So I did this interview yesterday for some bullshit Internet show that a friend of mine executive produces. I was told I'd have a forum to help clear up some of the controversy and address the AMC comments. We taped for about forty minutes and by the end I felt confident that I was able to articulate a well-rounded point of view.
The bigger issue I wanted to discuss was how Twitter is being co-opted by the main stream media and that eventually they're gonna kill it by manipulating information into titillating stories. What aired this morning on the Internet show was just that -- a titillating manipulation of facts. So they took the forum and spun it into soundbites that ultimately just continued to fuel the controversy. They avoided the bigger problem, because they are part of the bigger problem.
I'm such a fucking jackass.
35 comments:
you're not a jackass. You're an idealist. I say that in the kindest sense of the word. You believed that this "show" would do what should have been done. That doesn't make you a jackass. It's not your fault they're CUNTS!
Typical. Most mainstream media wants nothing more than to waste your time asking what you think are serious questions enabling you to "clear the air" so to speak, only to screw you royally with tidbits of your thoughts or comments editing them to fit how they want you to look to the listening or reading public.
Keep your thoughts and opinions rolling out on your own terms and through your own means. True fans of your work will always be on side.
You're not. What you are is a PERSON - a person who will, from time to time, listen to the wrong people. Make wrong decisions. Call folks friends who turn out to be assholes.
You're a person. Not a slick, untouchable, uncannily flawless showbiz android, but a real person.
Consider yourself lucky and proud. It's a rare thing in Hollywood.
Why are you surprised? I watch SOA and read your blog because I think you have something interesting to say. I enjoy your rants, but I also like to hear what you have to say when all of the hysteria dies down. We're an angry society and some people need their Don Quixote.
Oh my goodness gwacious! Mr. Sutter, darlin', you have been a busy blogger! I can hardly keep up! (channelin' Shirley Temple here).
OK, so much for me bein' cutesy, which I don't do anyway. You had good intentions, and we all know that good intentions often pave the way to a certain heated destination.
The problem with interviews is that many of the interviwers go into the thing with a preconceived notion of where they want it to go, especially in pre recorded interviews to be broadcast later. Hell, we saw how that manipulation happens in the movie 'Broadcast News'!
You're many things, darlin'. An angry and emotionally hurt man is one of them right now. Can't say as I blame you. You're gettin' fucked up the ass without benefit of lube. Unlike Tig, the media is not very humane.
You were used, my friend. That's all there is to it. The media - broadcast, internet, and even print journalism these days - are in the business of the bottom line. They're out to make money. Therefore, they go for the titillation factor. What's gonna get us the biggest numbers? If it bleeds, it leads.
I can count on the fingers of one hand how many times this year the local Indy media have led with a good news story. Usually it's new jobs comin' to the area. It's never 'nobody hurt somebody else today' or 'the sun shined today'. It's always sensational.
You went in with the best of intentions, wanting to get the word out to the masses who don't read your blog.
The problem is, the medium you chose betrayed you.
If I might be so bold as to make a suggestion to you, Oh Great One? Stick to puttin' the word out on your blog. Those of us who subscribe and read it will get your word out.
Count on it. We are Legion.
And you can count on us not editing for content or titilation.
As for the program that abused your trust, they are SO toasted.
SAMFAM STRIKES BACK!
Oh shit, seems like the only safe thing to do is sit in the corner and shut up. These fuckers love to spin stories to make it juicey, otherwise it would be to lame to publicise.
Btw, love the ass!
I wondered when I watched that if maybe you didn't say a little more than that--can't win lately, huh? Anyway, just wanted you to know that some of us out here don't much care about the bullshit, we're just holding our breath, waiting for the new season of the show! I hope all this shit isn't raining on that parade for you.
it's bullshit, man. it's all bullshit. twitter, the "news cycle" - it's the lack of riveting, interesting, emotional, engaging media which makes the content you produce under the title "sons of anarchy" like water in a desert. you have many fans who don't care who twists what words how and a lot of aspiring showrunners like myself look up to you as someone who doesn't just sit and take the tv set douchebaggery. you have a true american voice - the only problem is that america loves nothing more than to exploit
did you ever wondered that all this happens because you're so damn honest, so that almost everybody seed you as the biggest asshole of all times? When I last cheked, no one liked honesty...
They are the jack asses. Clear up your shit here where you know 100% the truth is been spoken
asshole media stike again !
Hey Kurt,
I was the guy in the black sweatshirt during the shoot. The whole interview was engaging and you made a LOT of excellent points and really stated your side well (including capping the whole thing off talking about how ridiculous it is that leaving Twitter is even goddamn NEWS) but you gotta understand how hard it is (and I guess ironic) to boil down 40 minutes of solid observation into the feature segment of a daily 5 minute show.
I assumed since you blogged about us yesterday you KNEW how long our show is. What did you think would happen? That we'd get an ok to post a 17 minute long episode? The director and I agonized over that cut- trying to get your observations to fit inside the framework. But true to your point during the interview, in this immediate medium that's sometimes impossible.
That said, I'm going to try to break into our edit bay a put out a cut that addresses all the questions, though it may be 20 minutes long.
It hits me personally that we let you down.
I know you're just speaking your mind and I get where you're coming from. I hope you remember from the couple times we talked that I'm a gigantic Sons fan and an admirer of your work and the way you just say it like it is. We went into this only to represent your side.
Hi Kurt,You are NOT the "jackass" It's the Aholes that are minipulative and just in it to cause controversy (at least that is what it seems like to most of us). You have a really large fan base and we all respect and love you. Do we always agree with you? Probably not, but we respect your point of view and your right to express it. Please don't think that you can't do that. Your true and real fans are here and always will be. Please don't stop writing your blogs and WTF? Sutter. Not only are those manipulative bastards causing you strife but are hurting your fans by what they do. We don't want to lose what little contact we have left with you.. Much L&R Always! Patrica <3
Kurt,
I, for one, am glad that your blog is back in full swing. I do not nor will I ever get a twitter account. I have facebook but only because it is easier than tracking down my extended family on the phone and is excellent to keep up when deployed. It seems that the twit news readers(not even reporters anymore really) really love that path of least resistance that 140 characters gives them.
Keep doing what you're doing and fuck 'em if they cant take a joke.
I watched the piece. I don't think you came off that badly, really. Hang in there, man.
It doesn't matter what the media says/writes. Anyone who is a true fan of your work will know better. Anyone who has followed you on Facebook or Twitter and is a fan will know better. No one should ever take anything they read or watch in the media at face value. So speak and do your thing for the fans and forget about those idiots who don't have the talent you have.
they are just that a tabloid they are their too sell their prescription too make money they rarely speak all the facts what needs too happen is an outlet for peoples views that are not tainted by their own biases or greed the only way i see doing that is too have a press confrance on live tv too clear the issues up if that can be done with out problems.
Kurt;
Totally agree with your comments about Twitter, I think most of the American public has lost the ability to concentrate on anything MORE than 140 characters long. It also scares me to think we have a whole generation growing up who can only communicate in abbreviations, and our future generations will not be able to use a keyboard requiring more than thumbs. I had to tell my 16 year old the other day to "use your words honey, use your words" When she said OMG to a comment someone made. Seriously, I love how you express yourself, I do the same thing, no filter, no muffler. You have probably heard this one before, gonna put it out anyway, Q:Do you know why "toe" is the worst thing you can call a woman? A: cuz it's 3 feet lower than a cunt...
Have an awesome evening.
Bummer
Hey Kurt
Clearly people want to cut you down! I wrote sort of the same thing over a year ago about another blog you posted. With the key message being, you're the cool kid! You're the one the others want to be like. You say cool things, you look cool, you hang out with cool people and most importantly - you dont think you're cool! Its amazing how that annoys the shit of people that really want to be cool. Instead they are wankers that cant and wont ever achieve so will spent their time throwing shit at the cool kids! Eventually someone will slap the shit of them! The mainstream media is being over run with strange little dark haired orange people that have some affiliation with water?? Thank the lord you're not one of them!
Love ya work
WOW...it seems you just can`t win on any forum you talk on...people find amusement on twisting ones words to cause any type of controversy...and you being who you are... makes it easier for these people to manipulate what ever you want to say....sorry to hear bro!...maybe it`s just time to go on the Bike and go for a long ride to think about things!
cheers
(On The Mark Stunts)
Bryan
I am with you on this 100% bro. They came to sonsofanarchyforever.com asking for questions from the fans to ask you during the interview. I set up a chatroom and wasted over 2 hours getting them their questions. Only to have them rip it out on the cutting room floor, if they even asked you them at all.
That has to be frustrating. Doesn't Hollywood just seem like a bigger, more annoying, more fucked up High School? It does to me at least...especially now with how evasive the media is.
But I do know that you have an amazing show, with writing that has integrity...nearly unheard of these days and all this other stuff, is just bullshit.
I love the honest writing Mr. Sutter and I like being able to read more than 140 characters... :)
No, your not.
The rest of the world is.
I don't have a Twitter. But I did go to your Twitter account because, oddly enough, I find you intriguing. What can I say? Alpha males are still desired in a sea of metrosexual men who are (apparently) the new craze.
P.S. SOA is right up there w/ The Shield & The Wire as some of the best television. Ever.
No, Kurt, you are not the jackass, the so-called friend is. You were a trusting soul who was told, and believed, would get a fair shake. The executive producer was supposedly a "friend" yet allowed that to be done to you? F'em, their a cunt!
As loyal fans of the show we really don't care about all the BS the media spouts. The only positive on this is that you really can see who is your friend and who isn't.
Chin up my brother!
it is such BS that the media clones always want to twist everything up 8 ways from friggen Sunday to suit "their purpose" . . . . not the story . . . thoroughly enjoyed your feed but also surely understand the frustration . . . currently peeling back over again on Seasons 1 & 2, soon 3 . . . oh the anticipation on the coming ride for Season 4 !
I would say I can't believe that happened, but I can. The media is so intent on "getting" their headlines that they do whatever they have to. Even if it means twisting words the words of everyone they talk to. I take all media with a grain of salt as most should, they spin words to fit their opinion of how things are or should be and not what actually happened. Kudos to you for speaking your mind and giving us your reality and not theirs. Love the show and this blog!! Rock on!!
Kurt,
You aren't a jackass. You've completely hit the nail on the head about Twitter though.
As someone that's been on it for nearly 4 years, I've watched it change from a personable community, to a media-whore hangout, to a mainstream media phenomenon and then into, as you succinctly put it "spun … into soundbites".
Personally, I find it still works for me most of the time, but I'm not someone that will be stalked by the twitterazzi, so it doesn't matter if I drop in and out as I see fit.
I respect your decision to leave twitter, as it's your voice and your choice.
I love SoA, and am thoroughly looking forward to Season 4.
Keep up the good work.
James Griffiths
@griffmiester
Jersey, you came off well. You are too close to see it like we all did. It was good PR to do it. I just dont get why they asked on Twitter for questions from us and not one was used, and I asked great ones, lmao.
One was about Charlie writing an ep and also how the hell did Bobby Elvis go from Jewish accountant to an outlaw biker? How about Bachman thinking it was Elvis' birthday, can she not get one thing right? As an Elvis fan, whose mom had the yellow sun 45's, I know he was born Jan. 8th, as most longtime fans do. Now that's a real cunt.
Kurt, I love you and your show but I gotta say that some of the stuff you stress over you need to let go of. You need to pick your head up for a minute and take a look around at the world some of your follows live in (and Im not talking about the MC world). My husband and I work 6 jobs between the two of us to keep a roof over our heads and food in our kids bellies. The union from my main job is about to lead us into a strike. If I'm out long, it may be the straw that breaks our back and we may loose our house. NOW THAT'S SOMETHING TO STRESS ABOUT.
Hey Kurt,
I for one am grateful that you continue to speak out against things that you find unjust,unfair or sometimes the things that just piss you off.
People don't have to agree with you and they should have the same freedom to speak out and disagree with you as you do to speak out and make some controversial remarks at times too.
What shouldn't be allowed to happen is the supression of a voice and I worried that what had happened with the whole twitter thing was exactly that. The supression of our free speech is the first step to our end as a democratic society.
People should also not hate on you for the opinions that you share. The people that do this are in my opinion lacking the education or intelligience to form a counter opinion or they are just looking to stir up some attention for themselves.
I guess what I am saying is I am glad that you continue to speak out and given the attention of late I can see why you left twitter. However, blogging is probably best as since you seem to keep getting fucked over by the media, you can at least use it to portray an accurate picture of your point of view.
I have just read your latest post and it definately reads differently from how it has been portrayed.
I hope you continue to use your blog to keep expressing your opinions and stay in touch with fans of both yourself and the show who genuinely stay with you because we admire your talent and we enjoy the refreshing take on the world of showbusiness.
I hate to admit it but twitter is just not the same :)
You are not the jackass, a little naive in this situation perhaps but not a jackass. Besides the guy was a friend of yours you had no reason to think that he would screw you over. I guess in times like this when your "big news" in the world of showbusiness it helps to put clarity on the true definition of friendship.
At the end ofthe day live,learnand then fuck 'em all. You have a great family, you have fans that genuinely love your frankness and are envious of your creative genius and if nothing else you have helped to publicise this blog where you at least know what people are reading about you is true and comes from you. So don't beat yourself up, most people are pricks if your lucky you get to meet a few nice ones, if your truly blessed they stay with you x
I just read the comment "h_l_" left you... are they really attempting to justify how they edit everything for ratings, profit and personal gain?
They wont't be getting any help from us in the future. I'll spread the word on that.
ah yes you may be just another jackass sutter, but a jackass we all love. . .
You maybe a jackass, kurt. But a jackass we all love. . .
Post a Comment