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| The armchair revolutionary |
Scene 6: The director, crossing his legs as he takes a sip from his latte, with Starbucks logo facing the camera:
Reporter: Do you believe Sarah Palin dominated the news because people are stupid, or because people like watching someone they consider troubled and stupid?
Director: Well, I have an issue with the way the question is framed. First of all people means us, and let’s face it we’re all stupid to some extent. I think the entire set up of our society assumes a certain stupidity and attention to the trivial that creates wealth for the few. And when you look at it this way, you realize someone like Sarah Palin, not only is not stupid, but is probably one of the sharpest characters around. I personally don’t know anyone around me, friend or family, who managed to become governor, then quit and went on a book tour (without being able to name a book or paper she read) and made millions from selling it. She did more than that; she started her reality TV show and remained one of the most talked about characters in politics and economy by tweeting banalities that created a mass following. If you know anyone who’s done all of that then you know from that rare breed of sharp and astute characters that always plan ten steps ahead! You may want to call her followers stupid but kudos to her for turning it to her advantage. I think people confuse stupidity with ignorance. And yes, she is ignorant of things many consider important. But that is not her problem. She lets others get worked up over what she says. She just goes rogue! That’s the image she managed to create, as unbelievable as that may be.
Reporter: Would you have picked a partner like her?
Director: I have to admit I have a weakness for strong-headed women, especially when I see them in wilderness shooting defenseless animals. There is no bigger turn on. Conservative women in particular are amazingly sexy, well dressed and good looking. They just made a decision not to wear any old rag as clothing to look like they’re for fair trade. I admire that honesty.
Reporter: But isn’t that disconcerting to you? I mean the fact that they have no social consciousness?
Director: Oh, I disagree. They are socially conscious but their society is a bit more exclusive than ours, let’s say it includes only 0.1% of the population.
Scene 7: The director has the look of someone who’s lost in his own thoughts. His cigarette has been sitting in the ash tray for a while as if he’d forgotten he’d lit it up to smoke
Reporter: You once said that you’d like to live your life in a movie? Isn’t that escapism to the max?
Director: Well, again that’s a misconception. Not every movie takes you to a good place where you'd want to be or to people you'd want to know. There are many people whose lives in the movie is something I want to escape from, and that’s real.
Reporter: In your movies you constantly speak of revolution and portray revolutionaries, sometimes even violent revolutionary characters. Do you consider yourself a revolutionary?
Director: Well, yes but only if I don’t have to go out on the street and take part in barricades or throw Molotov cocktails at law enforcement
Reporter: But you realize if you are a revolutionary sometimes circumstances may require you to do violent acts such as the ones you just described
Director: Well, you see, the problem is I really like revolutions when I talk about them in a coffee shop with my friends. The thing is I don’t have the physical constitution for violent behavior. That’s why my fiance actually broke up with me; she wanted me to be a bit…rougher, so to speak. By the way, this last sentence was off the record.
Reporter: But don’t you think that’s hypocritical, to ask others to lay down their lives for your beliefs?
Director: You see, I think you misunderstood me again. What you have to realize is that I like to drink Skinny Lattes from Starbucks and I really don’t believe in anything that requires me to make big sacrifices; from others maybe, but not from me
Reporter: Sorry, I don’t understand, what’s the connection between skinny lattes and…
Director: Well, you can’t be a revolutionary and go to a branch of a multi-national conglomerate and order fat free latte, it is diametrically opposed to the whole idea of a revolutionary leader
Reporter: Are you lactose intolerant?
Director: Oh! No, I’m not
Reporter: Do you get points for your purchase at Starbucks?
Director: Yes I do and they give free drinks on my birthday, genius marketing stuff. You can’t go wrong
Reporter: But don’t you think you have an old fashioned view of a revolutionary leader and the image such leader should have?
Director: Well, don’t you think the whole idea of revolution is old fashion?
Reporter: So what is the solution?
Director: Evolution, gradual change
Reporter: But you just identified yourself as a revolutionary, are you contradicting yourself
Director: You know, sometimes if you keep your receipt from your morning purchase you can get
discount on your afternoon Frappuccino
Reporter: But you’re changing the subject again
Director: No, I’m just saying revolution and coupons are incompatible
Reporter: Who said that? Che Guevara?
Director: He would have if he’d tried a Vanilla Latte
Reporter: Don’t you think he would have been appalled by what Starbucks represents?
Director: I think he would have been appalled by their coffee, I mean, Vanilla latte? Who came up with that?
Reporter: Can we focus please and get off the subject of coffee? You said you don’t have strong beliefs you’d die for
Director: Yes I said that
Reporter: many would say you’re a man without a backbone
Director: How many of those “many” do you think would actually die for their ideas?
Reporter: but don’t you want to hold yourself to higher standards as an intellectual and artist
Director: I much rather hold myself to lower standards if that means I keep on living and sell my movies.
...To be continued
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