Roger Ebert has spent his entire life as a critic. So it’s no wonder that the first thing he thought to tweet after the death of Jackass star Ryan Dunn was a critical statement:
His comments unleashed a firestorm of obsenity-laced reaction from Ryan Dunn’s closest friends, most notably Bam Margera who wrote:
“I just lost my best friend, I have been crying hysterical for a full day and piece of s**t roger ebert has the gall to put in his 2 cents about a jackass drunk driving and his is one, f**k you!”
Roger Ebert has since apologized saying, “I was too quick to tweet…I also regret that my tweet about the event was considered cruel. It was not intended as cruel. It was intended as true.”
So, that’s sort of an apology.
I don’t understand why Roger Ebert is the bad guy here. What did he say that was insensitive? Why the uproar? Didn’t we all learn this stuff in High School?
I remember getting a bumper sticker with that same slogan printed on it when I got my driver’s license. It’s not like Roger Ebert was breaking new ground here. Did anybody who read his tweet say, “Whoa, I’ve never heard that before?” Why so angry?
Here look at it again:
Was it because he used the term “Jackass?” Well, Ryan Dunn and his cronies made a small fortune making sure the entire world knew that’s exactly what they were.
Was it because the tweet was posted within hours of Dunn’s death? Isn’t that the best time to get your message across? While it’s still fresh on people’s minds?
Was it because he assumed that Ryan Dunn was drinking and driving? Well gee, witnesses at the bar reported him drinking several shots and beers before getting in his car. Even if he was sober enough to drive, cars don’t just explode on impact unless they are going dangerously fast. I mean, I’m no Marg Helgenberger, but it’s a safe assumption that he was speeding excessively and not in complete control.
Ryan Dunn’s most notable accomplishment was inserting a toy truck into his rectum…for fun. Doesn’t that demonstrate a lack of good judgement? So again, why are so many people infuriated with Ebert???
Maybe it’s because he…was…right. And maybe, deep down, Ryan Dunn’s jackasses friends know it!
In Hollywood, what happened to Ryan Dunn is a horrible tragedy. In the rest of the world it’s a horrible tragedy and an incredibly important lesson:
“Friends don’t let jackasses drink and drive.”
Roger Ebert was right about this. He’s still wrong about Tommy Boy
***UPDATE*** Police now reporting that Ryan Dunn’s car was traveling 130 mph at the time of the crash. So drunk or not, he was driving like a jackass.
***UPDATE*** The West Goshen Police Chief Michael Carroll released the details of Ryan Dunn’s Toxicology report: BAL was .196, which is more than twice the legal limit of .08 in Pennsylvania.
QUICK POLL: What do you think? Who was the bigger Jackass, Roger Ebert or Ryan Dunn? Leave a Comment here.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
He wasn't wrong for saying what he said. I think he may of said it a little too early, but he was dead on (excuse the pun) when he said it. I'm sorry he lost his life and I'm sorry he took he life of his friend. All because he wanted to get behind the wheel of his car and go over 100 mph. He's definitely lived up to the name "jackass"
I posted a comment earlier but it has disappeared. Was I too insensitive? He was right bout what he said, but his timing was off by a good bit. He probably should have waited a lot longer than he did, but hey that's what twitter is for. Spur of the moment thoughts. Like your tweet earlier bout ur zipper being down. I feel for the families and friends that r left behind to cope with the loss of their friends. Such a senseless act. Now 2 lives r gone forever.