Thomas Wictor

The actor Vince Vaughn has given an interview to British GQ in which he’s expressed a lot of deeply conservative viewpoints. And like the little wind-up toys that they are, many of those who disagree with him are insulting him.

This is actually a very stupid thing to write, because Weinberg is claiming that he had multiple suspicions that Vaughn is “stunningly stupid.” How were each of these suspicions different? Was one suspicion based on Vaughn’s words, another on his hair, another on his shoes, another on his race, and another on his accent? How many suspicions in total did Weinberg have? Three? Ten? A million?

Either you suspect that someone is stupid, or you don’t. Nobody has “suspicions” that someone is stupid.

I’m guessing that Vaughn’s views on guns are what make Weinberg have his suspicions that the actor is stupid.

On the American right to own a gun:
“I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home. We don’t have the right to bear arms because of burglars; we have the right to bear arms to resist the supreme power of a corrupt and abusive government. It’s not about duck hunting; it’s about the ability of the individual. It’s the same reason we have freedom of speech. It’s well known that the greatest defence against an intruder is the sound of a gun hammer being pulled back. All these gun shootings that have gone down in America since 1950, only one or maybe two have happened in non-gun-free zones. Take mass shootings. They’ve only happened in places that don’t allow guns. These people are sick in the head and are going to kill innocent people. They are looking to slaughter defenceless human beings. They do not want confrontation. In all of our schools it is illegal to have guns on campus, so again and again these guys go and shoot up these f***ing schools because they know there are no guns there. They are monsters killing six-year-olds.”

On whether guns should be allowed in schools:
“Of course. You think the politicians that run my country and your country don’t have guns in the schools their kids go to? They do. And we should be allowed the same rights. Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won’t rid the world of criminality.”

You can agree or disagree with Vaughn on the role of guns in civilized society, but this is clearly not a stupid man. He’s very articulate; given the fact that he’s extemporizing—speaking off the top of his head—there’s no doubt that he’s of above-average or superior intelligence.

Normally I don’t read anything that entertainers say. Too many of them have made it impossible for me to enjoy their art because I know they hate me. They say so, all the time. They hate me, but they don’t hate the Islamic State.

I’ve been very fortunate in that I’ve had several Twitter exchanges with one of my heroes, the actress-comedienne Rosanne Barr.

For decades now she’s been an inspiration for me because she simply refuses to give up. What I admire most about people is individuality and fearlessness. Ms. Barr is unique in so many ways that she’s in a class of her own. She thrives in a milieu that’s unfathomably cruel to mature women and women who don’t conform to artificial standards of beauty.

I didn’t watch her TV show, but my brother Tim told me that I had to see the film She-Devil. So we watched it together one night, and I was hooked. It’s not only a brilliantly funny film, it’s deeply moving. The best comedy edges into pathos. What came out in She-Devil was a sweetness that I didn’t know Ms. Barr could project.

If she and I sat down and discussed politics, we’d probably disagree about almost everything. That’s why I choose to not engage her on politics. Her viewpoint is entirely legitimate; there’s no such thing as being wrong about politics. But why would I want to risk alienating one of my heroes by arguing with her? What do our differences matter? We both support Israel, which is how we began communicating.

When it comes to Israel, I have the biggest tent on the planet. I don’t care if you and I disagree about everything else. If we support Israel, that’s what’s important to me.

Vince Vaughn’s best performance is in a movie called Clay Pigeons. It’s a spectacular film. Vaughn is one of the most menacing villains in screen history. He’s absolutely repulsive. It’s a performance that you won’t ever be able to get out of your mind.

But…

There’s another performance in the film that all aspiring actors should watch. It’s one of the greatest acting jobs ever caught on film. Vaughn is being trailed by FBI agent Dale Shelby, and she runs into him in a bar without knowing he’s the killer. He proceeds to humiliate her verbally for her appearance, while she sits there and reacts in silence. Her expressions are unbelievable.

The actress who plays Dale Shelby is Janeane Garofalo.

Garofalo makes no bones about how she loathes people like me. It’s too bad, because we had identical upbringings. If we met, we could compare notes and understand perfectly what the other had experienced. That’s why I have a soft spot for her. Also, her amazing skill as an actor helps override my disgust with the mind-bogglingly vicious things she’s said about those who disagree with her. Another of her masterpieces is The Truth About Cats and Dogs, a remake of Cyrano De Bergerac with the genders reversed.

If you don’t know the premise, it’s about looks versus personality. “Roxanne” is attracted to a physically beautiful but dull-witted man/woman, and the Cyrano character—insecure about his/her own looks—becomes the voice of the dunce through letters or telephone calls. Thus Roxanne thinks he/she is falling for someone who’s both gorgeous and bright, when in reality it’s the mind of Cyrano that creates the sparks.

Although a great film, The Truth About Cats and Dogs is flawed because Garofalo is vastly more attractive than Uma Thurman. That’s not a criticism of Ms. Thurman. It’s just that Garofalo has killer eyes.

They’re gentle and sad. I’m a sucker for eyes like that. Study that photo for a while. You’ll see that Garofalo becomes more alluring the longer you look at her.

You’ve made some stunning art, Janeane. Good for you.