Monday, June 01, 2009

Express Checkout: Wikipedia, Ghostbusters, and Jaws

  • Well, it is official. The Church of Scientology is no longer able to edit Wikipedia as an entity. I am sure individual members are going to take it upon themselves to do so anyway, but institutionally, Scientology is barred from editing pages from their various IP address. I wish I could take credit for this, even in the slightest, but this was already in motion since December. Perhaps this will signal a change at Wikipedia, as this is the first time an organization has been banned rather than individual users, and we all know there are some pretty big organizations that are making changes themselves, so in the end, this may signal a shift towards increased reliability and less bias for the site.

  • I was over at Quit Your Day Job yesterday leaving some comments about his latest Podcast, and I noticed a particular item, which if true, is just awesome. Apparently Bill Murray wouldn't agree to sign up for Ghostbusters 3 (which starts filming this winter) unless Ernie Hudson got a bigger part. To me, that is an awesome show of solidarity for him to make. It reminds me of some of those stories I read about sports with salary caps like football where a star player renegotiates their contract so they get less money so the team can keep another veteran player.

  • Richard Dreyfuss is so incensed by what he perceives as a screwjob by the studio that made Jaws, he will not participate in any of the various anniversary events surrounding the movie unless they offer him some money as retroactive compensation for what he got paid in the first place. Now correct me if I am wrong, but part of me really wonders if he would have had the same Hollywood opportunities if he hadn't done the movie. I have some grave doubts about that. I mean, starring in one of the first blockbusters definitely has its advantages, especially when you end up working with someone who casts you a few more times in high exposure films. I get that he is semi-retired, but part of me thinks he is being overly greedy about this.

5 comments:

Lee said...

I will try and find the original report regarding Bill Murray, i read it and was floored at the sheer classiness of Bill Murray as it has long been lamented that Ernie Hudson did not get the recognition that he deserved in those films.

That sounds like kind of poor form on behalf of Dreyfuss, but then again I don't know anything about the situation, just would be a shame for him not to take part in the anniversary of such an important film.

PS A giant public thank you as well for your continued support of the QYDJ podcast!!

MC said...

One of the moments from the original Ghostbusters that has always "Now that is a big fucking twinkie" which was pure Ernie Hudson, especially with the cigarette smoking coming out of his mouth.

Re: Dreyfuss: I am sure appearance fees have been paid to other actors in those circumstances.

Lee said...

That scene makes so much more sense with Hudson saying that!!!

Semaj said...

Richard Dreyfuss: Which movie was it he dissed on every interview circuit before it came out? Wasn't it JAWS or was it Close Encounters?
I remember he had to backtrack when it became a hit.

I think he wants more money because he was picked on by Robert Shaw the whole time, and they didn't get along on the set.

Bill Murray: That was a great move by Murray. I think it was stupid of the Producers of to even think of reducing Hudson's part to begin with. Hudson's character was the blue collar guy of the group, which gave a different view of the stories.

Scientology: We both know it won't stop the Church of Tom from making edits. But, thank the Great Xenu anyway

MC said...

Semaj: I think it was indeed Jaws. And I wouldn't be surprised that Shaw really busted his balls... he seems like that kind of guy, and let's face it, Dreyfuss has always seemed like he was sort of a pussy... look in your heart, you know it is true.

And Ernie Hudson as the everyman... I like that. I mean, he does represent someone, who like the people in the audience, doesn't immediately know all the terms and such, so serves as a target for exposition and then disbelief. "If there is a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you tell me."

Lee: The funny thing is, the word fuck isn't in the real quote, but it feels like it should be.