Category Archives: Transhuman News

Im always the oldest person in the room.

Things once considered moral issues are now deemed as political issues.

People, young and old, would be so controlled by electronic devices.

A child cannot close his eyes before eating lunch in a school cafeteria.

To mention God is wrong but not to mention Him is okay.

I would talk about my aches. pains, surgeries, or other ailments with others my age.

Id have to worry about what my children are being taught in school.

Americans would have placed all their hopes and dreams in what their government will do for them. Free stuff.

My spiritual beliefs are considered as being politically incorrect and out of date and maybe even dangerous.

Legal systems, of other societies, would be taken into consideration in my countrys courts, i.e. Sharia law.

I would go to church without wearing a suit and tie.

People who have started a business, took great risks, were successful, have been a source of income for many, and are philanthropical, are now considered to be evil.

Id actually pay for bottled drinking water.

To murder a living human being, a matter of convenience, would become a political issue.

A sweet young thing holds the door open for me, and will pick something up from the floor for me if I dropped it.

My kids excuse me from hard and heavy work.

I would have to stand guard at the Ladys Rest Room door, in a store, to prevent any man from entering while my granddaughter is in there.

Its dangerous for me to use even a short step ladder.

Good people are fearful to speak up about whats wrong in our society today.

My car could travel 150,000 miles and still not need to add oil between changes.

Rosemary and I would be so dependent upon each other.

When the world population could be controlled and governed instantly by the decision of a few to protect us from ourselves.

Scripture:

Their hands succeed at evil; the prince makes demands, The judge is bought for a price, the powerful speak as they please.

Micah 7:3 NASB

Final Thought:

The struggle now going on for the world will never be decided by bombs or rockets, by armies or military might. The real crisis we face today is a spiritual one; at root, it is a test of moral will and faith. RONALD REAGAN, March 8, 1983

Vince Reidsma is a Holland resident. Contact him at vreidsma@gmail.com.

Excerpt from:
I Never Thought I'd See the Day When - HollandSentinel.com

Friends may have stood the test of time as a show that people love to go back and rewatch, but that doesn't mean there aren't aspects that look dated when viewed through a modern lens.

But it's not just us internet writer types who think that some of the cast themselves have looked back at the enduring sitcom and found it a bit old-fashioned.

Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice, told The Independent that she thinks the show is "incredibly retro" but also "racy for its time", which perhaps illustrates how far we've come.

"They say hindsight is 20/20," she said."You can't create a show with the consciousness of the future. The future hasn't happened yet.

Related: Friends star says her car got searched every night

"It's true that whenever you look back at a sitcom or at any television of that moment, you might see things that you might cringe at, or you might think, 'That is just so politically incorrect' or, 'Where is all the diversity?'

"Although that was a discussion that was taking place during the time that show was being made. So I'm not sure if it could have been done a different way then, but clearly we know a lot more now, or the discussions are a lot more open now about inclusion, about diversity, about the spectrum of sexuality, about all of humanity.

"There's so much more of an open conversation about those things now."

NBC/NBCU Photo BankGetty Images

Related: Matt LeBlanc's latest show cancelled after four seasons

Phoebe Buffay actress Lisa Kudrow recently echoed these comments, stating the show wouldn't have an all-white cast if it was made today, but she still thinks it was progressive with certain storylines.

Interest in the show is still right up there, with a highly-anticipated (and sadly delayed) reunion special, and a newly announced cookbook (which isn't as exciting, let's be real).

Friends airs daily on Comedy Central in the UK and is also streaming on Netflix in the UK.

Friends - The Complete Series 1-10 [DVD] [2004]

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Friends star Maggie Wheeler looks back on the show's "cringe" and "politically incorrect" aspects - digitalspy.com

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Right now, we could all use a little break. So FOX 17 and Feeding America West Michigan invite you to join us for a one-hour, commercial-free comedy special.

Watch Stand-up & Help on Thursday, June 4 from 7-8 p.m. on-air, as well as on our website, Facebook page or mobile or streaming apps.

The best local comedians will provide some living room laughs for a great cause!

Now more than ever, Feeding America West Michigan needs your assistance. We'll ask for donations throughout the special.

FOX 17 is going to match every donation made, up to $12,000 total. With this match, every dollar you donate will provide 8 meals to local families in need.

For more information on how to give, please visit feedwm.org/fox17/.

Comedians

David Dyer

David Dyer has been performing stand-up at comedy clubs and corporate events for over 25 years. Hes worked with some of the best comics in the industry, including Mike Birbiglia, Jim Breuer and Lewis Black. Hes been a contributing writer to NBCs Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and ABCs Politically Incorrect. Hes a frequent guest on the nationally syndicated Bob and Tom Show."

Joe Anderson

Joe Anderson is an award-winning actor, writer and comedian who spent two years touring with and as a main stage understudy for the famed Second City comedy theater. His critically acclaimed sketch comedy group, The Don't We Boys! toured over 30 states, and they were asked to pitch their TV pilot at USA, Comedy Central, TruTV and TBS. And in 2019, he opened The Comedy Project in Grand Rapids.

Johnny Beehner

Johnny Beehner made his network television debut in January of 2015 as one of the last comedians to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman. He has made numerous appearances on FOX's Laughs television show and regularly appears on the nationally syndicated "Bob and Tom Show."

Pat Sievert

Pat Sievert sees things in a way youve never considered, but its a perspective youll never forget. Based out of Lansing, Michigan, hes quietly become a fixture in the Midwestern underground comedy scene. Hes honed his charmingly quirky, wickedly funny material with diligent road work, appearing at festivals across the country (Whiskey Bear, Motor City and Savage Henry, to name a few). In 2019, he won the prestigious Funniest Person in Grand Rapids Competition. Whether its an indie DIY show or an A-list comedy club, he's a refreshing new voice that stands out from the crowd.

View post:
Watch at 7 pm on Thursday: FOX 17 presents Stand-up & Help with Feeding America West Michigan - Fox17

That which gets rewarded, gets repeated is a principle equally applicable in business management, dog training and public policy.

As to the latter, when politicians and bureaucrats are rewarded with more money after wasting the taxpayer dollars they already receive, what makes anyone think their behavior will change?

The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives has passed a staggering $3 trillion stimulus plan called the Heroes Act. Nearly a trillion of that is slated for state and municipal governments.

While the previous relief package called the CARES Act helped the private sector, a good chunk of that also went to state and local governments for mass transit, Medicaid costs and direct dollars to local budgets that were related more or less to the pandemic.

But the Democrats new proposal envisions a huge portion of bailout dollars that are unrestricted.

The good news for taxpayers is that the Heroes Act is DOA in the United States Senate, at least in its current form. Led by Mitch the Impaler, the Republican-controlled body will undoubtedly pare it down and hopefully place many conditions on the release of the funds that will incentivize good behavior, not bad.

Given that there are infinite examples of governing malfeasance in California, the federal government could make several reasonable demands as a condition for receiving additional relief funds.

First and foremost is pension reform. It is well known that public-sector labor controls the California Legislature and Office of the Governor. The alphabet soup of unions CTA, SEIU, CCPOA, PECG, etc. provide the current political establishment with what they need most: campaign contributions.

For that reason, pension reform has been virtually impossible, leaving Californias public employee pension funds woefully underfunded.

Even pro-labor Jerry Brown was only able to achieve very modest reform in 2013.

States that are well-managed have a legitimate complaint that they should not be forced to contribute to bail out mismanaged states.

David McIntosh, head of Club for Growth, expressed this sentiment concisely last week, writing, As Congress considers what to include in the next phase of coronavirus relief, Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have pushed for $875 billion in taxpayer money to go to bail out irresponsible states and local governments. Why should taxpayers in well-managed states like Florida under Governor Ron DeSantis be on the hook for bailing out poorly run states like New York under liberal Governor Andrew Cuomo and California under Socialist Governor Gavin Newsom?

The anger is justified and therefore so are the proposed reforms. An easy solution would be for the feds to require that all states convert to a defined contribution pension plan for all new hires. Over time, the financial risk to taxpayers in liberal states would diminish.

Also helpful would be federal incentives to states to impose dollar limits on pension benefits. Californias $100,000 Club, a list of public retirees receiving over $100,000 annually, has exploded in recent years to over 26,000 retirees, a 13-fold increase since 2005.

Pension reform should not be the only requirement imposed by the federal government. California wastes money by the bucketful and compounds that waste with foolish regulations and mandates on the private sector.

The federal government could make the logical argument that a full economic recovery for the nation as a whole requires removing the shackles from those who actually generate the taxes that states claim they need.

Newsoms proposed budget is unlikely to help motivate federal relief.

Rather than deal with waste, fraud and abuse, the governor has engaged in a form of legal extortion. He publicly stated that if Washington fails to give the state enough help, police officers, firefighters and health care workers are the first ones to be laid off by cities and counties.

What are federal appropriators to think when confronted with this bluff?

It is reminiscent of the politically incorrect scene in Blazing Saddles when the sheriff holds a gun to his own head and threatens to pull the trigger.

In demanding additional relief funds from the federal government, California needs to tread carefully.

Right now, even many Republicans in Congress are sympathetic to the pleas for some local government subsidies.

But the urgency of the need may diminish, particularly if the economy recovers faster than many anticipated.

A well-known Democratic consultant famously said, Never let a crisis go to waste.

The problem for the Democrats seeking massive subsidies for local governments is that the crisis might dissipate and whatever leverage they have might disappear with it.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

See original here:
The Heroes Act just rewards bad behavior and poor governance - Press-Enterprise

Supporters of populist parties are often portrayed as politically nave or misinformed, but to what extent does this image reflect reality? Drawing on a new study, Stijn van Kessel, Javier Sajuria and Steven M. Van Hauwaert present evidence that populist party supporters are not less informed than supporters of other parties. However, supporters of right-wing populist parties had a greater tendency to give incorrect answers to political knowledge questions, suggesting there are key differences between the characteristics of left-wing and right-wing populist voters.

Extant research shows that supporters of populist radical left-wing and right-wing parties make conscious choices: they generally support these parties because they agree with their positions. Yet, populist party supporters are still often portrayed as ill-informed and susceptible to a charismatic leaders evocative, yet misleading rhetoric. This is not least due to a widespread negative interpretation of populism as a stand-alone concept. Populism is regularly associated with political opportunism (saying what people want to hear), navet (simple solutions to complex problems) and demagogy (responding to societys underbelly), or confused with adjacent but fundamentally different concepts, such as xenophobia or nationalism.

To what extent is this image of populist party supporters as being politically nave or misinformed accurate? In the contemporary context of fake news, this question is perhaps more relevant than ever. Are populist party supporters more susceptible than their non-populist counterparts to misleading or incorrect information disseminated by politicians and (social) media? In a recently published study, we provide an initial answer to these questions.

We use a commonly accepted definition of populism, and consider it to be a set of ideas that make a moral distinction between the corrupt elite and the virtuous citizens. Accordingly, populist parties accuse the (political) elite of power abuse and, often consciously, ignoring the wishes of ordinary citizens. They are self-proclaimed champions of so-called popular sovereignty.

For our study, we rely on an existing cross-national survey with data from nine European countries (Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland) to distinguish between respondents who indicated they would, in the next elections, vote for a populist party (left or right), those who would cast a vote for a non-populist party, and those who had no intention of voting.

The main aim of our study was to investigate whether there is a connection between political support (populist choice/non-populist choice/abstaining) and political information, but also political misinformation. After all, being informed is not only a matter of possessing or lacking information; the accuracy of this information should also be considered.

With that in mind, we estimated the extent to which individuals were politically informed, uninformed or misinformed, based on three multiple choice questions that were included in the survey. Respondents were asked to recognise an EU politician, answer the question of what budget deficit means, and identify who sets the interest rate in their country.

Respondents who gave correct answers received a high score on a political information variable; those who gave incorrect answers or admitted they did not know the answers scored low, and were considered politically uninformed. We then also compiled an indicator for the correctness of political information, i.e. a political misinformation variable. Respondents who gave correct answers or admitted they did not know the answers received a low score, while respondents who gave incorrect answers received a high score, and were deemed politically misinformed.

Figure 1: Multinomial logistic coefficients for the regression models (Model 1)

What did we observe when relating the extent of (correct) information to intended voting behaviour? Model 1 shows that populist party supporters are not demonstrably worse informed than supporters of other parties. There is only a clear difference between those who intend to turn out and those who do not. On average, the latter are less informed than more politically active citizens. We thus find a positive relationship between possessing correct political information and the intention to support a political party, regardless of whether that party is populist or not.

As previous research shows, populist voters are also characterised by a high degree of political interest (compared to non-voters) and strong populist attitudes. That is, they share an aversion towards the political elite, and believe that politicians should follow the will of the people. These findings suggest that support for a populist party should not simply be interpreted as an uninformed protest vote or a sign of political ignorance. Instead, it is often a conscious expression of dissatisfaction with the functioning of representative democracy (see previous EUROPP article here), and the electorate of populist parties consists at least partly of politically aware, informed and interested citizens.

Figure 2: Logistic coefficients for regression using left- or right-wing populist parties as dependent variable (Model 2)

In terms of political misinformation, we find a difference between supporters of populist and non-populist parties, but only when we further distinguish supporters of populist radical right parties from the rest (see Model 2). Individuals in this latter category were, on average, characterised by a higher degree of political misinformation compared with all other respondents: they had a greater tendency to give incorrect answers to political knowledge questions, instead of admitting to not knowing the answers. This seems to be in line with previous studies that link the populist radical right ideology with distorted representations of reality, such as conspiracy theories. It is safe to say that such interpretations of reality are often based on incorrect information.

What can we conclude from this last finding? The results highlight that left- and right-wing populist parties (and their voters) cannot be considered a homogeneous group. There are major ideological differences between left-wing populist parties (which mainly focus on socio-economic themes) and right-wing populist parties (which are primarily characterised by their cultural conservatism and often xenophobic views). Populism is an important common denominator, also as an attitude amongst various populist party supporters. However, it is clear that there are major differences between the views and general characteristics of left- and right-wing populist supporters.

Do our results indicate that populist radical right supporters are particularly susceptible to conspiracy theories and fake news? Unfortunately, our research does not provide a direct answer to this pertinent question. Hopefully, follow-up studies can investigate the more specific link between the deliberate dissemination of incorrect information (disinformation) and voting behaviour.

For more information, see the authors accompanying paper in West European Politics. This blog was first published in Dutch on the website Stuk Rood Vlees.

Please read our comments policy before commenting.

Note: This article gives the views of theauthors, not the position of EUROPP European Politics and Policy or the London School of Economics.

_________________________________

About the authors

Stijn van Kessel Queen Mary University of LondonStijn van Kessel is Senior Lecturer in European Politics at Queen Mary University of London.

Javier Sajuria Queen Mary University of LondonJavier Sajuria is Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary University of London.

Steven M. Van Hauwaert University of SurreySteven M. Van Hauwaert is Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the University of Surrey.

See original here:
Populist party supporters: Informed, uninformed or misinformed? - EUROPP - European Politics and Policy

Cornwall had never seen the like and arguably still hasnt over 100 years later.

William F Cody better known as Buffalo Bill after allegedly killing 4,280 buffalo in 18 months was one of the legends of Americas Wild West.

He founded the town of Cody in Wyoming and was one of the most colourful figures of the American Old West, becoming a rider for the Pony Express at just 15.

During the American Civil War, he served the Union from 1863 to the end of the war in 1865 and was later a civilian scout for the US Army during the Indian Wars, receiving the Medal of Honor in 1872.

But it was as a showman that Buffalo Bills legend grew and Cornwall didnt know what hit it when he brought his Wild West Show to four venues in May and June 1904.

The sensation of the late Victorian age, the shows featured real-life cowboys and Native Americans - or 'Red Indians' as they were known in politically incorrect times - re-enacting famous battles from Americas recent frontier history, many of which had featured the stars of the show themselves.

Sitting Bull appeared with a band of 20 of his braves while other famous performers included Calamity Jane and sharpshooter Annie Oakley.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World to give the extravaganza its full title had proved a huge smash across the United States, from 1883, and Europe, four years later.

The cavalcade of cowboys and Indians first arrived in Britain for that 1887 tour, as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria.

Audiences would sit open-mouthed in their crinoline dresses and finest suits as stagecoaches were attacked, buffalos hunted, indians attacked cowboys as rodeos and gun fights filled the air with smoke and noise.

The Wild West show opened in London on May 9, 1887, before a crowd of 28,000 in a huge outdoor arena.

The Queen wrote to Cody to request a private performance 'by royal command' at Windsor Palace later that same year.

Queen Victoria and an entourage of 25 comprised the audience, sitting in the royal box in grandstands that could hold 40,000.

Buffalo Bill and his exotic entourage returned to Britain several times, finally heading to our own Wild West in 1904.

The lavish shows took place on Monday, May 30, at the Recreation Grounds, Penzance, Tuesday, May 31, in Camborne, Wednesday, June 1, at St Pauls United Football Ground in Truro and Thursday, June 2, in Bodmin.

The show began with a parade on horseback, with participants from horse-riding groups which included US and other military, cowboys, Native Americans and performers from all over the world in their best attire.

Turks, gauchos, Arabs, Mongols and Georgians displayed their distinctive horses and colourful costumes. As well as the main events there were feats of skill, staged races and sideshows.

The show would always feature the Native Americans attacking a woman who the great hero Buffalo Bill would rescue.

The legends arrival in Cornwall was such big news that Herbert Thomas, the editor of our sister paper, The Cornishman, penned a greeting in verse.

From the far Wild West to the Western Wilds

You come like a freshening breeze;

Cowboys and Cossacks and Indian braves,

From the wide plains over the seas;

And towering above you, as towers a hill,

The King of Rough Riders Buffalo Bill.

Penwith Local History Group reports that the Wild West show arrived in Penzance on two trains on Sunday, May 29, with the performers' disembarkation proving a show in itself.

A parade of rough riders, Indians and Cossacks through Penzances Market Jew Street was a major attraction, with cowboys, Mexicans, Indians, Japanese and Cossacks all arriving at Long Rock at about 5.30am.

The afternoon saw a party of indians take a GWR motor ride to Land's End where they were photographed pointing to the west, in the direction of their home.

The big day was Monday, May 30, when all Penzance and his wife turned up to see the show in all its glory at the Recreation Ground.

Most popular was the evening performance when there was a larger crowd gathered together under cover in one place than was ever seen in Penzance before. The displays of marksmanship and horse riding skills put the achievements of the previous years pedestrian racers firmly in the shade.

However, it was Buffalo Bill theyd all come to see. This hero of a thousand tales, the man of iron nerve, dauntless courage, and unfaltering spirit, that son of the prairie, that marvellous scout and warrior.

A few extraordinary photographs survive of the visit. One shows Buffalo Bill himself with a young child on St Michaels Mount, while in another a young local man looks on as a family of Native Americans walk past a Cornish hedge.

There is also a picture of a group of Indian braves wearing their impressive headdress at Lands End.

In an interview the great man professed himself surprised to be making a living as a showman and described how, back home in Nebraska, he was building a new community in a valley of three million acres irrigated by mountain streams.

At heart I am a pioneer, he said, as he set off to take tea with Lady St Levan on St Michael's Mount.

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Original post:
When Buffalo Bills Wild West shows thrilled thousands across Cornwall - Cornwall Live

For a guy who once made a film about the inside of his own head, its surprising just how difficult it is to work out who John Malkovich really is. Speaking to NME from a remote French chateau to discuss his new Netflix sitcom, Space Force, his voice drifts through a crackly phone line in a soft monotone. Questions are answered with questions. Tangents spiral off into intellectual dead ends. Long silences are given over to quiet contemplation. You can almost hear the PR on the other line sweating.

How are you holding up in lockdown? we ask, not expecting a quick burst of laughter as if the question itself is faintly ridiculous. Infuriating, sure, but its hard to imagine much else from Hollywoods most mysterious A-lister. In fact its hard to imagine anything at all.

Credit: MJ Kim / Getty

Since the mid 90s Malkovich has been more myth than man. Spike Jonzes landmark indie comedy, Being John Malkovich, fuelled a cult of personality that blurred the lines between the roles he played and the actor inside them. Hes been French Viscounts, Austrian painters and Italian adventurers. Libertines, doctors, revolutionaries, serial killers, The Duke Of Wellington, Charles VII and Pope John Paul III. Hes also been in Transformers, Jonah Hex and Zoolander 2.

Old interviews are full of his obsession with weird details drifting off to look at clouds, randomly asking journalists if they like the shape of his skull. At one point he told someone that he doesnt like having multiple stripes of colour in his toothpaste. Whether its all part of the act or not, its difficult to know what to make of a man whos commanded so many different roles yet still managed to make most of them look and sound exactly like himself. A guy who lives in the shadow of a castle once owned by the Marquis de Sade, works his own vineyard and refuses to watch action movies but who once did a voice in The Penguins Of Madagascar Who the hell is John Malkovich?

If I was ever insane enough to write an autobiography, it would be titled Some Things They Say I Did

For the next few weeks at least, hes Dr Adrian Mallory a deadpan foil to Steve Carrells blustery general in Space Force, a new smart-edged sitcom from Greg Daniels (creator of the US remake of The Office) about the most inept new branch of the American military. Hes a very bright, funny scientist, but hes not necessarily an outwardly comic figure, says Malkovich, before adding a lot of backstory that never actually comes out in the show. Hes very well educated, he grew up overseas, obviously very well-versed in science someone very dapper, who is quite vain and cares about clothing and the way that clothing looks and the quality and of it all

He could, of course, just be describing himself. As well as being a highly-intelligent actor and director, Malkovich also grew up overseas and is most definitely a dapper dude having run his own mens fashion line since 2002 (according to his website, he often spends several days focusing purely on fabric selection). So where does the character stop and the actor begin? Digging into his own backstory, things dont get any clearer.

As Dr Adrian Mallory in new Netflix sitcom Space Force. Credit: Netflix

Back in 1984, John Malkovich was the hottest thing in Hollywood. Fresh from the Chicago stage but commanding roles like he was already a veteran, the young thespian made his debut in Places In The Heart and The Killing Fields instantly picking up an Oscar nomination and getting his name on every audition list in town.

It was a significant event in terms of my life, he says now, remembering what it felt like to launch his career at the very top. Just in terms of being in these huge undertakings that gave me an outlook of what the work was of what the work could be. I thought they were both good films, but I also thought they were two good films to be involved with.

The Glass Menagerie, Death Of A Salesman and Steven Spielbergs Empire Of The Sun quickly followed, but it was Stephen Frears swoony 1988 literary adaption of Dangerous Liaisons that allowed him to refashion his image again as Hollywoods favourite well-spoken bad guy.

In Dangerous Liaisons alongside Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer. Credit: Alamy

Those were just the roles I was offered, he says, ignoring a remark that hes always looked like he has more fun playing the villain than the hero. For Liaisons I was quite surprised to be offered that role at all. I wasnt offered the Clint Eastwood role for In The Line Of Fire because why would I? To be honest I dont think of any of them as villains per se anyway more as studies in talent gone awry, or at least in potential gone awry.

With the early 90s came the kind of fame that Malkovich has never felt comfortable with, then only emerging from his French chateau to make things worse for himself taking ever quirkier roles in ever bigger films. Reading back some of the celebrity profiles of the time, its hard to know which stories are actually true. Well who can say? he says. If I was ever insane enough to write an autobiography it would be titled Some Things They Say I Did.

I was in my yard in France and [a stranger] handed me a script that was written in what could have been red ink

Did he really threaten a homeless guy with a Bowie knife? Did he wreck a tailors shop when his shirts turned up late, or smash in the window of bus when it didnt stop for him? Apparently he once ate nothing but jelly for six months to try and lose weight. One time, a crazy woman jumped over his garden fence and handed him a script handwritten in blood.

That did happen, yes, he says softly, neither angry nor glad that weve bought it up. I was in my yard in France and she handed me a script that was all written in what could have been red ink. It was more like it was scrawled with maybe a very sharp knitting needle. It was about a female character who murders an American actor and it really wasnt very good. So he read it? I read some of it. I read enough to understand the plot, but it didnt seem like one I wanted to finish reading really oh yes it was quite terrifying at the time.

In Spike Jonzes 1999 indie classic Being John Malkovich. Credit: Alamy

Who else then would Charlie Kaufman pick to play himself in a film about the interior of a real American actors head? Who else would have such a quality of unknowabilty, as he put it at the time telling press that he had only ever had one person in mind for Being John Malkovich.

A quality of unknowabilty? says Malkovich, turning the phrase over in his mind. I dont know what that means. [Long, awkward pause]. I dont think anybody is a fixed, knowable thing. I get what Charlie is saying, and I think Charlie is incredibly clever, but I dont really think anyone is knowable if Im unknowable.

I never actually thought that Being John Malkovich would get made

I never met Charlie before he wrote the screenplay, so any impression he could have gotten from me would have been a kind of third-party impression. I dont think I had a conversation with him until right before I did the film, when we had breakfast with Spike Jonze. Afterwards Charlie came up to me and said, I want you to know that Im a big fan, and I said, Charlie you dont have to do that I already read the script.

Malkovichs first thought when he read a comedy about his own psyche was that he wanted to direct it himself, and that it needed to be about someone else. Why not Being Tom Cruise I asked? Charlie told me quite clearly that he had no desire to change it, and that he was going to direct, so I said OK. To be honest, I never actually thought that it would get made. I remember those years when it remained un-produced. Whenever I got to Hollywood for some press thing or whatever, invariably Id be in some hotel lobby or in some restaurant or at some vintage lamp store, and somebody would come up to me and say, hey, why arent you making Being John Malkovich? Eventually we did it, and honestly I was just happy to be a part of it.

He might have missed out on directing Kaufmanns debut masterpiece, but the cult of Malkovich exploded after the film came out letting him direct The Dancer Upstairs instead, a moody revolutionary thriller starring Javier Bardem that picked up a few nods on the festival circuit back in 2002.

One of Malkovichs most memorable villain roles Cyrus the Virus Grissom in Con Air. Credit: Alamy

I had some other offers at the time but nothing that really appealed to me, he says, suddenly much more excited to talk about directing. I worked with my producing partners on a French film for a number of years that was a kind of mockumentary about a war between a group of environmentalists and a group of vaccination NGOs. But it never got funded. It was pretty politically incorrect.

There are things that I produced that I would have loved to have directed too. I would have loved to have directed The Perks Of Being A Wallflower but Steven Chbosky, who wrote it, wanted to direct it and why shouldnt he. And I would have loved to have directed Ghost World, Juno, and also Art School Confidential. We had a script for a time that I loved called The Coolest Girl In The World, but the writer wanted to direct that too [eventually becoming 2018s Eighth Grade, by Bo Burnham]. I direct a lot in the theatre though and that wastes a lot less time.

Theatre, it seems, has always been Malkovichs true love with character roles in big Hollywood comedies and action movies bookending foreign arthouse projects and long stints directing for the European stage. How else to explain roles like Cyrus The Virus Grissom in the Nicolas Cage classic, Con Air? Or Trump-esque baddie Pascal Sauvage in Johnny English?

Con Air was like living outside with a pack of wild animals

I dont so enjoy watching those films, he muses. I dont mean to specifically point out those films in particular, but in terms of the action genre, I just dont watch it. But Con Air I loved doing because it was all those men it was kind of like living outside with a pack of wild animals. I can enjoy doing it without it being something that I would choose to actually watch. For Johnny English, the opportunity came with the bonus of being able to drop in a few obscure digs at disgraced French businessman Jean-Marie Messier (who briefly made the financial newspapers back in 2002 for misusing company funds) something that was almost definitely not picked up by anyone who saw it. For me it was also all about doing this idiotic voice [goes into a ridiculous French accent] Oh my family av ad a ouse ere for centuries blah blah blah Of course, if you live in France thats the kind of language you hear every time you hear English tourists speaking. We wound up with a silly cartoon version of a man, which I think is why so many children from a certain generation love that.

As Pascal Sauvage in Johnny English. Credit: Alamy

Settling into a comfortable older age looking more like Sigmund Freud than Michael Stipe as he enters his late 60s Malkovich seems to be picking slightly more projects that speak to both sides of his personality. Arty but successful shows like Paolo Sorrentinos The New Pope. Blockbusters with decent directors like Peter Bergs Mile 22. And comedy with something to say like his latest show, Space Force.

I just thought it sounded a very funny, very timely idea, and a pretty target-rich environment really, says Malkovich, before trying to steer the conversation to ancient Greek aesthetics, Brutalist design and Soviet collectivism.

Dragged back to try and explain the plot of the show, he manages to keep things abstract. The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, he says. Something I think most people can relate to on a day-to-day basis, even people who are successful or even very successful in their field, is that you just may not be qualified to do whats being asked of you. There is a lot of comedy in that because theres also a lot of pain in that. Pain and comedy tend to go hand in hand, or at least hand in glove.

Wandering off topic again to talk about the future of cinema after the lockdown (Ive said for a long time that I dont know how long movie theatres would last. This could be the final toll of that mournful bell) and how it once took him five years to watch Sexy Beast on DVD (but thats okay, because everything changed the moment you could watch a film whenever you wanted to on VHS or CD), things take a bleaker turn as he describes his last few months spent cancelling productions around Europe when theatres closed down, postponing planned film roles and holing up in his chateau to wait for lockdown to end.

I dont know how long movie theatres can last

So wheres the silver lining? What does Malkovich do to lighten the mood when things look bad? What makes him laugh?

Lots of things make me laugh, he says, putting on a weird high-pitched voice. Behaviour. Sometimes childishness. Extremes of emotion can be funny. A chimp in a space suit hurtling towards the sun.

Credit: Getty

Theres a scene in Space Force when they solicit a monkey to repair a space craft. You see him in his little chimp-stronaut suit, with his little helmet on, then hes hurled in a trajectory towards the sun and everything falls to pieces. It just reveals the sort of pathetic-ness of people. Even in outer space big dreams dont often come true. I know according to Disney some dreams can come true, it can happen to you, but they can also not come true. Thats pretty hilarious to me

So who the hell is John Malkovich? We still have no idea.

Space Force arrives on Netflix on May 29

The rest is here:
John Malkovich: What makes me laugh? A chimp in a space suit hurtling towards the sun - NME.com