This sounds to me like one of those glamorous, red carpet events that I will always think weird and I will never understand. Thursday night's gala, held at NYC's Lincoln Center, organised by 'party planner to the stars' Colin Cowie and hosted by Andie MacDowell, wasn't a charity event, it was solely about the promotion of an airline. Speaker after speaker extolled the opportunities that this venture will allow, enabling more people the choice to travel thousands of airmiles in Qatar Airlines luxury. Presumably, these people meaning those people who were at the bash. And I daresay the words 'carbon' and 'footprint' weren't on the gourmet menu.
Ironically, this event coincides with the discovery of an interview recorded between Jake Gyllenhaal and Matt Lauer for The Today Show, in which Jake discusses the dual purpose of his film The Day After Tomorrow - to entertain and be fun while highlighting the cause of global warming and environmental catastrophe.
This interview highlights above else what fun Jake had making a movie that he had no idea of how it would look when it hit the screen. Apparently, at his first viewing of the scene in which Hollywood was trashed by twisters - one of Jake's favourite scenes "for so many reasons" - he leapt to his feet shouting "This movie rocks!" Not only that, Atticus did the same thing. Jake tells us how the water tank became a lavatory but that it added authenticity: "A wave like that could make you go to the bathroom in your pants." When asked if it troubled him that the tsunami approached NYC from an impossible direction, Jake quips "But when a wave's that big I don't really care."
True enough, these things don't matter, and The Day After Tomorrow's primary purpose is surely to entertain and amuse. But, as Jake says: "every movie should have a reason". This movie is built upon events that actually took place 10,000 years or so ago and, accidentally or otherwise, the film did prompt some discussion and, as Matt Lauer points out, some used it "to bash the Bush administration". Thursday's gala event to me seems to be from another world.
Pictures from Women's Wear Daily, JustJared and IHJ.
28 comments:
Always look forward to your unique take on things. Loved seeing the interview from the past and Jake's reaction to Matt saying people used TDAT as another Bush bashing excuse. For those of us that are new to Jake interviews since the amazing fall and winter of 2005-2006 it shows that we missed a lot from our witty, charming boy. Great to be able to see some of it.
As for the airline promotion. I don't quite get the reason for such events if funds are not going to charity. I kind of put it in the category of all the freebies celebs used to get at Awards shows. Why in the world would already wealthy people need all that free stuff. I would have felt a little ashamed in accepting it. There were a few who sold it at auction and let the money go for chairty. That's what I admire. Don't know what to make of Maggie and Peter!
Hi Dani
It's great to rediscover these old interviews because, as you say, for many of us this is the first time round. And he always makes me laugh!
I hate to think how many free airtickets these celebrities - which included Donald Trump - were given in return for adding their names to the publicity. It's not something I'm comfortable with. I saw a list of freebies in the goodie bag that attendees at this year's MTV Film Awards were given - it was obscene.
I fly by plane a few times a year myself and I feel a certain amount of guilt for it. I'm going to admit to being troubled by Maggie and Peter's presence at this event, which seems to ignore completely the effort of environmentalists to remind us of the damage we're doing to our planet. Air travel is a necessary evil and pleasure but to have all these stars come out and glorify it, simply for perks, makes me uneasy - sorry to be po-faced!
I know there was a recent controversy about all the freebies at the awards shows and they weren't being given as much as in the past. Some shows stopped all together. But the most satisfying thing to me is that Uncle Sam has been checking them out and the IRS wants their share of the loot in the form of good old taxes!
Hello WDW, are we supposed to be able to view the recently discovered TDAT interview by clicking on your link there? Because I tried twice, and it's not happening for me, :(. Is it me, are others able to view the newly discovered interview??
hi anonymous 2:29.... I'm not able to view it either. I'm on a Mac, maybe that's why.
This is a brilliant post! It has done an additional service in making me pop out of my fever and snap right back to posting. Thank you WDW!
"I'm going to admit to being troubled by Maggie and Peter's presence at this event, which seems to ignore completely the effort of environmentalists to remind us of the damage we're doing to our planet. Air travel is a necessary evil and pleasure but to have all these stars come out and glorify it, simply for perks, makes me uneasy - sorry to be po-faced! "
You know these words are about to start me off on one of my non-stop rants. There are so many ways that come to mind in which the lifestyles of the privileged few mindlessly attack the environment. Yes flying for the heck of it is one such. I'll not proceed, I'll save it for another day.
I love how you have juxtaposed this with the Jake interview from TDAT.
And Dani I love your sense of humor
"But the most satisfying thing to me is that Uncle Sam has been checking them out and the IRS wants their share of the loot in the form of good old taxes!"
I have no idea what Uncle Sam does with the taxes he rakes in but we have our Uncle Ram and Uncle Shyam who make sure they tuck it all away in their own pockets and those of their nieces and nephews!
Thanks for another thoughtful article WDW. These events seem to be a shameless display of wealth, which makes me cringe given the lives of the majority of people on this planet. And don't get me started on the award show gift bags.
I wonder whether it's a coincidence that Maggie is wearing Qatar colours! Are they shareholders maybe?
Rant away Incognita - I'm feeling a little that way myself. ;)
Birdie and Anon
I'm sorry you're having trouble viewing the video. If you click on the link it should come up with the video preceded by a short advert. I'm using IE and haven't had any trouble. I believe it could cause problems with Firefox.
Incognita I'm so glad yu're feeling well enough to comment again. I hope you're much better soon.
I had to bite down a rant myself. You put your finger on it when you say 'mindlessly'. It seems to me that the rich and famous sometimes can't put two ideas together - such as a)global warming is an important issue receiving lots of attention and publicity, and b) a free lunch.
Hi Ruby - I thought exactly the same thing when I saw Maggie's dress.
Maybe I'm being simple, but I just don't get this event at all and I don't understand why any star would want to be associated with it? To think that it just boils down to a shedload of freebies is a revolting thought.
* Trying to keep my ranting under control *
What y'all said about these types of events! They are totally beyond me.
I, too, can't view the interview and I'm on a Mac. I'm thinking since it's MSNBC and the "MS" is Microsoft there is a conspiracy afoot!
This Mac user can't view the video either. There's a clip saying it is being prepared in a compatible format then it just skips over it to some school of rock story. Definitely a conspiracy by MS to keep us away from Jake. Who of course is a Mac user :D
Ruby I'm sort of wishing I was part of this exclusive Mac club!
Ah, WDW, you should forsake The Dark Side and come into the light!
Yeah, what beckela said. Everyone knows the good guys use Macs!
Hey, I am one of the good guys even though I have MSN. But I swear it wasn't a deliberate choice. It just happened like that. I can't change over to Mac just because Jake uses it. I am already practically in the poor house because of Jake related expenses!
Maybe we should start a campaign for Jake to get the rest of us MacBooks.... ;D
WDW from The Dark Side
I agree about these events and the lives of the people who attend them seeming so alien to mine that I can't wrap my mind around it.
RE: goodie bags and such, whenever I hear about them it strikes me that in spite of American culture giving lip service to the idea that hard work can lead the poorest kid to the presidency, the fact is that wealth breeds more wealth, and if you are poor you don't get damned much for free. Yeah, food stamps--do they cost the government as much for one recipient as one of these 'goodie bags' these people who DON'T NEED ANYTHING FREE are given just for being beautiful?
You could send a kid to a four year public university for what one of these gift bags is worth.
Of course, it could be said that if I resent the idle rich so much, I should put my energy into something more constructive than haunting Jake-related websites.
Maybe I'll start that tomorrow. ;')
Great idea. He owes us. Ha! Ha!
No Pav! Don't do that!
Fortunately, I place Jake outside the category of the 'idle rich' and consider him well worth my time (and he takes a lot of my time). But there are plenty of so called beautiful people that I wouldn't give the time of day to.
There is so much injustice out there. I've found it very therapeutic to spend time having a rant about it here. Because this is entirely the point of the site - Jake makes my mind go off in all sorts of tangents and gives me the chance to think about a whole range of subjects and discuss them here.
So make sure you come back, eh? ;D
Thanks wdw. I will keep stopping by. The level of conversation at this site keeps getting better every time I do!
Oops, just reread my last post and realized it could be read to mean I think MY contributions raise the level of conversation. NOT what I meant--I meant as this site becomes more established, and more Jake fans find it, the comments keep getting better all the time. Seems to be a very literate and thoughtful bunch around here.
Ruby said...
"This Mac user can't view the video either. There's a clip saying it is being prepared in a compatible format then it just skips over it to some school of rock story. Definitely a conspiracy by MS to keep us away from Jake. Who of course is a Mac user :D"
The very same thing happened to me when I tried to play the video. My God, Ruby, you are on to something. I never made the connection regarding the "MS" in "MSNBC". How tacky of them. Well, all I can say, speaking as a Mac girl, is Microsoft has Bill Gates.... but we have Jake. Enough said.
Hi Pav I knew what you meant!
I've said it before and it bears repeating that I'm very proud of the standard of comments here. As you say, it's a 'very literate and thoughtful bunch' who visit here. Today (or yesterday depending on where we are) is the beginning of the fourth month for the site and I'm so encouraged by the number of people who now feel confident to leave their comments, making the whole site a much more communal effort.
So do keep stopping by and adding your point of view :D
Hi Birdie
I didn't make that connection either with MSNBC. Well, it all makes sense now and that's not good.
But as you say you have Jake as your Mac Boy. Sounds pretty good compensation to me. Mac Boy Jake. Sigh.
I really like "Mac Boy Jake", WDW...... is that possibly realted to "Big Mac"? (sorry, but that's where Jake makes my brain go sometimes.) : )
As for the original post regarding Maggie and Peter's attendance at the promotional event for this airline, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Maggie is Naomi and Stephen's daughter, and I would guess her integrity, values and ethics are what we would imagine them to be. I'm going to assume there's more to this story than meets the eye.
ok, in my haste to post, I totally forgot to acknowledge that it was beckela who was the first to recognize the Microsoft "conspiracy" aimed at Mac Boy Jake. Sorry, beckela. I do not want to ignore the valuable contributions of a fellow Mac Girl!
Maggie is Naomi and Stephen's daughter, and I would guess her integrity, values and ethics are what we would imagine them to be. I'm going to assume there's more to this story than meets the eye.
I wondered about this too, Birdie. We know our lovely girl and her family are very much involved with human rights issues, so I wondered if it may have something to do with that. There are issues on both side of the war on terror. Qatar is one of the more forward Middle Eastern countries as far as rights for women, etc. I don't know if any celebrities may be involved in any of these issues.
Also, I loved Jake's Day After Tomorrow interview with Matt Lauer. I hadn't heard it before. Thanks, WDW!
Hi Birdie and Marina - Thanks for your take on this. I like to see the different opinions co-existing here.
I'm glad you liked the interview Marina. I know you can't see it Birdie, but to be part of the elite club with the Mac Girls and the (Big) Mac Boy Jake!
Post a Comment