Actor, Seth Rogen and director, Judd Apatow did not react well to a recent column by Washington Post film critic, Ann Hornaday which drew connections between last week’s mass killing in Isla Vista and movies that center around “sexual conquest.”
Hornaday writes:
For generations, mass entertainment has been overwhelmingly controlled by white men, whose escapist fantasies so often revolve around vigilantism and sexual wish-fulfillment (often, if not always, featuring a steady through-line of casual misogyny).
She specifically named Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen’s recently-released film, Neighbors, as an example, saying:
How many students watch outsized frat-boy fantasies like ‘Neighbors’ and feel, as Rodger did, unjustly shut out of college life that should be full of ‘sex and fun and pleasure?’ How many men, raised on a steady diet of Judd Apatow comedies in which the shlubby arrested adolescent always gets the girl, find that those happy endings constantly elude them and conclude, ‘It’s not fair?’
Rather than take a moment to consider the larger picture Hornaday is trying to show us and look at the ways in which mass media and our culture at large excuse and perpetuate violence against women in perhaps less overt ways than men like Apatow and Rogen are prepared to accept, they strike back. Because defending your ego is clearly more important than having conversations about male entitlement and violence against women amirite?
Hmm… How dare she.
In peak grossness, Judd Apatow accuses Hornaday of “milk[ing] tragedy.”
“It worked for her?!” WORKED HOW, EXACTLY, JUDD APATOW? Man, this culture of virulent misogyny and this global epidemic of violence against women is really working for us, isn’t it. Get it, girl.
I suppose we could all be accused of the same. Selfishly using Elliot Rodger’s violence and misogyny to talk about how our culture facilitates said violence and misogyny. We should all be ashamed of ourselves. Particularly all the millionaire writers out there making millions off of their columns while celebrities like Rogen and Apatow starve.
Just remember everyone — movies that objectify women or treat them as things men should chase and “get” don’t generate any money at all. And, as we all know, women who write about sexism in movies are just doing it to make a buck. Femini$m.
Comedian, Patton Oswalt steps in to support his brothers in arms, telling Rogen not to worry because he “knows the truth.” Tweet on, brave truth-tellers.
Oh hey. And maybe next time you’ll keep the computer shut off for a while and think more before jumping on Twitter to whine about women talking about sexism in the movies you’re making millions off of. What do you think?
What’s become clear in all of this is that the real victims in all of this are white, male celebrities.