Just a thought. Poker: not your game
I really need to work on my poker face. My sister Spitfire tells me that even when I'm trying to look all neutral and calm, I still have eyebrows. And they give me away.
This is not good.
A little more facial control would have been helpful yesterday when my boss came up to the desk and proudly displayed the newest addition to our library collection:
It's quite difficult to drum up enthusiasm when one is dying a little bit inside. I mean, I know that we need to give the people what they want, but do they have to want Norbit? Isn't it better if people just forget about that movie and about other crappy, crappy movies like it? How is there even anything worthwhile about this film? I mean, I'm pretty sure even Eddie Murphy was ashamed of it once his Best Supporting Actor nomination for Dreamgirls came through. As well he should be.
So all I could manage yesterday was a little mouth twitch that possibly could have been construed as a smile. Or gas. Or the expression one makes when one smells fresh vomit on the 2nd-grade classroom floor on a rainy, muggy day.
I'm Steph, a librarian and mom of 3 (not sure how that happened). Let's chat books, food, Sumptuous Literary Adaptations, poop, knitting and maybe some crazy Mormon Feminism.
14 comments:
Are you kidding me?! Shows like that are where my tax money is going? Okay, I really am a little ticked right now.
My boss's kids absolutely wanted to see that movie (I think one is under 10 and the other over 10). A little bit into the movie, they actually asked their mom if they could please walk out of the movie.
Ooh, I hate it when libraries have all the latest dumb movies but not (despite all my title requests) quality films like Persuasion. Grr.
Rumor has it that the release of Norbit contributed to Eddie Murphy NOT getting the Oscar. Which I totally understand.
Bridget, I know. At least at my library I can make sure we get the good stuff even if I can't stave off the bad and ugly.
Scully--that would be awesome if it's true.
That cover alone should be enough to frighten anyone away.
Library directors are under a lot of pressure to give the people what they want. And no one who wants to see Norbit has ever even heard of Persuasion, I'm sure. So, to even things out, perhaps you more enlightened folks could donate better-quality films to your local library. And maybe the director will start getting the hint that not all patrons are idiots.
Btw, I'm happy to say that not one of the 40 libraries we're connected to has purchased Norbit!!
Also, my word verification was "ebosc" which is almost "ebsco." How appropriate for a post about libraries!
My favorite thing about that movie cover is that the tagline ("Have you ever made a really big mistake?") seems to refer (in shame) to Eddie Murphy's mistake in ever making the movie (I can't bring myself to call it a "film").
When we first moved to TX, I was trying to do the neighborly thing and make friends with people in our ward. There was a young couple we had dinner with a couple of times that was really nice. Different than Plantboy and I, but nevertheless very nice.
While we were at their house one evening she was showing us their vast DVD collection she said (I swear I'm not making this up), "I can hardly wait until my bookshelves are filled with movies." I DID keep a straight face, although I must admit we didn't hang out with them again.
I haven't seen Dreamgirls yet, so I can't comment on that performance, but Eddie Murphy does some of the best comedic voiceover characterisation I've ever heard (Donkey in Shrek, Mushu in Mulan) and I loved him in Dr Dolittle and Daddy Daycare. But when he creates his own concepts, and does these "comedy" movies where he's playing more than one character, what he produces is so "lowest common denominator" - crass and cringingly unfunny. I feel like he's capable of so much more.
Firstly, that "woman's" face is minging.
Secondly, my sister saw this, because her and her friends went to the cinema, and nothing else was on. They ended up just chatting in the middle of the film. No-one cared.
Ok, so an ad came on TV yesterday promoting the Norbit DVD and my husband started LAUGHING.
It's like I don't know him at all anymore...
UPDATE: *sigh* I spoke too soon. There are now several copies of "Norbit" available in my library system.
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