[lbo-talk] Parker & Stone, American optimists

Carl Remick carlremick at hotmail.com
Mon Oct 18 10:15:16 PDT 2004


[From an interview with Trey Parker and Matt Stone in the San Francisco Chronicle. I am beginning to see these guys as real clowns ... and I don't mean that in a positive way.]

Stone: ... ["Team America: World Police" is] about optimism, though. That's the big thing about the movie; that end message is about American optimism. And that's the difference between America and the rest of the world, because if you go to Europe, people are not optimistic about the future there. And Americans do have a naive optimism about that -- it's not just us, and the fact that we live in this L. A. bubble -- I think all Americans have this naive optimism and have for a long time. And a lot of times it's naive, and it's unfounded, and it's even wrong, but it's somehow that optimism that keeps America looking forward and trying to make the world better. And I really do think that's something that's unique to America that doesn't exist in a lot of the world.

Parker: But for some reason, it's almost taboo to say, "My f -- life is awesome, and I have a great time, and I have a sweet house and a nice car." People are like (using a scolding voice), "Hey, hey, hey, hey!"

Stone: Especially the richest people in the world, which we know some of in this town, you know? (Angry voice) "The world is f -- up!"

Parker: Look, we were below middle class growing up, and I had a dream that someday things were gonna be better, and I assume that's the way it is in Third World countries. So, if you're not going to enjoy the dream, then there's no hope for anything.

Stone: I think that when Trey wrote "America! F -- , Yeah!" -- that song? That, to me, encapsulates it. We could talk for hours about America's overzealous stance overseas, but there's also, you know, "America! F -- , Yeah! " too. And somehow that song encapsulates an hourlong conversation. When people ask me, "What's your attitude about America?" I think of Trey's song. That's the perfect way to put it. It's awesome, and you have to admit it's also a little cheesily testosterone-driven at the same time ...

<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/a/2004/10/17/PKGAJ98TG11.DTL&type=movies>

I must admit, that would have been an interesting defense to put before the Nuremberg Tribunal. "Your honor, my client was a little cheesily testosterone-driven at the time!"

Carl



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