Here’s one for fans of a certain actor:
While doing a little doom scrolling on Facebook because, you know, not even I — your Overlord and Saviour — is immune to the ills of our time, I happened across a video I kind of wished I never saw.
In it was arguably one of the most recognised and accomplished actors of his generation, thanks to a certain blockbuster called Gladiator.
Any “wild” ideas about who I could be speaking about?
Of course, Russell Crowe.
Anyway, here’s why I wish I had never seen it:
He stood outside a hotel in Paris — or somewhere French-looking — probably trying to enjoy some time off, but instead was addressing a mob of fans chanting, “Maximus. Maximus. Maximus.”
Sadly, Maximus he is not anymore.
Age and lavish living had piled several dozen pounds around the waistline, greyed his hair, and bestowed a fashion sense resembling mine on a Sunday morning.
Most striking about him, however, wasn’t his appearance…
It was his contempt for the fans.
Then his mouth moved:
"Stay where you are. Don't f**ing push in on me — I'll come to you. As soon as somebody's a dick, I'm going. Clear?"*
Now listen, nobody can begrudge a man who wants to relax and be left alone (assuming that was what he was there doing).
Given what a grumpy, crotchety introvert I am fast-becoming with each rotation around the sun, I totally sympathise with that.
But here’s where I might ruffle some dandruff:
You do not step out onto a movie set without accepting the possibility that you might one day find yourself thrust into the spotlight.
And unless their brain cells have eaten each other, that usually means that privacy is no longer a luxury.
I’m not saying I like it or agree with it.
I am merely speaking the reality from which I see.
So please refrain from “yeah, butting” me in your reply.
For Russell, that was — and still is — the cost of his success.
But being unpleasant and rude to the people who helped launch him to stardom?
Call me soft, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Like biting into a cake you thought would be sweet and ends up being strong and savoury.
I remember one fan asked if Russell could write "Maximus" on his Gladiator poster, and Crowe took one look at it and said, "No," before dragging his feet to the next fan.
Very disappointing from someone I personally respected a lot.
I still do in many ways.
It’s just that the veneer is slightly coloured now.
I guess there’s a sliver of truth in never meeting your heroes…
(sigh)
While I won’t pretend to know what life with little privacy is like, nor the ills and frustrations that accompany it, I like to believe if I ever became one-tenth as famous as Russell (Lord forbid), I would NEVER hold you naughty bandits with such contempt.
I stepped into the arena at the end of the day.
Not you, not my folks, not Lady Laura.
ME.
And while I pray to live quietly and prosperously until I wheeze out my last breath, I also accept that nobody can predict how well a story performs once it’s out there in the big wide world.
Only culture and the zeitgeist of our time can determine that.
And as of right now, The Divided Region is amassing something of a cult following.
Arrogance?
Not at all.
Materially true to the benefit of my ego?
ABSOLUTELY.
So, if you haven’t read or listened to this series yet, you can make good of that here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/TDR-Bundle
Alternatively, if you want to put these stories into your friend’s or kin’s hands, you can now buy them a gift card here:
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DJJW