The Canadian National Newspaper: A Thorton in Jian’s side

Jian Ghomeshi is no newbie to the game. Sure he’s been on the radio for what I understand is just under a decade, and some radio personalities have been on a single show for years and years. But if his reaction to Billy Bob Thornton’s tirade on Wednesday was proof of nothing else, it was that Jian can now withstand anything as a DJ.

If you haven’t seen CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi’s awkward and surreal interview with Billy Bob Thornton, I suggest you do so now. LINK

The Oscar winning screenwriter slash actor slash musician had a few words to say to Jian and I mean that in the most literal sense. He hardly said anything at all. He spent the larger part of the first half of the interview acting like an Alzheimer’s patient while Jian posed simple questions such as “When did the band form” and “You’ve made three records in that time?” A snippet of that conversation went like this, verbatim.

It wasn’t until band mate J.D Andrew stepped in that Jian was rescued with an answer. The awkward assault on Ghomeshi by Thornton that eventually followed was like watching a David Lynch movie in reverse. He went on long irrelevant tangents about an old Monsters magazine he read as a child, when Jian asked about his passion for music.

The interview was so clunky and distorted that the witty and crafty demeanour of Jian Ghomeshi did all to save it, but arguably came up short. Jian desperately clung on to professionalism as Thornton knocked down pillars of the interview one by one, as the rest of the band mates stood by like innocent bystanders. Jian attempted to make light of the situation, until he learned that Thornton was clearly offended by the slightest mention of his movie career. “Since you’re instructed not to talk about shit like that.” Thornton replied to Jian’s questions about acting. “But that’s just giving context, right?” Jian innocently replied, hoping to patch already soiled wounds.

Alas it was damage already done, and Thornton was not ready to look at it as water under the bridge. The back and forth barrage continued for several more minutes, as Thornton attacked, and Jian hopelessly defended, you couldn’t help feel bad for the poor DJ. Despite it all Jian took the high road and asked for a truce, and then the interview slowly, staggered on. The baffling interview ended with Thornton refusing to play drums or sing (his two roles in the band) and stating that the rest of the band will simply play an instrumental cover of another song.

Perhaps it was the hangover that most musicians undoubtedly have every morning. But I feel that there is a more disconcerting issue at stake. Perhaps when actors, and I specifically mean, Hollywood actors take on different endeavours, they are so often met with such heated criticism, that they often feel as if though they only have one of two paths to follow. A defensive failure, or the vicious success.

Thornton evidently took the latter. Sometimes a person’s ego, can get high enough that they feel that they are above the common man, and must be treated so. Thornton was clearly infuriated that he was being referred to as an actor in an interview about his music, and albeit it wasn’t an interview about a film, Jian is right, the mentioning of his past really does put things into context. Thornton’s reaction was not only childish but asinine as well. I will give him this, I understand, the counter end would have been just as bad. If a successful Hollywood actors is predominately leaning on his movie career to help launch the success of a music career, it’s sort of pathetic. But to completely disengage his host altogether simply because of a slight mention of his other professions…jerk move.

It hurts me so because I am actually a huge fan of Billy Bob. I loved Monsters Ball, and really enjoyed his comedic side too, Bad Santa had me in stitches, and was heartfelt too. But common man, how dare you do that to one of our biggest and brightest Radio hosts. He even found time to interject a few quick jabs at Canadian culture, calling us reserved as music fans, and continuing to insult our gravy…but I draw the line there. My sincere respect goes to Jian though for ultimately holding together a collapsing structure which was once set up to be a smooth interview with a group of musicians.

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