Generally speaking, I’m pro-Meta. Okay, well, I’m all for what I think it is, frankly, I’m not 100% sure if there’s an agreed upon definition. Something about twisting “reality” around into a very obvious unreality so as to bring forth a kind of reality. Authors writing fiction about characters with their own real names remains fine by me for the time being.
I’ve decided, though, that actors should generally avoid any attempts at meta. In the last number of years it’s become more and more common for actors to “poke fun” at themselves in any venue they can – going on Saturday Night Live right after some scandal, playing “themselves” on some sitcom where they’re usually portrayed as an ass. This was funny for a little while, but now I’m just thinking it’s not much more than an attempt at reverse psychology, like, “Oooh, look at me, I’m a good sport, I’m willing to [insert ‘exaggerated’ ridiculous movie star behavior here], because I know that you know I’m not really like this wink wink” but you know, I think we all know they kind of really are like that, sometimes worse, and I think they know it and I think we know it, but I don’t think they think we really do know it, I think they think they’re pulling a fast one on us and I’m not really having it.
10 comments:
Was there a specific meta incident that caused this thought, or are you being ponderous this morning?
(note: I love both the specific and the ponderous Betsy)
I was specifically pondering Ocean's Twelve.
I'm thinking about Alec Baldwin doing...um...anything.
But what of "Being John Malkovich?"
Hadn't thought about Being John Malkovich, but I'd grant it an exception on a few accounts mostly because it's so dang good. I'm thinking more along the lines of your Ashlee Simpsons showing up on Mad TV or some such.
Not a Baldwin fan, T?
I just can't remember him doing anything other than portraying a caricature of himself on SNL in the last 10 years.
Actually, he had that one Las Vagasey role where he was pretty good about 2 years ago. Was it in the Cooler? Doesn't matter. It just seems to me that any of the Baldwins usually make a good punchline.
I'm recalling some sort of connection with you and some sort of a Baldwin.
I have brushed with many and several Baldwins.
If the line "I have brushed with many and several Baldwins" doesn't go into a story, then you and I are going to have to wrestle.
meta keeps coming up for me. and *i'm* still not sure what it is.
i thought it had something to do with .. well, yeah. self-referential freakout. like when things are all coming together in a strange way with references to your life from tangential and obscure places. ??
that makes no sense. is it like porn? i just know when i see it?
but, i've been asking people lately what their definition of meta is, and i still can't get a handle on it. i googled it, but it gave me this very socio-scientific explanation that made me want to get high.
not really, but you know.
Smussy, I think it's fair to say it's all of those things and none of those things at once.
Post a Comment