EXCLUSIVE: The C-Word Defends Itself Against The Kick-Ass Controversy
You've followed the critical feuds and read the think-pieces about how this weekend's most talked-about debut at the multiplex, the hyper-violent, mega-profane Kick-Ass, is poised to offend American moviegoers' delicate sensibilities. But until now, you haven't heard from one of the film's most controversial players, one that's been squarely in the center of the firestorm. And so Movieline reached out to the C-Word itself to chat about how it's being portrayed in the overheated media coverage of a movie masterfully engineered to delight fanboys while giving cautious parents' naughty places an inappropriate squeeze.
So everyone's freaking out because a 13-year-old girl playing an 11-year-old assassin invokes you. How does that feel?
I gotta be honest with you, it's kind of great! In 2010, one little loaded word can stir up so much sh*t! It's just nice to be out there again, in the conversation. "Motherf*cker" has been killing me for years. Guess that one fell into the 2004 Jude Law trap, got itself overexposed. My gain.
Judging from all the buzz, it seems like it's definitely your time to shine.
It's been so long since I had this kind of attention. CAA's returning my calls again, I'm like this close to getting into the next Scorsese picture. Why let the [Kick-Ass director] Matthew Vaughns of the world have all the fun, you know? No offense to Matty, I love Matty, but Marty was putting teenage girls in controversial roles thirtysomething years ago. He doesn't have to cede his edge to a younger generation.
Wow, that's a big name.
My agent will kill me for saying this, but I have a general meeting with Chris Columbus next week. You know, to feel each other out, figure out if there's a way to do something together in the future. You work with a cute kid like Chloe, people get a little more comfortable, doors swing open, I'm telling you. Unless he sees this and freaks out. Which he probably will. Ah, f*ck it.
OK, we've established this has been great for you career-wise. But is it good for kids? Is it OK for a Chloe Moretz to be throwing you around?
I think it's been pretty clear that she's a total professional, and she has parents who help her make decisions. Lovely people. She knows the difference between her character and real life. If she so much as says "hell" at home, the iPhone goes in the lockbox for a week. She's also not allowed to blow off people's heads with a hand-cannon the size of her Barbie Dream House, but nobody seems to be talking about that.
Isn't shifting the focus like that just throwing violence under the bus?
You're damn right I'm throwing it under the bus! Look, I get it, America. Sex is a scary thing. It's terrifying, mysterious, shameful. And we need to keep that from the kids! Shelter them from the realities of their bodies. But by all means, let's glamorize movies and video games about skull-splattering shooting sprees. Nothing wrong with that, prudes!
Sorry. You get exhausted of the stigma, you know? I mean, look at you. You can't even type me out. What's this C-word stuff, the asterisk stuff?
We have advertisers. They can be a little skittish about that kind of thing.
We all have masters to answer to, I suppose. But next time no way I let my publicist agree to talk under these conditions.
Let's get back on track. Aren't you ignoring the unavoidable misogynist overtones associated with you?
Lionsgate has really thought this through, had me doing a lot of outreach with women's groups, even though Hit-Girl says it to a dude. It's been an eye-opening experience on both sides, I can promise you that. And women love the movie. Eat. It. Up. You can't always trust the tracking on this stuff.
We're out of time. Anything else you'd like to get off your chest?
It just feels good that even in a world where language is so debased by text messaging and Twitter that I can still have some impact. Sometimes you feel like you're losing all your power when a bunch of bored teenagers are cutting you down to "cnt" half the time on their tiny cellphone screens. Jesus, I'm only four letters, truncate all the mojo out of some other word to make your character limit, you spoiled brats.
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Comments
I prefer to use the cunt w***
Mark, I have to compliment you on the wonderful flow of this article.
I knew that the most despicable word considered by most women by an eleven year old girl had to have more to it than just the use of the word. I was right, it was in reference towards a man. Any derogatory reference to the male sex is o.k.. This way of thinking is absolutely not equality. It's about superiority. And any form of superiority is elitism.
You talk about elitism as if it's a bad thing, peon.
I say cunt all the time. It's one of my most favorite words. It works because too many people have become candyasses so they're brainwashed, conditioned reactionaries to WORDS. I love this spoof on the C word. I hate knowing that cunt is about to be censored because some whiney little tard will cry that their poor pitiful little eyes might read c u n t in a row and well...I suppose that means the plague is coming or something.
Great read. I'm sharing.
Yay! Thanks for not censoring cunt like everybody else. You just earned yourself another fan.
I may be what you call a peon but it's better than being a cunt. Equality of power means abdication of power. Now that the power has shifted we are at the mercy of the current power; female power. The "put down" of the male species is quite all right in our society, just as the female species is brainlessly worshiped.
I personally think "KICKASS," was a good movie. All the adults need to grow up. They to think about when they were young(like no kid around them maybe even them never used derogatory words before).
The story line was great; there are things going on like this for real; not only does this 11 year old protect herself; grown ups should realize that an 11 year old girl or boy needs to be able to take care of thereselves. (If they come face to face with a situation) you cannot tap someone in the gonads or slap them....THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR THERE LIVES...THEY MUST BE TAUGHT LETHAL FORCE AT THE BEGINNING..(Remember a pedophile does not intend to let them LIVE!!!)
I teach real survival skills....KILL OR BE KILLED.
This systematic emasculation of the male species that his been going on in this country for the last forty years has completely done all females a disservice. And it's the reason a lot of them are getting killed. They're told from birth that they are equal or even superior to a man in physical strength; which had nothing to do with the original philosophy of "feminism." It's been exaggerated and takes itself too seriously. Now girls are sent off into the world fearless with no regard to the violent world that they actually live in. The reality is that women are not equal to a man in physical strength or power, unless they have some special form of assassin training, they're vulnerable to the real world. And they're not being taught that; they're being lied to. Just for the purpose of a fictional and political agenda.
This movie was such a diaspointment. It was not enjoyable and only once laughed; other times I was shocked at the forward and stupid violence. Too bad, this is a good example of Hollywood ruining a good idea.
Personally the movie was good and stuck very closely to the source material(that being the 8 volumes of the comic) with them only changing a few of the tools and set pieces for some scenes but nothing seriously different from the comic panels.
As for the Hit Girl controversy well i couldn't really care because in a few months it will blow over like all other controversies in the past just to fade into history.
Otherwise the movie was great and i can't wait for the second set follow up to the first 8 issues of the comic which is set to come out in 2011 which is going to Kick Ass!!!
The sequel should be called Cunt-Ass or Kick-Cunt... and then follow through on its title repeatedly.