The Washington Post
The day after Elliot Rodger shot six people, wounded 13 others and then killed himself in Santa Barbara, California, The Washington Post’s senior film critic Ann Hornaday wrote a column about the impact Hollywood and movie culture may have had about his misogynistic YouTube manifesto.
How many men, raised on a steady diet of Judd Apatow comedies in which the shlubby arrested adolescent always gets the girl, find that those happy endings constantly elude them and conclude, “It’s not fair”?
Movies may not reflect reality, but they powerfully condition what we desire, expect and feel we deserve from it. The myths that movies have been selling us become even more palpable at a time when spectators become their own auteurs and stars on YouTube, Instagram and Vine. If our cinematic grammar is one of violence, sexual conquest and macho swagger — thanks to male studio executives who green-light projects according to their own pathetic predilections — no one should be surprised when those impulses take luridly literal form in the culture at large.
On Tuesday afternoon, Hornaday released a video explaining why she wrote the column.
“In singling out ‘Neighbors’ and Judd Apatow, I by no means meant to cast blame on those movies or Judd Apatow’s work for this heinous action, obviously not,” Hornaday said in her video. “But I do think, again, it bears all of us asking what the costs are of having such a narrow range of stories that we constantly go back to.”
Previously, people pushed back at Hornaday on Twitter. But they did the same with actor Seth Rogen, who tweeted to Hornaday after her column was published. (Director Judd Apatow also tweeted to Hornaday. His followers mostly agreed with him.)
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday u are a pathetic, self-promoting middle aged woman. You should be ashamed to even call yourself a journalist.
— Linda Luu (@lola_luu) May 27, 2014
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday probably because all of your movies reflect the male entitlment and misogyny that fueled his attack…nice beard tho
— Autumn Shawen (@autumnisafox) May 27, 2014
@AnnHornaday you are seriously the dumbest bitch ever. This is unfair to @Sethrogen bull schmit. Bitch.
— Allora Dannon Kubiak (@alolakubiak13) May 27, 2014
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday as also exhibited plainly in your use of the term "getting girls" jack
— Autumn Shawen (@autumnisafox) May 27, 2014
@AnnHornaday You're so wrong for publishing this, you morally reprehensible woman. Shame on you.
— Adam Wilson (@tootnanny) May 27, 2014
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday U didn't cause him to go nuts, but ur part of an industry that generates societal ideals, expectations…
— Tianna (@tee15) May 27, 2014
@AnnHornaday is Kim Kardashian-ing it for media attention. Mental Illness is not something to be blamed on Hollywood Media or @JuddApatow
— Tommy Paslaski (@Gene_Parmesan1) May 27, 2014
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday & influences the masses. If you think you play no roll whatsoever, you're sadly mistaken. Get ur head out of ur ass
— Tianna (@tee15) May 27, 2014
@chrisbutwithak Exactly, idiots in the media like @AnnHornaday are who inspire psychos, not @Sethrogen & @JuddApatow movies.
— Juan Openings (@juanopenings) May 27, 2014
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday white privilege much? unfollowed. shut up, listen and learn, you schlubby underwhelming actor. #yesallwomen
— Melissa Ulto (@miixxy) May 27, 2014
A pathetic attempt by @AnnHornaday to sell newspapers. Shameful attack on @Sethrogen and @JuddApatow as she tries to become relevant.
— Greg Pappas (@GregPappas) May 27, 2014
@Sethrogen @AnnHornaday Seth people died and your only concern is not being personally offended. I find that offensive.
— merricart (@merricart) May 27, 2014
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