Why don't people like him?
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Drebin31 — 15 years ago(January 16, 2011 11:34 PM)
Most people who don't like him feel that way because he is a disgusting human being. Like someone above implied, he is the quintessential hypocrite, often talking about equal rights, but then engaging in a violent and reckless lifestyle.
If you want specifics, here you go.
He has beaten his wife, attacked photographers, broken their equipment, been sued, been fined, been ordered to do community service, been arrested for assault, been imprisoned, and been charged with a felony.
He also receives negative attention for his outspoken and extreme political opinions, including heavy criticism of George W. Bush, which he often voices at extremely inappropriate venues such as the Academy Awards. He believes he is an authority on important social and political topics, even though in reality he is an actor/filmmaker, a job far less difficult or significant than those of the people he criticizes, and one that has nothing to do with what he talks about.
He also receives criticism for publicly supporting and seemingly becoming friends with socialist and communist leaders such as Cuba's Raul Castro and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, going so far as to meet them in their respective countries - a hypocritical notion in itself given his decision to continue living in capitalist America so he can make millions of dollars.
In addition, while Penn was acknowledged for his help during Hurricane Katrina, many speculated it was all a PR stunt because he brought his own photographer.
However, in spite of all that, a lot of people vehemently defend Penn simply because they believe he is a great actor. In my opinion, being such a disgraceful human outweighs whatever talent he has prentending he's other people. He's 50 years old, but he still behaves like a child. Just last year he faced more jail time for an altercation he had with a photographer.
One final thought is - also in my opinion - I think Penn is the most overrated actor of all-time. I usually get weird looks when I tell people this in real life because, being a bit of a film buff, people are surprised at that claim and always tell me I'm just letting my opinion of his psychotic personal life affect my opinion of him as an actor. But I'm serious. I'm not saying he's a bad actor. Just overrated. I laugh when I hear people call him the greatest actor of our generation. His style of acting is very over-the-top and melodramatic. He portrays extreme emotions very well, but I rarely see him acting "natural," which to me is the sign of a good dramatic actor. His characters always look like Sean Penn playing a character, like I can see right through his acting and in7ecstead see him going through the motions of reciting the words he memorized and adding emotion to it. I like to say he's on one end of the acting spectrum, with Spencer Tracy on the other - Tracy being a man who always looked so natural and subtle in his expression. Penn is the antithesis of natural and subtle.
R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen
1926-2010
You will be missed. -
bishops64 — 15 years ago(January 17, 2011 10:29 AM)
Don't watch his movies or post messages on his message board if he sucks so bad. When I don't like someone I don't waste any time time on them. You've written a book practically on someone you clearly dislike, Why? Everything you've said is opinion, innuendo,rumor and gossip, you have not stated one fact. Opinions, rumors, etc, are not fact. Since you don't like/hate Sean Penn I wonder why you've made such an effort to tell us. Why wuld you even care enough to post a message. I like him I don' care whether you like him or not. Do yourself a favor move on, you'll feel better.
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Drebin31 — 15 years ago(January 17, 2011 05:38 PM)
bishops, I was trying to answer the original poster's question as comprehensively and intelligently as possible, without resorting to the normal shouting and "SEAN PENN SUCKS!" responses typical of IMDb. He asked why don't people like him, so I tried to include every reason I've ever heard (it's not my fault there's a lot - that's Sean's fault). Actors' message boards aren't only for fans. In fact, on this website most threads under any given actor or film tend to be negative. There's nothing wrong with that.
You said don't watch his movies and, for the most part, I don't. But I try to be a film buff, so it's inevitable that I'm going to come across some of Penn's movies as I learn more about the art and talk to people about it.
Everything you've said is opinion, innuendo,rumor and gossip, you have not stated one fact.
I acknowledged that some of what I said is opinion - particularly my last paragraph - but there's undeniably some facts in my post. It's not a rumor th5b4at Sean Penn was charged with a felony for domestic assault against his wife Madonna. That's well-documented. It's also fact that he was in prison for 33 days in 1987. And that he met Hugo Chavez in person. Why are you saying those aren't facts? Saying he's a bad person because of them is opinion, but their existence is fact.
R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen
1926-2010
You will be missed. -
Emerald-S — 14 years ago(September 06, 2011 05:02 PM)
Well in possible contrast your being very reasonable I'll say this: paparazzi are scum, and if he beat the crap out of one I hope he did it good and proper. It's also rumoured that he caught a paparazzo in his hotel room and hung him out the window by his ankles nine floors up. Major respect.
As for the Socialist thing, that's nothing but a lot of right-wing beep Who gives a crap if he meets Hugo Chavez? If Hugo Chavez invited me over I'd more likely than not go and eat dinner with the man, so what? If he wasn't already a target of right-wing media outlets nobody'd care.
That said, if Sean Penn invited me over I'd probably think twice about it. Don't care about his personal history per se, and I enjoy a lot of his films but he seems quite dull or angry or something. Stupidly judging a man I never met, but there you go -
rfeni-1 — 9 years ago(June 30, 2016 10:09 AM)
"Everything you've said is opinion, innuendo,rumor and gossip"? So what? The question is "why don't people like Sean Penn?" opinion, rumor and gossip is reason enough. But the outcome of a criminal trial isn't "rumor" or "innuendo." I once read a story in "Movieline" (or maybe "Film Threat") in which the writer recounted that a boy was passing out sandwiches on the set of a Sean Penn film. When the artless lad failed to offer the tray to Penn's ASSISTANT before offering it to someone considered of less exalted station, Penn smashed the tray into the boy's face. This isn't "rumor," either, this is an eye witness account. Would you invite this guy to dinner? Work with him if you could avoid it?
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DirtyYoungBoy — 14 years ago(November 07, 2011 01:18 PM)
Aren't most celebrities like this? They make millions, star in movies, do photo shots, and get so much attention. Most celebrities are just like Sean Penn. There some celebrities that are good people but the truth is that the majority are just terrible peop238le. Personally I believe that a fan should like a celebrity based on there image. Unless you know them personally you shouldn't heavily judge them. You can only judge them a little. Besides no one ever truly knows what goes on. That's when propaganda kicks in. I'm not saying that propaganda is used on Sean Penn. I'm just trying to point out that I simple just don't know. All I do is stay home and watch his movies.
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tyrexden — 11 years ago(January 27, 2015 11:02 AM)
that illegal stuff he did, was in the 80s. Thats 30 years ago. I'm guessing he's a different man.
That Katrina stuff. did you do ANYthing for those people, regardless of bringing your own photographer or not? -
bfk_94 — 15 years ago(January 17, 2011 03:44 PM)
I don't hate on his acting abilities, he's fantastic. But the guy is a dick. He takes himself too seriously, and can't take a joke. Matt Stone and Trey Parker made fun of him in the Team America movie and he was outraged. Complained about the movie, and wrote a letter in saying how they suck. He is, to my knowledge, the only person that complained about being made fun of in the movie. Even Matt Damon (who they made retarded and could only say his own name) thought it was funny! They guy needs to lighten up.
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bishops64 — 15 years ago(January 18, 2011 11:53 AM)
"Matt Stone and Trey Parker made fun of him in the Team America movie and he was outraged." This1908 is not true. It was a election year and they told people not to vote if they didn't know the issues or if they didn't know who the candidate(s) were or something to that effect. That's why he was "outraged," not because he was a marionette in a movie. Maybe you should go back and Google and read the letter, it might help. As for the previous poster you presented everything you said as a fact. He met Hugo Chavez so did Hilary Clinton. He was charged with domestic violence, however, that does not constitute a beating.I'm not excusing any kind of alleged violent behavior, but I don't know if Madonna was beaaten or not neither do you.
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bfk_94 — 15 years ago(January 18, 2011 04:18 PM)
Or you could know that he was angry for both reasons. The voting thing was about an episode of South Park where they are pretty much saying that what's the point of voting if both sides don't appeal to you, or will do nothing good. Or to quote them "you choose between a douche and a turd sandwich". Which is very understandable, and still makes Sean Penn look like an ass for being so closed minded about the issue.
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kobro22 — 15 years ago(January 19, 2011 10:50 AM)
This is such a joke Sean Penn 5b4is one of the most talented actors out there, he can only be matched by Daniel Day Lewis, he actually has integrity and respect for the art of movie making, he does not whore himself out like basically all of his contemporaries (I am looking at you Brad Pitt and George Clooney).
ANd while George Clooney and Brad Pitt do charity work to help their image, Sean actually hauls his ass to HAiti and DOES SOMETHING!!
Sean Penn is AMAZING!!!! End of story. -
bfk_94 — 15 years ago(January 19, 2011 04:52 PM)
So you're saying because Brad Pitt and George Clooney don't, as you claim, do enough charity work that their validity as actors is less than that of Sean Penn? In my opinion, both of those actors are much more talented than Sean Penn. I'm not trying to bash his acting skills, but the way you described him makes him sound pretentious, and you yourself sounds like a pompous ass.
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kobro22 — 15 years ago(January 20, 2011 12:27 PM)
^On the other ahand you come off just GLORIOUSLY!!
Get a life. Sean Penn is the best american actor currently working. That is a fact.
Sean Penn is a humanitarian because of his extraordinary work in Haiti, Brad and Clooney boy are amateurs compared to him. -
bfk_94 — 15 years ago(January 21, 2011 09:47 AM)
See there you go again. "Sean Penn is the best American actor currently working. That is a fact." Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize that there was a science lab that determines who is the best actor ever. You make me laugh.
That's like saying Bono is the greatest musician ever because he also does humanitarian work.
You're entitled to your own opinion, but no one will take you seriously when you say crap like that. -
rfeni-1 — 9 years ago(June 30, 2016 10:16 AM)
Why do people say he's the 'best American actor'? I guess because there's so MUCH 'acting' involved. I can't stand his scenery-chewing, over-the-top performances, and that's all he's ever gives. And how does your opinion become a fact?
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bishops64 — 15 years ago(January 20, 2011 01:32 PM)
What's with the name calling? You like to use the word ass a lot. Get a thesaurus, expand your vocabulary. Maybe use butt, derriere, or gluteus maximus. Also, you seem to make wild assumptions about people you don't even know. First it's Sean Penn now it's kobro22, relax it's not that serious.