comment #1

Joe Leydon says ...

I can think of about four or five people who would have kicked the living shit out of Lumenick had they been there and saw this. And, mind you, that's not counting me.

comment #2

longrunner says ...

Hahaha, I love the choice of illustration for this post!

comment #3

Sonic Boom says ...

I agree: No apologizing is needed. Maybe if he broke his glasses. Now excuse me while I go wack a random co-worker with a binder and walk away giving no apology.

comment #4

Michael says ...

So.....Lumenick's a McCain/Palin backer?

comment #5

Chance says ...

If Roger Ebert wants you to get out of the way so he can watch a movie, then maybe you should get the fuck out of the way. I wish Joe had been there to kick the living shit out of Lumenick.

comment #6

rr3333 says ...

Lou should also learn how to chew popcorn with his mouth closed.

comment #7

Arran says ...

Lumenick hit a beloved critic who's recovering from cancer and can't speak, and then didn't apologise? He may as well have punched a baby while wiping his ass with the American flag; he would've come out of that situation about as well as he will out of this.

comment #8

Joshua Mooney says ...

I know it's the Daily News and all, but Lumenick comes off looking quite bad, bitchy and freakishly violent in that Rush/Molloy bit. My first thought was, "What an asshole!" But after thinking about it for two seconds, the story doesn't add up: Ebert taps Lou on shoulder to ask him to move/slouch/whatever (not an insane action, especially if you've lost the use of your voice), but Lou doesn't bother to see who it is or what they want, instead simply yelling "Don't touch me!" Then it happens again minutes later and the same shit goes down? And all this time Lou doesn't know it's Ebert? Theater's dark, but it ain't a sensory-deprivation tank, and Ebert's right behind him. Then he starts beating on the guy with a weapon, and is finally surprised to see it's Ebert, but doesn't offer an apology? I call bullshit on that. What's missing here? Where's... the REST of the story?

comment #9

Richardson says ...

To be fair, if the picture attached to that article really is Roger Ebert, I wouldn't have recognized him either.

comment #10

corey3rd says ...

how do you not realize you're hitting Roger Ebert in the head?

this is why i like Stadium seating since it keeps Rupert Murdoch's dorks from attacking me

comment #11

Arran says ...

Whether Ebert was recognisable or not, it's an immensely dickish thing to do to a fellow movie patron. It's not like it was someone talking on a cellphone or anything.

comment #12

Richardson says ...

No question. Honestly, I feel bad -- I made that joke thinking that the picture was a mistake (why is he wearing lipstick?) because I haven't seen any pictures of Ebert recently. But I saw another picture somewhere else about this story. I didn't realize he had changed so much; he really doesn't look anything like he did even a year ago.

But, yes, it's a dickish thing to do. Keep in mind, though, that Jeff recently advocated pouring soda on patrons if they brought babies to movies.

comment #13

thevisceral says ...

And that's for giving Blue Velvet one star. And that's for liking Rendition...

comment #14

p.Vice says ...

I have no idea why anyone would want to hit Ebert with a festival program. You clearly need a shovel to finish the job.

comment #15

dixiedugan says ...

Lumenick's lucky. I would have thumped him right back.

comment #16

William Goss says ...

Ebert does his best to set the record straighter:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080911/EDITOR/809119972

comment #17

corey3rd says ...

Lou is a dead man when I catch him at a festival. He better be prepared to have a cup of Golden Flavoring dropping in his lap.

comment #18

mizerock says ...

I was on a 7 hour flight recently. Shortly after takeoff, I leaned my seat back about 75% in preparation for a long nap. Minutes later, I heard grumbling behind me. Then my seat started shaking a bit, as if someone was getting something out of the seat pocket. Next, I was smacked on the back on the head, twice! I turned around, and the woman said, in heavily accented english, "do not lean your seat back!".

Now what should I have done?

comment #19

corey3rd says ...

You should have called the stewardess and told her that the woman had struck you and you demand that there be a police officer waiting at the airport so you can file charges and she can be properly booked.

comment #20

Joshua Mooney says ...

Thanks, William Goss. Having read Roger's description, my take is quite simple: Lumenick is a fucking asshole.

comment #21

T. Holly says ...

When Ebert was fat, they had to institute a "no eating" policy at Chicago press screening. Now, he's Mr. Humble.

comment #22

mscsmyrpln says ...

Thanks for the heads up on this one, Jeff. I just walked to the Roy Thompson Hall box office and added it for tomorrow morning.

By the way, judging by those Che pics you took, I must've been sitting right by you there in the front.

comment #23

mscsmyrpln says ...

Oops! Reading too many posts in multiple tabs. I meant thanks for the heads-up on I've Loved You So Long.

comment #24

BurmaShave says ...

Get your hand out of my pocket!

comment #25

Chase Kahn says ...

No wonder Ebert just gave THE WOMEN 3 stars...

comment #26

Filmsnob says ...

Not surprised, this guy trashed Ledger 2 hrs after he died.

comment #27

Richardson says ...

I think the awesome part that the Daily News left out is that Ebert reached forward and tapped him again. That's pretty great.

comment #28

gruver1 says ...

Wells to mizerock: It's very simple. No civilized or considerate person with the misfortune to fly coach ever, ever leans his or her seat back into the personal space of the person sitting behind. EVER! If you do this anyway, you deserve what you get and then some. You absolutely deserve to be snarled at and admonished. You deserve to have ice water or white wine or hot black coffee "accidentally" poured on your head and down your neck. And the person sitting behind you is absolutely within his/her rights to do the pouring. This is not a Lou Lumenick thing I'm speaking of, but a matter of righteous punishment of the shallow, the egotistical and the careless.

comment #29

Monument says ...

I have to concur with Jeff on this one, especially since I just flew in coach a few hours ago. It sucks for average sized people but at 6'7" it's borderline torture. My knees are already wedged against the seat back, but when they lean back, man does it hurt. I hate flying.

comment #30

mizerock says ...

I guess when the person behind you doesn't speak the same language (or doesn't speak at all), all they can do is tap. I would have been fine to have her ask nicely - or even tap and gesticulate - but why thwack me? Two wrongs, etc. etc.

But no, I wasn't going to gave her arrested (= three wrongs?)

So why don't they just fix the seats not to recline at all, if most people seem to think that no one should ever be allowed to push that button? For that rare event when there's no one is the seat behind you? Or only if they, too, are reclined? I think I need a ruling from Miss Manners on the finer points of this.

You are correct, I don't fly much anymore, not since TSA decided that water might be flammable.

comment #31

rr3333 says ...

Might as well share my LIRR story.

Stuck in the middle of a 3 seater and a woman kept her elbow in my ribs for 20 minutes of the ride. The ticket taker didnt come yet, so I squirmed until I had enough and told her to 'Please move your elbow from my ribs'. She ignored me after I asked her 3 times then she got rude and obnoxious, calling me names, etc.. Afterwhich I got up and stood the rest of the ride.

Public transport, whether its coach seating on a plane, or bus or train SUCKS!

comment #32

tjfar67 says ...

"Because of neck and shoulder surgery I could not look around him."

I'm surprised the event organizer didn't try to accommodate his condition. After all, he is as influential as a critic can get and you'd want him to see the movie the best way possible.

comment #33

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