Articles by michael-davis-2
Fri Oct 19, 2007 — by Michael Davis
The Casting Couch, by Michael Davis
Straight, No Chaser #36
I have not gotten into trouble in a while so because I know I will be in Japan when this article runs, I can be safely away from the crap when it hits the fan.
I love the entertainment business for the most part. That’s for the most part. There are some areas of the business I don’t like and what I don’t like most of all are some in the acting profession.
I just don’t like certain actors. That’s certain actors. Most actors I’m cool with, this rant is not for them.
No, this rant is for the two types of actors I can’t stand. The first type is those who think what they do isn’t a profession, it’s a divine right. These “thespians” think they are involved with an art form of the highest ilk. Those conceited, self centered, cocky, arrogant, little brain, stuck-up creeps don’t take acting seriously and really piss me off.
Fri Jun 29, 2007 — by Michael Davis
MICHAEL DAVIS: Not What You Think
Straight, No Chaser #20
Years ago I wrote a column for Comics Buyers Guide (CBG) called Picture This. I actually started writing that column even before Peter David started writing his. Being the professional he is, Peter has been able to sustain his column But I Digress for well over a decade. I lasted a few months before I simply stopped writing it. Demands on my time and personal life caused me to abandon what truly was a great gig for an even greater magazine.
Now I’m writing this column and have managed to keep my deadlines (except for one little itsy bitsy time when I got my column in late and it had to run on Saturday instead of Friday) for twenty weeks and I am having a great time.
There are some people who still remember my Picture This column. If you think I am a raving manic now you should have seen me then. I pissed off more people than Katharine Harris did during the 2000 election. In my career I have also written guest columns in a few magazines as well as a few editorials over the years in various outlets. Those people who know me know that I am a shameless self-promoter. That said, in all of the hundreds of articles I have written I have never plugged a current deal that I was involved in. I may have mentioned what I was working on but never with any eye towards getting people to go out and watch what I was doing on TV or buy what I was publishing in the comic stores. In fact in all my ranting over the years I have only written about one subject more than once.
That subject was rumors.
I just heard a recent rumor that has compelled me to write about a current project I’m involved in, The Guardian Line (TGL)
I was recently talking to Lovern Kindzierski on the phone. Lovern is one of my best friends and we are working together on TGL. I have a book open and I’m looking for an artist and asked Lovern if he knew of anyone. He then mentioned that there is a creator in a comic book chat room saying that UMI (TGL’s parent company) does not pay their creators.
At this point I would usually launch into a tirade and make a few cleaver attacks on the unnamed creator.
Fri Jun 22, 2007 — by Michael Davis
MICHAEL DAVIS: Fade To Black
Straight, No Chaser #19
I fully realized that the article I wrote last week was at some times petty and juvenile. I was furious and I forgot that the best way to make a point is a well thought out lucid argument. At one time I may have suggested some people in the Genarlow Wilson case were racist and because of that I wrote that “white women love me.” This was simply not right.
I was wrong and I apologize. In my attempt to strike a nerve with the people in the case I lashed out but I was totally wrong to say that. I was wrong and I hope that those people I lashed out at will forgive me.
The fact of the matter is white women don’t love me…they REALLY love me!
Dudes! I can’t keep them off of me! I’m thinking of changing my name to Mandingo (they love that) and seeing if there’s any money in this!
Yeah, I’m still a wee bit bitter over the whole Genarlow Wilson and Paris Hilton thing. To all my friends’ black and white, all jokes aside I’m just trying to get those morons in Georgia to lose some sleep at night. That way they can share in a little of what Genarlow Wilson is enduring.
I was going to write this particular column last week but I got caught up in the Genarlow Wilson and Paris Hilton debacle so here it is a week later and I hope it’s still relevant.
By now we have all seen or heard about The Sopranos series ending show. The vast majority of the world hated that ending. Me? I thought it was a cop-out UNLESS they are planning a movie. Then I get it. If they are not planning a movie then HBO should change its name to simply B.O., because that ending stunk.
HBO is a funny little network. No one doubts that they do GREAT TV. In fact The Sopranos would not (could not) have been done on any other network. If the show were picked up by ABC then Tony Soprano would have been played by Tony Danza or some such actor. It was The Sopranos that really lit the fire under the rest of the TV world. I remember NBC did a Soprano rip. It was called Kingpin. Everybody in that show looked like supermodels. Even the hit men were wearing Hugo Boss suits. That show went bye bye faster than Barry Allen. Why? Because as I have said a million times: Americans are not the idiots some TV executives think.
Rather or not you like the ending or not it sure did make an impact, this morning I watched a Hillary Clinton parody of the ending on the Today show.
Wait a moment.
Did I just say that Hillary Clinton, the front-runner in the race for President did a Sopranos parody? Love or hate the ending (or love or hate Hillary) you have to respect the power of a television program that can do that. As I said in my very first column my readers would always know where I stand so let me be clear: I hated the ending but I love Hillary. Why do I love Hillary? Well if we elect her we get Bill as a bonus! Why did I hate the Sopranos ending? Because unless there is going to be a Sopranos movie then that was not an ending. It was a big slap in the face of America by a great producer who wants to be considered an artist.
For the most part television is not an art form. It is an entertainment medium. Yes there is great TV and yes there can be some shows, movies etc. that can be considered artistic but TV is not an art form.
Art by definition is an individual who creates something for no other reason except to see it created. They do it because they have a desire to share their vision with the world. Anytime someone pays you to create a product where the sole purpose is to garner ratings, that is not an art.
Fri May 25, 2007 — by Michael Davis
MICHAEL DAVIS: I’m with the band… not.
Straight, No Chaser #15
I am a huge believer in personal choice. I think that you should be allowed to make up your mind freely on all matters. If you don’t like something you have every right to say so. If you do like something then you have the right to say that also. You don’t have to believe what I believe and vice versa.
For the most part I’m a liberal. Well I’m a liberal except when it comes to violent crime, then I’m so conservative it hurts. Get it? Violent crime? Hurts?
No?
I firmly believe that if you commit a violent crime you should rot in jail or rot in Hell. If it were up to me, first you would rot in jail, then you would rot in Hell. But hey, that’s my belief. You can believe in rehabilitation if you want to, but let me see you hire that convicted murderer when he gets out of jail. Me? Oh hell no. Now that I think of it, I’m very conservative on many things. The reason I have not joined the conservative ranks fully is because they tend to want to tell you what to think. Usually it’s under some "moral" banner. They also throw God in the mix a lot.
Funny, as much as they bring up God, they never bring up "free will." That seems to never make the moral argument. Also, some seem to think that their God is the God. That’s OK but why can’t I believe that my God is the true God without them calling me wrong or wanting to change my mind? Failing both, some conservatives would want me to simply disappear.
I think that whatever you believe is your right and if I disagree that’s all it is, a disagreement. We don’t have to go to war as some countries do. I think that disagreeing on faith to the point of war is the single stupidest thing on the planet. I frankly don’t believe that Allah has a problem with Jehovah.
So I hope it’s clear from my too long intro that I believe people should think for themselves. So, why don’t they?
I go to this great Karaoke bar in L.A. The KJ (that’s the host) loves Elvis so someone in my Karaoke group suggested that we do an Elvis night for his birthday. The sheer venom that rocketed across the insuring emails made it look like Elvis took part in 9/11. This from a group of people I love hanging out with. These are good people. Every year I get invited to great New Years Eve Parties given by A-list celebrities. I prefer to be at this Karaoke bar because the people are just really cool.
Fri May 18, 2007 — by Michael Davis
MICHAEL DAVIS: Ask Michael! Because I know.
Straight, No Chaser #14
Last week’s article on privilege and other ranting produced quite a few responses – so many, in fact, I feel it’s my duty to respond and elaborate on my views. So with that in mind, welcome to the first installment of Ask Michael! Because I know.
Terry at 7:58 AM on Fri May 11, 2007 writes:
“I hate that show more than slavery,” is the best sentence I will read this month.
Yes Terry, yes it is.
But let’s look deeper; let’s look to why? Do I really hate the show Sweet 16 more than slavery? Well, if given the choice to be a slave or to watch that show, it would be a tough decision but I will most likely have to go with watching that show. Yeah I think by a 51 to 49 vote I would have to go with the show. Unless we are talking about a MTV Marathon. Then it’s “take me to the cotton fields, because a marathon would be worst than Adam West thinking he can still play Bat-man.” Yes, that show is that horrible.
Mike Baron at 8:11 AM on Fri May 11, 2007 writes:
Ditto.
"Ditto?" This from one of the greatest writers in the history of comics? Ditto? Well, Let’s look deeper; let’s look to why. Maybe, Mike, you are realizing that the world is an eternal flame of duplication where nothing is left to say. With a simple Ditto. You can say to the world “There’s no originality left. Woe is me.” Or maybe you just agreed with Terry. Both would be right.
Rob at 9:22 AM on Fri May 11, 2007 writes:
Hey Michael!
I am new to this site. I thoroughly enjoyed your column and look forward to many more. I agree with you on Paris. The letter for leniency to the governor, made it seem like she thought she had been given a death sentence. Perhaps she should read up on people who spent time in prisons for things they were later exonerated for (then maybe doing time for something she did would make sense).
Yes, Rob. But Let’s look deeper; let’s look to why. You did enjoy my column and I will write many more. You know why you enjoyed my column? You know why you are looking forward to many more? Because you are a smart guy, Rob! I like you, Rob. Not in a Brokeback way but in a kind of “Hey that Rob is a smart guy who knows a good writer when he sees one” way.
Josh at 5:23 PM on Fri May 11, 2007 writes:
Agreed.
The degrees of elitism and entitlement you see around these days is nothing short of disgusting. I’m really hoping the judge reneges on giving her a more private cell for her own security. Let her get some common sense the old-fashioned way – by having it beaten into her. And seeing some rich, white, no-sense punk get smacked feels great; DOING the smacking feels SOOOOO much better.
Continue reading MICHAEL DAVIS: Ask Michael! Because I know. ›
