Basic Math

What do actors really get paid?

So with all the backlash against Angus T Jones and his wanting off Two and a Half Men, what I’ve noticed most if how many people think he should be donating all his “filthy” money to charity.

This is crap, for 2 reasons.

1- Everyone is going on and on about how much money he makes, believed to be $300,000 per episode. Which, on the surface, sounds like a shit tonne of money. (Especially to me since I earned less than $1000 an episode) but just because the studio pays $300,000 doesn’t mean that’s what he actually earns. Here’s a basic accounting breakdown of an actors pay.

Gross pay is $300,000. Being in such a high pay packet, also puts you into a super high tax bracket. Around 40%. So there’s $120,000 gone right off the bat.

Then, most actors have an agent who takes about 20% of the gross. So there goes another $60,000. If you’ve also got a manager, add another 15%, which is another $45,000. So assuming you’ve got a skeleton crew of leeches handlers, your $300,000 turns into $75,000 before you even see it. If you’ve got a publicist, or stylist, or anything else most Hollywood types have, like a lawyer on retainer, take off several thousand more.

Actors don’t work all year. So while someone may earn huge bucks while working, if you only work 13 weeks a year, as most shows do, you’ve got to now spread that $75k a week for 13 weeks ($975,000) over 52 weeks. So that’s now down to $18, 750 a week. Yes, that still seems like a lot of money, but there’s CEO’s and other people who earn just as much. There’s plastic surgeons and IT people who earn that kind of money. There’s actually a lot of people who earn over $1 million a year. I’m not one of them 🙁

We all have expenses, but celebs have additional expenses. They’re expected to spend bukoo cash on outfits for Red Carpet events, they’re giving money to charity, they’re expected to maintain a “lifestyle”. It’s expensive. Houses in California aren’t cheap. Actors have rent and mortgages and car payments just like the rest of us.

Now to number 2. Why does everyone think actors should always donate their money to charity. The boy is working for that cash. If you hate your job, and lets face it, we’ve all had a job we hated, and probably bitched about, would you be expected to donate the money you’re earning to charity? Fuck no. You’d think you’ve earned it, and the only thing that keeps you turning up each day is that paycheck. Whether you’re a Doctor doing a residency with shitty hours, or working at some crappy restaurant, if you hate it, and tell people you hate it, will everyone start laying into you telling you to work for free, or give back every cent you’ve ever earned? I worked at a shitty chain restaurant, and I tell everyone not to eat there. Does that mean I should give back all the money I earned? (All $2.06 an hour plus tips) When a celeb sues a paper for false stories, people expect them to donate the money. Um, while it’s great that some celebs do, it wasn’t the charity that was damaged. It was the celeb. Ever see a celeb, even a has been, do a show where they get to win money for themselves? No. They’re always expected to do everything for charity. Which, can be awesome. I have fond memories as a kid of doing the Children’s Hospital Telethon. We also did Celebrity Family Feud. We had to fly to Brisbane for the day. We all got a gift, like a pen or telephone. I think we also got a couple hundred bucks, which was then split out as above… But we spent money on incidentals. We didn’t have stylists, so everyone probably bought an outfit. While most celebs love being able to help a charity, and shows like Celebrity Apprentice let celebs make a bunch of money for charity, it does take time and money to do it. Also, why can’t a has been whose now working a civilian job go on a show for themselves. We’ve got bills too! Think someone who used to be on TV can go on the regular Apprentice, or regular Big Brother? Um, no. Good luck with that.

One more thing, how do people know what he does with his money? For all anyone knows, he may already donate a large percentage of his cheque to charity. Just because some celebrities make a big deal about every time they make a donation, doesn’t mean all of them do. Some people make quiet donations to their chosen charity. Just because they don’t see that as a publicity opportunity, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Elvis never claimed his donations as tax deductions, because he said then it wasn’t really a donation. If you announce every time you slip the Red Cross a $100, aren’t you just paying $100 for some publicity? Others may not give lots of cash, but give their time. Some are Big Brothers and Big Sisters, some do Boy Scouts, others help raise awareness. Some join the Guard. It all counts.

Celebrities don’t judge what you do with your money. Let’s not question them so much on what they do with theirs.

November 27, 2012

Angus T Jones wants off Two and a Half Men

Another Child Star who’s decided they don’t like their job….

So the media world is all in a flurry this week after Angus T Jones released a video asking people not to watch Two and a Half Men, saying he works on the show, and even he doesn’t like it.

Let’s face it, the show jumped the shark when Charlie Sheen left. I think they carried on with Ashton Kutcher just to spite Charlie. Even though it seems nobody really likes the show anymore, I’m surprised at the reaction to Angus T Jones when he said he wanted off the show. People are declaring him to be an ungrateful brat, they’re saying he’s lost the plot. They’re expecting him to be fired. Here’s the thing, he WANTS to get fired.

Most people only see he gets a $300,000 paycheck a week, and think he’s an idiot for trying to get away from it. There’s comments he’s should give the money back. He should walk away. What people don’t understand, is that’s he’s contractually obligated to be there. He can’t just walk away. No matter how bad he wants to. TV studios own your life. It’s not like your job at the local store. You can’t just walk in and tell your boss to get fucked and walk out. It’s not even like a corporate job where you can hand in your two weeks notice and hope they walk you out. You’re signed up for years at a time. There’s millions of dollars riding on your being there. If you try to not turn up, they will find you, and drag you to the studio. They will take you to court and sue you for the production costs on the delays, which could be millions of dollars, per hour. Why do you think they make such a big deal when people like Lindsay Lohan turn up late on set. There’s a couple hundred crew standing around waiting. There’s the actual studio costs, there’s other talent. Even in Australia when Julie would waltz in 30 mins late to the studio, people would flip out, screaming she had wasted about $20,000. Imagine just deciding not to turn up at all?

Two and a Half Men is set to finish after this season, but I’m sure he just can’t wait. He’s been on that show since he was a tiny kid. He’s been working since 2003 to now. That’s 9 years. How many of you have stayed at the same job for 9 years? Sure, older generations stayed at the same job forever, but not these days. Especially not actors. Definitely not Child Actors. He was TEN years old when he started the show. Can you imagine starting work at 10 years old and still be doing the same job when you were 19? Seriously?

I don’t care what any parent says, kids don’t choose to be actors. They don’t say at 5 years old, I want to be an actor. Or maybe they do, but they probably don’t understand what they’re saying. If your kid says they want to be an Astronaut at 5, do you rush them off to NASA? I don’t get why parents pack up all their shit and move to LA cause their 5 year old says they want to act. Parents choose to make their kids actors. Parents push them into the biz. It’s then very difficult for the kids to get out. Being a kid actor is a totally different thing. I mean, you don’t see 8 year old working at the local McDonald’s, flipping burgers right? Child labor laws prevent kids from being exploited. Except when it come to the entertainment industry. Then it’s ok to have your kid out working, paying the rent. At least in the US there’s laws to put the majority of the money the kid earns into a trust account. There’s ways to get around it, but Angus should be set up for life on the money he’s already earned. I’m sure he’s not worried about “Career Suicide”. He can probably bank roll his own productions, if he even wants to stay in the biz. Maybe, like any other kid who wanted to be a doctor when they were a kid grew up and decided he wanted to do something different. People are making this an issue about his Faith. I don’t see why religion has anything to do with it. I simply see it as a person who’s been working since he was 6 years old and now he wants out.

Stop bashing the poor kid. The television industry isn’t nearly as glamorous as what people think it is. It’s long, hard hours. It’s mentally draining. Even when you’re not on set, you’re working. Anytime you leave the house you’re working, because you’re never allowed to have a bad day. You have to always be “on”. You think he had a normal school life or any of the other childhood experiences that civilians have? You think he can get a girlfriend without worrying about whether she’s just with him because he’s Jake? You think dealing with Charlie Sheen all those years was normal?

Give the kid a break. He’s 19. He’s trying to find his place in life. Earning a tonne of money doesn’t mean anything if you hate who you are and what you do.

November 16, 2012

Star Privilege

The rise and fall of “Star Power”

With all that’s been happening in the last couple of months in Australia, it’s been hard hiding my past from people, and it’s kinda funny when people I’ve known for a while find out I used to be an actress. I explain I was a kid on a TV show, and they’re like, ok, and think it was a bit part or something. Then a couple days later, I can tell they’ve done a little Googling… The reaction I get so often is, “but you’re so normal”. It’s kinda sad that people just expect all former child stars to be either in rehab or total prima donnas.

For all the bad shit that happened, I’m still pretty happy for the way I was raised. I’m not on probation like Lindsay Lohan, making porn like Judy Winslow or dead like Dana Plato.

I never really did all the things famous kids do now. It wasn’t a non stop party of red carpets and after parties. I didn’t jet off to other countries for festivals. I wasn’t photographed a million times looking super glamorous. A quick google images search actually shows very little. Most images of me are unflattering screen grabs from my ACA interview, or cast photos. As much fun as it would have been, I never did any glamorous cover shoots for a glossy mag. I think I dreamt of doing a Dolly cover, but it never happened. I only attended 2 Logies awards. I remember being so jealous of the Neighbours kids because they lived in Melbourne and they got to go. I needed a chaperone & they didn’t want to pay for a second ticket. The last 2 years I went, I took our publicist one year & our make-up artist the last year. I took Megan our MUA because I loved her, (and she was willing to go) but then everyone just expected my room to become their private make up room and thought she was there for them, which sucked for her. I didn’t take her so she’d have to work.

There was some important lessons I learnt back then, hanging out with the crew. They’d talk about “soapie syndrome” which is when some new starlet gets a job on something like H&A and because they’re young and pretty, and they get famous quick, they become total divas. They think they’re going to be famous forever. Then, they’d leave, looking for bigger and better things, and when they didn’t get anything, they’d be crushed. Their world came crashing down. It was pretty sad to witness. Some picked themselves up and learnt an important lesson in humility, others, not so much.

There was a sign in the wardrobe room with a picture of a bucket. Underneath it said, Put your arm in a bucket of water, then pull it out. Watch how quickly the hole is filled. That’s how quickly you can be replaced.

Such a harsh statement, but also so true in the land of TV. Fuck up, and there’s another pretty young thing just waiting to take your place. There are days when I wish I had done some beautiful photo shoots, or been to more glamorous red carpets, but I was so young, I really wouldn’t have appreciated them for what they were. Or they’d be so normal that nothing civilian could ever satisfy me. I’m actually pretty glad I was raised to be just one of the production crew. It made transitioning into regular jobs so much easier.

Here’s the other thing people just don’t get. I don’t want to be an actor anymore. I have no desire to play make believe for a living. Just because I was an actor as a kid, doesn’t mean I want to be one when I grow up. Read any article from me as a kid, I always wanted to be something else when I grew up. Being a child actor was something that was chosen for me. I was too young to make that decision, like many other child stars. However, most people stay in acting because they don’t know how to do anything else. They were so busy working, they didn’t finish school. Or, they tried civilian life, and it was either too dull after the glamour of TV, or they had people who weren’t accepting of them. It’s hard to transition to regular life. I loved working in restaurants. I didn’t do it because that’s what every out of work actor does. I really enjoyed working with food. But you’d always get people making comments. I’ll never forget the bitch, who trying to impress her date, said “don’t most people go from waiting tables to acting, and you’ve gone the other way”…. Yes, I realize I’m not living up to your expectations, I was however being a good citizen and paying my bills.

Just like your parents may have put you into ballet lessons or football, it doesn’t mean that’s what you want to do forever. Just cause you worked at Maccas when you were 14, doesn’t mean you want to climb that ladder and be CEO of the chain. Just because I did some modeling and acting as a kid doesn’t mean I dream of winning an Oscar when I grow up.

Like most of those soapy stars who have been humbled by hitting the bottom, I would do things differently if I was given a second dose of celebrity. I’d use it for good, not evil. Have you noticed the ones who appreciate what they have are always trying to use it for other things, like charity? I was doing some promo modeling over here, and one of my products to flog was the Justin Beiber perfume. While its seems derigeur now to have a fragrance if you’re a celeb, I loved that unlike the others adding to their vast empire, all the proceeds from Someday were going to be given to charity. I love it when actors use their voice to be Ambassadors for a good cause. Look at Angelina Jolie or George Clooney. Yes, their lives are fabulous, but at least they’re trying to give back. When was the last time you saw Jennifer Aniston do anything for someone?

I’d love to create my own perfume, and give the money to a good cause. I’m not famous anymore, but I’m glad I can still use what I did in the past to try to do good now. I’d love to be one of those people who used to be famous but is now an activist or professional philanthropist. Don’t make fun of people doing charity shows like Celebrity Apprentice. It’s not always about a career bump. Some people really see it as a great way to promote their charity, and help do their bit to raise some money and awareness. If all they wanted was another 15 minute extension, they’d do celebrity rehab or have a public meltdown.

One day I’d still like to make Going Down. Yes, it’s TV related, but I don’t want to be on screen. Im just too cheap to hire someone for in front of the camera for now. I’d like to produce a scuba series that could focus on the world around us and the water that covers 70% of our planet. There’s so many awesome scuba charities, like the Wounded Warriors. People save what they love. If you can introduce the oceans wonders to people, maybe they too will learn to love it and try to save it. I still believe some programs are great for TV and for humanity. And seriously, who wouldn’t want to make a living getting to travel and meet awesome people? Samantha Brown & Anthony Bourdain have the second best jobs in the world. Their producers have better ones. Same travel, same people, but when they feel like going stealth, they can go out and eat dinner and nobody bothers them. They also don’t have to worry about what they look like in a swimsuit…

Of course, when all this is over, I’m going to see if I can do some glamorous victorious magazine cover. Every girl dreams of getting to dress up in haute couture and being fussed over by stylists and then being photoshopped to perfection. I’m no different. I’m just glad it’s a dream of the future and not a memory of the past.

November 10, 2012

Real Housewives of Australia?

Putting the REAL back in reality TV

So they’ve just announced they’re going to make a Real Housewives of Australia. I’m not sure this is going to be a winner. Here’s why:

Australia is a large country geographically, but it’s very small population wise. People are worried about what their neighbours think. Here in the US, with a population of almost 300 million, people feel like they can go on Jerry Springer or Maury, look like total asshats, and its ok. They can just blend in to the huge population. With 300 channels, chances are unless Joel McHale sees it and makes fun of it on The Soup, nobody is going to see it anyway.

In the mornings, when I get ready for work, I like to put on VH1 and have the video clips running. When I get home and turn the TV on, there’s some shite show about Basketball Wives LA. It’s total crap. Most of the Real Housewives are too. It’s supposed to be reality, but it’s not. You can tell the producers are putting the women, who probably would never have met without the show, into totally unrealistic situations, and then purposely creating conflict, just for some drama. There’s always one person who the rest of the wives don’t consider rich enough, on the Atlanta version they’re all black except for the token white wife, who they all hate. Each series has one designated bad guy. I like to refer to them as the “Scott Disick” of each show . They may be perfectly nice, but they’re edited to look like total fuckwits.

Currently, on VH1’s Couples Therapy, which is a reality show about, funnily enough, Couples Therapy, they have one of the wives from Real Housewives from New York. She’s married to an Australian guy. They used to really like each other. Too much for the rest of the housewives… Now they’re in therapy trying to stay together. One of thee husbands on Real Housewives LA was painted to be such a dick, he killed himself. Now here’s where I see Australia is going to be different. Look at shows that are already in both countries, like Celebrity Apprentice.

The US version on Celebrity Apprentice is fiery. The celebs are loud and proud. They’re bold, and willing to fight. They’re all about making good TV while raising millions of dollars for their charities. Doing a show like Apprentice also gives their careers a boost. Whether they come across as nice, or total dicks, people get to know them. They get to be real for the camera. They might ham it up a little, but they’re not holding back. They’re comfortable with who they are. They know if they’re on Apprentice, they’re already famous and will keep getting work.

The Australian version was tame by comparison. Aussie celebs work in a much smaller industry. They’re very worried about their “brand”. I can’t remember how many times I heard that during the series. People who kept saying they were worried about their brand. That’s so boring. A person shouldn’t be a brand. A person should be a person. That’s why even though everyone hated Deni Hines, they loved her, cause she was real. She didn’t care about putting on a fake persona for the cameras. She just let it out. She would have been great on the US version. Vince on the other hand was totally boring. He didn’t make a single joke the whole time he was on there. Isn’t he a comedian? He wasn’t funny. He wasn’t anything. He was just blah. I loved Charlotte Dawson. She let loose. Julia Morris deserved to win the first season. She was everything a reality TV person should be. She didn’t ham it up for the cameras. She didn’t act like a bitch to create drama. She was just herself. She’s obviously a very nice person, and we got to see that. She won by being herself. It was great. Same with Dicko. He was the most real, and he won too.

When people watch shows with celebs, they want to get to see a different side of that person. They want to know who they really are. They want to see who that person is when they’re not playing a character, or doing a carefully presented interview. They want to get to know a person. Reality TV, when done right, is a great way for an audience to really get to know someone. If however, as a celebrity, you’re worried about your brand, or you feel the need to keep up an appearance on camera, then you shouldn’t do reality TV. It’s not real. More importantly, if you feel like you can’t show who you really are on TV because people may not like you, then you’ve got bigger problems. Maybe you need to go away for a bit and change yourself for real.

I got asked about doing the first season of Apprentice. My people didn’t think it was a good idea at the time, with the case still in the works. I swear like a sailor, I don’t censor myself, and I let them know I would be in it to win it. I didn’t care about “my brand”. I don’t have one. I’ve lived in America long enough, I wouldn’t be all sweet and fake on reality TV. I don’t care what people think about me. I’m comfortable with who I am as a person. I like me, my friends like me. That’s all that matters. What some random on the interwebs thinks about me doesn’t affect how I carry myself in interviews or while out in public. I wish more people who were asked to do reality TV would have the same attitude.

So, I hope while casting the Real Housewives of Australia, or any other reality shows in Oz, they try to find people who are willing to be themselves. People who aren’t going to become a character for the cameras. People who won’t self censor. People who are interesting because they just are, not because they try to be.

October 29, 2012

Mr. Snuffleupagus

Snuffy, or the big hairy elephant in the room…

Remember Sesame Street? It’s all over the news now again thanks to the Presidential Elections. I was at Starbucks the other day, and the lady in front of me in line was making a reference to Sesame Street and Big Bird. Then she said something about Snuffy being invisible. I pointed out that they made him visible to the adults in the end. She said really, Why? I said it was something to do with the producers of the show wanting him to be visible because they were worried about pedophilia and kids not being believed. She said that sounded silly, and that pedophilia wasn’t that big a deal. Certainly not big enough to make a whole change on the show. I wanted to point out that it was probably a big deal to the 1 in 5 kids that’s a victim of child abuse, but instead I just grabbed my latte and thought about how little people care about issues that affect so many people. How swept under the carpet that child abuse is. How so many people just think because it didn’t hapen to them, that it’s not a big deal. About how basic human rights are like oxygen, it’s not a big deal until you’re not getting any.

As a kid, all the campaigns were focused on “Stranger Danger”. Kids were taught not to accept lollies from creepy men in cars. We shouldn’t talk to men in trenchcoats in the park. We shouldn’t believe someone who says Mum or Dad came to pick us up. They never taught kids what to do when someone in the own family was the creepy man hurting them… Nobody wants to face the fact that someone in their own family may be an abuser. People will just say, Oh don’t worry anout Uncle Fred. He’s just affectionate. Uncle Tom is just a bit handsy. Uncle Peter just likes to play tickle games. Kids aren’t told that when they go to family functions they have the option of NOT hugging their Uncle, or their cousin, or that family friend they don’t like for some reason. They’re told to sit on their lap for a family photo. When a child protests, they’re passed off as being grunpy or silly. The adults don’t want to listen. Which teaches the kids that the adults are allowed to do whatever they want to them. Because the adults don’t want to believe, and even if they do, it’s not polite to say anything. Which just makes the abuser bolder, while making the kids weaker.

TWO out of three child abuse survivors who contacted a helpline were harmed by a member of their immediate family, with just 2 per cent hurt by a stranger, research shows. A further one in four victims was harmed by a member of their extended family, one in eight by a family friend and one in 10 by a member of a religious group. Teachers were responsible for 5 per cent of child abuse, the research found. It is estimated between four and five million Australian adults are survivors of childhood trauma. Here’s the link to the News.com.au article.

It’s time that the Stranger Danger campaigns were swapped for a more realistic one. We also need to be teaching adults and not just kids. We need to teach adults that if a child is trying to tell them that they aren’t comfortable around an adult, that maybe there’s a reason for that. Maybe they just get a quirky feeling from them, just like we as adults get a bad vibe from people. However, if a kid doesn’t want to hug that person, or sit on their lap, it’s important that we don’t force them to. Tell them it’s OK. Teach them that their body is theirs, and nobody has the right to be in their personal space. If you don’t like that creepy uncle who refuses to shake your hand and insists on hugging you, even when you’ve made it clear you don’t like it, why is it then OK to allow a kid to have their personal space invaded in the same way? If your kids suddenly start hating going to Grandpa’s, or they decide they don’t like going to Boy Scouts, ask them why. Listen. Use your insticts. Don’t just ignore the issue because “it’s not polite” to say no to a hug. Don’t just ignore that someone is being innapropriate with your kids because you just don’t want to face reality. Too many adults just ignore the whole issue because “it’s messy”. Too many kids who were abused grow up and just let it happen to the next generation because they survived it, so it must just be a part of life, and their kids will survive it too. Or worse, they’ve just put themselves in such a state of denial, that just like Snuffy, who Big Bird insisted was there for 17 seasons, was not seen, because the adults just chose not to see him. They saw the effects of Snuffy, and kept blaming it on other things, or using the Snuffy excuse as a scapegoat. Finally though, Big Bird worked out how to get the adults to see that Snuffy was real. Finally the adults believed in Snuffy. Believe in Snuffy. He’s real, and so is child absue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Snuffleupagus

August 19, 2012

I’m confused

Julian Assange, Roman Polanski and extradition cases

So now that I’m watching London and the extradition hearing set for the 19th of September for my own future case, I’m also fascinated by the Julian Assange extradition ordeal, which then led me to think about the Roman Polanski case and his attempted extradition from Switzerland in 2010.

Here’s what I understand from the Julian Assange case. Feel free to write in the comments below and tell me where I may be wrong.

Assange, who we all know is really wanted in the US because he posted a whole bunch of classified documents on his Wikileaks site, is being charged by the Swedish Govt with raping two women. Two women who claimed they had consensual sex with Assange. But apparently sex without a condom is illegal in Sweden. So, they charged him, dropped the charges, reinstated the charges and now they’re trying to extradite him. There appears be be several different stories on the matter, some ranging from it was simply consensual sex and he didn’t use a condom, to he forcibly raped one while not using a condom. It depends which piece of propaganda you read. Some sites claim that one of the women has ties to the CIA and is just trying to frame him. Other sites claim he had sex with one of the women while she was asleep. When she awoke, she asked if he was using a condom. When he said no, she asked him to stop, and he didn’t. At this point, I’d like to point out that if someone tell you NO, even if you are already having sex, it become rape. Whether a man or woman says no, if the other person holds one person down and continues to have sex with them, it becomes rape. Yesterday I was convinced that it was all some trumped up charges by the government to get Assange back to Sweden so they could in turn hand him over to the US. However, the more I read, the more I think that maybe there is something going on. I mean, if the US really wanted Assange, they could formally apply for extradition for Assange from England. They don’t need him to go back to Sweden. It also scares me the way the women have been vilified by the media. Because Assange has done some good things, like create Wikileaks and help to promote truth, he’s a hero and above rape. Kind of ironic that a guy all about exposing the truth won’t face the courts and let the truth come out. If he’s innocent, he should go back to Sweden and prove it.

Whether he did it or not, the women involved have been labeled as crazy man haters, only angry because he had sex with them both over one weekend. That they were only upset because they were worried about STD’s. That they are just being used by the government. Lots of people are simply dismissing their claims because they think that just because he’s famous, he couldn’t possibly have committed rape. Lets not forget that plenty of famous men have been charged with rape. Mike Tyson anyone? He served 3 years for raping an 18 year old beauty queen. Kobe Bryant was accused of rape. Even Errol Flynn was taken to court but later acquitted on raping two underage girls. Rape charges rarely stick if you’re rich and famous.

That brings me to Roman Polanski. Here’s a man who raped a 13 year old girl. He gave her drugs, champagne and then forcibly raped her and sodomized her. The whole time she begged him to stop. He was charged with rape. He admitted to the rape. Then, he didn’t like that he was going to have to actually serve time, so he fled the country. What amazes me most about this case, is not that he’s managed to avoid extradition to the US all these years, with Switzerland refusing to extradite him, but the fact that so many people believe that it’s ok that he raped a 13 year old girl because he’s an “Artiste“. You’ve got idiots like Whoopi Goldberg who say shit like, It’s not Rape-Rape. You’ve got people who still want to hire him as a director. Kate Winslet said “If Roman Polanski invites you to join in any project, you really don’t say no” Is that because he doesn’t listen anyway? People feel bad for him because he can’t return to America to collect an Oscar in person. Oh boo fucking hoo. He RAPED a 13 year old. I’m so tired of famous people getting a pass on heinous crimes just because they’re famous. I’m sick of people saying that it’s OK to do bad things just because you’ve got a skill in some other area. Just because you’re good at something, doesn’t make it ok to break the law. Even if I was still an actor, I would NEVER work with Polanski. I won’t watch any of his films either. I won’t contribute to him earning a living in the field I used to work in. It’s because of assholes like him that the notion exists that rape and sexual assault are just part of the entertainment industry and if you want to be a part of it, then you should just deal with it.

If Julian Assange has been wrongly accused of rape, I feel bad for him. I think if Sweden is serious about the charges, they should guarantee they’re bringing him to Sweden to face court on those charges, and guarantee that he won’t be extradited to the US. However, if he did indeed rape those women, then I feel terrible that they’ve been swept aside as mere pawns by society. I think they have a right to their day in court. If Julian Assange really cares about the truth, he’ll go to court instead of hiding in an embassy.

The US needs to let Assange go to Sweden, unafraid of being sent to the US. They need to let him face those charges there. Then, once that’s over, and he’s left Sweden, they can go ahead and do whatever they want. But this whole case right now is blurry, with everyone throwing blame at everyone else. No-one is going to get anything done, and it’s going to create a political and diplomatic minefield.

Meanwhile, we need to leave the two women alone. None of us know the truth yet, so lets stop dragging them through the mud.

June 12, 2012

Being Lara Bingle

Why So Much Hate Australia?

Since Channel 10 likes to geoblock, and nobody has posted it onto YouTube yet, I haven’t actually been able to watch Being Lara Bingle yet. However, since I do use Twitter and read the Aussie papers, even while being deployed with the Guard, I know that Lara Bingle has a reality show and that it started to air this week. I also know that there are plenty of haters out there.

I guess after all I went through in the last couple of years I shouldn’t be shocked by all the armchair heroes with internet access spouting hate towards anyone and everyone, but sadly, I guess I just still expect better from people and am saddened when I read so much bitterness and hate directed towards someone who is simply trying to live her life and be successful at it. When I read Australian papers and all the comments from the Aussie public, it actually makes me glad that I moved away. The Tall Poppy Syndrome in Australia was always ridiculous, but now it’s just sad. I’ve learnt to love America. It’s a place where people are encouraged to dream big and go for it. If you want to be an actor, a reality star, a business person or athlete, people will support you and encourage you and be happy for you if you make it. In Australia, everyone loves “the little Aussie battler” but the moment that person makes it, the minute they achieve their dreams, they become a pariah. They’re an arsehole. They’re a jerk. They’ve become too big for their boots. Are we still that angry over our convict past that we hate anybody who might be a step above us? (Even if it’s only a perceived step)

If you really don’t like reality TV, then don’t watch it. Go watch your high brow ABC or SBS series. Sometimes people want to just switch their brains off and enjoy something silly. Hence, why there are so many reality TV shows these days. Don’t kid yourself, MasterChef is a form of reality show. Most travel shows are a form of reality. Then there are actual reality shows, like the Kardashians, (who Aussie’s seem to love) there’s Jersey Shore, and now, there’s even Mrs Eastwood and Company. That’s right folks, Clint Eastwood, Actor and Director Clint Eastwood is on a reality show. I think when Clint Eastwood starts doing reality TV, we need to accept that it’s just a part of accepted mainstream television.

I also don’t like the famous for being famous cliche. Reality TV is just as much work as making a scripted TV show. Probably more. If you’re on a soap or drama, you go to work, film, then go home. You get to leave the cameras behind. Reality TV on the other hand means having a cameraman with you about 12-18hrs a day. There is no going home and unwinding. You’re always working. Even when Kim Kardashian goes on vacation, she’s working. Personally, I think being that famous would suck. What’s the point of having enough money to go anywhere you want if once you get there you can’t leave your hotel room because you’ll be mobbed?Plus, none of these people are actually famous for simply being famous. There was a reason they got a reality show in the first place. They didn’t just go out and pick some random off the street and decide to give them a reality show.

Anyway, back to Lara. Unlike Kim, who became famous for being friends with Paris Hilton, her dad representing OJ Simpson and then making a sex tape, Lara was a model who was the international face of Australia. Sure, she’s had some questionable relationships, and some other incidents. But if we’re honest, which one of us hasn’t fucked up at one time or another? The only difference is that most people don’t have their mistakes shown on national TV or the cover of the newspaper.Most people probably couldn’t handle that kind of scrutiny either. I was amazed at her control when interviewed on The Project or B105. I wouldn’t have been that polite….

Power to Lara. If she can make money at being herself, then why not? If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Just don’t be a douchebag and act like you’re so intellectually superior that you think there’s no need for Being Lara Bingle and that it’s the downfall of society. Not everything has to be mentally stimulating. Sometimes, we just need a good laugh.

So Lara, good luck with the show. Milk it while you can. I hope they sell it to the US so I can watch it over here.

January 10, 2012

Hollywood is starting to oust it’s predators

Former Child Stars are speaking up

I’m so excited that Corey Feldman is going to start naming people in his new book. I am a little worried he’s going to suffer some terrible “accident” or overdose right before its release. Hollywood doesn’t like those that start talking about what goes on behind the scenes.

I also saw this article today in the Los Angeles Times about Child Sex Abuse Cases.

In true creepy Hollywood style, this guy gives a big smile for his mugshot...

It seems that people are no longer OK with the notion of “it’s just a part of the industry, and you have to accept it if you want to be a part of it”. That’s bullshit. Child Molestation should never be a part of the industry, and no one should ever have to tolerate it.

It’s never OK to touch a child. It’s never OK to use your position in the industry to satisfy your sick needs. Child actors are not toys, they’re not little adults. Yes, some kids have dreams of being actors, but they should never have to sell themselves sexually to get where they want. Their parents should never think it’s OK for them to do it. New stage parents should never believe anyone who tells them to just accept it as a fact of life. Take your kid and run if anyone ever tells that to you.

I hope this trend of outing people in the industry continues. If we all stand up and say no, they can’t kill us all. They can’t blacklist us all. They can’t tell all of us we’ll never work again if we speak up. The industry needs kids. If we all refuse to accept the pedophilia aspect of it, it will have to end.

If you’ve ever had someone do something inappropriate to you, speak up. You don’t have to go as public as I did, but tell someone. Tell everyone. Make sure people know. The only way to stop these people is if other people also know.

Does publicity alone make someone famous?