Damon Flop Blamed on Obama Critique
by Christian TotoFor years, actors have been essentially insulting half their potential audience by trashing the right in press interviews and talk show appearances.
Just ask Kate Beckinsale, who told Entertainment Weekly regarding the 2008 elections – “And I was so shocked to see people admitting to being Republican on their front lawn!”
Now, The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Index feature suggests the reason Matt Damon’s “We Bought a Zoo” flopped was … wait for it … because Damon dared to critique President Barack Obama. [Link behind paywall]
The actor’s media slams of President Obama and ‘Bourne Identity’ writer Tony Gilroy probably didn’t help ‘We Bought a Zoo,’ which has disappointed at the box office.
When was the last time a major press outlet blamed the death of the movie star on said stars mocking the people who pay for movie tickets?
Had Damon insulted President Obama a few weeks after his inauguration – when his popularity was sky high – then that observation could have merit. But Damon respectfully disagreed with Obama’s accomplishments at a time when a new poll reveals people by a two-to-one margin are “afraid” of an Obama second term.
It’s just as silly to assume people even care that Damon trashed one of the minds behind the “Bourne” trilogy. That kind of inside baseball thinking likely doesn’t even dent the average movie goer’s mind.
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117 Comments
Hold up, Kate Beckinsale said what? I just died a little.
Maybe it just isn't a good movie. I wonder if anyone at the Hollywood Reporter thought of that.
Most of us yanks don't care what hopelessly fetching females think (gosh she's pretty).
The movie was called We bought a Zoo.
My thinking is I bought a ticket to a different movie that Matt Damon wasn't in.
Actually The only thing I heard about this was that Romney mentioned it in his Letterman top 10 list.
or maybe it's because he's a middle America hating socialist who has previously alienated half of the intended target audience.
Hey Damon, take a bath, ya bum.
Ms. Beckinsale, I will not only say I'm a republican on my lawn (which I don't have, I live in a apartment), I'LL SAY IT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE!
HR says that Daaaaamoooonnn's movie flopped because he criticized Obama? Really? WOW…color me honestly surprised! I would have thought it would be more along the lines that Conservatives were tending to stay away from certain films.
You think this is a way for Hollywood to tell the actors out there to zip it about Obama…and follow the party line…or else?
I love it when the leftist devour their own and for the simplest of things. But that is the leftist for you.
….You're slippin' "backwards dave" – you're not close to being First Poster – are both your hands on the keyboard…?……
Who has been insulting half his audience with the leftist wish fulfillment crap movie "Green Zone".
There is a North Carolina legend that goes like this:
Once upon a time, there was this basketball player named Michael Jordan (perhaps you've heard of him).
Back in 1990, a long-time civil rights hero named Harvey Gantt decided to run against Jesse Helms.
Jordan sent Gantt a check for $500. When the Gantt campaign received the check, they called Jordan.
"Hey, do ads with us", and "Campaign with us", and "Hey, hold some fundraisers with your rich NBA buddies".
The Gantt campaigned salivated at these ideas. Jordan politely turned them down.
"Why not", they asked.
Jordan replied, "Because republicans buy sneakers too".
The problem with that movie was most of his co-stars had a higher IQ than Damon, and he couldnt keep up with them!
and if Kate Beckeinsale dares to insult ME and my beliefs, well, she can come over to my house and I will gladly spank her for those comments!
MMMAAATTTTTT DDDAAAMMMOOONNN!
" Had Damon insulted President Obama a few weeks after his inauguration – when his popularity was sky high – then that observation could have merit. But Damon respectfully disagreed with Obama’s accomplishments at a time. "
Now this is very interesting. If Damon had criticized republicans would you say the same thing? I think you would agree wholeheartedly. Trashing republicans makes your career go down but trashing Obama is gooooooood!! Now all of a sudden It's stupid to think that Damon's criticism of a politician would make his movies fail.
Don't you ever get tired of being a hypocrite?
Despite his silly and (occasionally) offensive political screeds, I've generally liked Matt Damon as an actor and have enjoyed many of his films.
If "We Bought a Zoo" is underperforming, I would suggest it has nothing to do with Damon's politics, and far MORE to do with the unpleasant facts that:
1) The movie is a bore. The animals are adorable, but we don't see enough of them. Instead, we see far too much of an annoying, group of paper-thin human characters.
2) Cameron Crowe couldn't make up his mind whether "We Bought a Zoo" was supposed to be a serious adult drama or a fun movie for the whole family. As a result, the movie is way too childish for adults to enjoy AND way too heavy and vulgar for kids to enjoy.
Let me say that I am NOT a prude who faints upon hearing naughty words in a movie. I'm a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino and David Mamet! I've seen and loved MANY movies that use a lot of foul language. But a movie that's ostensibly aimed at little kids (and "We Bought a Zoo" has certainly been marketed that way) should NOT contain dozens of curse words.
I'm lucky that my son got bored and tuned out early on, and didn't pay much attention to the swearing.
The moral is, EITHER make a gritty adult drama OR make a sweet movie for kids. Don't mix the two and then act surprised when NEITHEr the kids NOR their parents are entertained.
Too bad about her politics but its not exactly shocking.
My eyes are still burning from the photograph that featured Glenn Close & Damon with Howard Zinn seated center stage.
It's one thing to be a classic liberal or a Lifelong Democrat. It's quite another to not only subscribe to but perpetuate the teachings of a 'man' like Howard Zinn.
Fairy tales, fantasy and make believe belong on the silver screen and in the Board Room and Executive Offices of the Sony Corp. Lies and re-writing historical events NEVER belong in a history book.
Damon is Damon. That revelation about Glenn Close was an eye-stinging revelation. It's why Tinsel Town confuses Survival of the Leanest with Survival of the Fittest.
Damon & Close may be lean. Lord knows they are anything but fit.
i use this story all the time. perfect analogy
….Don't you ever get tired of being a dopey, dreary, moonbat Marxist troll ?…….
Uh, no. We Bought a Zoo flopped because it sucked. I don't even have to see it to know. It's called We Bought a Zoo, it has to suck by default.
Ahhh… she said that!? Hmmm… well, 2008, a bit ditzy… so I'll let one snide gaspy naive remark pass… cuz I kind of want to eat some popcorn in large room with lots of flashing lights and loud noises… so…
what else we talking about here?
Correctamundo!! Conservatives are not wasting their cash on Damon, not Demos.
Simply put, the only problem with that movie was that Damon was in it….
I don't know if Damon's criticism of President Obama caused his movie to flop but, I will bet money that Mickey Rourke's mild praise of President Bush a few years back was a factor in him not getting the Oscar for his role in "The Wrestler".
Business 101…………………80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your products, 80% of your sales come from 20% of your salesforce………………when 80% of your product insults over half of your potential customer base, when 80% of your salesforce has no clue how they come across to the buying public you are going to fail…………BIG TIME!
I passed on the movie because I don't want to see it encouraging more nuts to think they can make tigers, lions and bears, Oh My! Pets. The guy in Ohio who had his own zoo let them go and 45 innocent animals had to be put to death. Lets not give this idea to some unstable person, and God knows we have a lot of them in this country, who think they know more than anyone else.
Slow news day…..
Yeah that one hurt….
But whatever, she's still amazingly hot
Nail, head, you hit it.
Doctor,
Why did you ask a rhetorical question?
There are left win loonies in Hollywood who spew their mouths off about any conservative that's running and I refuse (Danny Glover ex.) to see any of their movies.
I never realized that if your a dem, your supposed to hate every single republican that exists, regardless if those people are decent or not.
The Dem Party is in essence the Socialist Party of America no matter what you call it.
I would just once, just once, love to here how you pay for all those disenfranchised when everyone is disenfranchised. Just where does the money come from when no one is working. How much wealth will there to be shared them?
…Why did you, my good friend ?… ; )
P.S. Congratulations on reaching the vaunted 100p score – have you received a key to the Executive Washroom and your case of Single Malt Scotch yet ?…. ; )
It's starting to look like the aged guy playing Private Ryan at the beginning of the same movie.
I'd like to see the show Portlandia comment on this.
Forget your brain again?
Mickey, Mickey, Mickey…
If the original premise is specious, then your contrarian counter-argument is not only equally specious, but also downright, dare I speak the word, hypocritical.
Nice try, Mickey, but stick to your meds next time..
The movie just looked boring. So my family passed on it. On a side note. and off topic…I loved the Bourne books. I hated the movies. They were nothing like the books. it was hard to get pass that. Read the orginal book. way so much better then the movie. Lots of action and a great thrill ride. This was more then "No movie is like the book" Important Characters were killed in the movie that were not killed in the book. (Marie) actually Jason and her marry and have kids. that get kidnapped in a another Bourne book. I read these books in 8th grade. (A long time ago) they are so well written that they have stuck with me all these years. Yup I am a fan of the books
Hey, Hollywood, let The King show you how it's done:
June 9, 1972: Elvis is asked a question concerning the Vietnam War at the press conference preceding his famous Madison Square Garden concerts.
Reporter: “You were in the Army and were drafted. What is your opinion of war protesters? And would you today refuse to be drafted?”
Elvis: “Honey, I’d just soon to keep my own personal opinions about that to myself because I’m just an entertainer and I’d rather not say.”
Not really that difficult, Hollywood.
What planet is THR living on—OH WAIT.
Hey Damon, maybe your movie suck like your buddy in the whitehouse. Most Americans do not buy into the pathetic over priced BS movies that hollywood is making.
He's become King Pompous, arrogant Lord of all he sees, and if that hurts his box office, well, good!
Actually, it looks like the kind of movie I would take my kids to see, but I refuse to pay money to see any Matt Damon films because of his comments about Republicans. I mean, I'm not going to be insulted by someone and then thank them for it by handing them wad of cash, not when I can go see movies that are just as entertaining by people who don't insult me.
What else can you expect from these cloistered idiot elite?
They live in a bubble that's so thick, it might as well be another planet.
You know, someday people will look back and say 'during this era, people cared more about movie stars than politicians or religious figures or actually ANYONE else. And that's what gives us the biggest clue that all these people were complete f**king idiots.'
Guys are different: She thinks I suck because I'm a Republican? Well, she's hot – but I won't watch her anymore!
Girls: What the frell did she just say? Done. NOTHING to do with her anymore. Pretty? Not even. Attractive? Yeah – if you think a water buffalo is adorable!
See, that's what I thought!
Water buffalos are the sexiest. Although the Gnu comes in a close second.
Glad you said "cursing" and not "cussing". Because that word drives me nuts.
Despite the fact that I am a (relatively freshly minted) Conservative — well, more a Libertarian, actually — I know I have practically nothing in common with anyone who refers to "cursing" as "cussing." Like if the two of us — me and a guy who said "cussing" — went on a 12-hour car ride together (agghhhhhh!!!!), we would probably have very little to say to each other. And most of what I WANTED to say, would be a lot of "cussing."
"Cussing." Dear God…
millions of us pro-Americans stopped seeing that rabid animal's films when he started worshipping obama's rear end. glad to know we all made a dent in his elite hollywood communist democrat resume.
Dirtt this was perfectly expressed. Way to go.
Actually my family and I thought it was very enjoyable. Oh yeah and ScarJo is hot!!!
In an experiment, babies were shown pictures of a variety of faces. They showed a remarkably strong preference for those with the most even features — that is, those faces where both the right side and the left side matched. The babies demonstrated a particular fondness for the model Verushka and the actor Denzel Washington. It was postulated that those with even features were perceived as genetically healthier and that humans are hardwired to this preference for survival of the species.
Now look at Damon's face.
Actually I've often wondered why Beckinsale was so plain. She's cast as the great beauty in many of her films but she isn't quite good looking enough to pull it off.
She played Ava Garner in The Aviator but she hardly had the looks. A real beauty with similar coloring would be Catherine Zeta Jones. If you consider blondes – just watch Fox News any night – Megan Kelly, Dana Perino, etc, etc.
Gnu's are just insufferable.
But of course they will hijack our swagger and try to take credit from the real people responsible who so hate socialists like Damon.
No Gnus is good Gnus.
We Made A Flop.
Sorry but despite his politics and affection for Howard Zinn (Dear GOD…) I do like Matt Damon in certain roles (TRUE GRIT comes to mind) but wrter/director Cameron Crowe is a sanctimonious bore so I am not sorry this movie bombed.
Stupid twat. Just another airhead actress. Breaks my heart.
Looks like a media attempt to intimidate other stars from criticizing their leper messiah; their threat is that if you don't continue swilling the Obamazombie koolaid, your career will be destroyed.
I have to admit that I liked the movie but I did have reservations about Damon. The movie was nice, the animals were interesting, and the supporing actors were the best part. Just about anyone could have stepped into the Damon or Johanssen roles. The little girl stole every scene she was in and the drunken Scotsman was funny as all drunken Scotsman are.
I'm waiting on the excuses for Iron Lady. Still taking bets which will be a bigger flop, Iron Lady or J Edgar?
I don't know maybe it could have some merit. After all conservatives for the most part are not going to go see Matt, then you piss off the Obama supporter approval rating still 40%+, whose left?
Then again the movie, may not have been that good? I will never know as Matt is almost a charter member of my no watch list.
May be your should read the article, you obviously missed the entire point……
Robert Ludlum wrote those books. He was the best writer of thrillers I've ever read. His novels were NOT rife with leftist sensibilities. Those Bourne books are very good. The movies are terrible, I agree.
If Matty DAMON showed up at my door with a copy of this movie, chips and dip asking to hold a private screening I'd slam the door in his face and go back to watching "History Channel 2."
I don't want to.
Drunken Scotsmen are fun to be around.
The brain dead demographic might be lured into seeing this movie.
At least the title supports capitalism…"We BOUGHT a Zoo"
With Mutt Demon in it, I'm surprised it wasn't something like:
"We Received a Government Handout to get a Zoo"
or
"We Redistributed a Zoo"
Without tutus, yes.
I was a pretty big fan of Matt Damon until he became Alec Baldwin/Sean Penn junior, never missing an opportunity to attack conservatives. At this point, his political tirades are more notable than his films, and he WANTS his political tirades to receive more attention than his films. And I have pretty much lost all interest in watching him act in films anymore. His off-screen persona drowns it out. I don't mind actors being liberal, they all are, or supporting socialism, they all do. But when it's so in your face, like with Damon, I can't watch them play a fictional character when they are so public with their private selves.
I hear the sound of denial loud and clear, with a wishful thinking chorus. His movie flopped for a lot of reasons, but those who live in reality know none of them was his criticism of The One.
Damon mildly insulted Obama or not really insulted him, like Damon did against Bush. Also, people will always remember how Damon is a big supporter of the Unionist in Wisconsin. Just tire of his Lefty views and being talked down to on anything we dont agree on..
Maybe it's because Damon has been in so many darn movies the past few years people have grown tired of seeing his face on a poster at the multiplex.
You can turn down a script every once in a while Matt, did you know that?
I guess I've away from the movies for a long time. I had to google who Kate Beckinsale was. As for Damon, I always pass.
Absolutely agree….the books were riveting and realistic, couldn't put them down. These movies are unwatchable for me, shaky camera and all-just trash.
Let's face it, Kate's kind of cute, but not too bright. Sometimes the two are just not meant to be in the same body.
Stupid premise for a movie. Not every true story should be a movie.
Actually, Mike, I've pretty much given up on Damon movies, not because he's a liberal, but because his movies suck. His last good movie wasn't even "his." Ocean's Eleven. I mean, let's face it, if conservatives boycotted movies because of the stars and the anti-values messages the movies push on the American people, they'd see Hollywood go down the drain financially. And despite all you hear about Hollywood hurting, they still are doing much much better than the nation as a whole.
When Damons mother refused the award
from the NEA, for both herself and Damon the teachers union probably put out the word to boycott the film. He has been off limits to republicans for along time so the criticism of Obama was just a ploy to get some viewers back. It did not work.
I just added Kate-whoever she-is to my chalked off list. It's not much but I feel good.
Well, I had to google her to figure out if she has done anything of significance. I didn't see any.
It's entirely possible that Damon's political comments alienated some movie watchers, but much more probable that the premise of the movie was completely lame, reading like a made- for – TV movie.
Michael is a smart, classy man.
It's not her politics that are the problem, it is her openly insulting people who think differently. There are plenty of left leaning actors who don't insult their audience and are classy people, she whlie fine to look at lacks that class.
Call it karma, call it what you will, but I have stopped supporting all of these self righteous, self agrandizing, arrogant "stars", not to hurt them, but because I simply don't like being "around" them, not even in a theater. Thier holier than thou attitudes are simply annoying. It even oozes out in thier performances. They can't help it.
There are better things to do with my time and money, than sit through someones agenda laced "entertainment", and then, have to endure thier rants about how heartless and greedy I am as a conservative, or a religious person or a hater of grandmothers and kids ……
Why would anyone pay to support that? I can get that kind of abuse for free from my marxist sister inlaw.
There are two reasons why Matt Damon movies generally dissapoint at the box office. He has eliminated the possibility of 49 of the country will not go and he is a booring poor actor.
Why do investors or people who want to make money in the entertainment industry not realize that how much more they could make if the treated their customers decently?
I had never heard the word with an r in it until high school. Some parts of the country say cuss and others don't.
but Megyn Kelly KNOWS the breadth of conservatism here in America
another alternative ending to Breaking dawn 2:Electric Boogaloo-both Beckinsdale and Pattison stak each other to death.
and Taylor Lautner walks thru SoHo with a Chinese menu in his hand in the pouring rain
with Gary…………………………GNU!
not only that, the animals were more intelligent than ScarHo
I'd take it and go to Vegas with it.
But The Old Man would say it isn't worth a nickel and tell you to give it to Chumlee for his amusement
For myself, I can state quite factually, that I would never pay a nickle to watch a Matt Damon movie. He is a flaming liberal who has called conservatives racist and at that moment I made a vow never to let that jerk make one penny on me.
The actor’s media slams of President Obama and ‘Bourne Identity’ writer Tony Gilroy probably didn’t help ‘We Bought a Zoo,’ which has disappointed at the box office.
——
What I find even funnier is the Hollywood Reporter's assertion that Damon's criticism of Tony Gilroy caused audiences to stay away. Damon clearly has a big, blind fan at that newspaper.
Damon belongs in the same zoo he bought
She's hardly an airhead, brother. Research her education. Agreed, its upsetting she had to make the statement. Regardless of her acting talent, her political leanings, I'd allow her to berate me for being conservative all night if it meant being face to face with her…..amazingly sexy.
As a person with multiple degrees, education is overrated sometimes. If you get a degree for regurgitating leftist claptrap, so what. Mathematics, science, engineering, IT, that is worth something. Heck, a philosophy program that encourages disagreements would be good.
The title alone turns me away. "We Bought a Zoo"? BORING!
Anybody ever think it flopped because it was a lousy movie with a lousy actor?
As he said in Team America: World Police — "MATT DAMON!"
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