Matthew McConaughey’s God Moment

[cbayer]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/03/matthew-mcconaughey-s-god-moment.html



William O’Connor
03.03.14

When Matthew McConaughey thanked God above family and loved ones at the Oscars last night, he delighted Conservatives and made the Hollywood liberal glitterati shift uncomfortably in their seats. But he may well be Divinely on trend.

There was one person who Matthew McConaughey wanted to thank after collecting his Best Actor Oscar last night, above wife, children, parents—and, most shockingly for a Hollywood star—his agent.

“First off,” said McConaughey, who won the award for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, “I want to thank God, because that’s who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or of any other human hand. He has shown me that it’s a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates … When you’ve got God, you’ve got a friend, and that friend is you.”

When an athlete, of any race, thanks God after an impressive feat, nobody takes note. In politics, the phrase “God Bless America” routinely caps speeches by politicians of both parties. And yet, despite God’s ubiquity in American public life, it came as a surprise to many when a white actor spent a chunk of his speech on God.

more at link

[Goblinmonger]

1. There's no bias in this writing

made the Hollywood liberal glitterati

I thought his speech as a whole was bizarre but couldn't care less about him thanking god.

More importantly, I thought it odd he didn't take the opportunity to increase awareness for those with AIDS and HIV since that's the role that got him the hardware. But let's make this all about god.

[tridim]

2. His schtick is about himself and his massive ego.

He is not one of my favorite human beings.

I've heard him admit that he has a big ego, "because I'm an actor". That's super, dude.

[trotsky]

3. Promoting awareness for HIV/AIDS would have been nice.

But whatever floats the guy's boat. I'd tend to think that education, talent, dedication would play a bigger role in winning an acting award, but I guess god gets the credit.

[hrmjustin]

14. I would thank God at that moment as well.

[trotsky]

22. I would rather thank the people who supported me.

But whatever.

[John1956PA]

4. I don't think he gave the customary thanks to his director, fellow cast, etc.

If I am wrong about this, I ask someone to please correct me.

I thought his Academy Award Best Actor speech was uneven. As it happens, I caught his previous two best actor speeches, i. e., his Screen Actors Guild Speech and his Golden Globes speech. I thought his Screen Actors Guild speech was a bit scattered and that he showed anxiety. Maybe he did not think that he would win and he was unprepared. I thought his Golden Globe Speech was polished, but I thought he missed a bit with the sailing reference. Although I think his Academy Award speech was a bit disjointed, I think it was a bit creative of him to throw out the notion that one's hero can be an idealized improved version of oneself.

As a non-believer, I could have done without the religion reference. Also, as you point out, he could have made reference to the work of those who are dedicated to discovering medical cures and to those who are dedicated to assisting patients.

[yeoman6987]

26. I thought the three phrases were good

I didn't think it was odd that he didn't mention AIDS/HIV. I don't recall Cate Blanchett thanking Mrs. Madoff or those like her. I don't recall the director of Gravity thanking the Astronauts. Why does Matthew have to thank the AIDS patients? Just seems rather strange to expect such a thing.

[Goblinmonger]

30. Those sound pretty right-wingy

And I don't expect him to thank AIDS patients but he won an Oscar for his role in a movie about the plight of AIDS patients. He could have taken 10 seconds out of his ego rant to acknowledge the current plight of AIDS patients.

[yeoman6987]

37. Sorry

I am gay and just thought it was a great movie that spoke for itself. I thought Matthew's speech was great probably because I have a crush on him and hate to see him criticized. Sorry for making a fool of myself.

[Goblinmonger]

41. I generally like what he is in.

I have yet to see this film but will. Wasn't trying to indicate you were being a fool, just that those words sounded like a slam on liberals. From all I have heard of the film, it does sound like a powerful voice. Just seems like a nice national audience for him to get the message out (may have been plenty of people watching the Oscars that haven't seen the film and know nothing about it).

Overall I just thought his speech was kind of bizarre and unfocused but that's the general view I get of him anyway (not in a negative way--know and love plenty of actors and musicians that are the same way).

[unblock]

5. thanking god isn't a problem itself, but in his case he crowded out thanking others.

he thanked god, his family, and his own future self.

pretty wrapped up in his own world, this one is.

maybe he slipped in a reference to others, but he certainly didn't make any of them his focus. he certainly didn't give much of a thought to those whose suffering constituted the subject matter for the film....

[cbayer]

6. I never saw any of that coming.

I recently heard him interviewed several times and I don't recall him mentioning god once.

As you (and the article) point out, I think the biggest hole in his thanks was to the people this story was about and all those we lost during the AIDS crisis.

Not surprised that he is so wrapped up in himself, but had no idea that he was that religious.

I would like to know more about his religious side, particularly since the christian right seems to be high-fiving all over the place thinking they have a convert to their ideology.

Do they?

[Feral Child]

7. I'm disappointed.

I have enormous respect for him as an actor. I have to admit I get pouty when great actors (Duvall, et al) embrace the Dark Side. Conservatism, I mean.

I haven't seen this movie yet (available on PPV, but there were others I wanted to see first.)

His work in "True Detective" is riveting.



EDIT: I Wiki'd him and there's no real hint at a conservative bent. He's done some animal work and is involved with a youth organization, the "just keep livin Foundation".

https://www.jklivinfoundation.org/what-we-do/service/

I looked at the web page and saw no proselitizing at all. It looks like a typical liberal self-awareness/self-help organization.

Some actors are quirky. Russel Crowe is a marvelous actor who recently announced he wants to become a Fundy.

I have to admit, the only one that I won't watch is Crazy Mel.

[cbayer]

9. I thought the movie was great and had him listed as my pick for best actor.

He may be a liberal/progressive christian type, or maybe not even a christian.

Interesting that he took this opportunity to "come out".

[Feral Child]

10. Yes, it is.

Especially since he didn't give the traditional nod to the crew (hearsay upstream, I didn't watch the Awards.)


Your note that he didn't self-identify as Christian is a point I missed. I can be a little hair-triggered on religion.

I still look forward to more work from him.

[cbayer]

11. Here is exactly what he said about god:

Now, first off, I want to thank God. ‘Cause that’s who I look up to. He has graced my life with opportunities that I know are not of my hand or any other human hand. He has shown me that it’s a scientific fact that gratitude reciprocates. In the words of the late Charlie Laughton, who said, “When you’ve got God, you got a friend. And that friend is you.”

And that was it.

So it's really hard to know.

[Feral Child]

12. Yes, I'll wait to judge

(King's X on my prior judgment)

and hopefully he just forgot to bring his speech...

[unblock]

23. i don't understand that quote. belief in god means i'm my own friend?

the entire speech struck me as quite self-indulgent and narcissistic, and this sounds like it fits in with this.
he thanked god, his family, and his own future self (and/or maybe his own past self for admiring his present self, or something like that). all seems rather self-absorbed.

and this quote, so his selling point of believing in god is that he gets to be his own best friend? most people sell god based on the feeling of connections with other people, the universe, etc., but, wow, i get to be friends with myself? wow.

[cbayer]

24. I didn't really understand what he was saying either and he's

been pretty silent since he said it.

I just found it odd that he took this opportunity to "come out" after having been pretty silent about his religious beliefs in the past.

He had to have done this with some purpose in mind, but I have no idea what it was.

In interviews, he generally comes across as rather self-effacing and modest.

[hrmjustin]

15. How has he embraced conservatism?

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Did he Tebow?

If he didn't Tebow, this is meaningless.

[hrmjustin]

16. Meaningless to you not him.

[WolverineDG]

13. A lot of folks on my FB feed loved his speech

but to me, it seems they stopped listening once he said "God." The rest of his speech was all "me me me," like the rambling about his hero (his future self, 10 years from now). And no thanking the director, crew, agent, etc. Wow, for someone who's waited a while to collect an Oscar, he flat-footed that.

Contrast his speech with the incredibly gracious one by Lupita Nyong'o, who recognized that something that has brought her much success & joy is based on the suffering of another, the slave known only as "Patsy." Jared Leto also recognized victims of AIDS, & mentioned Venezuela & Ukraine. I didn't get much out of Cate Blanchett's speech, other than I wanted her to just shut up after rambling on & on & on.

[cbayer]

17. Lupita Nyong'o was as elegant and articulate an oscar winner as I have ever seen.

She was so inspirational in the film and it clearly stems in part from her own person.

Frankly, she put everyone to shame.

[goldent]

18. People like it when celebrities like the same things they do

It would be the same thing if it were politics, social issues, sports, etc.

[MindMover]

27. Agreed and it always strikes me as self aggrandizement to start with God and end with me, me, me ...

[MellowDem]

19. "Thank you god, for killing all those children in Africa...

And for keeping Kim Jun Un in power"

"Thank you god for seeing fit to give me all these opportunities to make movies while the infant whose head was beat in by a drug-addled parent none"

"Ramen Matthew, few appreciate all aspects of what I do, like you do"

[mountain grammy]

20. The movie was an important look into the dark time when St. Reagan ruled

and friends died. The acting was excellent, but, hell, it was just a role. Good actor, but geez, what an idiot. He looked and sounded like a yahoo up there.. God just likes me better than ya'll,

[LostOne4Ever]

21. Really having a hard time seeing why this matters

I would guess that 80-90% of hollywood is theistic. I would also guess about 80-90% of hollywood is self absorbed.

So that means hes just like 64-81% of all hollywood celebrities.

If we are going to be snarky about his win, I think a bigger problem is that he now has a best actors oscar while the late Peter O'toole didn't win so much as best supporting actor. Same goes with Leo Dicaprio, Johnny Depp, and many more.

[jeepnstein]

25. I was surprised he said that.

It's nice to see someone willing to put their priorities out there for the world to see. My wife's observation as more to the point; "He'll never work in that town again."

[yeoman6987]

28. Your wife really said that?

You really think that they are going to drop him from Magic Mike? from True Detective? I would hope that Hollywood is not that ridiculous. Many people have thanked God and have lived to tell about it. It was only a speech.

[cbayer]

32. Oh, he will most certainly work again.

If anything, I think this may increase his appeal to some.

He has never come across as a proselytizer or zealot. I think he might have just wanted to make a point, and will return to being a quiet theist.

And he was pretty vague about his broader religion, which makes me curious.

[Goblinmonger]

34. How do you know he identifies as a theist?

Seems pretty presumptuous of you.

[tularetom]

29. Me, me, me, god, god, I, me, me, god, I god, me, me, thanks for this award

Oh, and by the way, me.

I didn't see the speech, that's what my wife said.

And she used to like him.

[cbayer]

33. Actually, it was more like "God, family, me"

He had a point to make and the "me" part could be seen as a statement about how he strives to be a better person, someone he could admire in 10 years, but always has more work to do.

That a Hollywood film megastar is egocentric is hardly a surprise.

Did your wife like him as a person and now doesn't like him as a person? As an actor?

While I think the speech was intentionally provocative, I'm not sure why someone would stop liking him because of it.

[tularetom]

38. OK that was probably an unfair characterization by me

I should know better than to speak for her. I'll try to rephrase.

She has always reacted favorably to his work, whereas I've always been sort of, meh.

Neither of us knew anything about him personally. But we both react strongly negatively to any incorporation of the deity into public pronouncements by celebrities, be they athletes, politicians or in this case actors.

It hit her hard enough to come outside, where I was splitting firewood, and mention it to me. So I think it's personal, with her. Whether it affects her opinion of his acting, remains to be seen. She did sour on Mel Gibson awfully quick after the ugly truth came out.

BTW, I have now watched the clip. My reaction is that the "God" part of it seemed contrived and insincere. Remember, it was delivered by an actor.

[cbayer]

40. Lol, you do that too? Sometimes I just like to sit back

and listen while my husband tells others what I think about something. It can be very entertaining.

I also react fairly negatively to public pronouncements about one's personal religious beliefs or lack of beliefs and he caught me completely off guard. The audience seemed taken by surprise as well.

It didn't strike me as insincere, though. It seemed like some kind of coming out or something.

I remain curious as to why he chose to do this, and perhaps he will speak more of it in the future. But maybe not.

Anyway, he was great in this movie and was my personal pick for best actor.

[Goblinmonger]

42. I don't think anyone

(at least here) is comparing what he said to what Gibson is. Not even in the same universe.

I don't know if it was contrived but I don't think it had the deep meaning many right-wingers would like to latch on to. It seemed very personal god, not mainstream religion kind of concept. But, in the end, I have no idea what his religious views are. Don't really care, either. Unless he's batshitcrazy like Gibson (and even then I still love the Mad Max films).

[Dorian Gray]

62. Agree with this

We have no clue, and I think it's pretty silly that right wingers everywhere are singing about this as though he is some sort of warrior for thanking God. Big whoop.

He was fantastic in his role. He thanked God and people in his life. And he wasn't playing naked bongos on stage. Job well done, MM.

[Dawson Leery]

31. McConaughey is a person of low integrity. Why do I say this? Read the last paragraph:

"There is another irony to the morning-after debate over McConaughey’s words. It neatly sidesteps the real controversy there should be about a speech in which McConaughey called himself his own hero, failing to mention the real-life person with AIDS whose story he portrayed to win the Oscar. But then he didn’t mention AIDS either, or the anti-gay, AIDS-focused bigotry of the mid-1980s era Dallas Buyers Club evokes—a bigotry in no small part stoked by religious Conservatives."

Also,
He like many athletes who thank God when things go their way.
What happens when things don't go their way? Where is their God who is supposed to be guiding you to your victory?

[JNelson6563]

35. Then we get to say things like: Where's your god now? Huh??

What happens when things don't go their way? Where is their God who is supposed to be guiding you to your victory?

[skepticscott]

43. Harkens back to

Elijah and the prophets of Baal (remembered from way back in my Sunday School daze). He had a good time ribbing them with "where's your god today?"

[JNelson6563]

45. Some things are just timeless!

[cbayer]

36. While I agree that he missed an opportunity here to talk about an important political/

social issue, perhaps he felt that the movie said what needed to be said (and it did, imo). At any rate, not saying it would hardly qualify him as a person of "low integrity", imo.

I've heard him interviewed several times in the last few weeks, including an excellent interview with Terry Gross.

He never mentioned anything about religion or god and came across as fairly modest and self-effacing. The causes he has supported in the past are causes that I support, as far as I can tell (not a lot of information).

As to his position when things don't go his way? That's a good question, but his life has not always been easy and I wouldn't assume anything about how he might have dealt with that.

[trotsky]

39. It seems like, from your tireless defense of Mr. McConaughey on this thread,

that you have taken criticism of his acceptance speech personally. Why, I have no idea. But it is odd.

[Warren Stupidity]

44. Did the same deity that arranged for McConaughey's opportunities also arrange for

the disease that has killed millions to provide the backstory for Matthew's moment in the spotlight?

[JNelson6563]

46. Yes.

[Goblinmonger]

47. It was one big master plan

so that McConaughey would get on Oscar in 2014. God really loves Matthew.

[trotsky]

48. Praise Jeebus!

God certainly works in mysterious ways!

[hrmjustin]

49. Jeebus?

[trotsky]

50. Simpsons reference. n/t

[hrmjustin]

51. oh.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

52. "made the Hollywood liberal glitterati shift uncomfortably in their seats"

Pics, please.

[cbayer]

54. There did seem to be a rather stunned silence.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

57. Silence yields many interpretations,

contains many worlds.

[rug]

58. I always like your take on Oscar.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

59. .

[TlalocW]

53. Isn't the fact that he won the premier acting award in the world

Proof that there ISN'T a God?

Or in the very least, He enjoys fucking with us?

TlalocW

[cbayer]

55. Lol, so you are not a fan I take it.

[Act_of_Reparation]

60. He's not a horrible actor...

...but come on. He was up against Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Chewitel Ejiofor. McConnaughey is bush league next to those guys.

[trotsky]

61. Well cbayer is obviously a fan, AND she's a fan of anyone who sticks it to the...

"godless" Hollywood elite. So there you go.

[Dorian Gray]

63. But....

Magic MIKE!

[cbayer]

64. I was fortunate to see all the nominated movies prior to the awards, and

I had pick McConaughey for best actor. While the others were good, I think his performance was outstanding in this movie.

Have you seen it?

[Zen Democrat]

56. McConaughey is from the East Texas Bible Belt ...

and his mother was sitting right there. But that didn't actually phase me, what did is that he said his future self is his hero. IOW, he's just gettin' better all the time, Awwright, Awwright, Awwright!