2/17/08

Of Gulpers, Constipation and Mandy Patinkin

Recently there was a little controversy along with some name calling in reference to an actor we discussed here at Sweetpea. Well, maybe I've done a little name calling myself, but it's all in fun. You see, a lot of well respected actors don't inspire much admiration in myself; actually, their acting style makes me laugh. I'll give you another example. I was talking with a friend about "Criminal Minds" the tv show and couldn't remember the name of the main actor, I just said "You know, that guy that always looks constipated" and she said "Yeah, that's Mandy Patinkin." So here is this actor guy who is aclaimed as a great artist, when all of his acting technique actually comes down to is working up an expression on his face indicative of a diet high in cheese. Mandy Patinkin's acting style comes down to looking constipated whenever something serious is happenning --and the more serious the issue on the show, the more constipated he appears. Ok, so where am I going with this? You see, the last few weeks with there's beena a back and forth over someone who is allegedly a stalker, and another poster who sounds like a groupie. Well the main problem in entertainment is not groupies or stalkers --it's a third group, the vast majority I call Gulpers. You see Gulpers are entertainment consumers who are, well, I think the best way to put this, easily amused. They see someone on tv solving a murder mystery, witha very serious, very constipated look on their face --and they think it's great! Gulp Gulp, Gulp Gulp. You'll here them talking excitedly at the office about this great show they watched last night, when they should be working, all excited like they participated in something meaningful, until they get bored with it and the next year are gulping down the same thing in a different format. Well Gulp on this: I am predicting that Mandy Patinkin's next career move is in country music! You heard it here first! Happy Gulping!!!!!! H. Bun for futher info www.satirepatch.blogspot.com

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Having seen Patinkin on Broadway and in movies and on TV and having an acting background myself, I can tell you that while Patinkin's role on Criminal Minds might have been relegated to him looking serious and concerned, he is a very talented actor. Of course art is subjective and it is next to impossible to convince anyone that someone is a good musician, singer, actor, or artist. BUT, Patinkin is well-renowned as a fine actor. I have seen him bring a live audience to a hushed silence (and NO these were not gulpers but sophisticated theater goers in Williamstown, NY and other places). He can be frightening, touching and charming. If you have seen his concerts you would also see that his acting translates into his interpretation of song. There ARE actors who have made it by making faces and 'projecting' emotion as my old acting teachers used to say. Patinkin is not one of them. He did leave Criminal Minds and for his own reasons, but considering the caliber of this actor and what they were paying him, one would have thought the writers would have given him more to do. Until the day he left the show, they never developed or made sense of his character.