Sony Hack

Yes, the hack was a criminal attack.

But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’ve been laughing over the revelations, while I’m not crying over the racist comments.

The truth is these Hollywood mavens think they’re better than us. And they can’t stop crying about piracy, can’t stop bitching that someone moved their cheese, all the while believing they’re entitled to their millions because they’ve been anointed with “special juice,” that gives them divine insight into America’s entertainment wants. Hell, if the entire Sony studio caved in, our culture would be none the worse.

But it’s the racist comments that bug me. We’ve got a Supreme Court which declares racism is over, with voting rights laws no longer needed, and then we have the so-called west coast liberals making fun of the President.

Makes me puke.

I agree we should not be beholden to terrorists. We must not be cowed as a nation, certainly not artistically. But I’d be more upset if the movie wasn’t “The Interview” but something meatier, whether it be “They Shoot Horses Don’t They,” or “Carnal Knowledge” or a true work of art, like “Ulysses.” But we don’t make those in America anymore. Business is the religion of America, God is second to cash, just ask the evangelists passing the plate, and if it delivers cash, it’s all right.

Now no one wants their private e-mails revealed. Then again, what kind of nincompoop puts heinous bigoted thoughts on the company server? Do these nitwits truly believe they’re untouchable? Can’t they at least get a Gmail account for the stuff they don’t want to ever go public? Hell, the regular Fortune 500, the Wall Street Fortune 500, the industrial Fortune 500, know that e-mail is forever, that it will be subpoenaed in some case where the corporation skirted the law or someone wants to make the company pay, rightly or wrongly. How come Amy Pascal doesn’t know this? Teenagers know this! They know they’re building a public record all the while, they self-edit all the time, afraid they’re going to lose a job or be unable to get into the educational institution of their choice. But the Sony execs, they’re above the law, above public suspicion. And then they hire David Boies to scare the media into submission. As if Boies won all the time. As if anybody should listen to anything these
people say. I think it’s great this info comes out. It’s great that everybody knows these execs are as bigoted and stupid as the rank and file. You mean you want to influence our culture, whether it be with smoking or the products you place in your films, but we cannot comment upon you?

Ain’t that an entertainment exec. Criticize the actors, those on stage, while I hide in anonymity. While I keep my gig as the talent fades. If it’s all about money, are you really entitled to judge Adam Sandler flicks? No one put a gun to your head to make them. As for making a Steve Jobs biopic, wouldn’t it be fine if Sony actually innovated itself, moved the culture in significant ways, but the execs are all about keeping their jobs while they party amongst their brethren, believing, once again, that they’re better than us.

We’ve got a security problem. One that corporations don’t want to take seriously because they don’t want to pay an IT department. Hell, they can’t take these problems seriously, they’ve got more important things to do. But it’s funny, because they keep saying technology is the enemy, you’d think they’d be more savvy in their own house.

But the truth is we all have dirty laundry. We all have flaws. As Chris Rock stated, just because you’re rich, that does not make you smart.

We’re so busy pointing the finger at someone else, we take no responsibility for our own actions. Everyone in entertainment is above the law. Entitled to their seven and eight figure salaries. Deeming the public to be a parasite out to get them, even though it’s these same people keeping them alive. Which way do you want it? To criticize downloaders or have them overpay to see dreck?

Meanwhile, you still can’t stream all movies for one low monthly price online. At least we figured that out in music. Oh, that’s right, the idiot acts want to kill Spotify!

So, Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton… Just know, the more you protest, the more you try to steer this story from your behavior to that of the hackers, know that it’s not working in the eyes of the public.

You won’t lose your jobs. You’re too successful. They only fire those who don’t keep their companies in the black.

Furthermore, if you do get fired, you’ll just get hired elsewhere, the film business is a cabal run on relationships.

We live in a technological world.

We live in a global world.

And the oldsters want to deny technology and the ignorant want to save manufacturing jobs whilst paying a hundred fifty dollars for a flat screen.

Everybody’s out for themselves.

Everybody’s ignorant.

The rich are no better than us, they just have more money.

If west coast white people are making racist jokes about Obama, you wonder how he can govern at all.

Meanwhile, it’s just a movie. Sony is not curing cancer.

But thoughts and dreams are the currency of our culture. And when these blowhards are in control, when they decide who gets to shoot flicks, it makes you happy that YouTube stars are getting rich, that suddenly there’s an alternative to YouTube itself, that’s the big story of this week, Vessel.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Those in power want more of it with no scrutiny.

And technology keeps changing the game.

And I’m stuck here in the middle with you.

~~~

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