Shunning an artist for personal reasons?

MakeEmLaugh

In my opinion, Chinatown is one of the best films of the Seventies. However, there is no getting around the fact that Roman Polanski, its director, is a rapist, who drugged a 13-year-old girl, and sodomised her.

I still watch Chinatown every few years (and also appreciate other Polanski films, like Rosemary's Baby) but it makes me uneasy to know that I am – albeit tacitly – supporting someone who committed such a revolting crime.

Similarly, I still have the song 'Rock & Roll, Part 2' on my iPod, and consider it to be a classic, catchy instrumental, despite the fact that Gary Glitter is a convicted paedophile. Again, it makes me uneasy.

I'm just wondering, are there any artists - film-makers, writers, musicians - who have done 'dubious' things, who you still do not shun?

And is there anyone you once liked who you did shun for personal reasons?

Lights On

Bono, because he's a pox

RDM_83 again

I shun Woody Allen, I use the dubious stuff is an excuse though I just hate woody allen.

Somebody please insert the McBane clip from the simpsons for me :-)

RDM_83 again

Stupid.double posting phone!

Tigger

She was 13

Tigger

RDM_83 again wrote: »

I shun Woody Allen, I use the dubious stuff is an excuse though I just hate woody allen.

Somebody please insert the McBane clip from the simpsons for me :-)

Yup woody Allen is a prcik

Custardpi

Unfortunately great art doesn't always come with great ethics. Very often the confidence which artists need to succeed can turn into massive levels of selfishness & indulgence of their basest instincts, safe in the knowledge that someone in their entourage will clean up the mess later. If you were to restrict yourself to musicians, actors, directors etc that lived a morally good life you'd probably be left with a very small range of options.

Fleawuss

I never listen to Van Gogh. Fcuker cut off his ear.

ToddyDoody

I'm not a fan of K.T. PERRY as i thought she seemed like a bit of a bitch when she guest judged on you're a star (or its equivalent) some years back.

kfallon

Fleawuss wrote: »

I never listen to Van Gogh. Fcuker cut off his ear.

Always reminds me of the Ali G interview:

"Van Gogh or whateva, he chopped his knob off!"

Yer man who he was interviewing just burst his hole laughing

DEFTLEFTHAND

ToddyDoody wrote: »

I'm not a fan of K.T. PERRY as i thought she seemed like a bit of a bitch when she guest judged on you're a star (or its equivalent) some years back.

I think Russell Brand suffered a bit during that marriage, total wackjob by the sounds of things.

sonny.knowles

OP, you watch his films so you aren't really shunning him.

The Backwards Man

My Ma wouldn't watch a Clint Eastwood film because he was shacked up with Sondra Locke. 'Good for nothing, that one', she used to scowl at the TV and storm out to bingo or somewhere. Never found out why.

December2012

Don't listen to Michael Jackson or R Kelly songs. And those lads had some choooooones!

Muahahaha

I don't really feel a need to shun any artists but I've been boycotting Ballymaloe relish and anything else produced by the Allen clan in Cork since that child pornography was found on Tim Allen's computer

Shameful truth that lay behind Ballymaloe's wholesome image

While it is inevitable that Tim Allen's conviction will harm the Ballymaloe brand, natural justice was not served, says Stephen Dodd

IT will not take Tim Allen long to recoup the {ðE}40,000 cost of his get-out-of-jail card. There is already a waiting list for the Ballymaloe cookery school's 12-week, {ðE}6,633 main course. Almost {ðE}700 will come rolling in from every student who books on to a five-day introductory course, while short courses lasting just a couple of days net up to {ðE}475 a head.

Less wealthy child pornography offenders, meanwhile, have been altogether less fortunate in other courts. Though direct comparison is not possible, it is worth recalling the cases of an unemployed actor, jailed for six months for possessing pornographic images, and a Korean student deported for the same offence. In Britain, pop star Gary Glitter went to jail for four months when porn was found on his personal computer.

Explaining the reduced sentence for Tim Allen, who pleaded guilty to possession of internet child pornography, the judge said the decision came partly in response to the chef's barrister Colm Allen SC, who put forward the notion that the Ballymaloe man had already been punished by the press.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/shameful-truth-that-lay-behind-ballymaloes-wholesome-image-26228305.html

Links234

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

In my opinion, Chinatown is one of the best films of the Seventies. However, there is no getting around the fact that Roman Polanski, its director, is a rapist, who drugged a 13-year-old girl, and sodomised her.

I still watch Chinatown every few years (and also appreciate other Polanski films, like Rosemary's Baby) but it makes me uneasy to know that I am – albeit tacitly – supporting someone who committed such a revolting crime.

I think Chinatown is a masterpiece, in fact I loved a lot of his movies before knowing about the guy, The Ninth Gate is one I still stick on for a watch every now and then. No doubt the guy is a great director, and though I'm certainly kinda iffy about watching any more of his movies, I don't judge anyone else for enjoying them.

But it's the people who make excuses for him that make me sick, you know? People will defend a damn child rapist just because they like his movies, and that is seven shades of ****ed up. By all means, appreciate his work as a director, but don't pretend he did nothing wrong. (Sorry, may have ranted about this before.)

MakeEmLaugh

sonny.knowles wrote: »

OP, you watch his films so you aren't really shunning him.

I never said that I was shunning him.

Skoop

I thought Chinatown was absolutely awful. Dear God what a snoozefest. Mother of Christ I did not give a sh1te what happened. I just wanted it to go away. I thought all the actors were good but it was just a bad bad never want to see it again rotten stinker of a movie.

No no.

I realise Chinatown wasn't really the point of the thread but I really needed to say that.

JupiterKid

Gary Glitter - disgusting person. His 70s stuff - excluding Rock & Roll - wasn't even that good either.

zeffabelli

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

In my opinion, Chinatown is one of the best films of the Seventies. However, there is no getting around the fact that Roman Polanski, its director, is a rapist, who drugged a 13-year-old girl, and sodomised her.

I still watch Chinatown every few years (and also appreciate other Polanski films, like Rosemary's Baby) but it makes me uneasy to know that I am – albeit tacitly – supporting someone who committed such a revolting crime.

Similarly, I still have the song 'Rock & Roll, Part 2' on my iPod, and consider it to be a classic, catchy instrumental, despite the fact that Gary Glitter is a convicted paedophile. Again, it makes me uneasy.

I'm just wondering, are there any artists - film-makers, writers, musicians - who have done 'dubious' things, who you still do not shun?

And is there anyone you once liked who you did shun for personal reasons?

Well, we'd all be missing out on a lot of great art if we did that.....

But I won't purchase things which I know will create royalities that end up in that person's bank account/estate.

Rym Shanley

zeffabelli wrote: »

Well, we'd all be missing out on a lot of great art if we did that.....

But I won't purchase things which I know will create royalities that end up in that person's bank account/estate.

Artists are entitled to be paid royalties.

Easy way around it is to purchase second hand copies of the music / films

For Forks Sake

RDM_83 again wrote: »

I shun Woody Allen, I use the dubious stuff is an excuse though I just hate woody allen.

Somebody please insert the McBane clip from the simpsons for me :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoPdKmmAjAA

prettyrestless

Muahahaha wrote: »

I don't really feel a need to shun any artists but I've been boycotting Ballymaloe relish and anything else produced by the Allen clan in Cork since that child pornography was found on Tim Allen's computer


http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/shameful-truth-that-lay-behind-ballymaloes-wholesome-image-26228305.html

*ahem* If the rumours are to be believed, all Tim Allen is guilty of is "something else".......

Edited my original comment as I'm not sure how dangerous it could be to comment on something like this.

DEFTLEFTHAND

I think it's important to separate the artist from the person. When it comes to music there's plenty of artists who's work I admire but I think they were/are nasty people. Jim Morrison and Frank Sinatra for instance, I read a book on Frank recently and he truly was an ugly character, he would oftentimes have thugs like Jilly Rizzo beat the living crap out of male autograph seekers for his own amusement. Of course nobody would ever dare do anything about it, the man was god. :rolleyes:

Arsemageddon

Though he was a fine artist Caravaggio was a violent alcoholic who was always starting fights and even murdered a man. Because of this I've decided to never buy any of his paintings.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I love Chinatown its a complete masterpiece one of the great films of all time, I also love Rosemary's Baby,The Pianist and The Ghost all 4 of those films are brilliant and Roman Polanski's crime doesn't make them any less brilliant or any less enjoyable.

I love a lot of Woody Allen's stuff as well.

If you only watch films, read books etc on the basis of the artisits character you're going to miss out on a lot of good stuff.

Collie D

prettyrestless wrote: »

*ahem* If the rumours are to be believed, all Tim Allen is guilty of is "something else".......

Edited my original comment as I'm not sure how dangerous it could be to comment on something like this.

Missed your edit but think I've heard this rumour that he was quite innocent...I assume that's what you're saying

eternal

Tracy Emin after the dirty period bed knicker thing installation. Plus she's always gurning.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Wasn't Picasso supposed to have been another 'grade A' wanker?

Ever hear his kids speak, they couldn't stand the old bollocks.

Saipanne

Arsemageddon wrote: »

Though he was a fine artist Caravaggio was a violent alcoholic who was always starting fights and even murdered a man. Because of this I've decided to never buy any of his paintings.

Fond of little boys too, apparently. But that wasn't such a big deal back then, I guess?

eternal

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Wasn't Picasso supposed to have been another 'grade A' wanker?

Ever hear his kids speak, they couldn't stand the old bollocks.

He was awful and violently disrespectful towards women. His life story is fascinating.

Joe prim

I couldn't listen to any Daniel O'Donnell music again,(even his early progressive stuff) after I heard he made a TV series about sleeping around.

Richard Hillman

Jamie Foxx - A Racist

eternal

Saipanne wrote: »

Fond of little boys too, apparently. But that wasn't such a big deal back then, I guess?

His portraits depict the street boys he picked up. You can see the dirt on them yet he juxtapositions them with fresh fruit etc which is quite dark and sordid. He had to flee a country due to the hatred he received.

sonny.knowles

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Jamie Foxx - A Racist

Is it coz he is black?

Muahahaha

Arsemageddon wrote: »

Though he was a fine artist Caravaggio was a violent alcoholic who was always starting fights and even murdered a man. Because of this I've decided to never buy any of his paintings.

Murdered a man because he got beaten in a game of tennis on a piazza in Rome. The 1600's in Italy must have been a hoot