So, this week I had the opportunity to meet someone that I greatly admired, only to find out he was an asshole.
It was a bitter and liberating experience.
Artists are known to be difficult, arrogant and sometimes completely nuts and what they contribute is none the less valuable.
Some of the craziest have been the best, but what is the correlation? Is there a correlation, or is an asshole just and asshole and brilliant work just brilliant?
Acting is collaborative, so being able to play well with others is part of the job. Yes, there have been very successful actors who are notoriously difficult, like Brando for example. He was a groundbreaking visionary arguably the best ever, and he was a deeply troubled man. Can you be balanced and brilliant? Is there a choice, or are we just who we are? Does great work necessarily come out of darkness?
I don’t have answers, just questions and theories.
I will say however, that being kind to people who respect you is a better choice than being dismissive and rude, and I will also say that I believe most cruelty comes out of self loathing. So do I bother hating someone who already hates himself? No, I don’t. I send him love and remain grateful for his creation, but I do this from a safe distance, because in my world the best work comes from joy and ain’t nobody gonna piss on my joy.
It was a bitter and liberating experience.
Artists are known to be difficult, arrogant and sometimes completely nuts and what they contribute is none the less valuable.
Some of the craziest have been the best, but what is the correlation? Is there a correlation, or is an asshole just and asshole and brilliant work just brilliant?
Acting is collaborative, so being able to play well with others is part of the job. Yes, there have been very successful actors who are notoriously difficult, like Brando for example. He was a groundbreaking visionary arguably the best ever, and he was a deeply troubled man. Can you be balanced and brilliant? Is there a choice, or are we just who we are? Does great work necessarily come out of darkness?
I don’t have answers, just questions and theories.
I will say however, that being kind to people who respect you is a better choice than being dismissive and rude, and I will also say that I believe most cruelty comes out of self loathing. So do I bother hating someone who already hates himself? No, I don’t. I send him love and remain grateful for his creation, but I do this from a safe distance, because in my world the best work comes from joy and ain’t nobody gonna piss on my joy.
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