Spenc Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 I watched the film, Pauly Shore is Dead, last night. I was initially captivated by the seemingly soul-bearing honesty of the film but that soon turned to an empty shallow feeling as the film wore on and took the shape of a common D-list celebrity trope-fest. I've always felt uncomfortable watching D-list celebrities do D-list celebrity acts. It is endearing when someone successful and adored like Conan O'Brien uses self-deprecating humor but I find it really disturbing when those who have fallen from grace resort to self-mockery in order to stay relevant in Hollywood. Watching Pauly Shore Is Dead for humor felt like I was watching a NASCAR race to see a crash. What was really disappointing, as I mentioned, was that the film opened with such promise. Pauly Shore was fucking famous and successful! Then he struggled to find bit parts and to keep his name anywhere near the public ear. What happened to his relationships? How did a producer go from courting him to a role one day to not even returning his agent's calls the next? This would make for an incredible documentary, or at least a realistic, honest fiction film. The longer the movie payed, the more I wished that was the film that had been made. It drew a parallel to me of the family that gets together to talk about weather and jobs instead of the important issues. [WARNING: Unsubstantiated theory:] Pauly Shore made the movie with the mindset that if he just made fun of himself and accepted Hollywood for its shallowness and betrayal, that Hollywood would embrace and love him, like a son who compliments the front garden to earn his corrupt mother's approval. Does anyone else feel uncomfortable with the way that lower-tier celebrities exploit their failures for laughter with no sense that any of these traumas are processed in a healthy manner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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