Saturday, 24 February 2007
Smoking Potter
It's a word that's grossly overused, I know, but these people are fascists.
He appears to blind a horse on stage, he is naked and he has to simulate losing his virginity. But what really ruffled feathers yesterday was that Daniel Radcliffe, the 17-year-old star of the Harry Potter films, will smoke on stage in his West End debut.
Photographs show the actor, with stubble and looking more Harry Enfield than Harry Potter, half-way through a cigarette in a scene from Equus, the celebrated Peter Shaffer play in which Radcliffe opens at the Gielgud Theatre on Tuesday. The image brought immediate condemnation.
Amanda Sandford, a spokesman for Ash, the anti-smoking organisation, said: "It is regrettable that he is smoking, whatever the circumstances. He is a role model for young people and if he decided to take up smoking in real life that would be of great concern. Even though it is an act, nicotine is highly addictive and he could find himself hooked."
This is, if you'll pardon the phrase, utter horseshit. If he decided to take up smoking in real life, that would not be "of great concern". It would be none of your fucking business, you horrendous woman. Does the girl who plays Hermione have a duty not to suck dicks when she goes to university*? What a truckload of balls.
As the show's producer points out later in the same article, the smoking is not a mere affectation, but central to the drama. The psychiatrist character, Dysart, shares a cigarette with Alan during their therapy together - it's a vital moment in the scene, and in the relationship between the two. Radcliffe is also required to simulate [attempted] sex with a young girl, prance around naked, and mutilate horses with metal spikes, and it's the lighting of a fag they're concerned about.
These are the same sort of people who wanted to burn every copy of Lolita, or have Life of Brian banned. Except they are, in their own way, indescribably sadder. I can understand why people are offended by depictions of paedophilia; I can even accept that religious people are offended by blasphemy - though, in a liberal democracy, they just have to suck it up. These people, though, are just interfering busybodies who use moralising as a substitute for having a life, and I'd rather live in a country where thousands die in agony from lung cancer than have the great works of Western culture censored and sanitised to their requirements.
*Don't make me moderate comments, people...
As the show's producer points out later in the same article, the smoking is not a mere affectation, but central to the drama. The psychiatrist character, Dysart, shares a cigarette with Alan during their therapy together - it's a vital moment in the scene, and in the relationship between the two. Radcliffe is also required to simulate [attempted] sex with a young girl, prance around naked, and mutilate horses with metal spikes, and it's the lighting of a fag they're concerned about.
These are the same sort of people who wanted to burn every copy of Lolita, or have Life of Brian banned. Except they are, in their own way, indescribably sadder. I can understand why people are offended by depictions of paedophilia; I can even accept that religious people are offended by blasphemy - though, in a liberal democracy, they just have to suck it up. These people, though, are just interfering busybodies who use moralising as a substitute for having a life, and I'd rather live in a country where thousands die in agony from lung cancer than have the great works of Western culture censored and sanitised to their requirements.
*Don't make me moderate comments, people...
Labels: Entertainment, Idiotarians, Nanny state
Comments:
<< Home
If Daniel were to take up smoking, how would people know? He's not going to be doing it in any of the Harry Potter films is he? He also won't be smoking during TV interviews. And how many young people will be going to see Equus, to be corrupted by the sight of him smoking?
Moderate comments or moderate Hermione? She's growing up and you do have form?
You wouldn't want to give Terry any excuse to paint you in the same light as he does RfS.
S-E
You wouldn't want to give Terry any excuse to paint you in the same light as he does RfS.
S-E
I share your sentiments about this, but my guess is that ASH is just trying to hang onto the coat-tails in order to gain publicity.
I expect their PR coordinator spends all day monitoring news reports for opportunities to comment on smoking.
We've also had moralists complaining that the actor is "too young" to be playing a part involving graphic nudity. And no doubt an animal rights group will chip in that it is wrong to mutilate horses.
It is very concerning that such people see culture as primarily a means to moralise to people (as long as it is only their views being presented), rather than as an opportunity to explore and present ideas freely and without censure.
I expect their PR coordinator spends all day monitoring news reports for opportunities to comment on smoking.
We've also had moralists complaining that the actor is "too young" to be playing a part involving graphic nudity. And no doubt an animal rights group will chip in that it is wrong to mutilate horses.
It is very concerning that such people see culture as primarily a means to moralise to people (as long as it is only their views being presented), rather than as an opportunity to explore and present ideas freely and without censure.
Chantix, the Pfizer manufactured quit smoking medicine is to be definitely opted for if you are eager to get rid of smoking addiction and if you administer Chantix in accordance with the instructions of the doctor, the medication would certainly relieve you from the shackles of nicotine addiction. However, if you don`t follow the chantix precautionary measures while taking the medicine, it is capable of causing tremendous harm to your health. For details on Chantix precautions, visit the website http://www.chantixmagic.com.
We suggest you to buy chantix to quit the very dangerous 'nicotine' addiction by having the anti-smoking magic pill 'Chantix' which is Pfizer manufactured and approved by FDA on May 11,2006.For more sophisticated information about the side-effects of smoking and the treatment of it,Please logon to Chantix Online.
Post a Comment
<< Home
