The difference between Thelma Adams’ engaging interview with Melissa Leo and Tom O’Neil’s unwarranted smear campaign is the difference between HuffPo and Puff Ho’.
I really encourage anybody who’s wondering how this exploded into such an overwrought uproar to check out the original article in the Huffington Post.
When did the esteemed Gold Derby turn into a steamed Roller Derby? If you read O‚ÄôNeil‚Äôs ‚Äúre-imagining,‚Äù you‚Äôll find him scrambling to twist Leo‚Äôs words into something as ugly as his own motives. Not trusting us interpret events on our own, Tom feels the need to stomp his feet in two different posts, and translate the ‚Äúincident‚Äù so we can see what it looks like though his jaundiced “insider” eyes.
Leo demands that the producer: “Talk to her!” Translation: tell this amateur hack to grovel or I’m outta here! Jeeeez.
Leo screams to the producer, “Talk to her!” Now we all know what that means: hey, put that serf in her place, pronto!
See, this is why I’m a defender of “alt media” and have less and less respect for mainstream “news” coverage (at least what’s left of it, as corporate newspaper conglomerates continue to commit hari-kiri and cut their own guts out with slashing cutbacks).
I’m fond of quoting people too, but I like to use their own actual words, instead of fictionalizing the reality for maximum trashiness. Here’s Tom O’Neil, in his own words:
“There were a dozen other ways Leo could’ve dealt with that situation with kindness, consideration and class…”
Tom O’Neil, LATimes authority on “kindness, consideration and class.”
He didn’t allow my comment asking what kind of education he has — that’s his sore spot, apparently.
Ryan,
Well said my dear. Well said.
As a fellow victim of his libel (and yes it was in print so it was libel not slander, which is spoken … that J.D. wasn’t for nuttin’), I must say I empathize wholeheartedly with all he’s put you through.
O’Neil is a douchebag, and he can fuck off for all I care.
StlLawGraduate,
Apparently Tom O’Neil is still arbitrarily blocking comments that don’t suit him. I’ve had emails from people today saying they’ve tried to comment on his latest diatribe, and their comments never see the light of day. Hey, it worked for Stalin, worked for Bush. Rewrite history and hope nobody notices.
We could shrug off the strange behavior. Or we could paraphrase Mr. O’Neil: “He’s speaking on behalf of The LA Times. That’s important. And shocking.”
OMG OMG OMG!!! I can’t decide which team to root for: Team Sasha, the one who chest-thumped CWW to high heavens… or Team Tom, the one who brazenly campaigned for Sweeney Todd to win Best Picture!!!
And Melissa Leo? That’s just like predicting Amy Adams will get nominated for Enchanted (i’m looking at you Tom) and Angelina Jolie being nominated for Best Actress (Sasha)
The only thing to say to Tom O’Neil is behave yourself…
Please try to remember that for two years in row have herarlded two movies as the surefire winners of the oscar: Dreamgirls and Sweeny Todd, especially with Sweeny Todd were terrible your predictions because NOBODY follow you and you reported it as a done deal… well, believe me Awardsdaily is makin a way better job with the Oscar coverage than you period
Ms. O’Neill might have bought herself a crap-load of awards statuettes with her LA Times sell-out, Gossip-queen paycheck, and is definitely an egomaniac hanger-on, but one thing she never, ever talks about is her education. I don’t think she has one!
O’Neil works for In Touch Weekly.
He uses that tabloid’s unreliable story as his resourse.
I mean, yes I will agree there is a certain amount of publicity that goes into securing an Oscar nomination. I be naive to not believe that.
But, to put so much power in O’Neil’s corner is well…absurd. I read both blogs, and yes there is a certain amount of truth you all talk about concerning how we (the Hollywood community) could perceive the efforts of bloggers. I mean, O’Neil has helped others in the past secure nominations and wins in the past (how many, I don’t really know)
My point is: Really, Ryan, did you have to waste blog space on O’Neil going after Leo? Isn’t that the job of Leo’s publicist?
And further, I’ve been reading a lot of the comments on O’Neil’s blog, and a lot of them are just equally absurd. There was one proposing the idea that O’Neil ruined Katherine Heigl’s career because he broke the story of her refusing to submit her name for Emmy consideration. I mean, is this what you wanted to happen Ryan? I mean, for people to go and launch attacks on O’Neil for just blogging.
If so, that’s just weird.
Ryan,
Tom O’Neil has a long documented history of abuse in his own site of posters. Last summer he intentionally picked a fight with a poster who was a fan of Patricia Arquette on “Medium” and belittled her performance and her supporters. Then when John Stewart was announced as host of the Oscars he launched into his screed basically rehashed from the last time where he insisted that Stewart BOMBED as host, despite many reviews to the contrary, and therefore would be horrendous this time. When I challenged him on this point yet again he hurled a litany of offensive comments at me that had other posters dismayed by the viciousness of the comments. Then he trumped up a pretextual reason to ban me from the site and lied about the reasons for my dismissal, even going so far as to delete the posts that he made posting him in a negative light.
He is a man who is incredibly vain and in love with the sound of his own voice and his “status as an awards show authority” (Which by the way, aren’t all his books out of print? That kinda undermines his claim as an authority when you can barely even get them used on amazon.com.) Bryansamo is absolutely right that he can’t even be bothered to do basic fact checking which is appalling given that he’s supposed to have written the books on these topics. I propose we do what would piss him off the most and that is just ignore him.
This is all well and good, and I think there are a lot of great comments here, but I think we’re all missing the most important point:
Damn, that chick is showing a hella lot of panty in that picture!
This is all news to me, Pete, but apparently it’s well-known story.
You’re right. It’ll be interesting now to see how this spins in the final outcome. Let my guess: (A) Melissa Leo doesn’t secure a spot in the top five, and Tom gets to gloat that he sounded the alarm to pull the plug on her chances, or (B) Melissa Leo prevails with a Best Actress nomination, and Tom gets to gloat that his powerful publicity connections gave her a leg up.
Ryan,
You are absolutely right about previous attempts to scuttle Oscar campaigns through personal assaults. Tom in particular was very vicious towards Bill Murray during the Lost in Translation campaign, often employing the same kind of language and rhetoric he’s invoking against Melissa Leo. I’m sort of surprised he isn’t going to play the “John Heard” card. God save the movie blog world if Leo actually gets nominated and Tom hasn’t let this drop.
nice points, dela.
I wasn’t going to rub salt in the wound, but since you’ve mentioned “twisting words”…
O’Neil’s caption to the AwardsDaily photo he uses in his latest attempt to defend himself says:
“AwardsDaily.com ridicules Gold Derby as a mere gossip site”
Nowhere in my post does the phrase “gossip site” appear, and my only issue has ever been with the Melissa Leo items — not the entire Gold Derby site.
This is a little like McCain attacking Obama for being so popular. McCain dude, refine your whines a little so they don’t splash back in your face 😎
LOL Ryan. Isn’t it ironic who the real diva is? Seriously though, all those experts he mentions in the old days of goldderby was the reason I stared following movie awards. They had deep and thoughtful opinions about the performances and awards prospects were discussed only on the merits of performance, buzz factor and critical response. I would like to see Tom bring the experts back.
Tom goes on and on about Emmys and Daytime Emmys. I suggest he keep his Emmy bragging rights and lay off the Oscars because he clearly has nothing objective to say about anyone who is an actual awards contender.
Not only is he twisting Melissa Leo’s words but, as Thelma Adams’ points out in her response to his latest rant, he is also twisting her words.
Ryan, all I have to say thank thank you. I’m glad someone has the nerve to stand up to this guy. I use to like the Derby. I really did, but then O’Neill’s articles became more mean, snarky, and his actions I find quite questionable. I did not like how he handle and presented many things from Katherine Heigl(he used that story for his personal gain and IMO misrepresented her) to the Oscars. I’m glad you are putting his actions into question. It was a long time coming, and I’m glad someone is stating it.
Pete — his “Babe Rule” always bothered me, to be honest.
Somehow I missed this post, but saw your comments Ryan on Goldderby.com. I have been following the Oscar race for too long to comment. But, would do it on my own (before the “internets” existed).
When Gold Derby started, it added to fun of the following the Oscar race. But, I follow agree with all of the other posters here, GoldDerby has become nothing but a gossip site. Tom lives for snark. If he can create drama, he does it. And, he doesn’t even seem to be happy that people win awards, get recognition, create entertainment or even make art. No. He would tear people down and create drama.
And, he is wrong so much of the time. I can believe the LA times publishes Gold Derby as part of their site. I posted a comment to his first Melissa Leo bitch session (that’s him, not me) and it was deleted because I was hyper-critical of him. When the Emmy nominations came out, he posted an article about first nominees and the lead-in was Anjelica Houston getting her first nomination. This year Anjeclia received her 6th nomination. I could understand if she has one other nomination 20 years ago and IMDB didn’t exist, but I knew without researching it that she had multiple nominations. There have been numerous posts like this in the past year that factually wrong and, after the fact, he has deleted the comments pointing out his error and changed the story so you wouldn’t know he originally published erroroneous information. Again, why is still employed by the LA times?
heh heh, you guys nail it from all directions.
yep, k, looks like I’ve provoked a superpower to unleash his hounding on me. Drawn a superpower down to ground level where he’s surrounded by a fierce opposition of scrappy insurgents who blend in with civilians. Wonder how that’ll work out for him? 😎
Seth, I’d like to think you’re right, but I’ve heard from several reliable sources that this isn’t the first time an Oscar contender has been sabotaged.
Pete, you seem to be tuned in pretty well to the history and trends that seem fishy. hey, I’m the first to admit that I go overboard for my favorites sometimes. But what I don’t like to see are personal attacks. We don’t “coddle” celebrities here at AD. O’Neil has that dead wrong. But we don’t pummel them either.
Paul Outlaw, I know! that’s his repeated refrain, in half a dozen posts on various other websites. “Talk to her!” We all know what “Talk to her” means.
of course, like I said, ONeil helpfully translates that for us — twice — like I mentioned on the main page. You’d think that he would take that as a tip to get a new chew toy to gnaw on, but instead he’s repeated it two more times today.
It’s his only bumper sticker slogan. He’s apparently very fond of it, or maybe he’s got nothing else.
Wow–and I thought I had an inflated ego–that litany of O’Neilian achievement he posted (“READ HERE! HERE! HERE! HERE!”) was staggering.
And why does he keep posting this everywhere he goes?
“Talk to her!” We all know what “Talk to her” means.
I actually don’t know what it means. It could mean a number of things but I wasn’t aware that there was a “standard diva interpretation” of the phrase.
Tom screams with faux outrage “what’s my secret motive” for his overt attempts to derail Melissa Leo’s Oscar push. Well, I’ll give you the motive. Tom is a starfucker who mistakes celebrity with artistic ability. EVERY year, he judges the Best Actress race based on which star is considered the sexiest. That was literally his only take on the Best Actress chances of Julie Christie, that Christie shouldn’t win because she’s too old. His animus towards Melissa Leo for a seeming non-scandal on the Frozen River set is baffling, until you realize that Leo is 47 years old and not as good looking as Katherine Heigl or Anne Hathaway. I like movie bloggers who are passionate and stubborn about the Oscars. But Tom has taken this way too far, especially when he seeks to destroy the professional reputation of a moderately obscure character actress. The fact that he’s an Oscar pull-quote whore for basic cable shows is a piss poor rationalization for such shocking behavior. Joel Siegel wasn’t the most insightful guy there ever was about the movies, but he sure as shit wouldn’t have pulled this bush league crap on Ms. Leo and her movie. The Goldderby of today bears very little resemblance to the Gold Derby of 2000. The LA Times frankly should either rope Tom in, or send his blog packing.
But see Ryan, he was just reporting the facts and interpreting it in HIS view. Tom O’Neil may be overdramatic at times, but going after people’s Oscar chances….seriously?
O’Neil doesn’t have persuasion like that. You would like to think he does, but he doesn’t.
Please, let’s talk about more important topics. and just declare peace.
For god’s sake
Saw his new blog — are you going to war with Tom O’Neil now?
Agree, Guy. It’s getting tiresome. But Tom seems to be getting more and more riled up. He just posted his longest tirade of the year — about me.
So I guess I’m supposed to post something in my defense. *yawn*
This is absolutely ridiculous. First off, if Leo is going to win the Oscar, I don’t think a blogger like Tom O’Neil can stop her campaign.
And truly, if this “incident” did occur, who the hell cares???? Leo apparently has delivered a strong performance that we as an artistic community need to be aware of.
You know, as an actor, director, and writer, I always love reading the entertainment blogs…especially when I go into awards season. But now, I’m seriously thinking that GoldDerby and AwardsSeason are only accomplishing one goal: GIVING THEIR OPINION.
Don’t go after each other.
It’s ridiculous.
And it’s wasting space.
Agree on Snead – she needs to go.
I think Tom’s take on Leo was fair. I read it as his observation – and he’s certainly entitled to write what he thinks, just as Adams wrote her own personal thoughts.
I dont see it as a smear campaign at all. I see it as helping to bring even more attention to a very small film that might not otherwise get noticed.
Tom ONeil’s first post about Melissa Leo got 13 comments.
His second post about Melissa Leo got 20 comments.
His post about the Venice Film Festival and its influence on the Oscars? 0 comments.
When Christina Applegate’s ex died few weeks ago Snead managed to make a joke of it by relating it to Applegate’s Samantha Who? character. Only after readers’ angry comments did she delete that line from her post.
Oh, that’s positively diplomatic coming from Snead. I recall her recently writing that Lily Allen’s miscarriage was “a blessing.”
The Envelope really runs on charm lately, it seems.
Don’t even get me started on Snead.
dela, in another topic says, “Goldderby was the reason I started following awards, but now it is all about gossip”
I need a lesson in how to state my case in one sentence like that.
You guys actually have a longer history following all this than I do. So maybe somebody can explain to me: wtf is the LA Times Awards site doing with a co-host like Elizabeth Snead?
Snead’s most recent contribution to The Envelope’s incisive coverage as the “Awards Insider”? Pamela Anderson revealing on The View that she’s an Obama supporter.
“Sounds like Obama has that elusive pro-implant /anti-KFC contingency all wrapped up,” Snead snorts.
First of all Ms. Snead, where did you go to school? I think you mean “contingent” (a segment of a larger group). Not “contingency” (an uncertain outcome dependent on chance).
But more important than where you were educated, who raised you? Pamela Anderson was a guest on The View celebrating her new American citizenship, and you think this is great opportunity to equate her breasts with her brains?
This kind of sniper attack is all fun and games at The Envelope, I guess. Why not police the etiquette of your own site, Tom, before you take it upon yourself to school the rest of LA, scolding women for their “smug attitude.”
absolutely, Guy. I want to drop it too. But it’s interesting to see Barack Obama doing something that Kerry and Gore failed to do. He hits back at attacks right away, and doesn’t sit placidly by hoping it will all go away. He knocks the falsehoods and misconceptions down, and then he moves on.
You’re bringing news that we hadn’t heard. O’Neil has an upcoming interview with Hunt? wow… awkward!
😎
“Hi, I’m Tom O’Neil, and I’d like for you to help me confirm the rumors I’m trying to spread to kill your movie’s Oscar chances.”
I wonder how much he’ll be willing to harass Hunt in order to torture the “truth” out of her.
Well said, Ryan. Let’s just stop paying attention (much less giving coverage) to the whole non-issue and it will go away, however loud O’Neil hollers.
That said, am I the only one who can’t wait to read his proposed interview with Hunt? He seems to have this weird theory that that will somehow prove his point.