Yesterday, the NY Daily News posted a story on how film critic Lou Lumenick of the NY Post whacked esteemed fellow critic Roger Ebert with a magazine after Ebert tapped him several times during a film screening at the Toronto Film Festival to try and get him to move so he could see the film.
Today, Roger Ebert, who is unable to speak after extensive surgeries from thyroid and salivary gland cancer that included the removal of his lower jaw, took to his blog to explain the situation.
If it were up to me, you would never have heard about the incident at the Toronto Film Festival on the morning of Sept. 6 when a fellow critic whacked me with a rolled-up program or a festival binder or something. It has been blown out of proportion. It is of little interest.
The incident remained private until today (Sept. 11), when a basically accurate account appeared in the New York Daily News. I suppose since it happened at a press screening with 500 journalists in the room, this was inevitable. Now it's become a big deal, raced around the web, and been somewhat exaggerated.
There are always two sides to everything. Here is mine. The movie "Slumdog Millionaire" had subtitles on the bottom right side of the screen. I was seated in an outboard aisle seat on the right. The person in front of me was leaning over into the aisle, making the subtitles impossible to read. He is not short. Because of neck and shoulder surgery I could not look around him.
In my medical condition I cannot speak, I tapped him lightly on the shoulder, and gestured him to move over a little. He said, "Don't touch me!" and remained in position. I tapped him lightly again. "I said-don't touch me!" He leaned further into the aisle, as if making a point of it. I tapped him a third time, and he jumped up and whacked me on the knee with whatever it was. He sat down, and I defiantly tapped him again, not as lightly, but not too heavily, just to show I wasn't intimidated.
There was a commotion, some people stood up and asked him what he was doing, and a person from the studio who was seated behind us across the aisle intervened. I gather there was a conversation with security, which I did not witness. He reentered the theater and took the studio person's seat. His seat was taken by someone who had been standing in the rear of the theater. No more problems.
Rumors spread swiftly. I began getting e-mails asking if someone had "beat me up." I was eventually contacted by the Daily News, and told them I had no comment, apart from verifing that their account was truthful. This whole matter was embarrassing, because it drew attention to me and invited pity, which makes me cringe. My wife, Chaz, did not witness this. Her reaction when she heard: "I'll get a no-neck guy from the West Side to break his knees." Just rhetorical, I trust.
I think the guy was wrong. A film critic of all people should be respectful of the sight-lines of fellow audience members. But in one way I feel sorry for him. He had no idea who was behind him when he smacked me. Now it looked like he was picking on poor me. I have had my problems, but I promise you I am plenty hearty enough to withstand a smack, and quite happy, after the smack, to tap him again. I had to see those subtitles. There was no pain. The incident is over. Peace.
[From Roger Ebert's blog on the Chicago Sun-Times]
I'm glad that Ebert is hearty enough to withstand a smack, but this Lumenick guy sounds like a grade-A jerk. What exactly was his problem? He couldn't be bothered to move out of the way a little bit so someone behind him could see? This is exactly why I hate to go to the movies anymore. People carry on loud conversations, put their feet on the back of your chair, block your view and have absolutely no respect for anyone else in the theater. I actually got a group of obnoxious teens kicked out of "Spider Man 2 for carrying on loud cell phone conversations during the movie. I almost threw them out myself. If I had seen this incident - some self-important tool striking a man who clearly wasn't able to defend himself- I probably would have leaped out of my seat and punched the guy right in the face.
Roger Ebert and his wife Chaz are shown in the header at the "43rd Chicago International Film Festival Summer Gala" in Chicago on 7/14/07. Credit: Sam Wilson / WENN. They are shown below at the festival on 10/4/07. Credit: Adam Bielawski / PR Photos
WRITTEN BY MSAT
Posted in Roger Ebert
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14 RESPONSES TO "ROGER EBERT EXPLAINS SCUFFLE WITH ANOTHER FILM CRITIC AT TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL"
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Kaiser: September 12th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
The Daily News is Murdoch-owned, right? Man, Murdoch will pick a fight with anyone, won't he?
Praise to The Holy Roger Ebert, Guardian of All That Is Good, Just and Classy.
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anony: September 12th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I'm born and raised in Chicago and I miss it. I'd see him out and about often. Nice low key man. Love his wife's response she would have the guy kneecapped.
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CiCi: September 12th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
anony, i was born and raised in chgo (north shore), too! i wish roger ebert the best - he's looking better.
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daisy424: September 12th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I agree, Roger has been a Chicago staple for many years. Keep hanging in there dude. Team Ebert.
South side gal here. Report this comment as spam or abuse
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Prissa: September 12th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Wow, I didn't know Ebert had jungle fever!
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Lauri: September 12th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Very dignified response by Ebert. The jackass that did that too him should be fired for his bad behavior.
I'm glad the Ebert was able to handle it well, but honestly, what kind of person picks on someone who has obvious medical issues? Sleazoid.
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jessiee: September 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Do people still SAY obnoxious and STUPID things like "jungle fever" ???
Jesus.
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Roni: September 12th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I hear ya, Jessiee and I agreethe color of his wife's skin has no relevance whatsoever in these comments. Right about now, with the man shortage out here and how all the good guys seem to be taken; I would date a cross-eyed Vietnamese midget..as long as he treated me good! She seems to be doing a great job taking care of him.
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Gigohead: September 12th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
This movie critic, Lou whats-his-name has no idea that Ebert outlived Siskel! Ebert is tough-as-nails. Good for Ebert for fighting back!!
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vdantev: September 12th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
He's not looking well
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jess: September 13th, 2008 at 1:00 am
i once got in an argument with a girl in my college speech class about movies. she didnt think it was fair that people would get mad at her when she took her mom to the movies and proceeded to sit there and translate the whole thing into spanish.
some people are so ignorant.
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The Old KC: September 13th, 2008 at 1:38 am
LOL at jessiee - that reminds me of this coworker of mine who sent an email to our whole department saying that he wouldn't be at work that day because he had a bad case of "jungle fever". Nobody at work could believe it - we were shocked that someone would say such a thing, much less in an email to coworkers. Plus, the guy was married with 2 kids and we had seen pictures of his wife who was also caucasian. We couldn't figure it out. Turns out, when he came in later that day and we were all laughing at him, he had NO IDEA what "jungle fever" originally meant. He explained that he was cooking something and a pot exploded all over the kitchen, and his wife made him stay home and clean the whole thing up. He called it "jungle fever" because it was such a mess and his whole kitchen looked like a jungle. I still don't know what to believe on that story. It is just too bizarre to believe that someone would not know what "jungle fever" means. I guess anything is possible though.
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Jinxy: September 13th, 2008 at 5:36 am
Stay classy Roger, we're all pulling for you. If Rodger felt like identifying the individual who did that to him, it would have ended the idiots career - that's the kind of person Rodger is, he never said who it was. Every small industry knows it's secrets. I doubt the "beater critic" will be at next years festival, or many more in a working capacity.
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