When Duty Calls...

Today's Topic: Superheroes

I have always been really jealous of Batman, even though I know he's not real. When I first saw the new "Batman Begins" series several years ago, I became even more intrigued and wondered, "What would it be like to be a superhero?" The thought of being an unsung hero has always interested me for some reason. Maybe because it is one of the only noble things a person can do anymore, and not have to ask for anything in return, get paid for it or get recognition for doing it. To become Batman would be a thing of sheer beauty; to roam the streets and protect the innocent or ones who can't protect themselves.

There was a time when the comic book was considered to be a stereotypical "nerd" thing to hold in your hands. It wasn't a cool or flashy hobby to be into men flying around in capes, super human beings with their laser eyes or lighting fast speed and even scientists that were the result of a science experiment gone wrong. I was watching a show on HBO called "Superheroes" and the show dealt with real life people who have taken on the hobby of making the streets safer in their communities. And they are everywhere! One man has formed the XJL...Xtreme Justice League. Another married couple spend their down time together and make it their duty roaming the streets as Zetaman and Apocalypse Meow. The Dark Guardian, a man who calls himself Life...the list goes on and on. Even individuals who have had extensive jujitsu or martial arts training make it their citizen duty to be a silent (or sometimes very vocal) protector. I think Marvel and DC Comics have done an incredible job making the superhero "cool" again by pushing out successful summer blockbuster movies and really getting people back into the newly discovered comic genre. Mix incredible graphics and a director's passion for a project and you can really see the magic on screen when you watch films like The Dark Knight, X-Men, Watchmen, Transformers and Ironman...just to name a few. You don't have to be a comic lover to appreciate a brilliant on screen performance.

I think the thing about superheroes that really impresses me is their alter ego. We all do have an alter ego or quirky thing about us, and that's completely normal. Just not all of us dress up in a costume or wear a mask to show it. In fact, there were times when I seriously questioned myself and wondered what it would be like to become a superhero like Batman. So I picked up a book called "Becoming Batman" which was a neuroscience professors look at the possibility of a superhero. In his opinion, to become a superhero like Batman could actually be possible. If you think about it, Batman does not have any superhuman qualities or strengths. He just has a cape, really good equipment, years of training in martial arts, a really sweet vehicle and busloads of money; all things that would be required to become a man of his stature. You also have to keep in mind the extreme dedication to the process it would take someone...the food you would be required to eat, how to improve your reaction time, the dangerous situations you would be throwing yourself into and the hours of training it would take to become a masked vigilante. We are looking at a least 20 years for all of these to fall into place. And then once you're in the position, realistically, how much physical abuse could you put your body through and still function a day to day basis?

I think at one point growing up, we may have all dreamed (or maybe it was just the guys) of being a hero, sweeping the pretty girl off her feet and saving people from crime, one day at a time. Many argue saying, "that's what cops are for." But superheros generally don't have rules to follow; they are just more interested in preventing mass chaos (which is why they signed up to be a superhero in the first place). If I had all of those things required to do the job (including thousands of dollars), I think I would seriously consider becoming a superhero. It would be the ultimate way to give back selflessly, and not need to have anything come back in return for the service you provide. Even thrilling television shows like Dexter have taken the possibility of a noble man into consideration. Only for Dexter, a question of morals comes into play, even though he is killing criminals and evil doers who pray on the innocent. It is something that I find truly fascinating, which some would say doesn't sound normal. But others would stand up and applaud, because the world will always look for a hero.

5 Must See Movies

Today's Topic: Movies

I've decided to do something a little different on the Sunday Sitdowns this week. Instead of a over-analytical column on a life topic about crazy situations that probably only I ever think about, I've decided to come up with a list of 5 movies that you may not have seen before. They are movies that had an impact on me. While it's easy to come up with a list of classic movies and everyone's "favourite" flick on all time, I have chosen 5 movies that "relatively" flew under the radar when they were released and movies that may/may not have found their way into your movie collection. They are movies that get you thinking. So here it is: my top 5 movies that are hidden gems in the video store and amongst people's collection


5. Man on the Moon (1999)- When I first saw man on the moon, I was in awe. Jim Carrey showed why he can be taken seriously as an actor in this movie portraying the life of the long time comedic wonder, Andy Kaufman. The movie has an underlying comedy theme but at the same time, really makes you think about a life where nothing could seem real and you should never trust what you see or hear. Carrey does an incredible job in this movie of convincing us that he is a different person all together. I think what really sets this movie aside is the acting, inside the acting. Carrey is playing a character, who was full of characters and different personalities. As you watch this movie, you start to question everything and realize what it would be like to be a person who questioned everything, everyday. A brilliant film that will leave you wanting more, man on the moon has to be one of my all time favourites.



4. The Prestige (2006)- This is a movie that keeps you guessing until the very end. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman star in this film directed by mastermind Christopher Nolan (yes, the same man who brought you the Batman Begins and Dark Knight instant cult classics) What makes this movie so captivating is the ongoing rivalry between Jackman's and Bale's characters. Two magicians try to out perform one another in this movie and while the momentum switches back and forth between the characters, the movie takes you on twists and turns that makes you continuously wonder "who will get the last laugh?" Of all the movies I;m putting in this list, this one many people may have seen only because it was released after the Batman Begins movie, and people were hungry to see Bale in anything because of the quote/unquote instant star power you receive for portraying the "caped crusader." If you're looking for a mind bending trip, pick this movie up. You will not be disappointed.

3. One Week (2008)- This is a movie made right in our own backyard. Shot across the breathtaking landscapes in this glorious country, Joshua Jackson plays a terminally ill patient who begins to understand what life is all about. He is diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, with his odds of survival being slim, and his doctors urging him to start treatments immediately. But before he becomes a patient, Jackson takes life by the horns, purchases a motorcycle, and tours across Canada in the hopes of having his own adventure. Sometimes it takes a movie like One Week to bring us back to reality and make us realize how fragile life really is. Although I've never been a fan of Jackson, he pulls of a very convincing character who seems to start playing the cards he is dealt instead of folding every hand for fear of failing. The "narrator"in this movie also charms in with some very interesting asides and "stories from the road", making this Canadian inspired film a top shelf pick in my eyes. It asks the age old question, what would you do if you had one week to live, and the film helps put into perspective what one person tried to accomplish.

2. Barney's Version (2010)- Every once in awhile, a movie comes along where you just happen to be in the perfect mood to watch it. This happened when I watched this movie. I wanted to watch a movie that was unpredictable and one that lead me down a path only to quickly guide me down a side road that I never knew existed. Paul Giamatti turns out a brilliant performance in this movie, and I understand better why he won the golden globe for best actor last year with his portrayal of Barney Panofsky; a man who's life story covers his three marriages and the many ups, downs and curve balls life throws at us. This is the most recent movie on this list, and one of the more intelligent scripts I have seen in awhile. The movie dominates your mental capacity, keeping you awake, attentive and interested from beginning to end. The greatest gift this movie gives is the things in life we cannot control and on the reverse, those that we can. A brilliant comedy/drama (or dramedy as I like to coin them) that you need to see. And then own.

1. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)- A genius movie. In all aspects. A family that couldn't be more different travels across the country to get their youngest to a beauty pageant final that she has dreamed of winning. What the girl lacks in looks, she makes up for in winning charm. Along with Olive, we have a brother who aspires to be in the military, an award winning-on-suicide-watch homosexual uncle, a desperately over-bearing and over-the-top father, a drug addicted grandfather and a mother who seems to be lost in the shuffle on her life. It's a recipe for both comedic genius and a family unit that shows even the most odd ball and outcast family members can still pull together as one and embrace the obstacles placed in front of them. There are so many memorable lines and scenes in this movie that I can almost guarantee you'll want to watch it a second time the very moment it ends. Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell round out this low budget production built on high energy and an entire family who become the most unlikely of heroes. Personally, this movie taught me to not take life so seriously and that in the end, nothing lasts forever. What seems to be a big deal actually isn't and what matters at the time, won't matter anyway. You may not get that deep message out of it, but what you will get out of it is the urge to go out and purchase this piece of cinematic brilliance.

I hope you enjoyed the list and maybe even consider that some of these films are in fact worth a peek. Each of these films has a special way of captivating you while you watch it and I hope for you that these movies make you say, "I love that movie." After all, that was the whole point!

The randomness of it all

Today's Topic: Circumstance

I must have a comforting face that people recognize. It doesn't seem to matter where or when I go but the most random events and even more random people seem to find me, approach me and are willing to have a conversation with me. About anything. For example, yesterday a pregnant 30 something year old came up and started talking to me in a cafe while I was waiting for my food. She literally told me her life story. What's even more interesting is that I wasn't really planning on going into the cafe at all, it just sort of happened while I was waiting for someone. It brought me to a place of realization and that random circumstance and events seem to control my life. And if anything, it's made me realize two things.

The first thing is about trust. People often pressure people to trust themselves, put their trust in individuals and in other people. The world is only as scary as we make it out to be. It's not so much about our own perception, but about the trust we put into someones hand (I never truly realized that until recent, but that is another sitdown topic in its entirety) It's hard to open up to someone and let people in, but yet people will do it, time and again, based solely on trust alone. Trust is in every day situations. You trust that the person making you your coffee isn't going to put anything into it and on the flip side, the person making it trusts that you're going to enjoy it and pay for it. When you get into a cab, you're trusting that the driver will get you to your destination quickly and safely, and they trust that when you get there, you'll pay your bill. It really makes the world go round.

The second thing I realized is that random events happen every day and that you're not the only one who's happy, upset, depressed, confused, energetic, drunk, thoughtful or embarrassed. I'm not the only one who met a stranger at that exact moment, that exact location in that city. It happened somewhere else too. I began to think of the millions of cafe's around the world, the millions of people in them, and wondered if circumstance had led someone else to having the same conversation that I had with a person. Odds would say yes, that patterns and events leading up to moments makes you believe that. You're probably asking yourself at this point, who the hell thinks of this stuff anyway Donnie? I sometimes catch myself thinking the same thing.

I really believe that at some point in your life, everyone realizes how insignificant each one of us is on our own. That you will at some point give up on yourself and wonder why do it all anyway. Why does it even matter. You live and die. That's it. The in between in all of that is just humans walking around, eating and drinking. People spend their entire lives trying to plan for something and finding THE answer, when 99% of the time, it's staring them right in the face. Life is a mess, and people screw up. But I believe that it really is out of our control and we all do our best to interact and find happiness. Random circumstance makes me this way and life is an uncontrollable pattern of events that unravels one day at a time. The sooner you embrace that, the sooner you live.

Let's go crazy!

Today's Topic: Canada's Pastime

The stage was set. The ducks were in a line. The hype was loud. The fans were psyched. All the bars in downtown Vancouver had "Sorry, we're full"signs in their front window. Yes, the Vancouver Canucks seemed poised to take home Lord Stanley. It seemed like the perfect scripted story was going to have the happy ending. All the stats, the players, the coaches...everyone seemed optimistic. Without actually saying it, everyone felt it. The media covered it remarkably. The lead story most nights on CBC involved the Canucks. From the experience I had in this industry, it is a rare thing to be a positive story and be the lead night after night. One win would pull it all together and you could here the "I believe" slogan in the echos of the city.

On the other side of the coin, it was the story of the old boys club taking to the ice. A team hell bent on trade deadline day to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to build a championship contender. You had to give Boston a lot of credit. They stuck to their blueprint. I also bet a lot of fans watching the Stanley cup finals didn't recognize Tomas Kaberle with facial hair, since it seemed he never ever had any while he was in Toronto. But it was more about the team, the adversity and the game 7 wins that brought them to the most prestigious trophy in all of professional sports.

As I watched the days leading up to the final, I remember thinking what would happen if the Canucks lost. It seemed like everyone was still riding the wave of the Olympics and that Vancouver was the magical city where dreams came true for so many athletes. Watching Canada AM, they were interviewing sports psychologist to determine what goaltender Roberto Luongo had to do and how his mind set had to be in order for the Canucks to have the glorious victory they so desired. How close they were.

Most players on that team may never get that shot again. A game seven in the Stanley Cup finals seems to be a once in a lifetime experience. I still get chills when I think about players lifting the Stanley Cup, what runs through their mind when they finally hoist it over their heads, while the ghosts of past players surround the prize and the sacred feelings of it all. To actually touch the real thing. I don't think there would be a better feeling in sports and few sports trophies can rival the history that the cup has. True Story: In 1996, Mike Ricci of the Colorado Avalanche brought the Stanley Cup to a party. The Riley's attended this same party; a couple who had given up hope on having a child after trying for almost 14 years. That night on a whims and a prayer, Cheryl Riley kissed the cup for good luck. 9 months later, little Stanley C. Riley was born. Like I said, true story.

It's amazing in Canada how attached people get to hockey. It's literally like a drug and who among us can honestly say that they don't enjoy those simple little montages they play before or after every game. You get chills thinking about some of your favourite ones. But why do Canadians crave the sport more than any other country? Is it the thrill and love of the game, the past time of the backyard rink? Is it the entertainment and the fans that drive it's success? Is it the loud sounds of the crowds, the atmosphere of the rink? Or is it because of the grand prize? I think you could answer yes to all of these questions and maybe it's a little bit of everything but sometimes the obsession takes it to the next level.

The Vancouver riots blew my mind. The images were ridiculous. The reasoning just seemed illogical. Tipping over a car because someone let a puck in a net? Setting a car on fire because the hometown team never came out on top? Looting? Really? It was like a damned Apocalypse scene that you see in the movies. And everyone just stood by with jaws dropped. The wow factor. The "are they seriously doing that" looks. Yep, along with game 7, the Vancouver riots will also go down as a once in a lifetime thing. The question no one can seem to answer is why it all happened. I mean yes, there are thousands of opinions and for radio shows across the country, it was radio chat gold. Dig in and make wild accusations, make the biggest assumptions possible and point as many fingers as you can. Some say the NHL should take responsibility and claim the one million dollars in clean up expenses. Others say sock it to the cities taxpayers. Some would argue to bring the ones responsible to justice. It boggles my mind when I look at countries having riots over poorly run governments, war and famine and here we are throwing riots of rage because we lost a game. Now ask the question, is it more than just a game. Does it now become a political debate? Does the past time constitute as an enterprise needing it's own set of city laws and protocols? These are all valid questions and I don't even know the right answer. I do know that hockey does not justify the total thrashing of a downtown, but maybe it's our own fault for giving into the hype and temptation of the thought of winning the best trophy sports has to offer.

So to recap, that is Canada's favourite past time and that is what we cheer for; a silver cup lined with legendary names, a cup that has literally been through hell and back, has seen thousands of homes and has been touched by millions of people. Few get the quote "religious" privilege to hoist it over their head, a dream that almost every child growing up with a stick in his hand dreams of. It's a past time that is enjoyed by millions and a game that shows no mercy for the weak. Vancouver gave the country hope that it was time for Canada to take back the hockey reins and join in on the cup craze. But for now, and as they say in sports, there's always next year.

Waiting. The story of your life.

Today's Topic: Waiting


Do you ever sit and wonder what your life would be like if everything fell perfectly in to sync, just the way you wanted it to, 100% of the time? Life without boundaries or hurdles, no more lines or what seems like frozen time. You would be in complete control of your life, but, unfortunately, you're not and you never will be...and that sucks.

Perhaps it's the idea of waiting that drives us absolutely insane. Some call it fate, others call in randomness or coincidence. The only certainty in this world is that every time we wait, that leads us into a routine or some next phase of our day, unravelling our existence one passing minute at a time. I read an article in Maclean's magazine the other day about how much time the average commuter spends waiting in traffic. In Toronto alone, the average commuter spends an hour or more sitting in traffic, to and from work. That's 60 minutes a day. 60 minutes less to eat, sleep, be active, walk your dog, spend time with someone, read, watch television, have a beer...the list goes on. Now average that over a week. Over a month. And when averaged over a year, that is almost a month of a year spent waiting. In traffic. Absolutely staggering and mildly depressing. As much as I miss the city that I feel transformed me into the cultured individual I am today, that is one statistic I am happy not to be a part of.

If you added up all the time you wait over your lifetime, we are talking years of your life that are spent waiting for something to happen. You wake up, hopefully not having to wait to use the bathroom, hoping not to wait to use the toaster or oven or on those really cold winter mornings, waiting for your car to warm up. If you drive, you're waiting your turn at a stop sign, a traffic light, a pedestrian crossing or on some occasions, construction signs, school crossing guards or other vehicles on the road. How many times have you gotten into an accident or ran over something on the road, and you count up the seconds leading up to that moment and how things had to fall perfectly into place for that event to take place? Or was it the opposite; when you stopped only inches away from an accident, barely missing that person on the bike or running the light when it's yellow. If you don't drive, you're waiting for the bus, the train, the airplane, the subway or the crosswalk. The stops people make, the time they take to get on or off the bus, and then the factors that make them wait. For all those people who get Tim Hortons or breakfast or lunch from a restaurant, think of the minutes you wait in line, the time that ticks by while you wait to be "processed" from the other person on the till. Waiting for the debit machine to say "approved," waiting for the elevator door to close, waiting for a cab, waiting for a friend (who by the way always apologizes for MAKING you wait), waiting in a line to get into the club, wait for drink service and the classics of all waiting, the mother load of all manners; waiting for your turn. Yes we wait, and then wait some more. And after that, we wait. And while we wait, we are waiting to wait. Then there's the methods of "passing the time" as you wait; check your phone, people watch, read, listen to music or just twiddle your thumbs (literally). Do you notice how we always say, "Sorry I'm late." It's rarely "Oh, I was just late on purpose." Are we actually sorry that we are late and had to make someone late or exhausted? Do we really care or are we just programmed to say, "Sorry I'm late." That's a tough one, right?

Imagine again, after reading about just some of the ways that we wait, if everything just went your way and how time would move if we never ever waited. For anything. Those years that seem to fly by, the time that we never get back. The time that we waste every day on waiting for something to happen. Wouldn't it be incredible at the end of our life while we are waiting to die or when we do die, we would get all of the wait time that we have "banked" over the years and then have complete access to that extra time to do whatever we wanted WITHOUT having to wait? Pretty unique concept I know.

Waiting is a part of life, I get that. Maybe I'm just stating the obvious, but doesn't waiting suck? It sucks to wait. Yes, waiting controls our lives, simultaneously everyday to the hope that one day in which we exist in time, we live for the hope and dream that we don't have to wait. That everywhere we go, we could flash our VIP card and zoom through feeling like an important sort of person. I think at some point, one has to ask themselves if we, as a human race, could be a better living, better functioning society if we didn't have to sit around and wait for everything in our life. If instant recognition was possible, would the process still be enjoyable?

I think about all the things living and dead, and I look at lifespans of various things on our earth and our earth alone. There are so many things that we just won't outlive but there are things that we outlive everyday. The fly we just killed, the ant we squashed; superior to both. However, that oak tree that has been on that corner or in that forest for hundreds of years or that house, that museum or that lasting legacy of a piece of furniture or object from history; it has waited for a much longer period of time on this planet, but waiting for what?

What is it in life, in our existence, that we are waiting for? And if no one or no one thing is ever perfect, why do we wait? What are we waiting for? Is there something better? What is the answer? If you're going to realize one thing, realize this. There are so many things that we will never experience and it's all because we have to wait. As much as you may think you control your life and how it happens, we wait for life to happen. Every, single, day. Our patterns and routines are part of large scale sequence of a life clock somewhere that determines our existence. Our start and our end. We sing about waiting for the world to change, waiting on the wonderful, waiting for a loved one or just simply waiting to be loved. Is it hope that drives us to wait? Or is it fate?

In all aspects, we wait for a reason and a purpose. And while you sit there and wait, it just depends on who crosses the finish line first. Or last. However you look at it. Think of everyday as a race you are running. When you finally get to the end, then what? I hope you look forward to waiting tomorrow and then after that, waiting the next day. It's inevitable and unavoidable.

Choosing to Choose

Today's Topic: Choices

I want to take an opportunity to point something out. If you are reading this right now, you are functioning as a human. You have made a choice, for whatever reason, to visit the Sitdown page, probably while sitting down. Let me also say that you have made a good choice by deciding to read this week's post. But since you have chosen to sit down, chose to read, chose to go on the computer or phone in the first place, chosen to come to this site, you have made several choices in the last few minutes. Amazing, huh?

We all have the power to choose to be a success or a failure. They say (and more recently I have said quite a bit) that life is defined by moments. I have more so discovered that life is defined by choices. Every day, we make hundreds of choices. You have your general choices; what to eat, what to wear, what to do and where to go. Our brains function in a pattern of repetitive choices and we get so caught up in making choices all the time that we sometimes forget why we do the things we do. What makes us want a hamburger? Or a salad? How do we decide between the two? People will say "you just know". Hmmm, you sure about that? I'm really going to try to look deeper into this.

The human brain is an amazing thing, there is no doubt. A miracle that we can walk, and talk, laugh, make people laugh, and be laughed at. All choices. We get in our cars and drive, we need to close the door, turn on the AC or heat, roll down the windows or leave them up. Step on the gas or the brakes. Run the yellow light? Look at that hottie running. Shit, I need gas. This song is awesome. Turn up the volume. ALL MORE CHOICES. How do we do all this and not work our brain into overdrive? It's no wonder why we spend almost half of our life sleeping. It's no wonder we all die. We all just become exhausted! We do this same routine, every single day without fail because we have decided this is how we live.

Think about that concept for a second. You are a living specimen on this earth. A walking, talking, eating, choice maker that drinks, laughs, cries, plays, and drives. I think about how many choices we make even when we do something. Go to Starbucks, what coffee do I get, how do I order it, how much is it, what do I pay with, where do I stand to wait, how long will it take to get it. I absolutely realize we can't possibly think about every single choice we make. But one choice affects another. While I have sat here writing this, I've already thought about sex, how I'm hungry, what movie I should watch after this, and how many people will read this.

How do we know how to think? How do we decide? How?

Last night, I chose to drink alcohol. A lot of alcohol. I decided that I needed to let loose, finally just give in and make the choice to party hard. This is something I've done many times before and we have all done that at least once in our life. And if you haven't, honestly, get with it. Not because you need to party and get silly, not because it's the cool thing to do but because it's a part of life. And you have to, and I mean this, HAVE TO try new things. A club, a food, a mall, a trip, a pet, a new friend, a job. Get out and get with it.

I remember the first time I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I remember first of all thinking, what a great choice I had made to watch this movie. There's a part in the movie when Brad Pitt says it's never too late to be who want to be and do what you want to do. Without regret. I thought to myself....yes. It's that simple. I want to make great choices in my life and be happy at what I'm doing. I don't want to limit my choices. Ever. Even when I'm sick or even when I'm old. The most rewarding thing about life is that we all get the power to choose. My thanks go out to whoever created human existence. Why be mean? Why not choose to be happy? Why not choose to let loose? Why not choose to be nice to at least one person a day.

My parents bought me a picture that hangs up in my house. I call it the life tree picture and it describes, in the simplest of terms, how to live life. And every time I look at it, I think about the meanings in what it says and how to CHOOSE. Choosing to make a handshake mean more then a pen and paper and choosing to count your blessings and thank the powers that be. To look at what you have instead of what you don't have. To smile and to search for you purpose as best as you can. Awesome stuff.

The greatest documentary I have seen in awhile was called Lucky, a story about people who became overnight millionaires from playing the lottery. I thought about all the choices they would have had to make and all of the things that would have had to have gone perfectly, in a ideal scripted sort of way, in order for them to hit it big. The time they got the ticket, the people they passed gripping the same hope in a piece of paper with numbers, the store they went to and the complete RANDOMNESS of it all. The odds stacked against them and for some, choosing the numbers to play. And them comes the choice of what to do with all that money once you have it. Wow. Just wow.

Choosing to choose is the greatest gift of all. In some way, shape or form, I am absolutely floored with how the brain works and how we decide. It really just depends on like...so, many, things. Choices occur every second. Everywhere. What choice will you make next? Will it be a good one? Or a bad one? What will that choice lead to? How will your script go? I can tell you that this writer is amazed and baffled by it all. Thinking about choices has made me think twice about the choices I make everyday. Deeper thought processes that ignite conversation; it really is what life is all about.

The Charlie Sheen Effect

Today's Topic: Two Epic Meltdowns

I remember when I watched a shaggy, out of work, bearded fellow on David Letterman a few years back who appeared to have completely lost his mind. The entire gullible audience bought it. Joaquin Phoenix had slipped into insanity. What was this all about? It couldn't be a prank, could it? He played it so well, it seemed so real. No one thought that it could be possible, to act this strange out of no where. It's what he wanted you to think. Somewhere under that beard and those dark shades, Joaquin was smiling a "gotcha" grin. He Charlie Sheened the audience.

Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck simply did it for kicks to make a mockumentary movie about the whole celebrity meltdown phenonmenon. There is a speech in the movie unoffcially titled the Mountain Top Water Speech which Affleck wrote and Edward James Olmos performed. Below is the excerpt of the speech:

"That's you, drops of water and you're on top of the mountain of success. But one day you start sliding down the mountain and you think wait a minute; I'm a mountain top water drop. I don't belong in this valley, this river, this low dark ocean with all these drops of water. And you're confused. Then one day, it gets hot and you slowly evaporate into air, way up, higher than any mountain top, all the way to the heavens. Then you understand that it was at your lowest that you were closest to God. Life's a journey that goes round and round and the end is closest to the beginning. So if it's change you need, relish the journey."

Fancy metaphors really draw this picture of a sort of inmortality, as if celebrities are a different kind of lifeform in general or a seperate identity from people in groups. I have been able to draw many similarities in this speech to what Charlie Sheen is putting us through right now. He's a celebrity who rose to fame and became the highest paid per show actor in television history. And now he has arguably become the most highly paid actor turned lunatic in history.

Clearly like the mountain top water drop metaphor says, Sheen needs a change and he is in fact relishing the journey he is on. In present day, we now gaze at the former star of two and half men and listen to his rants on YouTube entitled "Sheen's Korner." It's this sort of drug we have become addicted to. A case of the Sheens if you will. The recent rantings about winning and tiger blood are arguably part of a larger issue on the table. But is it insanity? Or is it genius? I'd like to think that the years of substance abuse have finally caught up with the star and like all stars, something goes of in their head where they just snap. And luckily (or unluckily) for the TMZ society we live in today, everyone is there to capture the latest breaking updates.

As for Sheen? Call it a project if you will. Capture an audience by sitting down with 60 minutes, calling in to Howard Stern, making videos on YouTube that seem to exceed high intellect levels, proposing that the audience must first believe that everyone else on this earth is the enemy. Then comes the merchandise. The coffee mugs people take into work, the t-shirts that you wear on the streets, showing off your Sheen pride, the facebook updates, the profile picture changes, the twitter updates...it takes the world by storm. When he finally tipped over the boiling pot, Sheen ripped through social networks like an F5 tornado ripping through a path to ultimate destruction. The fact that you can completely lose your mind, do drugs, party like a rockstar, make ridiculous videos, and then go on a world tour and sell tickets to a show where people can witness your meltdown live...it absolutely blows me away. Bravo Mr. Sheen. Bravo indeed. You did what few celebrities dare to ever do; have a public meltdown and get rich off it. I have to hand it to the man; he knows what people want and what they want to hear.

As some point, I think we need to ask ourselves if we can be held partly responsible for the ripple effects of this meltdown. If we had responded to Sheen with tired yawns, would he have pursued the tour? Did his manager realize that what he was doing seemed like a stroke of genius because we are all just a bunch of numbskulls? Whether it's real or not is still debatable. I'm sure cameras are rolling somewhere, capturing all the Sheen antics that have come thus far. A "Winning" movie is likely in the works and tigers will soon become an endangerged species because of the demand for their blood. Until then, I continue to applaud a celebrity like Sheen who defies the critics, rises above the banter and haters, and gains momementum in an otherwise need-to-know society hanging on to his every word. Perhaps we are looking at this the wrong way and maybe he has us all fooled like Joaquin did. Until I hear the word gotcha come out of his mouth, I'm classifying this case under the sheer brilliance file and part of me is sort of jealous.