I dunno exactly. He seems to have had a very weird interaction with an actual pedophile over some child porn, but I'm not sure what is fact yet.

This Gunn one is tricky. The jokes are clearly in very, very bad taste and intended to offend, but it reeks of the purity test that is wrecking havoc on online culture right now.

It’s not tricky at all. They were jokes. He didn’t do anything. God help us if any of us become famous and someone digs up RM.

I don't think he has spoken out about being fired. Rumors are Disney makes you sign a contract requiring your purity past, present and future. I think that's stupid, but I guess it's standard protocol at Disney.

I can't wait until the day that my comment about God sending all holocaust victims to hell regardless of whether Mormons retroactively baptize them or not comes to light for my family and friends to read!

RDJ is certainly no angel. He has (had?) a felony drug conviction.

His contract, the original one, at least, predates Disney's purchase of Marvel.

I'm not defending Disney. Assholes can probably make very good movies, and even if you don't believe that, people who used to be assholes should be allowed to change.

Is it seriously even a question if assholes can make good movies? Really? Pretty sure there’s a DEEP history of huge assholes who were/are incredible artists.

it's funny that people are so up in arms about some dink on twitter + Guardians 3.

Missing the point

am I though? people are ready to lynch this guy. he is neither a monster nor a particularly talented person. all the blowback seems overboard on both counts.

This isn’t about James Gunn. It’s about an alt-right troll weaponizing outrage to destroy a liberal’s career. It’s about a company capitulating to that and emboldening it. It’s about dark jokes becoming an offense worthy of taking away someone’s career. This has so many far-reaching implications; thinking it’s just about a mediocre director not making a movie is myopic and dismissive.

I agree.

However, I will say, just as you mentioned in GD an internal conflict about gun control in America, I hold (what I'm assuming is) a similar conflict, internally, about the role of humor and consequence as well. This is a nuanced issue with no clear cut correct answer.

The "alt-right troll vs liberal" narrative is spin though, regardless of how I feel about the particular angle; one could just as easily say this is about a patriot standing up against misogynistic and other hate-driven behavior from the elite.

and so what? didn't the same thing happen to Roseanne? Free speech is great, and a for-profit's decision to not work with someone they feel will damage their brand is reasonable, even if the brands' past actions contradict their current stance.

And Gunn's career will not be "taken away." The notion of blacklisting an established producer or director in the modern age is laughable to me. If Louis CK can write, produce, direct, shoot, edit, star in, and distribute and market his own material, surely James Gunn can do the same? He doesn't need the studio system any more than any other established player. Far more vulnerable are those whose careers are not yet established, or those who can only do one or two tasks that go into the larger body of work (for example an actor who doesn't know the first thing about cinematography would still be very reliable on studios to help his career).

Boo-fucking-hoo, James Gunn. Don't make jokes in public about rape.

And this is the part where I admit that I'm in a wretched mood today and so my empathy is running very low. Could be that I see another side of things in a couple days.

No offense dude but you have never responded well to this outlook when it's come from others on RM.

I disagree with this very strongly

guys people can make whatever sorts of jokes they want. but making them in public opens one up to extreme critical inquiry, unless of course it's at a paid comedy show where the expectation is joke-telling.

Gunn is not a standup comedian, or even if he was, Twitter is a public platform. If he wants to make off-color jokes, he'd probably be happier making them in private with his confidants, just as many of us have done in the past.

I won't say he "got what he deserved," because I'm not sure he "deserves" anything. But taking up some issue with the public being offended at the nature of his comments seems silly to me. Don't piss on my face and tell me it's raining? How about don't make fun of raping children then complain when people are upset.

I really wish I weren’t at work because I have sooo much to say. Just keep in mind trag: he made those jokes ten fucking years ago.

This exactly. The politics are irrelevant.

Will we as a society make room for offensive and objectionable humor? I certainly hope so.