Jamie Foxx Sorta Sucks
04/25/2006
His albums? Worthless drivel overburdened by every bad cliche in the R&B handbook. His comedy style? I can not remember laughing. "Collateral" was a great movie, and he delivered an above-average (and for him, unusually subdued) performance, but his turn as Ray Charles was completely overrated. Give back that Oscar, Mr. Foxx!
And yes, I am biased against him a bit personally, but I will get to that later.
Denzel Washington in "Malcolm X"? Joaquin Phoenix in "Walk The Line"? Will Smith in "Ali"? That's when a performer embodies the spirit, contrasts, and dynamics and even a bit of the soul of a real-life figure. Put simply: acting. Jamie Foxx did nothing more in "Ray" that what Dave Chappelle pulled off as Rick James or Will Ferrell as George W. It is what comedians do. It is an impression. An impersonation. It is mimicry. Big deal.
I know I'm a bit late ranting about this but something I read in the new Rolling Stone reignited my discomfort with Jamie Foxx even more so than his preening, limelight-hogging useless "singing" with Kanye West did during the musical awards season.
An incredibly well written article on Nick Lachey (that's right, I read it) addresses the alimony issue between he and his soon to be ex-wife. It talks about how HIS business manager suggested a pre-nuptial agreement, as during the time of the engagement, he was the bigger earner. He said no. At a certain point recently in a legal brief filing he left the door open for pursuing alimony from HER, which caused the press to -- well, freak out the way they do over every other detail. One of those useless celeb-worshipping half-hour "news" shows asked Foxx how he felt about it (?!?), and his reply was something to the effect of, "Real men don't ask for alimony. Jessica, if you want a real man, call me up."
Well, in Rolling Stone, Lachey (who chose not to seek money from his ex after all, regardless of the fact that it could fairly be argued he was equally responsible for her success by participating in "Newlyweds" and having her songs later marketed around their relationship) says that he confronted Foxx face-to-face about his unwelcome and ill-advised comments to which Foxx, predictably, replied: "Hey man, I'm a comedian." Hmm. Apparently, "real men" back down when called out.
In the interest of full-disclosure I should now also offer up my personal bias: Jamie Foxx insulted me. I've put on about 10 lbs. My size SM shirts don't fit quite the way they used to (hey, it happens, I'm working on it, and in the meantime have upgraded to M). Last year I sat down with Foxx, on a Naval base in San Diego, at the press junket for "Stealth" (which, sadly, I had to sit down and endure the night before).
Like the rest of the reporters being herded cattle style through the proceedings, I had 3 minutes to talk to him. Being the A-Lister in the movie, the sound bytes I elicited were crucial to the piece I would later write and air on TV.
I sit down. We say hello. I ask my first question. He stares at my stomach, the entire time, ignoring my voice and burning up precious moments in the process.
Silence.
"That's a TIGHT shirt, man," he says finally.
I laugh nervously. I realize he didn't mean "tight" as in "cool."
“Um, what?" I stutter out.
"That thing is TIGHT. It looks really, really... Tight."
Incidentally, I was wearing a Paul Frank button up. He was wearing what looked like flowing robes of silk in the form of a purple button up (unbuttoned a few notches to reveal his excellent pecs, of course, because nice pecs are apparently really funny), that stretched down to mid-thigh, and a bunch of gold jewelry. I smiled and offered that I've gained a little weight. He keeps staring. I ask my second question, he answers, the interview inches forward.
Somehow I resisted the urge to blurt out, "Hey, Mr. Oscar, ever heard of Cuba Gooding Jr.? Is 'Stealth' your 'Snow Dogs'?" I didn't get to ask that, but I got my answer: from the following weekend's box office report. Anyway. He kinda just sucks.
****
Playlist:
Mad Sin - Sweet And Innocent? Loud And Dirty!
Morrissey - Ringleader Of The Tormentors
108 - Songs Of Separation
His albums? Worthless drivel overburdened by every bad cliche in the R&B handbook. His comedy style? I can not remember laughing. "Collateral" was a great movie, and he delivered an above-average (and for him, unusually subdued) performance, but his turn as Ray Charles was completely overrated. Give back that Oscar, Mr. Foxx!
And yes, I am biased against him a bit personally, but I will get to that later.
Denzel Washington in "Malcolm X"? Joaquin Phoenix in "Walk The Line"? Will Smith in "Ali"? That's when a performer embodies the spirit, contrasts, and dynamics and even a bit of the soul of a real-life figure. Put simply: acting. Jamie Foxx did nothing more in "Ray" that what Dave Chappelle pulled off as Rick James or Will Ferrell as George W. It is what comedians do. It is an impression. An impersonation. It is mimicry. Big deal.
I know I'm a bit late ranting about this but something I read in the new Rolling Stone reignited my discomfort with Jamie Foxx even more so than his preening, limelight-hogging useless "singing" with Kanye West did during the musical awards season.
An incredibly well written article on Nick Lachey (that's right, I read it) addresses the alimony issue between he and his soon to be ex-wife. It talks about how HIS business manager suggested a pre-nuptial agreement, as during the time of the engagement, he was the bigger earner. He said no. At a certain point recently in a legal brief filing he left the door open for pursuing alimony from HER, which caused the press to -- well, freak out the way they do over every other detail. One of those useless celeb-worshipping half-hour "news" shows asked Foxx how he felt about it (?!?), and his reply was something to the effect of, "Real men don't ask for alimony. Jessica, if you want a real man, call me up."
Well, in Rolling Stone, Lachey (who chose not to seek money from his ex after all, regardless of the fact that it could fairly be argued he was equally responsible for her success by participating in "Newlyweds" and having her songs later marketed around their relationship) says that he confronted Foxx face-to-face about his unwelcome and ill-advised comments to which Foxx, predictably, replied: "Hey man, I'm a comedian." Hmm. Apparently, "real men" back down when called out.
In the interest of full-disclosure I should now also offer up my personal bias: Jamie Foxx insulted me. I've put on about 10 lbs. My size SM shirts don't fit quite the way they used to (hey, it happens, I'm working on it, and in the meantime have upgraded to M). Last year I sat down with Foxx, on a Naval base in San Diego, at the press junket for "Stealth" (which, sadly, I had to sit down and endure the night before).
Like the rest of the reporters being herded cattle style through the proceedings, I had 3 minutes to talk to him. Being the A-Lister in the movie, the sound bytes I elicited were crucial to the piece I would later write and air on TV.
I sit down. We say hello. I ask my first question. He stares at my stomach, the entire time, ignoring my voice and burning up precious moments in the process.
Silence.
"That's a TIGHT shirt, man," he says finally.
I laugh nervously. I realize he didn't mean "tight" as in "cool."
“Um, what?" I stutter out.
"That thing is TIGHT. It looks really, really... Tight."
Incidentally, I was wearing a Paul Frank button up. He was wearing what looked like flowing robes of silk in the form of a purple button up (unbuttoned a few notches to reveal his excellent pecs, of course, because nice pecs are apparently really funny), that stretched down to mid-thigh, and a bunch of gold jewelry. I smiled and offered that I've gained a little weight. He keeps staring. I ask my second question, he answers, the interview inches forward.
Somehow I resisted the urge to blurt out, "Hey, Mr. Oscar, ever heard of Cuba Gooding Jr.? Is 'Stealth' your 'Snow Dogs'?" I didn't get to ask that, but I got my answer: from the following weekend's box office report. Anyway. He kinda just sucks.
****
Playlist:
Mad Sin - Sweet And Innocent? Loud And Dirty!
Morrissey - Ringleader Of The Tormentors
108 - Songs Of Separation