News > Celeb > Seriously, Why Do You Like Will Smith?

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FRIDAY OCTOBER 19 2007 5:00 PM

Seriously, Why Do You Like Will Smith?

Tags: Will Smith, Willenium, I Am Legend

I'm really asking. And I'd love nothing more than for you to reply with a detailed list of reasons that shows me exactly what I've been missing.

Obviously, I'm not a fan. But, I'd be happy to put all that aside, for some hard answers. I'll put away my feelings toward his manufactured street-vibe, the bland on-screen energy, the piss poor rap for nine-year-olds. I'm happy to forget all of that, for some answers, some closure and dare I say it, some understanding...

The idea that this humongous gulf separates me (and a few others) and the rest of the planet, has become far too unsettling to manage. How can we be so different? Are we not both flesh and bone? Do we not bleed when stuck and laugh when 30 Rocked? I understand hatred, selfishness, murder, even... but not this.

I've got to know. Why do you welcome his middle-of-the-roadness with open arms? Why do you line his pockets for the chance to witness his "fast-talking" hilarity? Am I asking too much? Being too picky? I mean, we've seen examples of funny people. People who can act, and act well. It can be done, there's countless movies that prove it. Why isn't he also expected to do these things?

Logistically, the idea that he has something to blackmail every single person on Earth with, sounds ridiculous. I'm begining to wonder if I'm wrong. Did Will discover that we were all descended from slugs? Is that the secret he swore to keep, in exchange for a career saying, "Oh, hell no."

This isn't me being a sarcastic dick. I mean, sure, that's part of it. But beyond that, I'd like this to be different than the usual "me mocking something, some of you agreeing and some of you attacking back" thing. At the end of this, I'd either like you to see the error of your ways, or, I'd like to be convinced.

I'll even do my best to get you started. I can't think of more than a few half-baked reasons, not even enough for a proper list, but here's what I got.

- He's tall and good looking. Is that it? I'll concede those two points, but, doesn't it take more? I mean nobody's lining up to see any Ted McGinley movies. (Yeah, I know. Apparently I'm also in need of examples of tall, good looking people.)

- People enjoy the slick, wise-cracking black guy character. That's true, but, aren't there plenty of actual black guys available? It's not like they haven't invented Chris Tucker yet. Or Method Man. Or, the self-described "cocky black chaeffuer from Die Hard. That guy was awesome, and I'd lay down at least fifty bucks that says anything Smith can do, that guy could do just as well. And that includes his Ali impression.

- People have a misguided, nostalgia-based fondness for his crappy sitcom. This group is a few hundred people at best, not enough to account for his worldwide dominance.

- Most people are dumb and ask very little of their entertainment. And they like people who smile at them. Hmmm. That's impossible, right?

That's all I could come up with. Tell me I'm wrong. Show me I'm wrong. I'm begging you. Explain this sadistic hold he has over you... or send him away.

Soon he will have ruined one of my favorite books, I Am Legend. It's a matter of days now, and there's nothing we can do to stop it, this time... I'm asking you now, where does it end? When do we say enough?

TheCoolerKing is also wondering why they seem to have taken all the vampires out of "I Am Legend" and replaced them with the monsters from "28 Days Later."

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Comments

ardour

Ottawa, ON

March 2006

OCT 19, 2007 05:05 PM

Heh. I read the synopsis for I Am Legend and was very intrigued. Then I read he was in it. Ugh. I kind of like Men in Black, but I'm sure it'd have been more enjoyable without him. I'm only mentioning this because I can't think of anything else I've seen him in that I liked (well, Independance Day is fun to watch and laugh at). I don't find the person he plays very interesting, and he always plays that same person.

bairdduvessa

Centerville, MA

April 2005

OCT 19, 2007 05:07 PM

he's the 2nd best rapper of all time...a distant, DISTANT 2nd place to Ski-lo!

allison_oaks

Lebanon, IN

September 2007

OCT 19, 2007 05:13 PM

I'm with you CoolerKing, I don't get it at all. :/

dearambellina

Tampa, FL

October 2006

OCT 19, 2007 05:14 PM

Because I was born and raised in Philadelphia!

Everyone from Philly loves Will Smith. Duh.

TheInsomniac

Washington, DC

October 2003

OCT 19, 2007 05:17 PM

dearambellina said:
Because I was born and raised in Philadelphia!

Was the playground where you spent most of your days?

Gayballs

Seattle, WA

July 2005

OCT 19, 2007 05:17 PM

i love him. he lives here now

Gringo

Spokane, WA

May 2006

OCT 19, 2007 05:20 PM

I don't ever feel the need to over-analyze why someone is or isn't a celebrity.

I gave up trying to figure that out when Paris Hilton rose to the........well....whatever the fuck celeb status she got to.

Society are strange.

nice_pun_bro

Irvine, CA

January 2007

OCT 19, 2007 05:20 PM

bairdduvessa said:
he's the 2nd best rapper of all time...a distant, DISTANT 2nd place to Ski-lo!

It's Skee-Lo, get it straight, money.

outryder

Oklahoma City, OK

September 2007

OCT 19, 2007 05:21 PM

Wow, I guess that I was just so happy that he was both a mainstream comedic black actor, and not completely annoying with his stage presence that I was blind to the fact that he was mediocre... Really I mean, he falls somewhere between Denzel Washington and Chris Tucker which is a hard niche to fill, if not completely unnecessary now that I think about it.

Ok, no, seriously here we go...
1. In "Jersey Girl" he plagues Ben Affleck's character's existance through the whole movie...
2. I too have an over whelming distaste for robots who don't save children...
3.

I stopped, I'm sorry, it's just that I realized that all the things I like about him are actually his characters.... not him... and probably could have been portrayed by someone else just as well... better really.

Ok, you win... I have no idea why I like Will Smith.

DJFriar

Little Elm, TX

February 2005

OCT 19, 2007 05:24 PM

"...chilling out maxin, relaxing all cool..."

I dunno, maybe I'm the minority, but I actually like him a lot. His rap was never all that great, but he did help bring rap into mainsream acceptance. Now whether that was good or bad, taht's up to you.

I dothink he has had some great acting moves though too. Hitch and The Legend of Bagger Vance were both well played by him. Bad Boys was good as well. I can't say he's irreplaceable, but he certainly held his own.

I like him cause he's pretty down to earth too. I've met him a few times, when he was much more in the spotlight, and he was absolutely as far from "typical celebrity" as you can get. And that goes a long way to me.

Lastly, well, I think he's funny. Do I think he's the only funny black actor/rapper we have? Oh, hell no. Ludacris instantly comes to mind as being vastly more talented, as does Ice Cube.

Anyway, I think he has a lot more reason to be as popular as he is then David Hasselhoff. How the heck did he get so huge? It boggles my mind, and I own the Knight Rider DVD's.

*Running to lurk in the darkness after revealing that last bit. But hey, at least I don't own the Baywatch DVD's)

CannedAir

Tempe, AZ

June 2007

OCT 19, 2007 05:30 PM

Summertime is still one of the best kick back songs of all time man. He forever has cred in my book for such a relaxed nostalgia inducing song. plus nobody can kill aliens and make a choreographed dance to it quite like him.