No Blood ’n’ Guts...No Vainglory!

Back from vacation...

Obviously, a few points are worth reiterating: 

1. I don't personally "hate"  Stallone, although I don't have a great deal of respect for his career body of work, nor do I feel there is reason to respect his off-screen conduct over the past few years.  That does not constitute hate for the man. Just a profound lack of respect. There is a signficant difference. I hate Osama Bin Laden because he masterminded the slaughter of 3000 innocent people. I hate Adolph Hitler because he ordered the deaths of 6 million innocent souls, and touched off a war that caused 25 million people to die needlessly. My feelings for the current occupant of the White House are approaching hatred, because he initiated a pointless, unwinnable conflict in the Middle East which has needlessly ended the lives of more Americans than bin Laden's actions. I just view Stallone as a sort of self-consumed jerk without a great deal of talent. I hope you can fathom the very significant difference.

2. Any reference to Stallone as an international drug smuggler is, sadly, perfectly legitimate. He was convicted by Australian courts.

3. With all due respect, ItBeast, no one has accused him of being a dealer although he certainly owes the public, from which he profited handsomely over the course of his very public life, some more suitable explanation for his actions than we have heard.

4. At the point in which any individual accepts the benefits of celebrity, they pretty much surrender any authority to object when the public questions their misbehavior. Whether or not that is fair or just is immaterial. If the individual involved objects, they have three options:

(a) Exercise extreme discretion when behaving in a socially unacceptable or illegal manner

(b) Don't behave in a socially unacceptable or illegal manner

(c) Bow out of the spotlight and sacrifice the rewards and perks of celebrity.

5. Yes, I personally not only confess to the label of "wiseass." I will wear it with some pride.

6. I was personally incorrect about Rocky Balboa. It wasn't a great film, probably not even a good one, but certainly not a Razzable one.

Thank you, it's good to be home. My wife and I spent a couple days on Nantucket Island, then the rest of the week exploring Boston. There wasn't a whole lot of sunshine during the course of the week, but the Rockies pounded the Red Sox twice, which made the trip more than worthwhile.

Actually, Boston is always a very interesting place to visit because of the incredible amount of history in the area. On the downside, the people there drive like crap, and there isn't an accurate map of the city in existance. Still, it was a very enjoyable week.

I think that you are absolutely correct in noting that great genious in any endeavor, whether it be music, art or even science and other areas has often been accompanied by at least a tinge of mental illness. Nonetheless, I think we can draw critical distinctions between the likes of Mozart, Paris Hilton and Mel Gibson. One of these things is not like the others.

In our society, we tend to give our celebrities so much free reign that they develop a sense of entitlement. The area where it bothers me most of late is professional sports, where those who eventually become professional athletes have often been singled out for their talents and granted all sorts of privilages from an early age. By the time they reach young adulthood, they are spoiled brats with a lot of money and no social conscious whatsoever.

Society has never been particularly good at recognizing sublime contributions temporally, but I daresay that we won't be listening to a lot of rap music 50 years from now (I'll go out on a limb and predict I won't be listening to any music that doesn't come from a harp by then, and even that propostion is doubtful, according to many), nor are crowds going to gather for any distant future Adam Sandler film festival. If we are going to grant these people some sort of heroic stature amongst us, I don't think its generally too much to ask that they at least make some effort to act the part. Then when that one truly great genious with natural eccentricities arrives amongst us, hopefully we will be more willing to tolerate them.

Okay, so a "correlation" between steroid abuse and violence has been established. How does this necessarily make Stallone some kind of villain? And why do you keep suggesting, with no real evidence to back it up, that Sly was trying to smuggle drugs to possibly deal them? Why would someone of his wealth and stature do something so boneheaded??

By the way, your use of words like "correlation" supports my contention that you Razzie people are all "wiseasses." Using words that ordinary folks can understand suggestes you care to be understood, rather than revered. Using words that 90% of the population have never heard before (let alone ever use in daily conversation) makes you all seem effite and smart ass... 

Response from Head RAZZberry: Trying to convince us you're a Regular Joe and we're all Super Snobs, you wind up using a word like "effete" -- A word that, by your using it, belies your very point. I must say, I am both impressed and perplexed that someone with your command of language would spend his time defending someone like Sylvester Stallone, whose films' dialogue (most of which he himself "writes") rarely rises above the level of grunts, platitudes and vulgarisms... 

Well, so much for thinking that #1 Sly Fan was of higher Education and eloquence. My take take on this is that #1 Sly Fan was or is a big fat nerdy kid (some what like my boy Alfred E. Newman, posted below)

 and the only person he could look up to while being picked on, bullied, and ridiculed was a person that was his exact opposite in intelligence and looks (Like #1 Sly Fan's Boy, also Posted below)

to be like in his mind the person that #1 Sly Fan would think that everybody would respect or idolize.

In the end I think what #1 Sly Fan Needs is what I have stated before in this thread, just ONE BIG GROUP HUG!!!

I too have already pleaded "No Contest" (On all 30 or so counts) on the charge of being a "Smart Ass" and/or "Wise Ass" (either way it's all about my a$$!). I too also owe a great debt of thanks to the HeadRAZZ for bailing my a$$ (there's that a$$ again) out on a constant basis because fixing my horrible grammar skills.

Always!!!...Sly Bashing is just not the same without you to throw in your misguided (If not just plain wrong) facts about how Stallone is the King of Your Universe!

On a serious note, hope you enjoyed your vacation.

While you have been gone we have been hit-ten up Robin Williams and Michael Bay for their latest efforts (Except Michael Bay may have actually produced something decent this time around).

Now Something that may totally blow your Stallone Bandanna off yer head: We've actually been promoting "Live Free or Die Hard" as the summer action flick of the year (HeadRAZZ approved!!!).  Also, if I remember right, Bruce Willis is a Pal of yours?!?

We'll be looking for yah!