image: Dreamworks SKG

The movie is based on a true story in which Downey plays Los Angeles Times columnist, Steve Lopez, who, after a bicycle accident is injured both physically and emotionally.  He scours the city looking for a news story and ends up discovering Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) a brilliant musician who was stricken with schizophrenia in his second year at Julliard.  His struggle with mental illness leaves him playing the cello and violin on the streets of downtown L.A.

Lopez decides to write a series of articles about him in an effort to raise awareness about the realities of homelessness and some of the surprising reasons for it but soon realizes that helping Ayers is about a lot more than finding him a home – schizophrenia is a complex disease and it’s not well understood by society at large.  The film takes the pair on an unlikely journey as they attempt to find a brighter future for them both.

Post from: EveryJoe

To be honest, I had pretty much pushed this lame story to the back of my mind until I started hearing about a tirade launched by Jamie Foxx on his Sirius radio show “The Foxxhole” this past Sunday night.  When a caller mentioned the incident, Foxx sarcastically said “Who is Miley Cyrus” and then continued on an expletive-laced rant where he described her as the girl “with all the gums” and said “she’s going to ruin Radiohead’s career?  The same Radiohead that gets paid a million dollars just to sample their song?  That Radiohead?”

He had some guests on the show who also called Cyrus names including “little white b*tch” and laughed at Foxx’s comments.  Things really crossed the line when Foxx said that the Hannah Montana star should do drugs like Britney Spears, become a lesbian like Lindsay Lohan or make a sex tape and “grow up.”

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Foxx had one more revolting suggestion for Cyrus – “catch Chlamydia on a bicycle seat.”  WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s so much worse when you listen to it.  Check it out.  I can’t believe I found the audio for this!

Do you think that he crossed the line?  If he was addressing an adult, it would be incredibly rude but since he’s talking about a child, basically, I think that this is crass and cruel.  I don’t care how bad my kid is, if I heard someone suggesting they do drugs, make a sex tape and catch a venereal disease, I would be FURIOUS.

image: Bauer-Griffin

Post from: EveryJoe

This throwback meme comes courtesy of Geoff Young over at Knuckle Curve. Geoff tagged Allison at BCS Frenzy, too, where I discovered she has one heck of a cool name for her cat.

5 Things You Don’t Know About Me

1. When I was six, I broke both wrists. A friend and I were doing our own trapeze-wannabe act off the swingset. Yeah, we were cool. I landed on my wrists and broke two bones in each. I spent six weeks in casts but have never had a problem since. Yay for all that milk I drank for strong bones!

2. I graduated first in my college class with a 4.0. Yeah, I did. *humbly traces in the sand with her toe.* It was a great reward for time, effort, and discipline. GO FRIARS!

3. My grandfather was a gardener for Rasputin/Czar Nicholas II (last czar of Russia). Indeed, Grandpa (in Polish, “Dziadek”) Zdrok, whom I never had the good fortune to meet, had some very interesting experiences at a very interesting time in European history.

4. I met Ralph Fiennes. You know, from The English Patient, Red Dragon, the Harry Potter movies (he’s Voldemort), etc. The Bee and I saw him in a play, got his autograph, and shook his hand. He’s among the few actors who can wilt me into a fangirl, so I said something boldly flirtatious (hubby-approved) to get his attention. It worked.

5. I attended the same party as Bon Jovi and Jamie Foxx in South Beach. On our honeymoon! Bon Jovi was five feet from us all night–and we played it so cool we didn’t even say hi. (Hey, it was Miami. We had to blend.)

And I tag . . . man, anyone who wants to be tagged with some link love in return!

Post from: EveryJoe