Gabriel Byrne to Photog: Have a Seat, B*tch!

76. America is an extremely young Country. We have massive amounts to learn from past & other civilizations to be sure. We can't deny anyone's freedom to express their viewpoints. We are in no way superior to anyone else, but neither is any other group. For all of our faults, America is still the place people still risk their lives to get to for a chance at a better life.

We strive to incorporate other ways and ideas into our own, not to allow a takeover. We have a right to protect our own borders and preserve our ways. If others are better than us, and we're so selfish & backward, why would they want anythng to do with us? They might first try to convert those who are running away from their own homelands.

Anyway, no group should be stereotyped good or bad. Pride is a great thing, but not all Black men are well-endowed any more than they are dirty or lazy. Not all Indians are sexual contortionists nor are they submissive slaves to their men or inhumane, living in squalor. Not all Irish are sensitive poets nor are they violent drunks etc. It's these assumptions that allow people to believe only what they want and disregard the others. Neither picture is accurate.

I see America's dirty politicians giving decent Americans a bad name, immoral religious leaders giving religion a bad name. Catholics for instance are allowed to be disparaged by anyone at any time citing free speech, while any other group cries racism, sexism, prejudice if a single word they find insulting is used etc. The RC Church certainly is full of wrongdoings & they should be noted & acted upon, but let's see something other than politically correct responses, especially from celebs who have tremendous influence but don't don't half of what they think they do. Growing up Catholic does not a Catholic make. They may have grown up poor or suffered past indigities. But a couple of trips to Africa does not make them authorities or in touch with the rest of the world.

Posted at 1:02AM on Jun 26th 2007 by Brigid

77. I have an Indian friend who was stalked and raped because she was Indian. Her rapist assumed that she was well-versed in Tantric sex (she was not) and that made her a whore. He also assumed she was bred to please men and that she would submit to him without a fight.

He failed to read beyond the physicality of sex and did not learn that Tantra has to do with discipline and expressing love, respecting ourselves & others. The spirituality of the practice is the most important part, yet
people like him disregard it or fail to understand it. It's like referring to women as c**ts or b*tches, summing them up as objects.

I understand you were being lighthearted with your comments, but I'd hate to spread the stereotypes that could interpreted in a dangerous way. My friend suffered a great deal and still does because a guy got off on a stereotype. He was someone she had known quite a while and he appeared to be a sensitive, trustworthy, respectful, open-minded man in the beginning. Fantasies can turn ugly for anyone under the right circumstances.

Posted at 1:45AM on Jun 26th 2007 by Brigid

78. 9 inches? Does your cousin carry a tape measure with her? lol

Posted at 3:43AM on Jun 26th 2007 by Brigid

79. I welcome new and different ideas, and believe it serves us best to remain open to them and try to blend all of them together like the true melting pot that was intended for America. I just don't care for the judgment that Americans should adopt other customs and practices in a manner that wipes out our own, replacing ours with others because those others are somehow more enlightened. There's a false notion that we are less informed and priggish because we don't conform to another culture's point of view that I resent. Obviously their way of life is not better, does not advance equality, or so many would not be so desperate to escape the failure of their societies. I mean if we are truly meant to be united as one, why are we the only ones expected to abandon our ways while other nations are allowed to preserve their own to the point of severely punishing anyone who does not comply with their customs? There's a double standard taking place. America is the only place where terrorists are allowed to further their agenda by screaming racism. It is not wrong to be cautious or even a bit suspicious of strangers.

It is wrong to persecute anyone different from us, or to promote ourselves as superior beings. All customs and practices can lend themselves to abuse and cannot be too strictly adhered to by everyone. We won't be able to live in harmony together until we stop trying to take credit for each good thing we bring to the one nation. It only serves to isolate us further from one another. We should be able to appreciate each other as human beings, not because we look a certain way or profess to have specific abilities merely by way of our nationality. I try to look upon my White, Iranian, Indian, Mexican, Black friends, as people first, then maybe Americans etc. It is so difficult to do that though, because when we're together, others see our color first, separate us in their minds, & treat us differently. Then we start separating each other in our own minds. It's like we'll never be allowed to meld. Very frustrating.

Posted at 5:17AM on Jun 26th 2007 by Brigid

80. Gabriel does have a lot of feline characteristics. He has a lion’s mane of hair, coloring like a seal point Siamese. Beige and black, with blue eyes. He’s built like a Siamese cat. Long and thin, triangle shaped face. He moves like a cat. Sensuous and languid. I’m surprised that he was never a professional dancer, let alone he claiming he has no coordination and can’t dance. He has a voice like a cat. I’ve heard him sing. His voice is good. No worse than any popular singer. Yet he claims he can’t sing.

He plays the violin in “Canone Inverso (Making Love).” Yet he claims to be a very bad Irish fiddle player. He seems to have very little confedence in himself. He still manages to rake us women in though.

Posted at 11:02AM on Jun 26th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvati)

81. You're right, he does have feline features. Interesting. He's a cat man for sure. It is a shame if he doesn't realize his own attractiveness. But that's often the case. He seems kind of shy to me, so acting really must be his shy man's revenge. He has more courage than I. I still quiver and perspire whenever I have to address even a small group. I never saw Canone Inverso, but I think I heard a reference to it when reading a review of the Red Violin which I loved. Is it in any way similar to that film?

Posted at 8:27PM on Jun 26th 2007 by Brigid

82. Now back to Gabriel. If you look at “Siesta” he gets up out of bed in one scene full frontal nude and he looks pretty big there. Also in “Dark Obsession” he’s full frontal in some scenes there. Also he looks pretty big there.

Posted at 10:22AM on Jun 27th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvati)

83. I do bend over backward to please men I like. I realize most men don’t know yoga or Tantra, and find the Kama sutra difficult. How ever I do expect equal pleasure, and I can’t be submissive.

I’m not big on countries. I’m more interested in people. People look different on the outside. People’s customs are different all over the world. On the inside people are the same all over the world. That’s all I’m interested in. Being American is different to different people. One of my best friends since childhood is Iroquois, Oneida nation. For her and her family America is an interloper on what they see as their land.

Men they know rape most women. People who know each other commit most violence. People they know and thought they could trust rob most people. Rape is an act of violence, not sex.
As a social worker I consul a lot of sex workers. The violence against them is almost always tolerated. The police commit most of the violence against them. The very people supposed to protect them.

I’m not in most groups. I’m off the charts. I’m from a mixed marriage so I’m not in one group. I’m feminine and a girly girl, but I can, will, have and do protect myself. I’m out bi, but I’m fem and I’m attracted to fem women. Butches turn me off, but I’m a friend with many. They copy behavior that I find unattractive in men.

Posted at 10:20AM on Jun 27th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvati)

84. Yes, Canoe Inverso is made by the same director as The Red Violin.

Posted at 10:35AM on Jun 27th 2007 by (MissIndiaM(Sarasvati)

85. Thanks so much for your comments. You explained in more detail what I was trying to say. My Indian friend was looked upon by her rapist as a type, not a person, and he was clearly was only superficially aware of the Kama Sutra. He viewed her as a means to an end. It's true, most rapes do not involve unknown attackers and are acts of violence, but the sexual act does confuse things. His was a sexual obsession with her. My friend was deeply betrayed on many levels. I just hate to see the idea continually reinforced that the sexual aspects of tantra are its only advantages and purpose. Hardly anyone explains it in terms of anything but sex, I guess because they think it'll get them attention.

People hear Yoga, Kama Sutra and yonic Tantra and think only in terms of sex and it is so much more, the meditation, the discipline, the spirituality, artistry, sensuality all geared towards self-awareness, health etc. If people were given more information, we'd use less drugs to ease pain, control body function, behavior etc. I see too many women go for things like an epidural without question like it's necessary.

It's funny, a teacher friend of mine did simple yoga meditation with his students before class just to calm them down so they could get down to work, and he got angry calls from parents who believed he was trying to teach them a religion. They don't show up for the parent-teacher conferences, or answer his calls when he needs to talk about their disruptive behavior & falling grades, but God forbid they should be introduced to yoga. He wasn't even teaching it.

I too would like to see us as one, but there will always be those who live to do us harm. We have a right to defend ourselves and protect those we love by not putting blinders on and pretending there is nothing to fear if we just imagine a better world. We have to open up a dialogue and talk to each other, and we have to penalize lawbreakers. We must exert fairness & humane treatment (no torture of any degree) but it's not wrong to be wary.



"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many
want in... And how many want out."
--- Tony Blair when asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America

I never saw Dark Obsession. I saw Siesta on a recommendation from a friend and was not enthralled. I was a bit turned off by Ellen Barkin. I think she's an ok actress, but to me she seems to try too hard to act tough-sexy. She appears to go out of her way to prove she's hip, making provacative statements without thinking them through. Apparently I'm alone in my thinking because Mr. Byrne certainly saw the full picture of her. Not knowing her, I obviously could not know what she's really like. I guess I didn't examine Byrne as closely as you did in that film lol. It has been a long time since I''ve seen that one, but I didn't think it was among his best performances. It could have been much better in my opinion.

Posted at 8:30PM on Jun 27th 2007 by Brigid

86. Btw I don't think it is necessarily prudish if certain people don't care to speak explicitly sexual in mixed company or be demonstrative in public. It can be extremely annoying, rude, and sometimes inappropriate to do so. And some just prefer to remain private about personal matters as intimate as sex, and save at least some of it for the bedroom. Not everybody feels a need to exploit themselves to prove themselves knowlegable and aware. Not all of us are interested in knowing every detail of others proclivities.

I don't think it's a sign of intolerance or narrow-mindedness, or of being puritanical. Some simply aren't inclined to express every emotion or idea they have. Privacy can be a much sought after treasure, particularly for those from whom it has been taken away or limited.

As long as they are not refraining because they think it is somehow sinful, or they're made to feel ashamed, I think a little reserve is attractive. It's not necessarily healthy to let it all hang out, anymore than it is to be completely closed up.

It's been said it is the quiet ones who are most in tune. I personally think those demure women are intelligent and independent and secure. They don't need to put on a show for everybody & drone on about their exploits in order to prove it to themselves. They have no need to tell everyone they're beautiful because they know people can see it, hear it in their voice, and gleam it from their actions, writings etc . Perhaps this is what your friend Gabriel sees.

My Byrne-obsessed friend told me that his favorite character from 'Little Women" is not the outgoing, flirty Amy, pretty Meg, or even independent, headstrong Jo, but plain, simple, sweet, dependable, altruistic Beth. Who knows if he actually said that or if he meant it for anything but effect on his fans, but it is kind of interesting. If true, it would indicate deeper emphasis beyond mere physicality.

Posted at 10:25PM on Jun 27th 2007 by Brigid

87. I'm curious and am trying to understand your point of view. You say your heart is Indian but you proudly carry an American passport. You used statements like "back home we.....", speaking of ashram as the most spiritual way of life, and India's food being THE "best & healthiest in the world", yet you clearly choose to make your home in America and partake of all its bounty, possibly including government disability aid despite your apparent physical flexibility. (I'm quite envious)

You refer to yourself as a proud "desi girl", (despite your mixed heritage) which is indeed something to be proud of and cherish, so you do set yourself apart from others. You make Indian concerns your priority despite the "one world" philosophy. It's as though you're either desirous of turning America into an Indian nation using its wealth to fund it, or are eager to carve out a separate section of America for Indians subsidized by American money. So capitalism it seems is good for certain things.

The neighborhoods in the city I live in were initially divided according to ethnicity. Germans, Italians, Irish, Polish etc were separate and never the twain shall meet. One was never to intermarry for example. They had their own stores & eateries etc. Then they became integrated, the people assimilated, and no one group was catered to. You began to see restaurants and stores that didn't find it necessary to sell their ethnic background, yet they maintained pride in it & privately and quietly preserved their old world customs. People are now mixtures of various races. I myself am a mutt of four different nationalities. In recent years though, there has been a surge of groups moving in and reviving the racial separation. It's sad.

At one point you referred to Byrne as a misogynist, bourgeoisie. You were happy though when he complimented Indian women. You criticized his personal choice to support Hillary, ascertaining that he must have been talked into it because his actions did not coincide with your fantasy. You even suggested he should have used that money to provide "Indian girls with an education" so as not to be "forced into early marriage, prostitution, or sewing clothes for $1 an hour". As I've stated before, those conditions of "immense poverty, the bugs, the heat, the filth, the disease, the sectarian violence, the female infanticide, the dowry murder, the subhuman treatment of the dalits (untouchables)" are hardly limited to India.

While these are indeed vital concerns and should be attended to, Byrne is not responsible for satisfying their needs simply because he has stated he's hot for desi women and appreciates the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. We have no idea (well, maybe YOU do lol) how much he has privately contributed to just such causes. It isn't his duty to advertise and publicize his charitable works. In fact, from what you've told me he would find it uncomfortable to do so. I can't help but think that Byrne is your favorite actor mainly because of his comments about Indian women, yet you say, "I’ve never been interested in a celebrity’s personal life, or whom they sleep with." I can tell you I wasn't either until you got me started. His being Irish, his political beliefs etc would not deter me from seeing a film he was appearing in if it looked like a good film, nor would I see anything he was in just because of his presence in it. Am I misinterpreting here? Am I out of line & off base?

Posted at 2:15AM on Jun 28th 2007 by Brigid

88. My family and I are westerners yes and have not suffered from living as we do yet we have mounds to learn. Both sets of my Grandparents lived to old age. My mother's parents were firm meat eaters, my Grandpa never having met a vegetable he did not like. He lived to be 93, and my Grandmother is still going strong at 90. None were bent over or had any arthritic problems. None were well-versed in the Kama Sutra, or ever spoke about their sex lives openly, yet it was always quite clear both couples enjoyed healthy ones for seven decades each. Some members of my family are hunters whose quarry we have all consumed. While I could never shoot anything, I see nothing wrong or necessarily unhealthy about eating animals. We have had very little illness in our family over several generations. None of us are overweight, alcoholics, drug-users, or prone to violence, and there are a lot of us. The majority has been happily married or in strong monogamous relationships for years. We are of various races (though our skin colors favor white) and religions or none at all which we respectfully debate each other about. We've had our estrangements from one another as families do, but we ultimately co-exist quite nicely. I'd like it to be that way among all the races and cultures, appreciating each others differences while maintaining ethnic pride.

I refer to my "Indian" friend, while you refer to us "western folk", yet we are both American born. I'm of mixed race but describe myself as American and am proud of all parts of my heritage. My political concerns and actions are not concentrated in a single area.

I should be able to refer to my friend without indicating her race. I'd like to refer to the various benefits and practices of things like Kiegeling or Kama Sutra without having to identify them first by their origins except in the initial introduction of them. Do you see what I mean? We can learn without isolating ourselves and making others afraid to approach because we place emphasis on its foreign nature.

Posted at 5:30AM on Jun 28th 2007 by Brigid

89. Some of my family is Apache and Cherokee Indian. They contend that no one took their land because the land never belonged to anyone in the first place, that it could never be owned. The White man however is without a doubt responsible for murdering, raping, starving, bringing disease to their people and forcing them out of the land they lived on first. It should never have happened. It was wrong. These Indians had good reason to be wary of these men. They had a right to be.

They also acknowledge that long before the White man came they were warring with one another, killing, raping, stealing etc. They were divided into many tribes, some of whom they got along with, some violently opposing one another. Women were the slaves of men and often brutalized. Had they the type of weapons the White men had, I likely would not be here, but neither would they because they would have killed each other off long ago. It's a sad fact that all human beings, all people fight with each other.

I'm in agreement with the ONE campaign, that we are all African. We can all trace our roots back to Africa. Unfortunately that doesn't change the fact that there are millions who disagree with me and will fight to the death to stop such a campaign to succeed in its effort to inform the world of this truth. I don't advocate violence, but like Malcolm X spoke about, we have a right to defend our families, our babies, and preserve this education for them.

I agree with you completely that all people are the same on the inside, we are lovers and fighters. I'm just saying we can't refute and disregard our demon sides. Touchy-feely, hearts and flowers, love, love, love... looks and feels great on the surface, but it's just a band-aid until we can change hearts. Paranoia won't solve anything to be sure. We need level heads. But ignorance is not bliss, and denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

Posted at 5:39AM on Jul 1st 2007 by Brigid

90. I don’t like Ellen’s character in Siesta. I think she’s a very good actress. As for her characters being very sexual, I have always admired her for that. Like Grace Jones she’s not afraid to be the aggressor. However she says dumb things in interviews sometimes. Recently she told an interviewer that’s she’s a native New Yorker, and she doesn’t care if she sees another tree.
The unrated Siesta is basically soft-core porn. So is Dark Obsession.

Women in India not wanting to talk about sex in mixed company, not prudish. Wanting to arrest Richard Gere for kissing Shilpa Shetty, very prudish and backward. In the 70’s Shashi Kapoor kissed an actress in an Indian movie for the first time since the 20’s. There were calls for his arrest. Very backward considering in the 20’s India made a film about the Kama Sutra that not only had kissing, but was also sexually explicit.

I will always be a desi. People of South Asian descent from Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana, Surinam, South Africa, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Singapore consider themselves desis even though their families have been in these countries for six generations. India is my ancestral homeland. I don’t see why I can’t say “back home” for India even if I was born and raised in New York.

TMZ made Gabriel look like a misogynist. I admitted I was wrong about that. He is somewhat bourgeois. That is the temptation of wealth. Gabriel can support Hillary all he wants. It was the venue I called into question, and still do. All those rich white Irish people made him look like an elite racist, which I know he’s not. The amount of money was obscene for a politician. If it was so important to raise money for Hillary, he could have had a funfair in a local church, gotten 200 or more people to attend, had them pay $10.00 to get in and had people of all ethnicities and classes there.
Instead it looks like a bribe. He can be for Hillary all he wants. In fact I don’t see why resident aliens shouldn’t be allowed to vote. He should be able to vote for her if he believes in her.

My cousin says Gabriel’s friend Melvyn Bragg interviewed him recently. Gabriel told Bragg that he’s considering selling his New York house and moving full time to London.

My grandmother lived to be 92. She did have arthritis but doing yoga every day left her at 92 with a body that many 50 year olds would envy. At 92 she was still 37-26-39, she kept the same height she was since the age of 12 till her dying day. 5’8. She never shrunk. My grandmother was proud to be a vegetarian.

I am American. I am not mixed race. There is only one race, the human race.

The Iroquois may not have believed you could own land, but their nation was destroyed by the American quest for more land for settlers.

Posted at 1:58PM on Jul 30th 2007 by MissIndiaM