Burning Issues

[poliphilo]

Something I have to keep reminding myself is that there's no law compelling me to have an opinion on every burning issue of the day- and that it's perfectly OK to say "None of my business" or "I don't have enough information" or even- a little radical this- "I don't give a damn either way." Two things are currently in the air that I found myself wrinkling my brow over before I thought a little deeper and disengaged: the first was the drama of Novak Djokovic's right- as an unvaccinated person- to enter Australia and the second was the question- raised by a number of Jewish entertainers- about the acceptability of Jews being played by non-Jews. The first of these involves a tangle of issues that I don't feel smart enough to unravel- and the second is a bit specialized- a question affecting people in the world of entertainment- actors, agents, casting directors-and I propose to leave it to them- though I have to say- as a mere consumer of product- that I think there's something a bit screwy about casting Helen Mirren as Golda Meier when the only way it can be done is to completely cover the actor in latex and false hair. Was this a decision made for any other reason than that the producers wanted a star name- and might Mirren- whom I admire- not have been wiser to say, "Not for me, chum"? I think "Maybe" to both of those. Now watch her win an Oscar for the performance- just as Gary Oldman did for being buried in prosthetics to play Churchill.

One thing I do have an opinion on is the position of Prime Minister Johnson (I avoid calling him Boris because I'm not one of his mates and I don't find him amusing any more) following the revelation that he repeatedly broke his own government's covid rules by partying through the pandemic. In fact I have not one but two opinions. The first is that he should go now- immediately- before the next scandal breaks- as it undoubtedly will- and the second is that his going will make next to no difference to the way we're governed and the prioritising by government of the interests of the rich...

Comments

[cmcmck]

There's the thing about non trans people playing trans people which has become an issue because they largely never let us play ourselves!

[poliphilo]

It's changing though, isn't it. Eddie Redmayne was sort of apologizing the other day for taking the lead role in The Danish Girl.

[sovay]

I think there's something a bit screwy about casting Helen Mirren as Golda Meier when the only way it can be done is to completely cover the actor in latex and false hair.

I don't know if she would have been interested in the part, but I think Miriam Margolyes would have knocked it out of the park.

[poliphilo]

You know, I had the same thought. They really should have hired Margolyes.