# Billy Bob Thornton 'deported' from Canada



## Gordon Nore (Apr 10, 2009)

Not really. The actor - director paid a visit to CBC radio studios in Vancouver for a sit-down the CBC's Jian Ghomeshi, who broadcasts on a national CBC radio program, the Q. Ghomeshi was interviewing Thornton and three band mates of The Boxmasters who have been opening for Willie Nelson's Canadian tour. Thornton took exception to Ghomeshi's brief reference to his acting/directing career in his intro. Billy Bob offered monosyllabic answers to the interviewers' questions and refused to play on air with his own bandmates.

One day later, The Boxmasters are off the tour.

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/616913

Lesson: Don't mess with the CBC.


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## exile (Apr 10, 2009)

Why on earth would he take exception to anyone referring to his movie/theatre experience? I mean, it's, uh,  _what he does_, right? Or was the pretense supposed to be that he was there, fronting for Willie N., because of his distinguished lifelong work as a _musician???_


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## Gordon Nore (Apr 10, 2009)

exile said:


> Why on earth would he take exception to anyone referring to his movie/theatre experience? I mean, it's, uh,  _what he does_, right? Or was the pretense supposed to be that he was there, fronting for Willie N., because of his distinguished lifelong work as a _musician???_



He went bugnuts over it. Told Ghomeshi that he had been instructed not to talk about his movie stuff. Insulted his Canadian audience, saying they were all mashed potatoes and no gravy. Really stupid. If he's on tour, he's probably got to talk to no end of local DJs who can't ask an intelligent question. He gets himself on national radio with an interviewer who's going give them a long interview, plenty of discussion, and opportunity to perform live, and he behaves like a child.


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## exile (Apr 10, 2009)

Gordon Nore said:


> He went bugnuts over it. Told Ghomeshi that he had been instructed not to talk about his movie stuff.



That sounds absolutely loopy. Who would have told him that? I mean, it's publicity, right? Normally, people from that world are _desperate_ to plug every aspect of their lives, especially to a large TV viewership... it's their bread and butter, no? _Bizarre..._



Gordon Nore said:


> Insulted his Canadian audience, saying they were all mashed potatoes and no gravy. Really stupid. If he's on tour, he's probably got to talk to no end of local DJs who can't ask an intelligent question. He gets himself on national radio with an interviewer who's going give them a long interview, plenty of discussion, and opportunity to perform live, and he behaves like a child.



You wonder how he got where he is, if that's how he deals with people...

On second thought, I'm _glad _I don't understand what he did. Because if I _did_, or had even a bit of an inkling, it might mean that I could get into his mindset, and that's something I definitely don't want...


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## crushing (Apr 11, 2009)

exile said:


> That sounds absolutely loopy. Who would have told him that? I mean, it's publicity, right? Normally, people from that world are _desperate_ to plug every aspect of their lives, especially to a large TV viewership... it's their bread and butter, no? _Bizarre..._


 
What was even loopier was that Ghomeshi agreed to it and then broke that agreement.  Many people do go "bugnuts" when other people break agreements with them.  Defintely, Thornton should have handled the breech in trust better.  The sense of nationalistic pride is putting the whole hullabaloo on Thornton despite Ghomeshi breaking the promise.  Given the reviews of Thorton's band, it doesn't sound like the audiences are going to miss the music at all.

Hmmm.  I really like Canada.  It's a beautiful country full of wonderful people.  I wonder if that is in any way related to me not putting gravy on my mashed potatoes?  I prefer fresh ground pepper and whole kernal corn just out of the garden on my 'taters.


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## Gordon Nore (Apr 11, 2009)

crushing said:


> What was even loopier was that Ghomeshi agreed to it and then broke that agreement.  Many people do go "bugnuts" when other people break agreements with them.  Defintely, Thornton should have handled the breech in trust better.



It's not been clear that there was any such agreement. Here's the full clip...






Thornton shut down after the brief reference to his film career. After several minutes of avoiding questions or pretending to understand them, Ghomeshi probes Thornton as to why he's not participating. Thornton says twice, "You were instructed not to talk about that ****." Ghomeshi asserts 
he was given no instructions and the reference to Thornton's film career was a logical segue for listeners.

Ghomeshi's comment that music was Billy Bob's first love triggered a number of remarks like, "You wouldn't say that to Tom Petty."

This all comes out at 07:30 on the full video.


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## exile (Apr 11, 2009)

Gordon Nore said:


> Ghomeshi's comment that music was Billy Bob's first love triggered a number of remarks like, "You wouldn't say that to Tom Petty."
> 
> This all comes out at 07:30 on the full video.



He's comparing himself to Tom Petty now, is he... :boing2:


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## Gordon Nore (Apr 11, 2009)

exile said:


> He's comparing himself to Tom Petty now, is he... :boing2:



Well, this is the part that is so disingenuous. If one were interviewing Tom Petty today, you're interviewing someone who is a fixture in music, as opposed to interviewing him earlier in his career. Thornton, more particularly his band, are newer items. While he doesn't want to be interviewed as Thornton the movie guy, he is using his muscle as Thornton the movie guy to dictate how Thornton the music guy is perceived. 

When viewing the full interview that I posted above, the movie reference is very brief. It's not like Ghomeshi talked about Bad Santa or Mr Woodcock. You can see that the band mates grow a little tired of Thornton's sulking behaviour. The fact that he declines to play with his own band speaks volumes.


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## exile (Apr 11, 2009)

Gordon Nore said:


> Well, this is the part that is so disingenuous. If one were interviewing Tom Petty today, you're interviewing someone who is a fixture in music, as opposed to interviewing him earlier in his career. Thornton, more particularly his band, are newer items.



That's putting it ultra-mildly! Petty is a giant... as is anyone who was one of the Travelling Wilburys at any point; Thornton doesn't really belong in the same breath with TP (any more than he does with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne or George Harrison)or the same paragraph, or the same _book_. The arrogance here is... I mean, its bordering on delusional.


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## Archangel M (Apr 11, 2009)

99% of actors and musicians are narcissistic loons.


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## exile (Apr 11, 2009)

Archangel M said:


> 99% of actors and musicians are narcissistic loons.



There _does_ seem to be an awful lot of that in that business...


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## Tames D (Sep 27, 2009)

Archangel M said:


> 99% of actors and musicians are narcissistic loons.


 
That's a helluva statement. One could say the same about cops, but that would also be untrue. How many actors and musicians do know personally? Just curious.


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