Last night after my Giants got their teeth knocked in by the Packers and ended our season I watched the Golden Globes for a little bit. Why not watch rich, mostly white people, get all dressed up and pat themselves on the back for a few hours. Few shout out about the winners, Casey Affleck was so good in Manchester by the Sea, it was well deserved and same for Donald Glover, I’ve been a big fan of his for years and Atlanta is a fantastic new show. Also I haven’t seen it yet but La La Land better be fucking good! Not like oh that is a Hollywood movie you don’t understand, no it better blow my brains out type good.
The big thing out of last night was everyone congratulating Meryl Streep on her speech for going after Trump and whatnot. Personally don’t give a shit about that but she said something in her speech and hit home here at AVS.
“Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners. And if we kick them all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and Mixed Martial Arts, which are not the arts,”
First off Fuck off Meryl, get off your high horse and fuck off. I am not a huge MMA fan so this will pertain mostly to football but MMA takes unreal talent and heart so the below can be applied to them.
Meryl is widely known as the greatest actress or “artist” of all time, she has the awards to back that up so not knocking her for that. But since she is so qualified I would assume she knows the definition of art but here it is for us to look at:
Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts (artworks), expressing the author’s imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.
Art is up for interpretation, which is the greatest thing about art, people can see the same thing but think very differently about it. Meryl does not have to like football that that is fine, I mean besides The Devil Wears Prada I couldn’t care less about a Streep movie but for her to say football is the not the arts is annoying the hell out of me. I am sure she will back track and say she means the “real” arts of painting/dance/theater/blah blah but sorry that is not the way the world viewed that statement and you said football, and you don’t talk bad about FOOTBALL! I am going to defend sports because of what they mean to me and my life. I know she was making a bigger point in your speech but as someone who has her lines given to her maybe you should of asked for help because the words picked make you look ignorant.
Football players train their entire lives and spend countless hours every day perfecting their trade. So few actually make it to the NFL and get to showcase their talents to hundreds of millions of fans, those in the NFL take great pride in that accomplishment. If you watched any of the Giants /Packers game then you absolutely witnessed art. I hate Aaron Rodgers today because he beat my Giants but what Aaron does on the football is pure art by its definition. His footwork in the pocket might be unmatched, his laser precise throws are things of beauty and as a football fan he creates a wide range of emotions.
Aaron is just one example of art of football but everyone that stepped on that field yesterday showcased their artist talent. The lineman’s’ use of hand and strength to protect Aaron, the defenders trying to prevent Aaron of accomplishing his goal of a touchdown, the coaches playing chess with one another trying to outsmart the man across the field. All of it was an excellent form of art. This is just one example of artists acting out their lives for our entertainment.
The NFL has been around for decades, players like; Barry Sanders cutting and weaving his around defenders, Lawrence Taylor putting fear into the minds of opposing QBs, Odell Beckham making a one handed grab while getting pulled down by a defender, are things that cannot be taught much like Streeps’ performances over the years. All sports have great players that captivate an audience; watching Steph Curry hit 3 pointers from half court, seeing Wayne Gretzky do what he did on ice was magical and the list goes on and on.
Football and MMA are violent sports, not arguing that but by taking a shot at football and MMA, Meryl took a shot at every sport and every fan that loves sports. Art, again, is a skill intended to be appreciated for its beauty and emotional power I still get chills when I watch Tino Martinez hit a grand slam in game 1 of the World Series in 1998 (a game that I was able to experience live in person), I don’t remember Stephane Matteau scoring that game 6 goal for the Rangers because I was too young but every time I watch that highlight I feel like I was in Madison Square Garden cheering the Rangers on, these moments are historic moments in NY sports. Each game requires the best players performing at their best to a live audience. One game at a time every second counts, no director yelling cut and asking if you can do it again but with a little more emotion. You get one take, one take Meryl, to do your absolute best in front of 50,000 people and millions watching at home. There might not be a better form of art then sports and I won’t let anyone take shots at the art that I love, especially not some old Hollywood snob.
Also published on Medium.