Never forget that with Harvey Weinstein taking point, “Bully” director Lee Hirsch launched a mean-spirited and cynical months-long PR campaign to drive interest in his documentary through the public bullying of the MPAA. Rather than make the few edits he eventually did, the director and his bully producer instead chose to harangue, insult, and gin up as much press as they could over their R-rated film receiving a, uhm, R-rating.
And now Hirsch, a fully grown bully, thinks it’s his place to shame Mitt Romney and keep alive The Washington Post’s discredited story about what Romney may or may not have done a half-century ago:
As Hirsch told The Hollywood Reporter, he hoped for something more. “This could be a true presidential moment for Mitt Romney,” the director said. “My hope is that he would recognize that we are past framing bullying as horse play or pranking around. We need our leaders to call it as it is. Part of that conversation is moving away from “kids will be kids.'”
Hirsch, however, remains hopeful. “This is an opportunity for Romney to really lead on this issue,” he said. “His apology fell short of that. That’s not to say he won’t feel different after some soul searching. I would hope anyone standing for president would take the opportunity to set a clear example on this issue. We’re looking to do away with language that minimizes bullying.”
As far as I know, Hirsch has yet to speak out against 50 year-old President Obama’s bullying of private citizens.
“Bully” is also a flop, earning only $2.8 million at the box office. After nearly as much media attention as “The Passion of the Christ,” that’s an embarrassment that only proves this entire bullying meme is a media creation, not some sort of national crisis.
No one cares but the beautiful ugly people.