When asked about his victory, Jake said, "This is almost as exciting as that time everyone voted that they wished I was gay. Thank God something came along to take the focus away from that Stewart/Colbert crap." By "crap," Jake was referring to the Great Stephen Colbert Smear-a-thon of Last Week in which he was harshly accused of not being an environmentalist just because it took him a billion years to buy a hybrid...which he appears to never drive. No matter, his recent(ly discovered) triumph in being named a lad of exceptional sexiness was enough to convince Leonardo DiCaprio that Jake Gyllenhaal is the best man for the Presidency. "Let's not forget," DiCaprio told Jake Watch, "that I played a doomed guy named 'Jack' in a tragic love story long before Heath Ledger decided to be a sheep herder, but as long as that's clear, then yeah. I'll use my record as an environmental activist to help him out of this mess. But only because he is the sexiest lad I know."
DiCaprio, who did not make the Sexy Lad List, has a new documentary coming out about environmental issues (11th Hour) and a website that makes Jake's Official Site look so unbelievably pathetic that Jake Watch is ashamed to the point of humiliation that the assault we launched on it was unsuccessful (for more on why Harrison Cheung doesn't have time to maintain Jake's site, click HERE). Regardless, the Jake in '08 campaign is pleased that Leo's environmental record can now be transferred to Jake via a series of confusing public service messages. Brilliant!
So it's settled. Jake is sexy, he has no problem getting the popular vote, and environmentalists like him. The Jake in '08 campaign could not possibly be going any better. When asked about his feelings regarding Leo's commitment to his campaign, Jake, lad that he is, looked like this:
Thanks to ATD for finding the golden Harrison Cheung tidbit. That is actually way better than anything we could have made up.
97 comments:
Does this mean Jake gets to keep Kate Winslet? Will Al Gore feel betrayed by Leo? Will Emmy Rosen now write a tell all about kissing Jake...including who decided to "go for it" and give tongue??? The coming months are fraught with danger and difficulty. I'm really excited about it!
Jake's PA drives around that hybrid more than Jake does!!! Can't believe that his "official" site is still around, sigh.
If Jake realy wants to be considered a serious candidate, he needs to take a page out of Leo's book: Become more vocal on environmental issues Jake!! He just seem to play lip service to the issue and seems a bit passive in all things political, odd considering his upbringing. Maybe I should give his Mom a ring so she can light a fire under him!
^^^ Agreed (obviously) on the lip service, but hmm...but does the nut really fall that far from the tree?
OK, that's probably going to get me in trouble, but no one's commenting today anyway. So whatever. :D
PG: I agree that maybe the nut doesn't fall far from the tree, that's just the vibe I get, I could be wrong.
PS: The post is funny as hell as is the whole campaign! I love Jake's campaign Myspace as well!
Hey Nancy, shouldn't something be done about lowering the age for Presidential candidates? Jake will be 27 in '08!
10:34: I agree that the Myspace is great, the Myspace should be added to the links.
PG: You are not the only one in Jake's online fandom that thinks that, don't worry.
Okay, well, I guess I am one who doesn't think Jake just pays lip service to environmental causes. He went to visit the Inuit people in the Actic circle with Selma Hyak to bring awareness to global warming and does have the hybrid and did have that message at Live Earth. I bet he could do more, as many of us could. But I think he at least makes efforts. :)
We take a huge leap if we assume that just bcz we don't see it or hear about it, Jake is kind of passive about the environment, or political causes in general.I don't think that's the case at all. Leo is older than Jake and he has been more successful than Jake in terms of the big paydays and the number of films he's done. He is in a position to say to an Al Gore, yes, I will let you use me to help promote this cause, bcz I believe in it too. And Leo has the $$$ to produce a documentary on the environment, or produce a film he project like The Aviator, he really believes in. Also, Leo has a higher profile and is more well known than Jake. Jake seems to be the kind of person who really lives out his beliefs in his everyday life.
Oh, I think he definitely does a fair amount...but he has power! The two things that seem to get you places in this world (or at least this country) are money and fame, and he's got them both. He could have bought a hybrid a couple years ago, he could have showed up at a Live Earth event instead of telling people to let their food cool before putting in the refrigerator, he could say things in interviews beyond the stereotypical "Yeah, I care about the Earth"...I mean, he could do a lot of things, although I think the anon above is totally right about his age playing a big part right now.
I'm not saying what he IS doing isn't great and wonderful or that he isn't doing lots that we don't see, but I wonder if his motivation isn't based on feelings of obligation instead of a real passion to bring awareness to the issues at hand. Hollywood seems to be full of people who are either full-on activists or half-assed fund-raisers for charity. Jake seems to fall somewhere in the middle (in my mind at least) and I just wonder if there's an issue he genuinely wants to commit time and energy to. I don't see that he's become particularly passionate about anything yet, but he's thrown in a few environmental and political activities...because? He likes it? His parents want him to? It seems like the thing to do?
It's easy to have an idea, it's not as easy to do something about it. I think the Gyllenhaal's (all of them) have lots of ideas. That's all I'm saying. I do think they're genuinely concerned about issues facing this country (and the world), but being friends with the Clinton's doesn't make them the real deal. I've been watching them for a year and half and I still don't know where they stand most of the time. And they're a public family! If I don't know, then how well are they really getting the message across?
Hmm, I think this was probably more of a forum-type issue, but I've already written here so, whatever. I would love to sit down with anyone in the family and talk to them about real things, but I can't. So I'll settle for psychoanalyzing them in comments of Jake Watch...
P.S. I'm not trying to get anyone upset...there's just not a lot to talk about right now.
PG, I understand how you feel. And to some extent, I agree. But I also think it's true that stuff happens we don't hear about. I think that's the point, really. Jake and his family have always been very politically active. For instance, I had no idea, until I read something in passing a couple of weeks ago, that Naomi Gyllenhaal's been busy working for the Barack Obama campaign behind the scenes. Both Naomi and Maggie are very active with women's issues and the entire family is very active with human rights issues. The awards they've received from various human rights organizations and the ACLU weren't given out bcz they are high profile celebs, they were earned. I'd also like to know more about what Jake thinks as an individual, and what he is passionate about. I sometimes wonder if being very close to family, doesn't sometimes act as a disincentive to jump out there and DO something all your own. It's presumptuous to say that, bcz for all I know, Jake is dooing plenty! And honestly! I'd like to strangle the person who edited the comments at the Live Earth celebration.
As PG (kind of) calculated a week back, Jake's carbon footprint is larger than most. He spent years driving that massive Mercedes Benz and seems to travel about twice a week.
This doesn't even take into account the industry he's in. Hollywood is hardly enviromentally friendly. So, I don't think the damage caused by making a film can really be off-set by dancing around in the snow with Selma Hayek, all those years ago - which was concidentally around the time TDAT was out, wasn't it?
It riles me when celebs get up on their high horse about anything, because they just talk, they don't act. Even when they do act, it's not enough.
So he turns off lights before leaving the house. Big deal. Does Jake have solar panels on his house? Wind trubine? Compost system? Does he collect rain water to flush his toilets?
Lets not forget, this is the guy that gets in a four-by-four to drive somewhere to go cycling. This is the guy who drives in his Merc to take his dogs for a walk.
I, personally, am doing so much more for the enviroment but does anyone hero-worship me? No...because I'm not Jake Gyllenhaal.
If he is doing more, he should say because it would raise awareness. I doubt it, somehow.
Awright you guys, I don't think we should be putting all this pressure on Jake. He is under too much pressure already, and now here is his Number One cheering section criticizing his every perceived shortcoming. Hell's bells, give the guy a bit of slack!
Why are we putting more demands on him than he has already? He bought the hybrid car, his sometime-chauffeur is driving it instead of driving something else. He pays to have trees planted, and he will probably up his commitment to environmental causes in due course. I could go on and on, but bottom line, Jake is 26 years old, trying to figure out his life, trying to steer the right course, give him some time!! He's already under way too much scrutiny...... those damned paps.....
Before I read all the comments and went all serious-like, I was loving your post as always PG, Sexiest Lad in the World, me like! I had to click like 85 times to see it with my own eyes, but it was worth it! Speaking of age, shouldn't you be doing something about that annoying age thingy, we don't want to have that niggly detail rear it's ugly head on the eve of his assured victory. Someone else already said it, the US could save a whole whack of money if they would just forgo the election since Jake is a shoe-in; they could then put the millions of $ saved to environmental uses. When can we expect to see our election T-shirts, oh Mistress de la Photoshop????? Can you pleeeease put some animals on the T-shirts, that will go over very well with the voters. :-#
Thanks for standing up for Jake Welliwont, may I just add that his comments about switching off lights and cooling food down before putting it in a fridge(which nobody seemed to know why you should do that and seemed to think it was funny) was what ordinary people like us can do to help the environment in a small way. How do we know what he has in his home that is environmently friendly. I just think some people are being rather harsh on him, but then everyone has their own opinion.
Who is that other guy on the bow of the ship with Jake? It doesn't look like Leo or Kate Winslet. Is it Harrison Cheung? And how environmental is it for Jake to travel by steamship?
I think the Gyllenhaal women are more vocal on things politically then the men,but that's just my opinion. It will be interesting what we all hear from Jake and his family as the Presidential election gears up.
I can't believe that clown Harrison still has that lame-ass site up! Who is that 2nd guy that has been photoshopped next to Jake?
It totally makes no sense to be passing judgement on Jake or on his family and saying they should be doing more and they should, or Jake should, say so, and at the same time get all, "I hate it when celebs get all up ion their high horse..." It's a no win. No matter what they do, they should be doing more, and if they speak out, they are on high horses! And the fact is, the rest of the world is just starting to notice Jake. I agree with those who say he isn't as famous as Leonardo DeCaprio.
I agree with those who say he isn't as famous as Leonardo DeCaprio.
..........yet!
Jakey is not as famous as Leo, but he may well be some day, if he continues along the path he's on now, if he really wants this kind of life. Or he might decide it's not worth all the aggravation. I saw a picture of the circus that surrounds Brad Pitt, it was horrendous. He was walking his son to somewhere, going down a set of stairs, and there was a gaggle of paps ahead of them and another bunch of paps behind. Of course he had to have at least one bodyguard..... How can a person stand that, all the time, relentlessly?
(this isn't humour, people, sorry about that,)
I don't think some are passing judgement. I do think that some fans, when they read about his family and his past envolvement in the Kerry campaign, his co-hosting a fundraiser for Hilary Clinton with Scarlett Johannsen in '05, his recent comments from Cannes that politics is one of his passions, wonder if he will do/say more in the upcoming months. He has yet to articulate his views, unlike his sister or Mom for instance. I'm not saying he should, his comments regarding actors and politics make me think he may be a bit shy about speaking out ala Clooney, Penn or Leo.
This is not being critical, just open, honest questions that all adults engage in.
First of all, the post is great PG as always, even if the comments section is a little bit sleepy, you girls are relentless!!:))
I dont know if what I’m going to say something could turn out a little controversial, but that is my opinion so…
Sorry about my English...I’ll try to make myself clear.
About Jake not doing enough for the environment, or not doing enough talking about enviromental issues, I agree with you, PG and BPB, but I also think that he’s like most of us sadly...peek me for example: I’ve got no solar panels in my house, I drive no hybrid car, sometimes I’m not so faithful in doing the differentiated waste desposal, and I often don’t switch the light off in my bedroom when I move to the kitchen...but still most of the time I try, I’m a little absent-minded maybe, but I try...
I don’t want to appear superficial or cinical but I don’t care about what movie stars think about serious issues like this, I think we know even too much about what they think about whatever...and I’m not saying that such events like Live Earth don’t mean nothing, but I do think that they are an extra...
I’m rather a little bit annoyed that Jake (but I saw a lot of other famous people acting like this) talked about environment right at the time of TDAT publicity, but this is show business I think, movie stars serve the cause just as far as the cause serve them...
But generally, on a serious matter like global warming I want to listen to what scientists, economists, what politicians have to say about it, just because ideas have to become acts and some ideas about environment have to become a procedure by law so you can have no choice but behave well...
I like Jake, he’s a talented actor and a beautiful man and, I can say, for what I can understand from his interviews, that he’s smart and sensitive too... but what I’m gonna learn about him will always be just a sleeve so, although I’d rather think that he’s a good man, I will never know how’s really like so (I'll say it under my breath) I don’t really care.
This is just my opinion though...:))
It totally makes no sense to be passing judgement on Jake or on his family and saying they should be doing more and they should, or Jake should, say so, and at the same time get all, "I hate it when celebs get all up ion their high horse..."
What are you talking about? That's ALL we do! Need I point you back to the literally hundreds of discussions on here about his wardrobe or his choice of movie roles, or point to the forum for discussions on his love life? It's just that this time the issue is one that actually matters in the big picture.
We all watch what he does and I, for one, am getting sick of everything thinking he's some perfect specimen of manhood who can do no wrong. Talking about his looks gets old, too. This is an issue that brits and I feel very strongly about and discuss privately on a fairly regular basis. At the end of the day, he's just a guy, and it's extremely discouraging to both of us when we can't offer up heartfelt criticism without being accused of being unfair. We're fans, not worshipers.
He doesn't have to devote his life to a cause...of course not! But I'm not going to sit here and pretend to think he's a great environmentalist just because he occasionally speaks out on the issue. And theshowerlady was mentioning all these charities...but what do they do? What is Naomi doing for Barack Obama? What do they do for women's rights and human rights? Maybe you guys can answer that for me. I'm not saying they don't do anything (I'm sure they do tons!) but I'm saying if I'm sitting here and being told to associate these people with specific causes, then I would like something a little more concrete than what I'm getting.
Ooh, Xenia, you had some good points, but now I have to run to Office Depot. I'll be back...
I agree PG. I love Jake and his movies and I'm also a big fan of his sister as well, but as a fan I don't feel the need to worship them. The family is known to be very political, Naomi and on occassion Stephen post their views on huffingtonpost.com, but that seems to be it. Maybe they do tons of stuff behind the scenes. It's not being critical or bashing, i'm just curious about the level of involvement not just fromJake but all of them, but that's just me and I may be in the minority here thinking that sometimes a celebrity views do amke a difference.
Sorry PG/Brits that this has gone off topic because the post is funny as hell!
NY Agent, you said that a lot better than I did. EXACTLY!
And Xenia, I don't have solar panels or drive a hybrid, either...but I don't have the money! I am DYING for a hybrid; every penny that goes in the bank is going for one. It's hard for people like myself who really want to make some major changes, but don't have the means to do so, watch people who DO have the means get publicity while NOT doing the very things that their means allow them to do. Well, that was a confusing sentence, but hopefully it got the point across.
I'll shut up now.
Dammit, I forgot about a couple things:
1. The man in the picture is some random dude from Titanic who happened to be standing right next to Leonardo DiCaprio in the original shot. He has absolutely no bearing on anything.
2. I am making an effort to find the time to make up Jake in '08 shirts and I apologize to anyone who wants to buy one but can't because they don't exist. If only I could quit my pesky job, I'd have time for the important stuff. :)
I have the "no matter what" kind of affection for Jake that says while I can lampoon his style choices, his verbal gymnastics, his taste in women...or men..., his chocolate Easter bunnies, etc. at the end of the day, he still has my heart. One of the many things I love about JW, is that You DO criticize him! You tease, and use satire, etc. and have a healthy perspective about the absurdities of the "celebrity culture" in general, and yet, I have always felt that you have affection for Jake and it was evident even as you use humor to get your point across. (You both use humor exceptionally well!) The whole notion of Jake running for President or King of the World is a delightful conceit full of exciting possibilities. Point is, I never thought he was perfect and don't now. And I really don't "expect" anything from him or from his family. I guess I've "studied" Jake the way actors study characters when they prepare for a role. The more I've learned about him, the more I like him...and his family. The Gyllenhaals don't hide their activism, they just don't broadcast it. And it isn't necessary for me that they do. I read somewhere recently on the internet that Susan Sarandon was on Capitol Hill lobbying members of Congress about the mess at Walter Reed Hospital for our veterans, months before any of it became public. The media didn't really cover her lobbying. Very few people knew about it. But when she was demonstrating with Cindy Sheehan to end the war months earlier, that was covered. If Sean Penn jumps in a boat and tries to rescue people in New Orleans, he is accused of exploiting tragedy for publicity. If he goes to Iraq to see for himself what is really going on and talk to the people who are affected so he can write about it in the San Francisco Chronicle, he is portrayed as crazy, eccentric, disloyal. I think there are plenty of high profile people like Jake and his family that do quite a bit, (Robert De Niro being an example) but the point of intersection for them is not necessarily a podium, but the nexus where their art intersects with their beliefs. I think they like to articulate what they are about through their artistic endeavors. I think Jake being in Rendition, at this time, at this moment in our history, is a very important, very controversial act. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for a Naomi Gyllenhaal to say, "Look at me! This is what I do for Human Rights." Maybe she's raising money for Obama, making phone calls, stuffing envelopes.Or maybe she helps with position papers, or speeches or campaign strategy on issues. It's enough for me to know she's engaged.I feel good to know people I admire share my concerns. It doesn't matter how they chose to articulate it. I love the wit, the satire, the perspective of JW. Just as some of us don't like to be preached at by celebrities, some of us like our criticism with some grace, some wit, some intelligence...and a spoon full of sugar...
One more comment and I'll shut up too...;)
PG, sure you got the point across and I know what you mean because I've got no money either!!
And God only knows how little economic and professional precariousness help political and enviromental awareness...:/
But what you say is also convincing me more and more that yes, all these personalities such as actors, rock stars,sportmen sure make the difference at some level in swaying the crowd, but who REALLY can change things are, for example, those industrialists who can make your (I wish you to make that damn car yours as soon as possible PG) hybrid car LESS EXPANSIVE for heaven's sake!
theshowerlady, thank you! You beautifully said how I feel about all this.
Btw, Jake and Selma Hyak's trip to the Inuits was long after TDAT. It was after he filmed BBM and Jarhead.
Also remember the controversy Maggie caused with her comments regarding 9/11. She had to apoligize after the comments. It's not easy being a public figure and have your views used against you at times.
Showerlady, damn, that was a good argument!! I am all about intellectual debate and you had some wonderful points. I'm not one to shy away from changing my position and I will be the FIRST to admit that I take out some of my personal frustrations on Jake because he is so close to my age and yet leads a life I can't relate to. In fact, there may be other frustrations relating to him that I don't feel necessary to air publicly and that being the case, I'm a little harsh on things that I do feel comfortable broadcasting on the internet.
I definitely have respect for celebrities who lead private lives and don't do things for attention. And I don't have respect for people who jump on others (like the media did with Sean Penn) in making assumptions that altruistic actions are done for personal gain. However, I think that relates to larger issues of privacy invasion and a disproportionate importance placed on entertainers in our society. Some of my own feelings may even be harbored in what I've grown to expect from people who are famous. And I know some of the stems from the fact that I see (lots of) other people wasting their fame away being idiots when it really can be a powerful tool if used correctly. We may not have heard about Susan Sarandan's efforts until later, but I have no doubt that her notoriety gave her influence when lobbying Congress.
All that said, I know it's not rational to practice what you preach every second of every day, but by my very nature, I'm skeptical of people in the spotlight being held to a different standard than "regular people." Being frustratingly ALWAYS neglected access to the sources, I can only base my judgments on what I see.
I love Jake, but not enough to assume that the parts of his life that I don't see (i.e. pretty much all of it) are confined to what I hope he is doing. And I hope that kind of reservation makes me a better writer here and elsewhere. I'm still working out things in my own life and because environmental issues are incredibly important to me, I want them to be incredibly important to everyone I know...and maybe even to people I don't know but write a snarky blog about.
I'm not going to lie; I have been burned (in a major way) over previous perceptions I had of the family and because of that, this is a bigger issue for me, and one for which I find myself unwilling to give the benefit of the doubt. But I am incredibly glad that I've been able to voice my opinions here and we can talk about it because I think in order for this community to stay healthy, we sometimes have to tackle the big stuff. :)
To be straight with you, my anger about this has little to do with Jake's stance on the enviroment/politics/whatever or Jake at all. It is about my increasing frustraion with some fan's attitude and approach to Jake.
First off, welliwont, no-one was putting pressure on Jake about anything. PG and I were simply pointing out that he isn't actually as enviromentally active as some people seem to think he is. He can do what he likes, he has no obligations to us, but I seriously could not stand by and watch people jump on the 'Jake is Brilliant' tea cup ride again.
It honestly breaks my heart a little watching some people put so much energy into this guy. He's not the answer to your problems.
Let's admit it, what we do here is not really healthy. Why do you personally come here and other places everyday? I know why I do it and it isn't because I'm a huge Jake fan. All along, my affection has stopped at good actor - I've had to push my creative limits to no end to keep posting on.
PG and I have also learnt over this past year that Jake does not want this level of admiration off anyone. He is having a hard enough time with being an actor for whatever reasons, let alone a 'personality' or as we've turned him into, an 'idol'. Behind-the-scenes PG and I have attempted to get all kinds of contact from him - interviews, participation for charity events - all things that would aquire little to no energy from him and it has all been thrown back in our face. Why do you think his official website is like it is - he just does not care. Why has he never properly acknowledged what IHJ does for him?
I realised a long time ago, JW was not helping on this front which is why we tried repeatedly tried to change tack. To no avail. Because no matter how hard we try to change JW, we cannot change the fans.
I know for a lot of people, losing themselves in Jake Gyllenhaal is a coping mechanism for whatever problems they may have in RL, but I'm not sure I continue particpating in leading people down the garden path and pretending I feel the same about him. He's not extraordinary, he's not 'special'. Jake Gyllenhaal should not be an important person in any of our lives, and I fear in some people's he is. This can only lead to one thing.
I think Stephen Gyllenhaal tried to get this message across to us a long time ago.
P.S - Apologise for thinking the Inuit thing was related to TDAT - I see it happened some months after TDAT came out.
From Jake's official crappy site:
C A U S E S
Jake would like to bring the following organizations to your attention. They are important organizations which do good work and are deserving of your interest and support.
College Summit is a national non-profit organization nearly doubling the college enrollment of low-income students. We do this by shining a light on low-income talent who would otherwise be overlooked.
Visit the College Summit Web Site
Join the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Our rights as individuals -- the very foundation of our great democracy -- depend on our willingness to defend them, and as an ACLU member, you'll be doing your part.
Visit the ACLU Web Site
War Without End? Not in Our Name. Please visit the NOIN web site. Peace is Patriotic too!
Artists United WWW
Future Forests - create a carbon-neutral world! Click to learn more.
And since it's from his "official" site, we don't know if Jake is active in these groups or he just wants his fans to be aware of them.
Brit, I hear you and I feel the same. The reason I like this blog is because we have the same level of interest in Jake: good actor.
Some fans are obsessed with his personal lives and need to know what he is doing 24/7 which i not only creepy but unhealthy as well.
Jake's dad pretty much said last year to get a life, there is more important things going on. I remember the Livestrong charity last Oct. and was sorry that it didn't work out, it's a shame really that he and his people have not properly acknowledge Ally/Stephanie at IHJ. Even those girls have pulled back a bit and Ally a few months back said that she has a RL and that she wouldn't be posting as frequently as before. Only just recently they have been posting after a drought, so I do think that some of his fans are being a bit more realistic.
I think that Jake is choosey when selecting films but I also think that he is a slacker as well.
Brit/PG: Don't change the tone of this blog, it's a breath of fresh air.
BPB, if this blog is such a painful chore to you, why don't you just stop? I'm sorry, I've enjoyed much of your humor in the past, but your entire rant above came off as the tantrum of a bitter 15-year-old. Just because people defend Jake doesn't mean they believe he is perfect or they idolize him. I believe it's something called "benefit of doubt" because NONE of us know him, and we would prefer not to assume the negative. He's human, remember? He deserves that much.
On the one hand, you state that Jake doesn't want "this level of admiration" and then you turn around and admit that he just doesn't care about the internet fandom. If that's the case, and I agree that it pretty obviously is, then what harm exactly do you think the fans here are causing?
I'm more obsessed than anyone here, but that's my problem, and it doesn't affect him in the slightest, and never will. I don't think any of the regulars of this blog are the type who blindly worship or idolize Jake (including me), and what you've said seems extremely harsh and misplaced to me.
I'm sorry, but you sound chock full of sour grapes.
TSL, you made some excellent points before. Thank you.
Ditto, ditto, DITTO on what brits said. Just all of it.
Brit and PG, then you should just change the tone of the blog. It is yours to do what you want. You obviously have issues with Jake and his family. I agree with CMC that I have no illusions about Jake being perfect at all. However, as nice as it would be I don't expect anything from him but a good perforamce as an actor. Sure it would be nice if he was more active with the internet but he isn't. Neither is Maggie, Peter, etc. I don't think that makes them bad people just not focused on fandoms. Listen Michelle Williamns had all her fan site shut down completely. She wants nothing to do with her fans. At least Jake didn't do that. He would have a right to with some other blogs purely focused on his personal life. So, do what you need to do because this is your blog.
^^ performance
Cherita, brits can answer for herself, but I know we share a lot of views on things and I can tell you that we both do JW because we like pushing each other creatively and Jake's good subject matter. Simple as that. But of course there are times when it's a chore! I don't think it's a coincidence that the four people running the two biggest fan-run Jake sites are all disillusioned. It's not exactly the most rewarding gig and it's really hard to keep up your enthusiasm when you feel disconnected from your audience. We don't know that you don't idolize Jake for the exact reason I talking about before: we can only go by what we see! When we're the only ones who ever bring up the faults, then we tend to think that maybe, yeah, we aren't in sync with our readers. We really do love entertaining you guys but when it starts to feel like we're perpetuating a myth, then we have some problems.
And get real, I didn't know that about Michelle Williams and I don't even know how you can do such a thing, but that's bullshit and if you want me to lay out the reasons why I think EVERY actor owes his or her fans something, I'd be glad to. You don't get in the entertainment business and then act like you're above the people responsible for your success. YOU might not expect more from Jake, but WE do.
And the blog is fine the way it is (and has changed SIGNIFICANTLY since Day 1, if you look at it comprehensively). If you never read the comments (which MANY of our readers don't) then you wouldn't even know this was going on. This is separate from what we do up front.
One final comment/point of clarification: PG & BPB:
I have a very balanced, normal life. It's just that I get "crushes." When I was 13,it was baseball players. George was my favorite Beatle. Jake knows exactly what it means to be a fan. He has been one! he's had fan crushes on people he admires, both men, women, athletes, actors, artists, musicians, political figures, etc. Jake knows how cool it is to eventually be able to meet someone you admire. Get a picture taken with them. Be able to hang out backstage with the group. And he knows how unique his own life experience is when he can actually hang out with, get to know, and be friends with the people he admires...like a Lance Armstrong. Jake also knows what it is like to read up on, or watch for everything and anything you can find about the person(s) you admire. If you asked him, I'm sure there are some random statistics he could quote about his favorite figures, including what they like for breakfast or what they wear! There was at least some small degree of hypocrisy in what Stephen Gyllenhaal said on this matter, and a bruised ego as well. On the one hand, yes, "Get a life! Respect our privacy! Don't make us more important then your own lives." On the other, "Please support us, come see our films! Buy our books.(I'll even autograph them!) Attend my poetry readings. Read our blogs!" I think the family was a little unprepared for the noteriety that hit them as both Jake and Maggie became more prominent. I think there is an adjustment period going on. It serves no purpose to get upset and angry at the paps all the time. Why make it more significant than it is??? SOME of the time you have to put up with it. And most fans are ordinary people whom you have inspired. Showing appreciation is not a bad thing and someone should tell someone they need to get over themselves. SG and Mum benefit from the interest generated by their kids! So there are costs and benefits to everything. Jake or Maggie will never fall victim to the coarser aspects of celebrity culture. They don't seek personal publicity, hang out at the right nightclubs and generally make asses of themselves in public. When Jake gets attention from GQ stylists and wears free clothing from designers like Armani, he is definitely benefiting from his celebrity. And Armani and GQ are, too. Especially when they are sponsoring the screening and afterparty for a Jake film. (Is GQ part of the Time Warner 'family?')And all of them benefit, bcz there are people out here who want to wear what Jake wears or buy the magazines he appears in. And actors get paid for product endorsements and fashion photoshoots. So it's not publicity and fandom in general, it's the kind of publicity and fan attention. And that can only be governed so far. I certainly don't think Jake walks on water. (George Clooney does that!) But if there is a re-examination of celebrity culture and getting too caught up in a fantasy or in someone else's life, I also think there are other aspects of it SG needs to reflect on a bit more. There is a kind of cultural elitism the Gyllenhaals hate. So SG needs to be intellectually honest here. Bcz if he isn't more conscious of seeing things from a different perspective, he may inadvertently become the very celebrity snob his family has such an aversion to. They'd have only themselves to blame, not their fans. To paraphrase Eleanor Roosevelt: "No one can make you feel superior without your permission." And once and for all: There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that Jake asked me to marry him! LOL!
P.S. I come here bcz it's fun and smart and I like it! If I weren't here, late at night, I would find some other place to hang out. Maybe get in trouble. Then there'd be the police and the publicity and I'd have a stint in rehab! It reminds me of a college dorm or a huge, never-ending slumber party.
Bcz if he isn't more conscious of seeing things from a different perspective, he may inadvertently become the very celebrity snob his family has such an aversion to. They'd have only themselves to blame, not their fans.
Nonsense - nut case fans are out there and we know it!
Ditto on everything showerlady said, too! Except for the part about Jake understanding what it's like to be a fan. It's WAY different when your family is connected and the person you admire already has some idea of who you are. We could write a freaking book on "disappointing Jake fan encounters" as have been passed down to us since starting this.
I thought it was VERY interesting that you said, "There is a kind of cultural elitism the Gyllenhaals hate." I have been in situations with three out of the four of them, and (I'll be honest!) "elitist" is a word I've used to describe some of the behavior I observed. That was an incredibly good observation on your part about some inconsistent thinking going on.
And anon, I think on the "nut case" issue, the point is not that there AREN'T nut cases, it's that when you treat EVERYONE like they're a nut case, then you don't wind up "protecting" yourself so much as screwing yourself over. Just as important as the fact that there are insane people is the fact that most people aren't.
Cherita,
Whilst I don't really have the energy to chew over this, I'll answer some of your points.
BPB, if this blog is such a painful chore to you, why don't you just stop?
I did not say it was a painful chore. Please do not put words into my mouth. I don't stop because at the end of the day, I still have a writer in me and I'm trying so hard to keep that part of me alive. JW is the easiest way to do that at the moment but I can't say how long that'll last. It just takes longer and longer each time to come up with the ideas these days and is not as enjoyable as it once was for a number of reasons. And believe me, I've come close to stopping a few times and have desperately tried to find other creative outlets but could never follow through.
your entire rant above came off as the tantrum of a bitter 15-year-old
First off, 15? Give me a little credit. And yes it came off as bitter because guess what? I am bitter. You would be too if you had been sitting on this side of the fence for over a year. There is so much more that goes with JW "behind-the-scenes" and it has truly become exhausting.
The rest of your post doesn't really apply to what I was saying. I was looking at the fans not Jake. I never said we were causing him harm - I'm just saying he's not into the 'fandom' so after a while, you do become a little disillusioned. I don't know what you personally get out of being a Jake fan and if it helps you to cope with whatever then fair enough. I'm just not entirely happy fuelling that anymore.
I'm not badmouthing Jake, I'm not saying he's a bad person. I'm just saying he's no more interesting or great than us and maybe we should look more towards ourselves than towards Jake Gyllenhaal.
PG and I talk about this alot so I guess this has been building up for awhile now and but I disagree that what I said was 'harsh or misplaced'.
I'm not trying to be mean. I'm being truthful. Perhaps you need to think about why you're so obsessed with someone you don't know and never will.
OT if anyones interested, Just found this on IHJ.
"Rendition" is announced as a Gala in Toronto
http://www.indiewire.com/buzz/070708.html#008913
"Rendition," by Academy Award-winning "Tsotsi" director Gavin Hood, will also screen as a Gala. Reese Witherspoon plays Isabella El-Ibrahimi, the American wife of Egyptian-born chemical engineer Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally) who disappears on a flight from South Africa to Washington. Isabella desperately tries to track her husband down, while a CIA analyst (Jake Gyllenhaal) at a secret detention facility outside the U.S. is forced to question his assignment as he becomes party to the man's unorthodox interrogation
Thanks for understanding, shaken, not stirred. Your comment was a relief to read!
And anon, I think on the "nut case" issue, the point is not that there AREN'T nut cases, it's that when you treat EVERYONE like they're a nut case ...
They will do as they please.
Fans can decide not to bother anymore if they don't like it.
So, what's the problem?
You make some very good points theshowerlady - we're sold 'the Gyllenhaals' by one hand and then asked to keep away from them with the other. Don't want to think about the whole family but with Jake I believe there is a great deal of conflict there. But believe me when I say, from what I've been told the Gyllenhaals can be the biggest snobs when it suits.
However, as nice as it would be I don't expect anything from him but a good perforamce as an actor.
This is how I feel most of the time, get real. But, I dunno, it's complicated to explain. Jake manages to whore himself out when he needs to promote a film - look at the effort he want to for Zodiac - so sometimes, I feel like it wouldn't be a major step for him to offer up something directly to the fans.
He knows Jake Watch is there, he knows IHJ is there. And apparently he was major impressed at the money DC raised for that Variety ad saying 'Thanks' - but did he say anything? He could have slipped that into an interview somewhere.
But I have my theories. I feel like he doesn't want to start a relationship with his fans because he doesn't know how long he'll be sticking around.
God, I've got to stop posting, but I'm so glad you wrote that sentence, brits. Ahem.
Anon, don't be a dolt. Why would give a celebrity the authority to treat you as less than a "normal" person would treat you? Why would you give ANYONE that authority? "Not bother?" That's a bit unrealistic, not to mention, being a fan is, by definition, a bit of an emotional commitment. The fact that you said that makes me question why you're on this site.
Again I ask then Brit, why don't you change the theme of the blog from Jake to something you do like?
And as for IHJ, Stephanie posted that she was most upset at people giving her a hard time and being insensative about posting pics/vids, etc. of Jake and she was exhausted. Understandable, imo.
PG, I don't need to expect more from actors/celebs. I want to think they are decent people but mostly I enjoy their work as actors, singers, etc. I love seing Jake out with family or promoting a cause, or being onstage with Rufus Wainwright or taking a picture with a fan(s) (which he did in NYC but everyone forgot). Most importantly I get really excited and want to see Jake's films or hear about him possibly doing a play on Broadway (which I really hope he does). That is what I expect from him.
Btw, here is the info on Michelle Williams closing down her fan sites.
He's not extraordinary, he's not 'special'. Jake Gyllenhaal should not be an important person in any of our lives...
I think you are wrong - Jake is extraordinary and special.
His importance in our lives? We have only ourselves to blame.
Color me not shocked by any of what's being posted here by Brit/Proph ... although it's pretty clear that I'm missing something that went on here "behind-the-scenes." I don't need to know. I get it, I've always gotten it and I'm still waiting for everyone else to get it that's over the age of 15.
I've never really seen the value in defending or praising someone who I really don't know ... especially since there's a pretty strong chance they not only don't know I exist but probably don't care. Let anyone post a negative interaction with Jake on any Jake site and even if it's clear that if it was anyone BUT Jake that the interaction would be wrong the person who dared speak ill of him would get rained down upon themselves like a Mississippi mudmasher.
That whole non-relationship just leads to insanity where people feel as if they need to do that confuses me especially when the person doesn't even know the guy. The problem is that when you give something, you want something back and when you don't get something back you feel angry and deflated. It's better to avoid putting yourself in that position in the first place.
I mean really, you've got to live your own life and so does he. Worry about the people that are physically in your lives, do you worry so much about the peanut gallery watching from the stands up above? I'm pretty sure he doesn't pay it much attention and there-in lies the problem with him. Sorry, but fan interaction comes as part of the job. The bigger you get, the harder it gets to avoid it. You can't have your celebrity cake and eat it too. "Celebrities are entitled to their privacy?" Not in this world these days. However you feel personally is however you feel but the reason why people take these photos is because there's a market for them. I love it when actresses try to sound shocked that people care. It's the nature of being put in the position of being idolized.
People project far too much of their own personal heart's desires onto this guy and when you do that you're bound to be disappointed every single time. I thought people would have learned that after the "poetry" reading quite a while ago but obviously some people didn't get what the reports back to the sites really meant.
I have friends that are so much cooler than him and probably have done a lot more than him to help "heal the world" so to speak but no one will ever know it. Funny thing is, I think they're okay with that as long as "I" know it since I actually exist to them.
I'd never travel somewhere to see a celebrity. I'd never essentially do anything to interact with that person. Autographs, pictures, etc ... it's all insanity. Why? I don't get it. I think I use to get it but that was a long time ago when I was 13 years old.
These days I'm not part of the movie going audience, nor am I a teenage girl who reads Tigerbeat.
My insight into this issue seems to have come with age and I think that will happen for for most people (hopefully) but the problem is that more often than not when it comes to this subject you can't give it, you can't buy it and you just don't get it.
That being said: I still occasionally dress up as Madonna and dance around my room in my 80s retro gear but that's my own private obsession ya' know.
I posted my last post before I saw Brit's response to me. Well, every actor "whores" himself/herself for a movie, as does every singer, writer, as do normal people who have to get people interested in their product. However, I wouldn't use the word "whore" unless you are an actual prostitute. So what. Why is Jake so much worse than Heath Ledger, Maggie G., Peter S., Sean Penn, etc, etc. Do all these people do things for their fan sites? I don't know. You have a good point that maybe Jake is not sure he will be acting much longer?
The rest of your post doesn't really apply to what I was saying. I was looking at the fans not Jake. I never said we were causing him harm - I'm just saying he's not into the 'fandom' so after a while, you do become a little disillusioned.
How can you be disillusioned if you never were that into him to begin with and didn't start the blog for his sake? Do you at least understand why that sounds immature? You don't get to have it both ways. Either you give a shit what this celebrity thinks, or you don't. Your words suggest you want someone from Jake's camp to recognize you, yet you insist you are doing this for yourself and your own motives. I don't see where I said you had badmouthed Jake, either. You came out against people posting comments to your own blog, which were not really of the "He can do no wrong!" nature that you seemed to be railing against.
However, if you wish to reduce it to a condemnation of me or anyone who appreciates what we know about Jake (or any "celebrity"), including his many flaws, then I'd remind you that it is merely one aspect of our lives that you have seen, and you're now the one making assumptions about people's lives.
BTW, before I forget again to say it, I enjoyed the blog post. :P
You have a good point that maybe Jake is not sure he will be acting much longer?
What is wrong with you people???
Anon 9:25 PM, nothing is wrong with me. Brit was making a point that Jake has stated in interviews that he might try other things and not always be an actor.
Girl Friday, I have people who are "cooler" than Jake too in my life. But I am still interested in Jake as an actor. That is one fo the reasons I am here. And that is why I don't put any further expectations on him because I don't know him and he doesn't know me.
He knows Jake Watch is there, he knows IHJ is there. And apparently he was major impressed at the money DC raised for that Variety ad saying 'Thanks' - but did he say anything?
You managed to fool me - I really thought you are doing this blog for fun!
Brit was making a point that Jake has stated in interviews that he might try other things and not always be an actor.
No, she has a theory - Jake doesn't want to discuss JW because he plans to quit acting.
I remember Ally from IHJ post back in April, it was right after Stephanie's decision to take a break from posting pictures. yes, she did say she was tired of the paparazzi debate but she also said that she was a bit tired of Jake as well. She said that she still supported his as an actor, but confesed that she wasn't "that in to him anymore". She will keep the site and try to post more often along with Stephanie, but her level of interest isn't there anymore. She is keeping the site going because so many of his fans count on that site rather than that crappy official site. There is a definate fatigue with his online fandom, this is not to be critical of him it's just natural as people move on.
So you don't like celebrities who get on their high horse, and you catalogue all of Jake's ecological misdeeds, but you think he should have gone to Live Earth and made a statement.
I guess something like:
"Hi, I'm Jake Gyllenhaal. I don't deserve to be here bevause I'm not really an environmentalist. I just play one in interviews in order to get people to like me. People I don't really care about. But I'm a whore for the movie studios, so I do it willingly.
Because I don't do enough publicly or privately to help the world, I decided to make a measly start. Please accept my apologies for being seen as something more than I am. And also, please ignore all the time I spent campaigning for John Kerry, because I don't pay anything but lip service to causes. Also, I am an elitist snob. As are my sister, mother and father. And I hate my fans.
ps Please see Rendition when it comes out."
9:41 PM, yes it is a theory and I was agreeing about the reasoning behind it by Brit. Only Jake knows what his real plans are.
Again I ask then Brit, why don't you change the theme of the blog from Jake to something you do like?
I wish it was that simple. As a writer you want an audience. PG and I have one here, 1000 daily strong (used to 4000 daily). I know most people come here for JW, not Jake - so it gets us down occassionally when certain things happen. I don't have the time to start from scratch with someone else. I've tried. I'm sure we can all relate to cold comfort and that is what it is to some extent.
Why is Jake so much worse than Heath Ledger, Maggie G., Peter S., Sean Penn, etc, etc.
And, yet again, I'm not saying I blame Jake for anything or that I dislike him. Please stop going down this road. I'm simply being honest with you - it's getting OLD from where PG and I are coming from. Cannot we not express are frustrations in an open arena? Can you not see where we are coming from?
Thank you, girl friday. You hit the nail on the head with a lot of your comments there, IMO.
Thank you, Anon 9:36. At least now I know I'm not the only one who sees a paradox here.
Cannot we not express are frustrations in an open arena? Can you not see where we are coming from?
Why don't figure out what you really want and do it?
Of course you can express your frustration Brit, this is your blog. I guess we just agree to disagree on some points.
Cherita, you seem to be getting angry and defensive. PG and I are just trying to be honest with all of you about how we feel right now so please stop antagonsing me by being snappy and confrontational.
How can you be disillusioned if you never were that into him to begin with and didn't start the blog for his sake?
I am a Jake fan but no, this blog was never for him. However, over the time period JW has been going, we've obviously gotten involved in a lot of things that have lead to certain disppointments. A lot of what I've tried to do was for people who were more into Jake than I ever was. Maybe that was a mistake, next time remind me to be more selfish.
If I was to start all over again, I would do things a lot differently. But what's happened has happened and I can't change that.
I really wish you'd stop and take a look at where PG and I are coming from instead of getting aggreivated. We'd appreciate it.
That's the thing, PG.When your family is "connected" and people have some notion of who you are...
I think we may have a slightly distorted view of what that all might mean over the years. It wasn't always the way it is now for them. OUTSIDE THAT WORLD,people didn't know who Jake or his family was. So if Jake was into a sports figure, like Tiger Woods, they wouldn't know or even care about him. Bet Lance once said, " Jake who?" I think Jake's family really stresses accomplishment.Being around interesting people who are intellectually and creatively stimulating, who are doing something. They want to have a discernable impact on the world around them however they define it. That can make them come off as snobs. Maybe they think people should put their skills, talents, creativity, into something more important than Gyllenhaals!!LOL! Does that make them snobbishly unimportant??? LOLOL!!!There are elements of the characters in Howards End here!!! I'm thinking of Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson, especially. Two kinds of elitism. One crude and obvious and obnoxious and the other more "intellectual" and reformist. And are the fans then Mr. Bass? Shall all the accoutrements of their lives come crashing on our heads and smush us if we get too close??? Starting a fansite or a blog or on behalf of a celebrity is something I couldn't do. I admire those who do it. But there should not be an expectation that the object of such adulation gets all squishy and wants to hug you or give you a million bucks...or make you famous by association. When a person starts a site or a blog, in their own way, they DO become famous by association. There are probably thousands of people who come here each month, know who you both are, know JW, quote it, promote it, etc. That is something Jake brought into your lives. In a way you are famous in a certain corner of the world. At the risk of really putting my foot in it, maybe Jake should pay less attention to some of the things family members say and do. He seems like a very bright, personable,young man. he should think things out, reach his own conclusions and make his own accomodations and not simply reflect his sister's hurt or anger, or his father's notions of celebrity. I think Naomi just wants him not to be conceited and to keep his feet on the ground and have confidence in his gifts. I'm sure his BBM experience and all the hateful negative stuff he and his friends personally encountered still affects him.He's more guarded and less accessible. He handles himself differently than he did three years ago.Go back and watch the interviews on YouTube. He is more mature and has fewer illusions. it's ashame, too, bcz he really has a public personality and enjoys connecting with people.
One good thing. There's very little guile in him. And I love him almost as much as I love my stuffed Paddington Bear!
9:41PM, No read again. She said her theory was that Jake didn't want to engage with his fandom too much is because maybe he plans on not acting for much longer, just a theory.
There has been enough chatter on both coast that say that he plans on opening a resturaunt, but again it's just chatter/gossip.
Brit and PG have felt like this for a while at least since the poetry incident and they are just airing there frustrations out a bit and they have every right to.
Brit/PG: Don't change your blog or your focus, Jake!Because if you did then I really wouldn't know what I would do! Your posts are funny as hell and you even manage to inject some really important info like a link to Leo's site and Jake's Myspace which links to candidates sites and voter registration as well.
Why don't figure out what you really want and do it?
Easier said than done, I'm afraid.
Brit, the recent change in this blog which came about on June 1st of this year didn't differ much from when I discovered it last year. I think you and PG have found the balance and there is no need to make yet another ajustment.
Some consider this a Jake blog, a humorous blog, but still a fan blog. II don't come here for Jake but rather the posts and the fact that this is one of the few places that doesn't take fandom seriously.
I'm a fan of Jake and enjoy his movies but I don't and will not put him on a pedastal, he's not perfect. You have every right to frustrated, you are not the only Jake fan that feels as you do.
Just keep the blog as is, some might be a bit thin skinned but I appreciate your honesty, just don't make JW go bye-bye!!
So you don't like celebrities who get on their high horse, and you catalogue all of Jake's ecological misdeeds, but you think he should have gone to Live Earth and made a statement.
No. I did not say anything like that.
I said I don't like it when celebrities get on their high horses and don't follow through. This wasn't aimed at just Jake, in fact, I was thinking of other celebrities when I wrote it. It's been happening for years - AIDS, poverty in Africa, and now global warming. Can we all remember how Naomi Campbell posed for the 'I'd rather go naked than wear fur' and then, a few years later, was happy to wear it.
I was only cataloguing Jake's 'ecological misdeeds' because people were heralding him as being enviromentally friendly.
I didn't say anything about him going to Live Earth and making a statement. In fact, I'm a little angry that a Live Earth concert that was held in London.
You're taking a very simplistic view of what we're trying to express here. You don't understand how personal this is to us.
At the end of the day, I don't need to defend my thoughts to you. I certainly don't owe you anything right now. PG and I are just trying to be honest with our readers about how we feel right now.
If you want to throw mud in our direction because you're unhappy with what we're saying, then don't expect us to forget it.
I want to thank get real for expressing her disagreements in a polite and adult manner - take a hint.
I'm a fan of Jake and enjoy his movies but I don't and will not put him on a pedastal, he's not perfect. You have every right to frustrated, you are not the only Jake fan that feels as you do.
Just keep the blog as is, some might be a bit thin skinned but I appreciate your honesty, just don't make JW go bye-bye!!
Thank you, shondra. That means a great deal right now.
This may be a moment of temporary insanity on our behalf and it does seem to have come out of nowhere, I agree, but I guess someone opened a can of worms today.
Brit and PG have felt like this for a while at least since the poetry incident and they are just airing there frustrations out a bit and they have every right to.
Damn straight. Why can't we throw our toys out the pram every once in a while? :D
Hey get real, thanks a LOT for taking the time to post that link to the Michelle Williams situation. I knew nothing about it, and I am off now to read, thanks!!
What Brit and PG are saying is that the environmental issue is very important to them and they are some what perplexed that some in Jake's fandom are heralding him as some kind of environmentalist because of a few soud bites.
He doesn't practice what he preaches IMO but it's not just him, as Brit says it a lot of celebrities. That doesn't make me less of a fan either. We are all adults here and I think/thought.
I think that Jake feels he needs to at least appear more political than he really is due to his family. Thisis not a slam on him just an observation. He seems very close to his family and I think he does things to please them rather than making decisions on his own, again that's just an observation and i'm probably talking out of my ass.
we've obviously gotten involved in a lot of things that have lead to certain disppointments. A lot of what I've tried to do was for people who were more into Jake than I ever was. Maybe that was a mistake, next time remind me to be more selfish.
I don't think it would have been selfish. I think it would have been honest. There are other fan sites out there--yours was never that, and I feel badly that you felt the need to pursue those things.
I really wish you'd stop and take a look at where PG and I are coming from instead of getting aggreivated. We'd appreciate it.
I have looked. Your comments still aggravate me. I'll leave it at that.
Anon 9.46 and cherita, how many times do BPB and PG need to say this isn't really about Jake. This is about them and if they feel angry about something right now then they have every right to vent on their OWN blog.
Looks like celebrities aren't the only ones who like to mount high horses.
I like BPB has been proved right; some people are too into Jake and can't look at the bigger picture.
You know what, cherita.
TRY BEING US.
Try having Jake turn his back on you when you're stood mere feet away from him. Try being completey stared down at by Naomi. Try being lectured at by Stephen over something you never did. Try being told that he still doesn't acknowledge that what he did was wrong and he never will. Try having people call you a homphobe and be completely villified over some misunderstandings. Try having some snotty moose write patronising 'cryptic' blog posts about you when she has NO IDEA. Try being told things about Jake that you really didn't want to hear. Try having to deal with completely lame shit in the forum from people who have an overinflated sense of their own importance. Try and sit back and watch people say their 'obsessed' or that seeing three year old pictures of Jake getting cash out of an ATM brings them joy. Try spending hours on a really creative post to have someone say, 'Hey! Jake's sat on a porch in MV'. Try being told by Jake's PR that, 'Mr Gyllenhaal is not interested in participating'.
And that is only the TIP of the iceberg. So excuse us, for getting a little annoyed today.
Congratulations, you just managed to really piss me off.
I don't think it would have been selfish. I think it would have been honest. There are other fan sites out there--yours was never that, and I feel badly that you felt the need to pursue those things.
Why would you feel badly? Why would any of you feel badly? That's what we wanted. OK, so Jake is going to ignore us...who are we doing this for? Obviously first and foremost, it's for us, but that doesn't change the fact that we're not the only people who see what we do. And we LIKE you people! We like when you talk to us and leave us comments and get behind our ridiculous causes. This is a group effort and you shouldn't feel badly that we wanted to give you a gift in return. We've had at least two ideas (off the top of my head) which would have been INCREDIBLE (and not been difficult at all to do) but got us little more than a "fuck off" from the other end. It hurts on a very personal level to try for something and get rejected, and it hurts even more when you're doing it for someone else.
I wrote that before I saw brits' comment. It's true. We put up with some serious SHIT but we do it because the pros always outweigh the cons. But when we feel like we're being judged for not being "nice enough" to Jake, it's really hard to take.
britpopbaby said:
You're taking a very simplistic view of what we're trying to express here. You don't understand how personal this is to us.
At the end of the day, I don't need to defend my thoughts to you. I certainly don't owe you anything right now. PG and I are just trying to be honest with our readers about how we feel right now.
If you want to throw mud in our direction because you're unhappy with what we're saying, then don't expect us to forget it.
This whole discussion (the whole 80+ comments, not just the one I am quoting above) is not going to end up good. Comments are being mis-interpreted. Some posters are getting their feelings hurt. Some are getting very impassioned. People are on different pages. Not everyone is zeroeing in on the same points of the discussion. At the end of the day this is going to be a quagmire of misunderstandings, hurt feelings, grudges, etc.
I dunno.... this can't be good... :-(
Brit/PG:
I have two bottles of gin sitting here on my bar and I wish that i could send them to you both, sigh.
I though we were all mature adults here, you guys have not posted anything agains Jake, just pointed out a few things and ended up venting about things that have been going on for awhile.
I remember reading a fan encounter with Jake on IHJ during Cannes, it was not too nice he turned his back on him while Ruffalo and Co signed. It wasn't until he was on the Red carpet and Chloe pointed out that there were fans calling his name, that he responded.
Jake has his moods and I have heard good fan encounters and some not so good.
Welliwont, with all due respect, brits and I obviously need to have this out in the open an we reserve the right to end it when we see fit. We're not there yet.
OMG 84 comments already? What happened? *Truds back to the beginning, takes 2 aspirin*
PG, bpb, I think I should not have commented at all in that post there at 10:57. Maybe something came across that I did not intend to imply, so if you feel in any way slighted or chastised by that post, please know that it was not my intention. I think I should stop posting to these highly emo volatile subjects, I don't want you to read anything into my comment that was not my intention. So if you felt any negative vibes from that post, please know that was not meant to be. I was just posting an observation to the whole day's worth of comments, I only quoted you bpb bcz you made some points that I thought were relevant to my comment. OK, that's me shutting up now.... I gotta go out now anyway... :-p
I used to come here fairly often as I consider myself a fan of Jake's movies, and always liked Britpop's and PG's writings, but I stopped coming here as much because some of the fans were too sycophantic and obsessive for my taste. I completely understand and agree with everything Britpop and PG have said here. I also sympathize with their frustration and feel bad they've had some crappy experiences (wasn't aware of that until today). Mainly I just wanted to say cheers for their honesty.
OT: It looks like Jake has been invited to do another play reading next month. This time it's a revival of the musical Promises, Promises:
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/ny-etjake0711,0,5266056.column?coll=ny-entertainment-headlines
I thought he didn't want to do revivals, just something original.Although I think that in this case and last months reading they are trying to drum up interest/$$$ and Jake is more than happy to play along because eventually he will be offered something interesting, I hope!
I come from a "connected" environment, not H'wood. My kids met all kinds of famous people in their homes, over many growing up years.They had an experience or two similar to the "Paul Newman taught me to drive..." My kids finished college and have good jobs in private industry. They have poise and self confidence. Most important,they aren't at all impressed with VIPs or celebrity or power relationships. They are politically active for causes not people. They don't think they are "special" bcz of the people they've known. They think they're special bcz they ARE special. (In a good way!)
Wow, there are a lot of comments on here...I tried to read most of them, and I just want to add this and nothing more: if Jake and his family don't show appreciation for this blog and its authors, then I hope BPB and PG know how much I appreciate it and them. I'm not Jake, I'm not even remotely good looking, but my Mom tells me I'm special all the time, and therefore my opinon should count for something. The end.
BPB said, "this blog was never for him."
Then why did you call it Jake Watch???
As far as Jake not wanting to do any interacting with his fans, what about his "Unique Fan Base" remark during the SNL opening? I think we all knew exactly what he meant. ;)
Not making public congratulatory comments about blogs and websites dedicated to them is just a matter of course with all celebrities. It does not mean that they do not know or read them.
And when this little episode comes to light, I am sure that the inane resentment and mis-applied anger being vented here will NOT be appreciated.
Sorry things didn't go the way you hoped or expected.I thought this site was so fun. Now, actually, I feel betrayed. Of course you were rebuffed. How easy should they make it? You do realize you aren't the only ones who come up with "really great ideas" for Jake??? Some of us accuse stars of living in a bubble, but sometimes we're the ones with unrealistic expectations and are so caught up with ourselves at the center of things, we don't want to see the full picture. So we have a tantrum.
Wow, yesterday i was here and there was 9 replies. Ive just spent 50 minutes reading everyones comments. Im not even going to bother with my point of view because everything i think or have an opinion on someone has stated above. And not just one person, i agree with at least one thing in nearly everyones comment.
At the end of the day, i love JW, i find it funny and humorous. I dont find it offensive because i know its not written that way. I get a laugh out of BPB and PG, but also out of everyone who replies with just as witty and funny comments.
BPB and PG, all i can say is that obviously there is alot going on that we dont know about. Obviously its personal and something you dont want to make public(which is totally fair enoughj) and for that reason im sorry we as fans (of you) cant give u the support and back up that u need in that respect. What we see you do, at face value is great, you do your "jobs" very well. I say keep it up, but only if it makes you happy. By the sounds of things Jake wont miss u if u stop, but i can say i definatly would.
BPB said, "this blog was never for him."
Then why did you call it Jake Watch???
Because I wanted an ironic fansite and it needed to be about someone. Most stuff written here isn't even really about Jake. If I wanted to make a fansite FOR Jake, I would have made an IHJ - although I would equally argue that place is for fans, not for Jake.
Some of us accuse stars of living in a bubble, but sometimes we're the ones with unrealistic expectations and are so caught up with ourselves at the center of things, we don't want to see the full picture. So we have a tantrum.
Can you please get it in your head that THIS IS NOT ABOUT JAKE. This is not about what he does or doesn't do. We never expected anything from him, we're just saying after a while it wears you down. And I don't mind being worn down because that's my own decision but what has eventually gotten to me is people's attitudes.
Again, they can think what they want and more fool them but how far do I want to encourage that at this point? Not at all.
The tagline in the sidebar is the ironic. That's what we're aiming for.
As far as Jake not wanting to do any interacting with his fans, what about his "Unique Fan Base" remark during the SNL opening? I think we all knew exactly what he meant. ;)
Riiiight. Because that was totally heartfelt and genuine and not just a way to get a laugh.
Not making public congratulatory comments about blogs and websites dedicated to them is just a matter of course with all celebrities. It does not mean that they do not know or read them.
Have you actually not read anything we've written?
And when this little episode comes to light, I am sure that the inane resentment and mis-applied anger being vented here will NOT be appreciated.
Comes to light? Not appreciated? What ARE you talking about?
Thanks to everyone who understand us and showed us they appreciated we can get annoyed sometimes - at ourselves, not Jake. To everyone else, well, you just proved my point.
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