Is There Anything Cooler Than Clint Eastwood on Heidegger and Wittgenstein?
November 13, 2001 1:45 AM Subscribe
Is There Anything Cooler Than Clint Eastwood on Heidegger and Wittgenstein? Bruce Jay Friedman, hilariously, thinks not. Revered in Jamaica and Southern Europe as the coolest man still alive, why is the ex-mayor of Carmel, jazz buff and Oscar-winning actor still regarded in his own country as just another talentless old geezer whose time has long since passed?
::Imagines the three of them in some heaving oiled-up western philosophy sex-dogpile, grunting, groping, slithering. Hears Clint say "Make my day, Ludwig" in a breathy whisper, punctuated with the slapping of wet flesh and a sudden squeal from Martin....decides he better read the damn link this time::
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:08 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:08 AM on November 13, 2001
Jaysus H McGillicuddy on a popsicle stick : I'm psychic!
To wit : "Maybe he would even like to be touched, but he doesn't know how to make this happen. That's what he's looking for in Heidegger and with all those acres out there, a way to be touched, even though he senses in some Kierkegaardian way that it's not in the cards for him and he'll probably go right on through that way."
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:12 AM on November 13, 2001
To wit : "Maybe he would even like to be touched, but he doesn't know how to make this happen. That's what he's looking for in Heidegger and with all those acres out there, a way to be touched, even though he senses in some Kierkegaardian way that it's not in the cards for him and he'll probably go right on through that way."
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:12 AM on November 13, 2001
> Jaysus H McGillicuddy on a popsicle stick : I'm psychic!
But can you make the street lights flicker on and off?
posted by pracowity at 2:30 AM on November 13, 2001
But can you make the street lights flicker on and off?
posted by pracowity at 2:30 AM on November 13, 2001
You scare me sometimes, Mr Owity.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:31 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 2:31 AM on November 13, 2001
> You scare me sometimes, Mr Owity.
Nothing scares me since I saw that link about fetus soup. Was that thing real?
posted by pracowity at 4:10 AM on November 13, 2001
Nothing scares me since I saw that link about fetus soup. Was that thing real?
posted by pracowity at 4:10 AM on November 13, 2001
MiguelCardoso: here's a link to some statements of political philosophy by Clint Eastwood himself (not another old geezer's fantasy of same).
posted by Carol Anne at 4:36 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 4:36 AM on November 13, 2001
Thanks, Carol Anne. But the linked article was written in 1976, a quarter of a century ago, long before Clint Eastwood started thinking about politics. Friedman was only about 45 when he wrote it for Esquire magazine. I'm guessing it followed from Pauline Kael's demolition job on Clint Eastwood. So it sort of seemed prescient, I thought. Because there was a lot more to Eastwood than appeared back in 1976.
I guess there's also a Jerry Lewis in France kind of phenomenon: in Europe, Eastwood is considered a major auteur . In the U.S. I feel he's vastly underrated.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:17 AM on November 13, 2001
I guess there's also a Jerry Lewis in France kind of phenomenon: in Europe, Eastwood is considered a major auteur . In the U.S. I feel he's vastly underrated.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:17 AM on November 13, 2001
MC: I stand corrected! A danger of the Web: dated, but "undated" material.
posted by Carol Anne at 5:49 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 5:49 AM on November 13, 2001
No, Carol Anne. You think you're corrected? You think you've got problems? Hey, I didn't know he was a raging libertarian! You think I'd have posted this here if I knew that? Do I seem suicidal? I had him figured for a laid-back, pot-smoking Jerry Brown-like social democrat. I like him a lot less, now I've read your link. What a disappointment! :(
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:55 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:55 AM on November 13, 2001
Sorry, MC. It just gets worse. Why did Clint Eastwood go into politics? According to About.com: "...in 1986 Eastwood wanted to build a small building in downtown Carmel. His efforts were stymied by the town's bureaucratic government and he decided to do something about it - he ran for mayor, winning with 72% of the vote." Just another California developer.
posted by Carol Anne at 6:37 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 6:37 AM on November 13, 2001
Well, that was fun.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:45 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:45 AM on November 13, 2001
Eastwood _on_ Heidegger and Wittgenstein or Eastwood and a loose, hypothetical, superficial connection to Heidegger and Wittgenstein? (Friedman's connections don't really warrant their names appearing in the title of the essay.) Not to be a crank but I'm skeptical that Clint would make it very far with either thinker, much less go to his local library and read all of Being and Time.
Of course, even though he said: "without sounding like a pseudointellectual dipshit, it's my responsibility to be true to myself" I'm sure he's more likely to look Heidegger up in an encyclopedia than many other Hollywood stars.
posted by ludicdruid at 7:56 AM on November 13, 2001
Of course, even though he said: "without sounding like a pseudointellectual dipshit, it's my responsibility to be true to myself" I'm sure he's more likely to look Heidegger up in an encyclopedia than many other Hollywood stars.
posted by ludicdruid at 7:56 AM on November 13, 2001
Sweet link.
Wouldn't the world be so much better if Friedman were right?
posted by andrew cooke at 9:20 AM on November 13, 2001
Wouldn't the world be so much better if Friedman were right?
posted by andrew cooke at 9:20 AM on November 13, 2001
Credit belongs where credit is due. Eastwood owes everything to two legends Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone.
posted by Voyageman at 10:38 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Voyageman at 10:38 AM on November 13, 2001
Clint Eastwood: dark rider of the neo-conservative zeitgeist.
posted by Ty Webb at 10:52 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Ty Webb at 10:52 AM on November 13, 2001
I don't give a damn about his politics. He's got bad mofo style up the wazoo. And that was a great, goofy essay.
posted by Optamystic at 11:39 AM on November 13, 2001
posted by Optamystic at 11:39 AM on November 13, 2001
Eastwood owes everything to two legends Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone.
Don't forget Don Siegel. "Unforgiven" is dedicated to Leone and Siegel.
And who says he's unappreciated in this country? I think "Bird" established him as one of America's best directors. He doesn't get a lot of mainstream credit as such, but he's not an unknown quantity.
posted by yerfatma at 12:09 PM on November 13, 2001
Don't forget Don Siegel. "Unforgiven" is dedicated to Leone and Siegel.
And who says he's unappreciated in this country? I think "Bird" established him as one of America's best directors. He doesn't get a lot of mainstream credit as such, but he's not an unknown quantity.
posted by yerfatma at 12:09 PM on November 13, 2001
MiguelCardoso-"a raging libertarian?! Saints Preserve Us!" Get a grip. In the current political climate more and more thinking people are finding different flavors of libertarianism to be an appealing alternative, and while I'm not in anything like total agreemant with the libertarian leadership, I count myself among them. Judging from that list at the end of the article, me and Clint are in pretty good company..you can also add Drew Carey, Howard Stern and the late Frank Zappa to the list. Sure beats the folks on Hollywood's Republican or Democrat A-List.
Basically it comes down to this:
Republicans=mean-spirited,greedy,pompous religious fanatics
Democrats=gullible,self-obsessed,guilt-addled buddinskis
Both Parties=totally out of touch with the facts of most Americans lives to break out their knee-jerk oppositional binary thinking.
Can people be blamed for searching for a new avenue?
And Re Ruby Ridge and Waco, just because government brutality is practiced on people you or I may not like dosen't make it any less brutal. And questioning the govermants actions in those cases dosen't make me a drooling militaman. Think before you paint people with sucha broad swath.
posted by jonmc at 5:49 PM on November 13, 2001
Basically it comes down to this:
Republicans=mean-spirited,greedy,pompous religious fanatics
Democrats=gullible,self-obsessed,guilt-addled buddinskis
Both Parties=totally out of touch with the facts of most Americans lives to break out their knee-jerk oppositional binary thinking.
Can people be blamed for searching for a new avenue?
And Re Ruby Ridge and Waco, just because government brutality is practiced on people you or I may not like dosen't make it any less brutal. And questioning the govermants actions in those cases dosen't make me a drooling militaman. Think before you paint people with sucha broad swath.
posted by jonmc at 5:49 PM on November 13, 2001
Included on that list are TV star John Laroquette, humorist Dave Barry, author P.J. O'Rourke, movie actor Russell Means, magician Jillette Penn, author Camille Paglia, TV reporter John Stossell, and comedian Dennis Miller
Now why did he omit Bill Maher?
posted by y2karl at 7:15 PM on November 13, 2001
Now why did he omit Bill Maher?
posted by y2karl at 7:15 PM on November 13, 2001
What Optamystic said. And what a shame that Miguel ended up "disappointed," since the original link was a terrific piece of writing. One of the best personality profiles I've ever read, and there doesn't seem to be one actual fact in it, just statements like "I don't know the circumstances of Eastwood's personal life."
Friedman's imaginary take on Eastwood almost certainly turns out to be better than the man himself (but that's what Hollywood mythmaking is all about).
p.s. The most interesting profile I've read lately that includes actual facts is Daniel Voll's piece on Nick Nolte in the October 1999 Esquire. Only a small piece of it is online.
posted by LeLiLo at 12:52 AM on November 14, 2001
Friedman's imaginary take on Eastwood almost certainly turns out to be better than the man himself (but that's what Hollywood mythmaking is all about).
p.s. The most interesting profile I've read lately that includes actual facts is Daniel Voll's piece on Nick Nolte in the October 1999 Esquire. Only a small piece of it is online.
posted by LeLiLo at 12:52 AM on November 14, 2001
Libertarians win majority on Leadville, Colorado city council. This is not the first time that Libertarians have had a working majority on a city council. ... That feat was accomplished in the late 1980s in Big Water, Utah.
posted by Carol Anne at 9:46 AM on November 14, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 9:46 AM on November 14, 2001
lelilo: I remember that interview - it was so unsettling the way he jumped around mentioning all the stuff he took. Like Hunter S.Thompson with legit drugs and for real. Funnily enough it made me admire him more as an actor.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:57 AM on November 14, 2001
posted by MiguelCardoso at 9:57 AM on November 14, 2001
Somebody here is a one-woman search engine: Now, there's a bookmarks list I'd like to look at...
posted by y2karl at 10:17 AM on November 14, 2001
posted by y2karl at 10:17 AM on November 14, 2001
Golly, Y2karl, thanks for noticing!
posted by Carol Anne at 11:21 AM on November 14, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 11:21 AM on November 14, 2001
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posted by MiguelCardoso at 1:48 AM on November 13, 2001