You're Doing It Wrong Billy Bob
CAUGHT ON FILM: Ego Maniac Billy-Bob Thornton does his best to derail an interview with Q-TV's Jian Ghomeshi. What riled Thorton? In his intro to the piece, Ghomeshi mentioned the fact that he has a band in studio whose drummer Billy Bob Thornton whose first love is really music. (Doesn't sound to scandalous, right? Billy Bob wants everyone to love him for his music and to forget about hist acting past.) The problem - the only reason anybody out there knows about The Boxmasters is that their Sling Blade drummer is an Oscar Award Winner.
BODY OF EVIDENCE: In the video below, watch Thornton's facial reaction right from the start when the interviewer (a very smooth and patient Jian Ghomeshi) provides his introduction. From that moment on, Thorton stubbornly ignores Ghomeshi. Then he prattles on foolishly about monster magazines and then lies - denying that he has never met Willie Nelson (who The Boxmasters toured with earlier in the year. Anything, it seems, to be childish and inane.) The rest of Thornton's band do their best to keep calm - but it's obvious that he's a loose cannon they would cut loose if he wasn't bankrolling their efforts.
Tuning into the Interview about 6:40 seconds in... after Thornton rattles aimlessly about Monster Magazines and telephone poles, and whatever else.. What follows is 2 minutes of Glory:
Jian Ghomeshi (Q-TV): (Gathers himself, pausing) "Sorry, where does music fit into that?"
Billy Bob Thornton: "It was a monster magazine."
Q-TV: "Given that you seem to be quite compassionate about music, I was wondering if ..." (cut-off by Thornton.)
Billy Bob: "Would you say that about Tom Petty?"
Q-TV: "Would I say he's passionate about music?"
Billy Bob: "Yeah."
Q-TV: "Yeah."
Billy Bob: "Really?... (long pause) Would you explain why it's not a hobby?"
Jian Ghomeshi (Q-TV): (Gathers himself, pausing) "Sorry, where does music fit into that?"
Billy Bob Thornton: "It was a monster magazine."
Q-TV: "Given that you seem to be quite compassionate about music, I was wondering if ..." (cut-off by Thornton.)
Billy Bob: "Would you say that about Tom Petty?"
Q-TV: "Would I say he's passionate about music?"
Billy Bob: "Yeah."
Q-TV: "Yeah."
Billy Bob: "Really?... (long pause) Would you explain why it's not a hobby?"
Q-TV: "Would I explain why it's not a hobby? Are you reacting to the fact that I..." (cut-off by Thornton.)
Billy Bob: "Yeah, I am. I am. Since you're instructed not to talk about shit like that."
Q-TV: "I wasn't instructed to..." (clears throat) I'm not really instructed to... You guys are here as a band. You are here performing..." (cut-off by Thornton)
Billy Bob: "Well, your producer was instructed... Somewhere along the way."
Q-TV: "Because I mentioned that you were an actor... and a screenwriter?"
Billy Bob: (Turning his head.) "First of all, that wasn't supposed to be mentioned either."
Q-TV: "But that's just giving context right? I'm happy to interview you guys as a band... but for the listeners - we're giving the context for who you are. That's part of your trajectory isn't it?"
Billy Bob: (Groans, grumbles and shakes his head)
Q-TV: "It's not?.. You would prefer me to only do this interview not mentioning at all (just to clarify) - at all - that you had any career in acting or screenwriting...?"
Billy Bob: "That's correct."
Q-TV: "Ok. But do you know, that people are listening across the country and across North America and they might think it's odd that I don't mention anything about your past?"
Billy Bob: "I think it's odd you have to smoke inside of a white stripe outside."
Q-TV: "Well that is also odd, but that's a little different - that's a rule and regulation. I'm just trying to do show and give people context for who you guys are."
Billy Bob: "Well there's plenty of context for that."
Q-TV: "Right."
Billy Bob: "Yeah, I am. I am. Since you're instructed not to talk about shit like that."
Q-TV: "I wasn't instructed to..." (clears throat) I'm not really instructed to... You guys are here as a band. You are here performing..." (cut-off by Thornton)
Billy Bob: "Well, your producer was instructed... Somewhere along the way."
Q-TV: "Because I mentioned that you were an actor... and a screenwriter?"
Billy Bob: (Turning his head.) "First of all, that wasn't supposed to be mentioned either."
Q-TV: "But that's just giving context right? I'm happy to interview you guys as a band... but for the listeners - we're giving the context for who you are. That's part of your trajectory isn't it?"
Billy Bob: (Groans, grumbles and shakes his head)
Q-TV: "It's not?.. You would prefer me to only do this interview not mentioning at all (just to clarify) - at all - that you had any career in acting or screenwriting...?"
Billy Bob: "That's correct."
Q-TV: "Ok. But do you know, that people are listening across the country and across North America and they might think it's odd that I don't mention anything about your past?"
Billy Bob: "I think it's odd you have to smoke inside of a white stripe outside."
Q-TV: "Well that is also odd, but that's a little different - that's a rule and regulation. I'm just trying to do show and give people context for who you guys are."
Billy Bob: "Well there's plenty of context for that."
Q-TV: "Right."
THE FALLOUT: Since the interview, the Boxmasters were booed off stage in Toronto. They have since canceled their tour dates blaming the flu. Way to go Billy Bob!
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