was worse than one kid's "light stalking" at his age. I'm sure someone was triggered. Can you now not bear the thought of Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool in the MCU?

You're blurring the lines.

Calling someone "Subway Jared" is not anywhere near the same as Gunn's tweets. Nowhere in there does he describe why he's calling him that or engaging in talk about similar behavior. It's just like if you'd mock someone by calling them Charles Manson if they were a little psycho. Doing so doesn't condone the deaths he's responsible for.

Gunn literally explains the heinous acts in the most mouth foul-mouthed, despicable way possible - a man who ironically was abused as a child. That sets off some serious red flags.

 

[OutOfBoose]

So Marvel is defending Gunn? I'm glad someone big is opposing this smear campaign and knee-jerk firing...

 

[Holiday]

How is he a racist sexist bigot?

Because he's a conservative, duh!

You're blurring the lines.

Calling someone "Subway Jared" is not anywhere near the same as Gunn's tweets. Nowhere in there does he describe why he's calling him that or engaging in talk about similar behavior. It's just like if you'd mock someone by calling them Charles Manson if they were a little psycho. Doing so doesn't condone the deaths he's responsible for.

Gunn literally explains the heinous acts in the most mouth foul-mouthed, despicable way possible - a man who ironically was abused as a child. That sets off some serious red flags.

The last part of your post, is that referring to any specific tweets?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

*Reads Deadline*

Notice how everything Batista has done goes against the attempt to bring Gunn back? If he cares about Gunn, he'd keep his mouth shut.

So Marvel is defending Gunn? I'm glad someone big is opposing this smear campaign and knee-jerk firing...

First, Marvel is a part of Disney. Two, did you read the part where they aren't fighting, but talking?

 

[DarthSkywalker]

How is he a racist sexist bigot?

Because he's a conservative, duh!

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/19/17593174/mark-duplass-ben-shapiro-apology

But he has a much longer history of saying reprehensible things. I’m not using “reprehensible” as a synonym for “conservative”; I’m talking about things that are frankly too offensive or too ignorant to be acceptable in polite company:

Writing that “Israelis like to build. Arabs like to bomb crap and live in open sewage,” and saying the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is ethnically cleansing the Palestinians
Tweeting that “Trayvon Martin would have turned 21 today if he hadn’t taken a man’s head and beaten it on the pavement before being shot”
Penning a column warning against the evils of “militant gay English” courses at universities
Calling President Obama a “philosophical fascist”
Saying transgender people suffer from “mental illness” in an interview
Mocking black Americans for being excited about the film Black Panther

I am curious, how is he not those things exactly?

 

[Zarex]

Gunn literally explains the heinous acts in the most mouth foul-mouthed, despicable way possible - a man who ironically was abused as a child. That sets off some serious red flags.

Are we back on this ridiculous topic? Studios wouldn't be lining up to hire Gunn if there were any flags, red or otherwise. The guy has a lengthy career in independent film and if there were any concerns about the guy we would have heard about it. Everyone he worked with has had James' back - including Kevin Feige. Look at that, not a handful of gross (and wildly misinterpreted) jokes made on the Interwebs years ago.

Suggesting Gunn might just be a pedo is like accusing Ryan Reynolds of taking a pro infanticide stance in DP2. OH GOD, DOES BLAKE KNOW?!!!!

 

[JannTosh]

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/19/17593174/mark-duplass-ben-shapiro-apology



I am curious, how is he not those things exactly?

Except maybe the first thing which depends on context, none of those are racist or sexist

 

[Holiday]

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/19/17593174/mark-duplass-ben-shapiro-apology

I am curious, how is he not those things exactly?

That is weak evidence of the accusations. His tweet about Arabs is given context here:
https://www.dailywire.com/news/30487/left-idiotically-takes-8-year-old-tweet-out-ben-shapiro He is speaking about a specific group of Arabs.

It may make him an ******* to say such a thing about Trayvon Martin but it's not racist or bigoted. He isn't wrong either. His comments toward Black Panther are toward the mainstream media's hype of the film, not black Americans appreciation of it.

This is all a lazy attempt to paint someone as a racist in order to nullify their opinion. I say that as someone who isn't a listener or reader of Shapiro

 

[Travesty]

It's Vox, what do you expect? They do it ALL the time.

 

[DACrowe]

You're blurring the lines.

Calling someone "Subway Jared" is not anywhere near the same as Gunn's tweets. Nowhere in there does he describe why he's calling him that or engaging in talk about similar behavior. It's just like if you'd mock someone by calling them Charles Manson if they were a little psycho. Doing so doesn't condone the deaths he's responsible for.

Gunn literally explains the heinous acts in the most mouth foul-mouthed, despicable way possible - a man who ironically was abused as a child. That sets off some serious red flags.

Uh huh. It's shock humor about sensitive subject matter that many say is "impossible" to joke about. And you went after that one. What about when Wade feels Colossus' junk by accident and says, "Dad?" Or again, making jokes about how Julian Dennison is going to get raped in the mutant prison because of his "soft mouth?" Also in the extended cut... Wade is implied to strangle a baby (who is Hitler) as a joke! Complete with a shot of his hands reaching toward the crib. Clearly the men who wrote that are monsters. Monsters, I say!

I agree Gunn's are worse, but folks around here say "no one" could possibly joke about such things unless they are a monster in need of therapy. Gunn's jokes are awful and gross, and he should and did apologize for them. My point remains, however, that those who say the apology isn't good enough because no one would make those jokes sure are turning some blind eye at a lot of the comedy out there, including in popular superhero movies.

 

[DACrowe]

*Reads Deadline*

Notice how everything Batista has done goes against the attempt to bring Gunn back? If he cares about Gunn, he'd keep his mouth shut.

Not sure, since I imagine Bautista had a big hand in getting the open letter signed by everyone and according to Deadline that open letter is forcing Marvel Studios again to broach "11th hour" talks about bringing Gunn back. So it seems like what he did at least partially worked. It also caused Disney to leak to THR that they're using Gunn's script yesterday.

 

[TheVileOne]

As I've said in the past people who have the attitude you can never joke about such and such...IMHO it's wrong because plenty of popular movies and TV shows have made jokes about dark or taboo subject matter. Rick and Morty, Venture Bros., South Park, and as DACrowe has pointed out, Deadpool.

I think the problem is though that those jokes in those shows have more context. IMHO a big problem with social media and Twitter in general is that things like Gunn's tweets lack context.

Gunn had that long thread explaining how he was a provocateur and liked to make dark jokes about taboo subjects and wanted to shocking.

I on some level can understand. At the same time, I can also understand how just reading a whole wall of those tweets is just sort of hard to explain and pass off, "I was a comedian telling really dirty, inappropriate jokes to spark a reaction."

It's easier to wrap your head around dirty jokes occurring in a satirical animated TV series or movie then just an isolated tweet.

On the same token, can't anyone make the same excuse and get away with it? I'm sure plenty of others will not be defended by the likes of the fans who got behind Gunn for what they wrote on social media to be provocative or what have you?

I'm not sure when the shift happened, but it seemed there was a shift where you had to be more politically correct and now you can't say certain things. The definition of liberal is "open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values." Now it seems that liberalism seems to be going in the opposite direction in certain ways.

In previous years, to be liberal meant to be edgy, including with your language, and joking about things that maybe others wouldn't normally joke about on primetime TV.

Now it seems that edgier liberal humor is now seen as regressive, offensive, etc. I'm not saying everyone feels this way, but it seems to be part of the whole millennial generation and attitude.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

That is weak evidence of the accusations. His tweet about Arabs is given context here:
https://www.dailywire.com/news/30487/left-idiotically-takes-8-year-old-tweet-out-ben-shapiro He is speaking about a specific group of Arabs.

It may make him an ******* to say such a thing about Trayvon Martin but it's not racist or bigoted. He isn't wrong either. His comments toward Black Panther are toward the mainstream media's hype of the film, not black Americans appreciation of it.

This is all a lazy attempt to paint someone as a racist in order to nullify their opinion. I say that as someone who isn't a listener or reader of Shapiro

You do understand his entire dumb, racist argument based around the idea that racism isn't a thing, hinges on ideas like that it was Trayvon Martin's fault he died. It wasn't because he as racial profiled and followed by a racist. The entire idea is steeped in racism.

His context for the tweet changes what exactly? Beyond it being BS. If he wanted to be specific he could have been specific. He chose his words. Even still, saying that being from Palestine makes you such is racist. Because in this context he is comparing it specifically to Israel, thus setting up the racial component.

As to the Black Panther thing, well just watch his video. He sets up a false narrative, so he can complain about the hype for a movie about a black superhero. Which is exactly why he brings up Blade and Catwoman. Because black people shouldn't be so excited. They already had superhero movies with black leads.

 

[jmc]

As I've said in the past people who have the attitude you can never joke about such and such...IMHO it's wrong because plenty of popular movies and TV shows have made jokes about dark or taboo subject matter. Rick and Morty, Venture Bros., South Park, and as DACrowe has pointed out, Deadpool.

I think the problem is though that those jokes in those shows have more context. IMHO a big problem with social media and Twitter in general is that things like Gunn's tweets lack context.

Gunn had that long thread explaining how he was a provocateur and liked to make dark jokes about taboo subjects and wanted to shocking.

I on some level can understand. At the same time, I can also understand how just reading a whole wall of those tweets is just sort of hard to explain and pass off, "I was a comedian telling really dirty, inappropriate jokes to spark a reaction."

It's easier to wrap your head around dirty jokes occurring in a satirical animated TV series or movie then just an isolated tweet.

On the same token, can't anyone make the same excuse and get away with it? I'm sure plenty of others will not be defended by the likes of the fans who got behind Gunn for what they wrote on social media to be provocative or what have you?

I'm not sure when the shift happened, but it seemed there was a shift where you had to be more politically correct and now you can't say certain things. The definition of liberal is "open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values." Now it seems that liberalism seems to be going in the opposite direction in certain ways.

In previous years, to be liberal meant to be edgy, including with your language, and joking about things that maybe others wouldn't normally joke about on primetime TV.

Now it seems that edgier liberal humor is now seen as regressive, offensive, etc. I'm not saying everyone feels this way, but it seems to be part of the whole millennial generation and attitude.

I think part of it is because social media doesn't always allow for context, so it's easy to post something assuming everyone knows what your talking about or to accidentally interpret something as being literal. The bigger issue to me is companies cowering to what amounts to a minority of people online who make the most noise. This issue with Disney is the prime example of corporate panic over the assumption they are going to get bad press. In all honesty, I'm a bit tired of corporations trying to act like they don't screw up. If you make a mistake just own up to it for crying out loud and promise to do better next time. Disney could have ended this Gunn situation 2 weeks ago had they simply accepted they made a rash judgement, but because Alan Horne or Bob Iger don't have the balls to admit they jumped the gun the situation has lasted substantially longer than they would have anticipated.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think part of it is because social media doesn't always allow for context, so it's easy to post something assuming everyone knows what your talking about or to accidentally interpret something as being literal. The bigger issue to me is companies cowering to what amounts to a minority of people online who make the most noise. This issue with Disney is the prime example of corporate panic over the assumption they are going to get bad press. In all honesty, I'm a bit tired of corporations trying to act like they don't screw up. If you make a mistake just own up to it for crying out loud and promise to do better next time. Disney could have ended this Gunn situation 2 weeks ago had they simply accepted they made a rash judgement, but because Alan Horne or Bob Iger don't have the balls to admit they jumped the gun the situation has lasted substantially longer than they would have anticipated.

I agree with a lot of these points.

I just think celebrities should just stop using social media in general. It's way too toxic and IMHO they risk exposing themselves to people who can communicate with them who are toxic or will try to troll them.

I don't think the benefit of engaging the fandom is worth the cost of all the rampant negativity. At the very least if anything, just post stuff and don't ready any notifications or turn off notifications.

Leave the dirty jokes to your close circle of friends who will understand your sense of humor.

Also if you are leaving social media, just leave and quit. Don't announce you are doing it. When people like Corey Graves does that, it's just a cry for attention IMO. If you are serious about quitting social media then just do it.

 

[jmc]

I agree with a lot of these points.

I just think celebrities should just stop using social media in general. It's way too toxic and IMHO they risk exposing themselves to people who can communicate with them who are toxic or will try to troll them.

I don't think the benefit of engaging the fandom is worth the cost of all the rampant negativity. At the very least if anything, just post stuff and don't ready any notifications or turn off notifications.

Leave the dirty jokes to your close circle of friends who will understand your sense of humor.

Also if you are leaving social media, just leave and quit. Don't announce you are doing it. When people like Corey Graves does that, it's just a cry for attention IMO. If you are serious about quitting social media then just do it.

I understand the reason for wanting to use it, engaging with fans can be fun. But Twitter is a public forum filled with people who will cowardly hide behind their screen to make life difficult for others. You've either got to tough it out and accept there will be these idiots trying to make life hell and be true to yourself, or leave the platform.

 

[JannTosh]

You do understand his entire dumb, racist argument based around the idea that racism isn't a thing, hinges on ideas like that it was Trayvon Martin's fault he died. It wasn't because he as racial profiled and followed by a racist. The entire idea is steeped in racism.

His context for the tweet changes what exactly? Beyond it being BS. If he wanted to be specific he could have been specific. He chose his words. Even still, saying that being from Palestine makes you such is racist. Because in this context he is comparing it specifically to Israel, thus setting up the racial component.

As to the Black Panther thing, well just watch his video. He sets up a false narrative, so he can complain about the hype for a movie about a black superhero. Which is exactly why he brings up Blade and Catwoman. Because black people shouldn't be so excited. They already had superhero movies with black leads.

You’re reaching. Really badly

 

[Murdock103]

For all the reasons that Disney might be regretting sacking Gunn, I imagine the big one is that other studios are sniffing around him.

I can imagine Disney sacked him thinking that’d be him done in Hollywood, but the fact that rumours are all the other major studios are all ready and willing to hire him are probably giving them pause for thought.

 

[jr24tw]

I agree with a lot of these points.

I just think celebrities should just stop using social media in general. It's way too toxic and IMHO they risk exposing themselves to people who can communicate with them who are toxic or will try to troll them.

I don't think the benefit of engaging the fandom is worth the cost of all the rampant negativity. At the very least if anything, just post stuff and don't ready any notifications or turn off notifications.

Leave the dirty jokes to your close circle of friends who will understand your sense of humor.

Also if you are leaving social media, just leave and quit. Don't announce you are doing it. When people like Corey Graves does that, it's just a cry for attention IMO. If you are serious about quitting social media then just do it.

Totally agree. But I don't get the appeal of social media anyway. I don't do it. Never have, never will.


But a celebrity's political convictions is their's and their's alone. That's something for your private life and to discuss with friends and family. Use social media to give updates on your projects and leave it at that. The entertainment industry should just stay out of the political debate. One way or another, you will alienate a huge chunk of potential buyers. Why does anyone think that's a good business model?


I do wonder though if that's just an American thing. The rest of the world doesn't seem to be too concerned with the private lives or political views of anyone in the entertainment industry. Like Tom Cruise was an outcast and constantly mocked and not a money maker in the US due to Scientology and what not. The rest of the world wasn't bothered by it, largely because they didn't know. This fascination with celebs and what they have to say on anything seems to be very much a US thing. I think because of social medial the rest of the world seems to slowly be decaying in that direction too, sadly.

 

[jmc]

It's the same down here. No-one really cares that much for celebrities. Every convention I've been to down here the celebs have been able to work pretty freely without being bothered too much. It's just not in our culture to worship fame.

 

[DACrowe]

I will say I don't begrudge anyone from sharing their political beliefs. Even if I find them abhorrent, they should be free to state them. The direction of the world is an important thing to most people who live in it, so if they want to comment on it our use their platform, I accept the impetus.

With that said, I don't really care what they say and can even ignore those I disagree with, politically, to a certain point. It appears to be changing now, but at least until the last few years it was always folks on the right who whined about liberal celebrities needing to be quiet... even though almost all the major political leaders we've had in this country that successfully segued into politics were conservative (Reagan, Schwarzenegger, Eastwood... Trump).

 

[2kt09]

Where does this end?
Those right-wing guys just unearthed his "pedo-themed" party pics.

Spoiler

 

[Travesty]

The pic has been taken wildly out of context. it's not a "pedo party", like they're trying to claim. It was just a regular costume/theme party, and everyone was dressed as something different.

 

[NotNickFury]

Yeah, the theme was 'To Catch a Predator,' but I imagine that people going with the pedo-party probably hope that sticks more, albeit out of context, if just for the idea that it would further hurt Gunn's image.

 

[Frodo]

The, " To Catch a predator" theme party pics aren't that much better in terms of the narrative against Gunn than "Pedo Party" is .

Yeah, it wasn't a Pedo themed Party, but the Dateline show the party was based off of was about catching creepers trying to hook up with underage teens, so its not like that difference makes things look that much better in terms of PR.

If Disney does decide to maintain their relationship with him, its best he tells them anything and everything else that could dug up and used as damaging against him so they'll at least be able to counter punch in real time as opposed to being reactive to every new detail that emerges.