http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/twelve-reasons-i-hate-neil-labute/ falling indelibly into the past Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:23:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 http://www.plannedobsolescence.net/twelve-reasons-i-hate-neil-labute/#comment-2343 Jonas Cohen Sun, 17 Nov 2002 05:12:25 +0000 http://www.new.plannedobsolescence.net/?p=976#comment-2343 <p>You must hang around with sheep or something.  You can’t tell me that on some level, sometime, somewhere, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US hasn’t thought or entertained the very ideas, concepts, and “jokes” that Neil LaBute has the audacity to give voice to and put into the mouths and heads of his characters.  Bravo Mr. LaBute for being unafraid to go where few dare tread.  Must we settle for theater that is mindless entertainment?  Theatre that has nothing to teach us, make us aware of, or inspire us to take action is useless.  Theatre was never meant to be “escapism.” If you want that turn on your TV set.  TV and film generally has very little to offer us beyond the repetition and rehashing of the same old tired ideas.  Take a look at the rash of “reality” TV shows as an example.  The same crap...recycled.  Is there something more redeeming about this kind of “entertainment?” It is TV at its most insidious.  It subtly teaches us not to trust one another and that anyone can be famous and make a million dollars if they’re willing to make an ass of themselves by eating live spiders, forming alliances and stabbing “friends” in the back, voting each other off, or allowing themselves to be subjected to public humiliation (ironically these publically humiliated everyday Americans are broadcast on a show called American Idol).  Isn’t it odd that our idols on this and on other shows are shown doing nasty, hateful, revengeful, traitorous, and often sexually humiliating things?  People go on these shows for the allure of possible fame.  Sometimes, in fact, infamy is even better.  Being vilified is just as good as long as we get 1 million dollars for being the last villain standing.  These shows and other “entertainments” like it depict humanity at its worst and GLORIFY it.  Neil LaBute’s work holds the dark, unseemly, cruel aspects of the human condition up to the light and does not glorify it.  Instead he shows us what so many of us are capable of and are willing to engage in.  He asks the question (in his films and plays) is there something of value to be learned here?  I challenge you to think outside the box and attempt to learn rather than merely entertained. </p> You must hang around with sheep or something.  You can’t tell me that on some level, sometime, somewhere, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US hasn’t thought or entertained the very ideas, concepts, and “jokes” that Neil LaBute has the audacity to give voice to and put into the mouths and heads of his characters.  Bravo Mr. LaBute for being unafraid to go where few dare tread.  Must we settle for theater that is mindless entertainment?  Theatre that has nothing to teach us, make us aware of, or inspire us to take action is useless.  Theatre was never meant to be “escapism.” If you want that turn on your TV set.  TV and film generally has very little to offer us beyond the repetition and rehashing of the same old tired ideas.  Take a look at the rash of “reality” TV shows as an example.  The same crap…recycled.  Is there something more redeeming about this kind of “entertainment?” It is TV at its most insidious.  It subtly teaches us not to trust one another and that anyone can be famous and make a million dollars if they’re willing to make an ass of themselves by eating live spiders, forming alliances and stabbing “friends” in the back, voting each other off, or allowing themselves to be subjected to public humiliation (ironically these publically humiliated everyday Americans are broadcast on a show called American Idol).  Isn’t it odd that our idols on this and on other shows are shown doing nasty, hateful, revengeful, traitorous, and often sexually humiliating things?  People go on these shows for the allure of possible fame.  Sometimes, in fact, infamy is even better.  Being vilified is just as good as long as we get 1 million dollars for being the last villain standing.  These shows and other “entertainments” like it depict humanity at its worst and GLORIFY it.  Neil LaBute’s work holds the dark, unseemly, cruel aspects of the human condition up to the light and does not glorify it.  Instead he shows us what so many of us are capable of and are willing to engage in.  He asks the question (in his films and plays) is there something of value to be learned here?  I challenge you to think outside the box and attempt to learn rather than merely entertained.

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