Ha ha ha. Why should she recognize him? Baz Luhrmann is quite famous, but he's not a famous face, and even when someone has a famous face, would you recognize that face if it turned up randomly on the street? You wouldn't know if you didn't. And how many times have you had to say, "Was that [name of celebrity]?" Ever been in the middle of a conversation with someone and had the sneaking suspicion that he thinks you're supposed to know he's somebody? Like Luhrmann in that video, most celebrities, I believe, would refrain from saying the dreaded words "Don't you know who I am?"
Anyway, it's a hilarious conversation. Luhrmann says something about marriage that the TikTokker, Georgia Godworth, paraphrases as “It’s a loose contract where you can fuck other people occasionally.” Luhrmann continues the conversation thoughtfully and politely. Watch the whole thing.
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TIL Baz Luhrmann is the director of the 1996 DeCaprio Romeo&Juliet. I've found that any movie where DeCaprio dies, or nearly dies (Revenant), generally is worth watching. So thanks for that, Baz!
As to famous people going unrecognized, I say let there be more of it, even if the famous person is indeed known to those around him. Take 'em down a peg or two.
I would say Baz Luhrmann has a famous name more than being famous himself. I've seen most of movies and know that he's a director/movie maker, but until that interview I had no idea what he looked like. Contrast that with famous people - athletes, actors, politicians etc. - who are recognizable because we see them on a screen or during an event or production.
Didn't recognize his name at all. At first.
So I looked him up. Then I realized I had heard of him in the context of his movies (none of which I have seen). So then I went back to watch the video. Hilarious. He's thoughtful, serious, giving adult answers. She's TikToc-ish. Short thoughts, short attention span, having to finish up his thoughts...or trying to. And missing entirely what he's saying. And him...finding that she's had 6 foursomes with multiple genders...his reaction seemed to be, "OK, I think we're done here."
Funny.
He’s kind of a Pete Carroll doppelgänger.
He thought he was being put on, but wasn't at all sure, I think. You could see those searching looks at the camera man to try to figure out if he was being played, or if the interviewer truly didn't know who he was. He was being cruelly neutral with his answers because of it, too. I don't think he knew until she wrapped it up and walked off. Reality TV has killed reality.
I’ll have a foursome at 8:50 tomorrow morning. We usually finish in under four hours then go get some lunch…
Love love how he needs to direct.
“It’s a loose contract where you can fuck other people occasionally.”
Just so long as the occasionally and the permanent never meet.
"Baz Luhrmann is quite famous..."
Never heard of him.
Harder to find famous faces in Madison? 😂
Never heard of him, even after reading this.
Except Trump. He's not allowed.
I got a real public reaming about not recognizing author Robert Silverberg while working registration at the 1986 WorldCon. (I had never seen the man in my life. Not even a photo on the back cover of any of his books.) Not from Silverberg. He was perfectly patient and nice. From his girlfriend.
"Never heard of him, even after reading this...."
Fame isn't what it used to be. Famous people aren't really famous anymore.
"Fame isn't what it used to be. Famous people aren't really famous anymore."
Thank god.
"I got a real public reaming about not recognizing author Robert Silverberg...."
Never heard of him.
And even if I had, why would I know what he looked like?
How many authors do you know by how they look? Stephen King? JK Rowling? I love David Sedaris and have seen him on stage, but would I recognize him if I just happened to run into him somewhere? Not from looks. Maybe from his voice.
One time, in the 1970s, I was a few feet away from Diane Keaton in a camera store. The salesman nudged me and told me it was her. I looked at her. Okay, if you say so. Even being told it was her and even having seen her in several movies, I couldn't tell. (She was a regular customer there, so he wasn't mistaken.)
When I see a celebrity, I usually tend to feel that they don't belong in the real world. What are they doing here? Get back on screen or wherever. If you have to interact with them, you need to treat them like a "regular" person. That's awkward. How about treating everyone with respect and calm friendliness? Then it won't matter if you recognize them and you won't be annoying if you do.
This was the first time I have ever seen a photo/video of Luhrmann, but I know who he is otherwise.
I've never heard of either one of them.
From my brief exposure, really like him, really hate her.
Never heard of either of them and don’t intend to learn any more about them.
I haven’t seen a movie in a theater in seven or eight years. We mostly watch old black and white movies from the golden age, when we watch TV at all, which is rare.
"but would I recognize him if I just happened to run into him somewhere?"
Facial recognition is certainly connected to context in a deep way. To use your example, when I see a picture or a video of Stephen King, I know instantly who he is without being told. If I saw him the Oak Ridge Walmart, I would probably walk by without even noting it.
We're iewing this from an American perspective on celebrities. This happened in Sydney, and many Australians would recognize a man who is very famous in Australia.
The only reason I would know he was a celebrity is that jacket...
Don't know who that is at all.
Ann Althouse said...
"Never heard of him, even after reading this...."
Fame isn't what it used to be. Famous people aren't really famous anymore.
Entertainment is much more decentralized now. We all used to watch the same 4 channels.
Now there are thousands.
I have no idea who Baz is. Or who the "Comedian" is. But i agree, very few famous writers and directors/producers etc. are known to me. They're just words on the page or a credit on the movie screen. Or I see their picture on the internet or Twitter.
If Chris Nolan walked past me, I wouldn't know it was him. Same with JK rowlings or Murakami.
I'd might recognize George RR Martin, but I might write him off as old homeless man.
Id recognize Mel Gibson, but then he was a movie star for 20 years. Some people aren't very unique looking or can look very different off-screen. That especially true of female celebs. If they 'dress down' and take off the makeup they're unrecognizable.
rehajm said...
"He’s kind of a Pete Carroll doppelgänger."
She should have asked him about being let go from the Seahawks after 14 seasons.
Once, I was buying groceries, and the guy in the next checkout lane looked exactly like Stephen King. "That's crazy. Why would Stephen King be in my local grocery store? I wonder what it's like to live looking exactly like a famous person. I bet it's annoying."
As it turned out, that really was Stephen King. Ha!
Baz Luhrman made "Strictly Ballroom," which is a very funny movie with a lot of music in it.
Luhrman had interesting things to say. I wish we'd gotten to hear more from him.
Was this a test? The post does not indicate why we should know Baz Luhrman. I had to click on the tag and surmise he's a director based on the videos at the tag.
Baz is a name? I met a Chaz a while back. I had always thought that "Chaz" was a slightly-ironic nickname for Charles, but he was named Chaz.
Was her answer part of her comic persona? She seems nonchalant about having an occasional weekend foursome. Is that how the world works nowadays?
I took the interviewer for a he.
I was on a flight once sitting next to Delroy Lindo - the English/Jamaican guy that played the heavy in Get Shorty. I think he played Satchel Paige, too. I knew who he was the whole time, because he has a very recognizable face and looks the same in person as he does on the screen. But I didn't know his name - we were headed for the islands and he was appearing there for something related to Carnival. We chatted about island things, getting around, sights, fun stuff, etc. I'd been there for some years, at this point, and had good friends and family in the carnival business. It was odd, though. He was perfectly nice, very polite, approachable, engaged and interesting. After about an hour of chat I asked if he was in movies, and he said 'yes I am' and told me his name, but we didn't talk about it - I figured that this would be boring ground for him.
I was in offshore operations then, so we were in the business of getting equipment and people through channels efficiently to support the drilling rig. So I knew many people at the airport, and we had guys that worked with Customs every day, clearing international stuff through. Delroy was well-supported though - he got whisked straight into the unmarked doors, completely missing the Hoi Polloi and the lines. I saw him later on TV during the Mas' festivities on Mardi Gras. It has to be a little weird, getting to that stage of fame where you can no longer know what normal people are like when you're out in public. You can see the same thing in Baz' eyes, during his interview. 'Is this real, or...'
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