Tough Guy

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I didn't see David Poland's very rough, blunt, hellfire-and-damnation piece about Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke until today....sorry. He makes some good points; the writing is very clean and straight because he's not hemming and hawing in the least. (He also throws in a belitting comment about yours truly in the process.) He's not afraid of being Finke's enemy, and I admire the ballsiness in that.

Then again he's always been heavily into wearing robes and passing judgment. I know that when Rabbi Dave decides to unload on an enemy, deep down he's mainly looking for one thing to happen (and I know because I've tasted it first-hand). He wants you to throw yourself on the temple steps and beg for forgiveness. If you can't or won't do that, or if you feel that life isn't entirely a black-or-white, good-or-bad proposition, he wants you to quit journalism. I don't think he wants his enemies to hang themselves, but he wouldn't entirely mind it if they did.

That's more or less the deal here . He wants his enemies fired, taken down, ruined, destitute, weeping. He's an extremely bright guy and a very tough hombre, but he's a fuming, finger-pointing purist. His is the hand that smiteth.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 24, 2009 at 5:04 PM

comment #1

byanyother says ...

Yawn. David Poland, I think, wants people to write about him the way they write about her - maybe not in tone but certainly in influence and power.

Posted by byanyother at March 24, 2009 5:45 PM

comment #2

LexG says ...

52 posts "unpublished" by Poland and two Hot Blog blog suspensions over here, but I still think the guy OWNS.

But without choosing sides and obviously I have no fucking idea what I'm talking about on this issue, so apologies to both parties in advance, but seems Wells continues to give the guy some props and dap when Poland writes something that's interesting to him. Always seems pretty classy about whatever their rift is, and takes the high road and seems to wish DP well. Whereas JW is He Who Shall Not Be Mentioned on MCN.

What I'm saying is, I really want a Wells-Poland reunion a la when Penn was dissing Cage in the media and they met up at the Oscars and hugged and all was forgiven.

Posted by LexG at March 24, 2009 5:57 PM

comment #3

arturobandini2 says ...

I'll admit, both Poland and Finke have been kind to respond to personal e-mails in the past. But ultimately they're drama queens, and that's how they report news. (Imagine Jeffrey's Memphis "mood pocket" on a weekly basis.) Fireworks are fun on occasion, but they wear me out day after day.

Posted by arturobandini2 at March 24, 2009 6:19 PM

comment #4

lazarus says ...

Obviously Jeff doesn't want to be Finke's enemy as well, but in all fairness to Poland, isn't Finke kind of a cancer on entertainment journalism? She's about as vile a character as I've ever seen in print.

I mean, Armond White has shitty taste and his head up his ass, but at least there seems to be something that he finds positive about cinema.

Posted by lazarus at March 24, 2009 6:22 PM

comment #5

byanyother says ...

"isn't Finke kind of a cancer on entertainment journalism? She's about as vile a character as I've ever seen in print. "

How so? What is so vile about her? No one was more active, more vital and more necessary during the writers strike. She is the first to stand up for an underdog and she, unlike so many entertainment journos, does not kiss ass in order to get perks or freebies or ad money. Her site is interesting to read, above all. I think she gets a bad rap and I hate to pull the woman card but it's the only reasonable explanation for the amount of hatred lobbed at her. If she were a guy no one would call her vile now would they? Now Matt Drudge is a guy and IS vile.

Posted by byanyother at March 24, 2009 7:01 PM

comment #6

Rothchild says ...

As a working screenwriter and member of the WGA, I'd just like to say Nikki Finke was active during the strike but she was not vital or necessary. She made everything worse and just needs to retire or write about another industry.

Posted by Rothchild at March 24, 2009 7:10 PM

comment #7

mccool says ...

Jeffrey, you imply that seeing the world in a black-or-white, good-or-bad kind of way is a blight on someone's character. Are you contending that you don't see or write about the world in a black-or-white, good-or-bad way?? If so, then by god, wake up and smell what you're shoveling. Perhaps a blunt force to the head from a ceiling tile propped loose by one of the dancing sams-club level latinos upstairs might awaken you....You are the lord of us-vs-them, love-or-hate, there-is-no-gray-area, fuck-or-walk opinionating.

Just checking...

Posted by mccool at March 24, 2009 7:30 PM

comment #8

The Playlist says ...

I love Poland, a bit sad to see him take a swipe at Wells, who i also love, but both you guys are tops in my book. Finke on the other hand, ugh. And in case someone thinks I'm being sexist, I also think Anne Thompson is tops; the shit as it were.

Posted by The Playlist at March 24, 2009 7:31 PM

comment #9

McQuill says ...

"He's not afraid of being Finke's enemy, and I admire the ballsiness in that." Yeah, of course you admire it Wells, because you don't have the balls to stand up to her yourself.

In fact, I dare say that you are an apologist for Ms. Finke's despicable behavior given that you have not once spoken out about her methods or behavior as a fellow "journalist". And I think one of the main reasons for that is because you want to feel free to act despicably yourself.

"David Poland's very rough, blunt, hellfire-and-damnation piece about Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke" Hellfire and Damnation? Really, Mr. Wells? Don't you think you're exaggerating just a bit in order to justify your "he's always been heavily into wearing robes and passing judgment" comment as to bookend your bizarre theme of religiosity? And to think you have the audacity to call him out for passing judgment on others!? Like you, yourself don't pass judgment on others ALL THE TIME?

Why is it that you never respond to any of the comments made about your decidedly racist rants about Latino's? Or the obese? People call you out about these things and you never have the balls to actually defend yourself because you know you can't because you know these prejudices are indefensible...as are Ms Fink's, who, just like you, also refuses to engage her critics when it comes to her biases.

Your bio says that Hollywood Elsewhere is an "opinion-attitude site with reporting thrown in from time to time". Hmm, that sounds familiar. Sure you don't resort to the sort of petulant, venomous, rantings that are part-and-parcel of Ms. Fink's oeuvre, but your cranky, belligerent and intolerant view of others who might be different from yourself is widely known.

You call Mr. Poland a "fuming, finger-pointing purist" because, compared to your ridiculous prejudices, at least his seem to stem from something real, not just the impure, old-fashioned, blind hatred you espouse.

I have said it before and I will say it again, what gives, Mr. Wells? Where's the love? Why do you hate so much yourself? And why don't you have the balls to defend yourself against those who criticize you for any or all of the aforementioned? You always talk about how much admire the tough cowboy machoism of men in the films of yore, so why are such a coward yourself? I'm calling you out, Wells, you're yella!!

Posted by McQuill at March 24, 2009 7:39 PM

comment #10

Crow T Robot says ...

Poland's passionate. Some would say obsessive. His problem is that he doesn't have a clear idea about what he represents as a writer. He's the studio philistine crunching numbers one day and the stalwart defender of cinema the next.

He doesn't realize that you can't be both. No one else on the internet is both. Nobody in their right mind WANTS to be both.

Eventually you have to choose... either weekend box office, Oscar charts and industry egos are important... or the art of cinema is important.

Poland's trying for a Yojimbo situation. And like the samurai in that film, it seems to be solely for personal gain.

Posted by Crow T Robot at March 24, 2009 7:50 PM

comment #11

Josh Massey says ...

I've thought about starting a Cafepress shop selling "Team Poland" and "Team Wells" T-shirts. It would be hilarious, of course, except the probability of running into somebody who would get it is 10,000 to 1 (at least in mah' town, Atlanta).

Posted by Josh Massey at March 24, 2009 8:17 PM

comment #12

Midwest Doug says ...

I'd still always rather read 100 words from Wells than 1000 or 10,000 words from Poland. I'll learn more from Wells and enjoy myself more in the process. Keep up the great work.

Posted by Midwest Doug at March 24, 2009 8:30 PM

comment #13

cheaplog says ...

As a foreigner, Ms. Finke's blog has become as vital to my understanding of the Hollywood industry as Variety is. I'm always sure that her (mix of) facts and rumors are industry facts and rumors. And not something someone made up by checking IMDb credits (and then did the rounds trying to direct traffic towards their blog).

Although I rarely make any comment, I'm a frequent visitor here, too. And what LexG claims about Hot Blog comments probably isn't very far from the truth, I'm afraid.

Posted by cheaplog at March 24, 2009 8:44 PM

comment #14

byanyother says ...

Um, try 1,000,000 to 1.

Posted by byanyother at March 24, 2009 9:03 PM

comment #15

corey3rd says ...

I'm watching Anderson Tapes and I can't get Armond White's "He's a Hack" slur about Sidney Lumet out of my head. Armond White ruined my experience of a great movie with his lame ass showboating. Screw Armond White.

Far this pro wrestling battle royale, it turns into a fate worse than naval gazing.

Posted by corey3rd at March 24, 2009 9:20 PM

comment #16

D.Z. says ...

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i21fd82b8e716e67110b0a7bde0ee2c82
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/13631/zac-efron-is-no-longer-footloose-/
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001627.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i21fd82b8e716e6711601de53f5f74c61
Spike Jonze raped my childhood, courtesy of Dark Horizons.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-03-22-wild-things-main_n.htm

Posted by D.Z. at March 24, 2009 10:05 PM

comment #17

TVMCCA says ...

corey3rd wrote:
I'm watching Anderson Tapes and I can't get Armond White's "He's a Hack" slur about Sidney Lumet out of my head. Armond White ruined my experience of a great movie with his lame ass showboating. Screw Armond White.

Saw it on DVD awhile back and Sony's "Martini Movies" treatment irritated me more than White's contrarianism re Lumet.

Posted by TVMCCA at March 24, 2009 11:58 PM

comment #18

D.Z. says ...

From Digital Bits:

"We contacted Magnet directly on this issue this afternoon, and they were quick to respond as follows:

"We've been made aware that there are several fans that don't like the version of the subtitles on the DVD/BR. We had an alternate translation that we went with. Obviously a lot of fans thought we should have stuck with the original theatrical version. We are listening to the fans feedback, and going forward we will be manufacturing the discs with the subtitles from the theatrical version."

We asked Magnet some follow-up questions, specifically how people will be able to identify the new discs, when they'll be available in stores and if there will be an exchange program for those who have the existing version. Here's what they said:

"There are no exchanges. We are going to make an alternate version available however. For those that wish to purchase a version with the theatrical subtitles, it will be called out in the tech specs box at the back/bottom of the package where it will list SUBTITLES: ENGLISH (Theatrical), SPANISH."

The no exchange thing is going to upset many that have already purchased the disc, and understandably so. We're at least encouraged to see that the title is being corrected. We'll let you know when the discs are available, and rest assured we're letting Magnet know that an exchange program might be a wise idea..."

Posted by D.Z. at March 25, 2009 2:54 AM

comment #19

D.Z. says ...

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/032409htfchat.html

Posted by D.Z. at March 25, 2009 2:55 AM

comment #20

raygo says ...

I almost never read Poland, and only check Finke for random rumours or box office. I visit HE every day.

Posted by raygo at March 25, 2009 6:26 AM

comment #21

Floyd Thursby says ...

Have greatly missed this feud, the best since Kael vs. Sarris. Looking forward to seeing it on the big screen as POLAND VS. WELLS: NOBODY WINS, starring Glenn Kenny and Lance Henriksen.

Posted by Floyd Thursby at March 25, 2009 6:27 AM

comment #22