Actually, let's examine that statement for a bit. With the exception of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back I haven't liked Will Ferrel in anything I've seen him in. In popular culture when this happens we have a tendency to say "I hate (insert actor/actresses name here)" and that's a bad thing. I mean seriously, do I really hate Will Ferrel or am I just not a fan of his style of comedy? Is he really bad at acting or do his movies just not appeal to me? When we stop and think about it for a minute the statement "I hate Will Ferrel" becomes grossly inaccurate. Why is it that when we see someone in movies/tv/music and we don't like their style we immediately spout a statement that is actually a judgement based on their personal character and not their artistic abilities/style?
I don't know Will Ferrel. I've never met the man in life. I don't really know anything about him other than he is an actor (And a very successful one whether I'm willing to admit it or not). I've heard nothing but good things about him from a couple of his peers so I'm sure he's a nice guy. Then why am I spouting off a statement of hate?
I think it's time pop culture matured and realized the difference between art and artist. And by pop culture I mean the fans of movies/tv/music/whathaveyou. I think we are way too quick to make statements of hate about an artist simply based on our assessment of their work. It's fine to not like something artistic, after all art is very much subjective. Will Ferrel is a good actor, his success speaks for itself and the fact that I don't like his movies has absolutely no bearing on that. Millions of people enjoy his work, if they didn't he wouldn't keep making movies. So for me to make a very negative statement about the man himself isn't just unfair, it's misleading to my own peers. I'm implanting an idea in their heads before they ever see any of his movies that he himself is a bad person and that will taint their perception of the movie in a negative way. I don't want that.
I don't like Will Ferrel's style of comedy but I hope you do and I wish him all the best.