James Cameron and the Hubris of Celebrity
Dec 26th, 2009 | 10 responses
Avatar and Titanic director James Cameron is rightfully hailed for his incredible vision, directing, and his determination which has not just generated huge movie grosses but raised the bar on cinematic art by putting on the screen ever drop of creativity that bubbled in his mind. But, as is not unusual in the celebrity world, he is not-so-blessed with some hubris — the hubris of making millions, moving in elite and wealthy circles and then losing sight of the people who spend their hard-earned money on his films who don’t have his bank account or enjoy his top-of-the-world-financial-heap lifestyle. TMV has the video below that shows an example of hubris catching up with him — when he cussed out a fan who dared ask for an autograph.
Perhaps it’s due to the age of the Internet, talk radio, the growth of You Tube, but if Cameron won’t give him an autograph, the fan gives Cameron a piece of his mind telling him the sacrifice he made to go see his flick. Cameron’s words are bleeped out but you can hear the fan’s admonishment. Was it a set up for the video? If it was, then Cameron fell into the trap. NOTE: adult language. The fan’s use of Cameron’s word is not bleeped out.
TMZ also notes:
Just five days before James Cameron called a fan a “f**king a**hole” after refusing to sign an autograph, the “Avatar” director proclaimed that he’d “sign as many autographs as people will line up for.”
FOOTNOTE: Autographs have become ore controversial in recent years than they were several decades ago. In the past, most people who asked for them did so because they had little collections or were in awe of a celebrity. In recent decades some stars later found out that rather than having signed autographs for sentimental fans, they signed autographs that were sold to collectors or put on eBay for big bucks. Autograph seekers can be most insistent, and if the artist haughtily waves them away it doesn’t look good.
So the artist has to decide which is more important: looking like an arrogant self-absorbed creep and refusing to sign one, or signing it and figure there’s a possibility that the autograph will be sold and be one piece of celebrity merchandise from which he/she will not profit.
In Cameron’s case, he opted to not sign it — and then cuss the fan out. Even if the fan was a set up for a video, it shows that Cameron needs to go to lunch with his p.r. person and learn now to deal with a public that is paying to see his work.
Calling them names won’t decrease the overall box office of your films, but it won’t gain converts, and when Variety says “Cameron is big B.O.” people might assume that “big B.O.” means more than “big Box Office.”
OF RELATED INTEREST:
–PROFILE: James Cameron
–Avatar Official Movie website
–AmazingCameron.com
–Avatar: James Cameron deserves the Worst Lefty Award 2009
–James Cameron’s New 3-D Epic Could Change Film Forever
10 Responses to “James Cameron and the Hubris of Celebrity”
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The guy was a kook. He had a little hissy fit when he didn't get his way and said “The plot is so simple a three-year-old could follow it. Make a real movie.” If those aren't the words of a man who plans to sell the poster on eBay I don't know what are. Who corners a man in an airport? What a jerk. He's lucky nobody arrested him!
I think you should apologize for this article. Clearly this guy is not a fan..he's got a huge poster just randomly available ? come on..he's an autograph hound/paparazzi..so cameron refuses to sign something this guy apparently is now selling on ebay for 1200 bux..id bet anything he makes thousands on autographs he chases after and not his sad “15/hr” Articles like this..that try to make james c. out to be an asshole. are just ridiculous..you should be ashamed and should apologize….Dont go into philosophy about autographs being sold..ur trying to cover your ass for jumping to conclusions and writing such a bad article with no facts and no truth. He said no to a forceful rude professional trying to make money off him…i think all of us would do the same
hi there SamDDD, welcome and please read the rules for commenters at the top of the home page. Argue your facts, put forth your opinion, debate the topic of the article. Here at TMV, commenters engage the topic of the article, not the writer. Thanks.
Blessed holidays SamDDD
dr.e
deputy mng. editor, TMV
Here's a Wired article on Cameron. Fascinating.
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/11/ff_avatar…
Baaahhh.
Avatar is a cartoon, not a movie. Crap.
District 9 was far better than Avatar.
At least District nine was contemporarily plausible.
District 9 was good, but not as good as Avatar.
I'm tired of reading posts saying that Mr. Cameron knew that guy was a TMZ reporter or that the guy was going to sell the poster on ebay. I don't know if the guy is a TMZ reporter or if the guy was going to sell the poster at ebay, but even if he is a TMZ reporter or if he was planning to sell the poster on ebay Mr. Cameron had no idea that was the case at the time he abused that man. As far as James Cameron knew that man could have been any regular fan who truly admired James Cameron up till that moment. In fact, If it had been you or me asking for Mr. Cameron’s autograph then Mr. Cameron would have treated us the same as he treated that guy at the airport. Fans have come to expect autographs because celebrities usually give autographs. It goes with the job that celebrities chose. Nobody forces them to be celebrities. It’s part of that business. I myself called Fox to ask them to release memorabilia because I wanted a piece of memorabilia commemorating Avatar for my wall. Not to sell. Fox hasn't returned my calls. I guess their as rude as Cameron. I guess they disdain us fans as much as Cameron disdains us fans. I truly loved the movie, and I was planning to see it numerous times but not anymore. I talk others out of going to see it now because I’m that disgusted with Fox's and Cameron’s disrepectful attitude towards fans. They treat us like rubes and pigeons. We fans are not their serfs. I won’t see the sequels either. Doesn’t it bother you just knowing that they really despise us fans and look down on us. Doesn’t it bother you that if you had asked Cameron for his autograph he would have treated you the same way he treated that guy at the airport? How can we enrich a guy who treats people like you as doormats??? We need to boycot this movie to show Cameron and Fox that we are to be treated with dignity and respect. If Cameron were one of the people in this new movie of his it certainly wouldn't be Jake Sully because Sully cared about the common people. Cameron would be one of the arrogant creeps attacking the common people for sure.
Avatar is a Cartoon.