The following is a sexy short story that I wrote after hearing how some couples engaged in sexy role playing. There are a great many ways to spice up a relationship, no matter what stage it’s at. Role playing is one of the easiest and most flexible. This story should get that point across. Enjoy!
“You looking for a good time, hot stuff? Because I’m all about good times…for a price!”
Gloria “Glory” Pyre chuckled to herself, but tried to take the kinky sight before her seriously. That wasn’t easy because her husband, Brett Pyre, didn’t usually wear a black leather jacket, skin-tight pants, undersized shirts, and enough of hair-care products to open his own salon. He hadn’t worn something that elaborate since their wedding day and even then, he didn’t go so overboard with the aftershave.
She still humored him, though. Pretending to be shy and reserved, she opened the door to the hotel room they’d rented and welcomed him.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Steadman,” she said.
“That’s Studman, ma’am,” he said boldly.
“Right…Mr. Studman,” Glory said, still trying not to laugh. “Please…won’t you come in?”
“That depends. Are you the same Glory who reserved a full hour of my valuable time?”
“Yes, I am,” she said, “and if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to not waste a second of it.”
She made it sound like a business arrangement, which was part of the gimmick. Brett, still carrying himself as though he were the hottest thing with two balls in a dick, entered the room, but not before putting the “do not disturb” sign on the door knob.
Glory knew the ritual well. She had gone through it herself many times before. In another life – one that had only ended a few years ago, no less – she had been a high-end escort. She used to be the one to arrive at fancy hotels, wearing elegant dresses and revealing thong underwear, to greet horny clients. She once considered herself as one of the best in the business, having served a diverse range of clients, many of which had deep pockets.
It started as a side-gig that helped pay off her student loan debt, but it turned into something so much more. Glory had always been a sexual person, by nature. However, it was only when she turned it into a marketable skill that she uncovered the breadth of her sexuality. Her time as an escort allowed her to explore sex in a way she never could’ve experienced in her personal life. It came to become one of the most meaningful things she’d ever done.
Part of what made that time in her life so meaningful was standing right before her. The man she’d married had once been a regular client, but not a traditional one, to say the least. In fact, a big part of why she fell in love with him came from her work as an escort and the work he’d done, as well.
“Right down to business,” he said in a low, manly tone of voice, “I like that.”
“My time is precious. I like to make it matter,” Glory replied in a flirtatious tone, “which is why I made it a point to hire the best.”
“Well, you have an eye for quality,” Brett said playfully, “although I have to say…you’re a lot more attractive than most of my clients.”
“Oh I’m sure you say that to all the women who enlist your services.”
“I mean it. I mean, look at you! You’re young, beautiful, and have enough money to afford my time. Why would someone like you need to hire a guy like me?”
He briefly broke character. Those were the words of her husband and not the role he was playing. They were also the words of an aspiring therapist who’d expanded his own skills, thanks to her. How that played out was a big reason why they fell in love, but Glory couldn’t focus on that now. They still had a role to play.
Brett tried to make up for it by snaking his arms around her waist, slipping a hand into the back pocket of her jeans. It maintained the mood, but highlighted and important detail of their elaborate act. However, it was one that Glory had already contemplated long before she pitched the idea.
“It’s funny. Questions like that usually have lousy answers,” she said, taking on a more serious demeanor. “I get it. I’m beautiful. Men and women have been telling me that since I started filling out bras in middle school.”
“And you fill them out well,” Brett commented while admiring the cleavage that her halter top did little to hide.
“That made hooking up so easy,” Glory went on. “I could walk into a room, pick any guy I wanted, and get him in bed by the end of the day…so long as he was straight.”
“You make that sound like a problem.”
“It wasn’t for a long time. I slept with a lot of men. I had a lot of great sex. The problem was…well, it’s more an issue of quality rather than quantity.”
She finally embraced her role a bit. She moved in closer to the handsome man before her, snaking an arm around his neck while trailing her hand over his chest. Even through that fancy shirt he wore, she could feel the toned muscles of his upper body. She already knew those features well, but Glory had felt manly muscles during her time as an escort. What set Brett apart played a big role in them falling in love.
“You see…when a man is with a beautiful woman, they tend to get overly excited,” she said.
“Trust me, I don’t have that problem,” Brett said confidently. “I wouldn’t be Mr. Studman if I didn’t have the stamina.”
“That’s not entirely what I was referring to. Being beautiful has many perks, but when so many men want to sleep with you, they tend to treat it as some sort of fleeting moment…one they have to maximize to the greatest extent. While I can’t honestly blame them, it often leaves me unfulfilled.”
Her tone took on a more sensual undertone. It blurred the line between Gloria and Glory, which happened a lot with her sex life. She had always been a very sexual person, by nature. Sometimes, her persona as an escort did not complement her persona as a horny woman. She did not intend for that to be the case for tonight.
“Ah…I see what you’re getting at,” Brett said.
“I doubt you can understand it, though,” Glory said. “All my life, I’ve been the judge and the prize…sifting through parades of would-be lovers, hoping to find one who can please me. For once, I want to try things from the other side. I want to be the one desperate for sex, seeking the company of a professional whore to satisfy my most basic needs.”
“So you called me…Mr. Studman.”
“Yes,” she affirmed. “I called you, the most expensive gigolo in the tristate area. I’m hoping you’re worth the premium!”
Glory was already getting excited. She actually felt nervous. She hadn’t felt nervous in a sexual situation since high school. She was so used to being the one with all the leverage. For once, that wasn’t the case. It was jarring, but also thrilling in a strange sort of way.
Still in Brett’s muscular arms, she pawed his chest to communicate her desire. There was nothing theatrical about it. There was just the overt gesture of a very horny woman who just wanted sex. She’d been on the other end of that dynamic more times than she could count. She was ready to experience things from the other side.
Brett, having gone to great lengths to prepare for his role, continued to do his part. He settled into a more serious demeanor, taking on the kind of business-like poise that she often did when she served a client. It was unusual, but it still turned her on.
“I see,” Brett said, still speaking in the tone of Mr. Studman. “Well, we gigolos pride ourselves on proving our value. I intend to make this little transaction every bit as successful.”
“Great!” Glory said, sounding like a giddy school girl. “In that case, shall we get down to business?”
“Lead the way, ma’am.”
With growing excitement, she led her handsome “gigolo” from the foyer to the king sized bed in middle of the hotel room. Along the way, she placed an envelope full of money – it was actually monopoly money, but it was close enough – and made sure he saw the full amount. As any competent escort knew, the amount of money in the envelope determined the type of services rendered.
“Here’s what I want,” Glory said, sitting down at the foot of the bed with Brett, “nothing fancy or elaborate…just a good, thorough fuck.”
“Sounds simple enough for Mr. Studman,” Brett said confidently.
“I don’t want it rushed or messy, either. This isn’t my senior prom. This isn’t my honeymoon. I just want a good, professional fuck by someone who knows his way around the female body.”
“That, I can do. I’ve plenty of experience with both!”
“It’s not just experience that matters, here. I’ve been with men who’ve slept with dozens of women, but don’t know the difference between a clitoris and a hangnail. I’ve also been with men who have next to no experience, but still find a way to get me off because they actually put in the effort. What I want…what I need, tonight…is someone who can do both.”
It sounded like she was the one breaking character now. Some of her own issues – many of which pre-dated her time as an escort and her relationship with Brett – echoed through her voice. They sounded like the musings of a woman who could get as much sex as she wanted because of her beauty, but struggled to find true satisfaction.
Brett must have sensed that sentiment in her because he took on a more serious demeanor. That fake bravado he’d shown as Mr. Studman faded. Suddenly, he became more professional. However, he did not have the look of a licensed therapist or her loving husband. He had the look of a skilled gigolo.
“It’s funny. I’ve known many women who’ve told me their wants and needs,” Brett said, gently stroking the side of her face. “Most of them struggle to know the difference between the two.”
“Am I one of them?” Glory asked, already sounding desperate with desire.
“No. You’re not.”
Upon saying those words, he broke their intimate embrace and got up from the bed. Glory remained sitting, watching with curiosity and anticipation as her husband-turned-gigolo stood before her.
Then, like the star attraction at a male strip club, he seductively slipped out of his leather jacket and took off the tight-fitting shirt that barely contained his masculine features. Even in the bland lighting of the hotel room, the sight of his chiseled upper body triggered all sorts of arousing feelings within her. The way he carried himself, knowing he had the features that got a woman’s juices flowing, made Glory gaze up at him with a mix of awe and hunger.
“I’ve got the skills and tools to give you want you want and need,” he told her, “and I’m going to give it to you. You have my word.”
At that moment, the line between her husband and the role he played blurred. She’d heard that tone and that claim before, mostly because she’d said the same thing to her clients as well. He’d been one of them, but the circumstances had been unusual, to say the least. That ended up working out for them, though, and not just because they went onto get married.
“Well,” Glory said, already enchanted by his overt sex appeal, “what are you waiting for, Mr. Studman? Show me how a professional fucks!”
With a coy grin and a determined glint in his eye, Brett provided the service she’d solicited. Unlike her many other sexual encounters, she had no doubts about how it would play out. She was going to get fucked and she was going to get fucked by real stud.
He quickly demonstrated his keen understanding of arousing a woman, leaning in and kissing her hungrily on the lips, allowing her to explore the sinews of his upper body. He must have slathered himself with two bottles of baby oil because his skin was so smooth. It gave him the feel and scent of something polished and refined, which boded well for the fucking they were about to do.
As she pawed his upper body, Brett loosened her clothes. Glory was used to wearing something fancy and sexy during her hotel encounters. Instead, she’d worn the same attire she used to go shopping, which consisted of a T-shirt, jeans, and sandals. It was strange wearing something that wasn’t overly seductive, for once, but that only gave her more incentive to get it off.
“Let’s get you out of these dirty clothes,” Brett whispered into her ear with his deep, masculine tone.
Her inner thighs got 10 degrees hotter on the spot. He couldn’t remove her shirt and jeans fast enough. Once in her bra and panties, he crawled onto the bed with her, taking her by the waist and guiding her to the center.
From there, he lavished her with intimate kissing, touching, and fondling, the likes of which showed both a fondness and an understanding of the female body. It didn’t just heighten her physical arousal. It sent her into a state of pure sexual arousal. She didn’t need to think dirty thoughts or imagine the things that turned her on. Brett, being the professional stud, did that all by himself.
“Oohhh Mr. Studman!” she purred. “You’re making me…so hot and wet.”
“Then, I’m doing my job,” Brett quipped with a grin.
Not losing focus for an instant, he finished stripping her naked. While kissing her neck, he reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. He didn’t fumble awkwardly like so many men. He also didn’t get overly-distracted at the sight of her large, well-shaped breasts. He still admired them, as any straight man would.
“Such nice, natural breasts,” he commented.
“How do you know they’re natural?” she teased.
“Trust me. I know.”
Glory snickered and purred some more as Brett buried his face in her ample cleavage. She didn’t doubt he knew real breasts from fake breasts and not just because he married her. He’d seen and felt more breasts than most men, even those who considered themselves unapologetic pussy hounds. His reasons for knowing, however, were less crude and indirectly related to how they came together.
As he shoved his face between her breasts, he skillfully slipped his hands down to her waist, gasped the sides of her panties, and slid them down her legs. They had since become wet with arousal. Glory couldn’t remember the last time she got so horny that she soaked her panties. Already, their elaborate role reversal was paying off.
“You weren’t kidding,” Brett said upon tossing her panties aside. “You are one wet, horny woman.”
“Like I said…I want this. I need this,” Glory said intently.
“Then, I’ll skip the part where I sweet-talk you into a frenzy and employ my more intimate talents.”
She already knew what that entailed. That didn’t matter. She was still more excited than she’d been since their honeymoon.
He gave her breasts one final squeeze and her lips one final kiss before rising into an upright position. Hovering over her, he looked like a titan of masculinity hovering over her. Glory was so used to being the center of the sexual universe during intimate moments, especially those occurring in hotel rooms. It was pretty jarring to be on the other side…jarring, but exciting.
Still carrying himself with the poise of a professional gigolo, he grabbed her by the thighs and pushed her legs apart, exposing her dripping-wet pussy to him. She then watched as he licked his lips, eying her inner thighs as though they were his favorite treat. Then, without hesitation or intimidation, he buried himself in her womanhood and began giving her oral sex.
“Ohhh fuck!” Glory gasped. “My pussy…your lips…ooh it feels so good!”
Brett responded with a simple grunt. That was all he needed to say. He was a professional. He knew how to eat a woman out. Like a skilled surgeon, he performed his task to perfection.
It was like getting a perfect massage from the inside out. Glory closed her eyes, grasped her breasts as she often did in blissful states, and arched her back as Brett stimulated her most intimate areas to the utmost. Once again, his knowledge and respect for female anatomy was uncanny. He knew the difference between a clit and a G-spot. He knew where all the right nerves were, including the ones that were hard to reach. He didn’t just get most of them. He got all of them.
It sent her to the brink of orgasm faster than sex act that didn’t involve an overpriced vibrator. She would’ve preferred to test her husband/gigolo’s skills, but the blissful results made that impossible.
“Oh Mr. Studman! I…I’m coming!” she gasped.
“Already?” he said, looking up from her snatch briefly. “We’re off to a good start!”
He remained intently focused as he pumped his fingers into her folds, applying extra pressure to her clit. That got her over the edge with ease. There was no need to fake it or pretend it was more intense than it was. She was having an orgasm…a real, intense orgasm.
With theatrics befitting of a former escort, Glory curled her toes and threw her head back as the ripples of pleasure shot up through her body. Brett kept his hands on her thighs, maintaining his grip on her as she soaked in the ecstasy. She made it a point to be extra vocal, letting out the kind of orgasmic moan that echoed throughout the hotel suite and informed her husband that he was playing his role perfectly.
“You’re very loud when you climax. Is that normal?” he teased, leaning in and caressing her face as she bathed in pleasure.
“That…depends,” Glory said breathlessly.
“On what?”
“On just how dedicated…my lover happens to be.”
As her inner muscles continued throbbing from her release, she opened her eyes and cast her love/gigolo a sexy grin. He smiled back, looking bolder and more determined than ever. Knowing Brett, an overachiever and a show-off, she was already excited by the prospects.
While she caught her breath from her first orgasm, he rose up briefly and took off his pants. In doing so, he revealed a fully-erect penis that must have felt very uncomfortable in those tight pants of his. Even though Glory had seen her husband’s dick, as well as many other dicks during her escorting days, she still marveled at the sight.
“Mr. Studman…so big and hard,” she said, her gaze narrowing on his manly flesh.
“What can I say? Stripping a beautiful woman naked and eating her pussy out makes me horny,” Brett said playfully.
“Spoken like someone who enjoys his work,” she pointed out.
“Part of becoming a pro is enjoying the process. Now, lie back while I demonstrate the extent of my professionalism!”
Just like that – that manly gaze, that confident demeanor, and that beautiful manly body that was now fully exposed – Glory was horny again. She didn’t care that her pussy was still tender after such a quality orgasm. She wanted sex. Moreover, she wanted the sex that only Brett, aka Mr. Studman, could give her.
“Please, Mr. Studman…take me,” Glory told him as she laid back and spread her legs.
“Don’t worry,” he told her. “From here on out, you’re getting everything you want and need. I’ll make sure of it!”
From there, a potent mix of intense horniness and determined desire took over. Brett, still focused and dedicated to his role as a gigolo, got on top of her and grabbed hold of her hips. Glory instinctively hooked her legs around his waist, grabbing onto his shoulder and neck as she braced herself for the coming feeling.
Brett didn’t make her wait a nanosecond longer than she had to. As soon as he aligned his body with hers, he thrust his hips forward, driving his rigid flesh up into her vagina. As soon as his flesh filled her, he began moving their bodies in a smooth, sensual rhythm. A steady surge of raw sexual sensations followed, sending Glory into a sexual frenzy.
“Ohhh fuck yes!” she cried out. “That’s it! This is what I want!”
“And need,” he whispered in a voice so manly she almost came on the spot.
There was nothing fancy or novel about the act. It was sex, her and her husband, humping in a simple missionary position the likes of which they’d done many times before. The act, however, didn’t do justice to the feeling.
As she buried her face in her husband’s neck, listening to him grunt and moan with each hump, Glory soaked in the unique feeling that accompanied the intimate sensations. Having had more sex than most, both in her personal life and during her time as an escort, she was familiar with the many forms that feeling took.
Sometimes, it was just two horny people fucking each other, looking to get off and enjoy themselves. She’d done plenty of that.
Sometimes, it was two people in love wanting to express that love in an intimate, affectionate way. She’d done plenty of that too, especially after she married Brett.
Most of the time, though, sex was a mixed bag. There were times when men just laid her down and fucked her like a pussy with limbs. There were times when men were genuinely considerate, wanting to make love to her and please her as though she were some sort of sex goddess. Both kinds of sex could be enjoyable, but it was rare for it to find a perfect balance between the two.
Then, she met Brett. He understood that balance as much as her. He loved it as much as she did. In that moment, him acting like a professional gigolo and her acting like some horny woman who just wanted to get laid, the power of that balance was on full display.
“Yes! Oohhh Mr. Studman…so good! That feels…so good!” Glory moaned from her intimate daze.
“Oh God…you’re a pro too!” Brett said with a grunt.
As their bodies rocked to the rhythm of his humping motions, he kissed her passionately on the lips. It broke character for a moment, the love of her husband mixing into the sex with a highly-skilled stud. It intensified that uniquely balanced feeling, filling her with a perfect blend of love and lust.
Brett made the most of that feeling, using it to complement his role as a professional gigolo. Using the king-sized bed to their full advantage, he fucked her as thoroughly as any man could fuck a beautiful woman, be it a wife or a whore. He set the tone and pace of the sex, shifting and guiding their bodies through a succession of positions. Again, they kept things simple. She didn’t have to test her flexibility or endurance. She just hung on and enjoyed the ride.
They kept things simple at first, alternating between various forms of missionary. Then, he turned her over a few times and did her doggy style, getting her on her hands and knees for a while. He also bent her over the edge of the bed at one point, daring to have a little fun with their sex. As any successful escort knew, part of being professional was daring to play around at times.
Brett didn’t do all the work, though. On a few times, Glory found herself on top, riding his cock while used those powerful arms of his to supplement her movements. That didn’t just mix things up, sexually. It gave her a chance to really express the desires she’d hoped to explore in their roles. By being the horny client for once, she could be a little reckless with her passions. It was so freeing, being able to ditch the script she’d so often followed with sex.
“Again!” she cried out. “I’m coming again! Oohhh Mr. Studman!”
That became a common refrain throughout the act. Glory had hoped to enjoy multiple orgasms from their kinky little scenario, but she exceeded her own expectations. She hadn’t had so many orgasms in such rapid succession since her best friend’s bachelorette party and that involved vibrators. The fact that Brett – the man she married, who just happened to be very good at playing the role of a gigolo – gave her such pleasure made it all the more meaningful.
Like a true professional and a dedicated husband, he kept fucking her at a steady pace that allowed him to draw it out. That wasn’t just for her pleasure. That was what escorts did in order to maximize the satisfaction of the client. Glory thought she understood that. Now, she appreciated it even more.
“Mr. Studman…what a man! What a stud!” she moaned in her daze.
“You ready…for this stud…to top you off?” he said, his every word echoing with labored grunts.
“Yes!” Glory said without hesitation. “Please…give it to me.”
It must have sounded so daunting. By now, they had worked up quite a sweat. Their naked skin glistened under the light, the sheets beneath them wrinkled and tattered. It must have been strenuous to Brett to hold back for so long. Even though he was capable of popping multiple loads during a single sex act, he held back for her. That was what a professional did. For the final round of their sexy role playing, though, she needed both the stud and her husband.
For the final push, he led her back to the center of the bed. There, he once again demonstrated his masculine strength, lifting her up in his arms and holding her in an upright position. She eagerly went along with it, hooking her legs around his waist and digging the balls of her feet into her lower back. With his knees propped up on the bed and his hands firmly gripping her butt, he steadily bounced her up and down the length of his cock. That position didn’t just help him penetrate her depths at just the right angle. It allowed their eyes to meet for that final moment.
“My stud…my wonderful, handsome stud,” Glory said as he gazed back at her.
“My beautiful, wonderful wife,” Brett said.
Again, he broke character. She was beyond caring at that point, though. Thanks to his uncanny strength and his dedication to satisfying her to the utmost, Brett rocked their bodies in heavy fervor of humping. He was careful and thorough, working his manhood inside her at just the right pace to ensure they climaxed at the same time.
She had no idea how he knew. Glory used to joke with her friends and fellow escorts that simultaneous orgasms were as big a myth as the G-spot. Brett proved her wrong, time and again. At the moment they finally climaxed together, she’d never been so grateful to be so wrong about something sexual.
“Ohhhh fuck yes!” they both cried out, almost in perfect harmony.
It would’ve been funny if it didn’t feel so damn good. When it hit, Brett squeezed her ass firmly and buried his face in her breasts, gasping as he released a thick load of his cum into her pussy. At the same time, Glory dug her nails into his shoulders and threw her head back in an act of ecstasy. That extra hot feeling of his juices mixing with hers helped supplement the feeling, providing that special bit of intimacy that she could only share with her husband.
Glory wasn’t sure if what they’d just done counted as irony or kink. A former escort playing the part of a client might have been a simple role reversal on paper, but something about it conjured a unique feeling that encapsulated how far she’d come and how lucky she was to have found a lover like Brett.
“Another…satisfied customer,” he said breathlessly, his head still resting on her breasts.
“Satisfied indeed, Mr. Studman,” Glory said with a grin.
“You can…call me Brett, now.”
“I know. Mr. Studman just sounds better right now.”
He looked up from her breasts and smiled back. They then shared a loving kiss, having broken from their roles and returned to just being a happily married couple.
Their naked bodies finally parted. Still naked and sweaty, they laid back on the bed together, catching their breath and soaking in the afterglow. Glory remained curled up to her husband, his arm still lovingly draped around her. Given their respective backgrounds, she and Brett had come up with all sorts of ways to spice up their sex life. After what they just did, she could safely say she’d found her favorite type of role playing.
“God, I love you,” Glory said.
“I know. I love you too, Gloria,” said Brett.
“I got to say, it’s pretty strange…being on this side of the escorting equation.”
“That, it is,” he admitted. “Then again, we didn’t exactly tweak too many kinks.”
“I know. I mean between a former escort turned therapist and an actor who hired me to research a part…I’d say the details are plenty strange.”
“Guess we just found a way to make those strange kinks work for us.”
“That, we did…Mr. Studman.”
Jack Fisher's Official Publishing Blog 
Why The Outrage Over Brie Larson And “Captain Marvel” Is Misguided (And Counterproductive)
Celebrities sometimes say dumb things. I doubt most people would contest that. Sometimes, celebrities say things that aren’t dumb, but badly taken out of context. I imagine most people would agree with that too. However, in an era where outrage is a national pastime and social media makes it way too easy to blow things out of proportion, it’s easy for a celebrity to cause controversy for all the wrong reasons.
Brie Larson, whose star is set to rise considerably with the release of “Captain Marvel,” is learning this the hard way and a large consortium of angry people on the internet are intent on making it harder. What should’ve been a culmination of a young woman’s career and a female hero’s ascension to the superhero A-list is now mired in the ugliest kind of gender politics.
The origin of that controversy actually had nothing to do with Ms. Larson’s role on “Captain Marvel.” Back in June 2018, she made some overly political comments while accepting the Crystal Award for Excellence in Film. While celebrities making political statements is nothing new, Ms. Larson’s statement was hardly extreme.
It wasn’t some radical feminist tirade.
It wasn’t some angry rant about the outcome of 2016 Presidential Election.
It wasn’t even some act of elaborate virtue signaling by some smug celebrity.
All Ms. Larson did was advocate for greater diversity among film critics. She didn’t just make such a statement on a whim, either. She did so in response to a study published by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism that revealed a significant lack of representation in the industry of film criticism.
That’s not an unreasonable concern. The western world is becoming more diverse and the success of movies like “Black Panther” and “Crazy Rich Asians” shows that there’s a market for such diverse tastes. Advocating for greater representation in the field of film criticism makes a lot of sense.
Unfortunately, that’s not the message that some people gleamed from Ms. Larson’s comments. All they heard was that she doesn’t want to hear from white men anymore. They somehow got the impression that Brie Larson resents white men and her movies, including “Captain Marvel,” aren’t made for them. They’re not even welcome in the conversation.
Who these people are and the politics they represent is difficult to discern. I don’t think it’s accurate to call them conservative, liberal, feminist, anti-feminist, leftist, or any other political label. Outrage culture rarely gets that specific, but given the heated politics surrounding movies like “Ghostbusters” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” it’s a frustratingly familiar narrative.
While I can understand some of the outrage surrounding “Ghostbusters” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” in this case I don’t think it’s justified. That’s not just because I’m a big fan of Marvel Comics, superhero movies, and all things Captain Marvel. It’s because the actual substance of Ms. Larson’s words don’t warrant the controversy she has generated.
For specific reference, here’s what she actually said during her speech in June 2018. Read it very slowly and try to understand the context of her statement.
Remember, she said these words after learning how little diversity there was among movie critics. Unlike most people, she was actually in a position to do something about it. Being an Oscar winning actress who was poised to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, her words carry more weight than most.
Even so, those words were construed as racist and sexist, two exceedingly loaded terms that bring out the worst in people, especially on the internet. Never mind the fact that she made clear in her original speech that she did not hate white men. Never mind the fact that she has since clarified her words. She is still being attacked as some angry radical feminist who hates men, especially those who are white.
It would be one thing if she had said outright that white men should be banned from criticizing certain movies. Many celebrities, including a few still relevant today, have said far worse. However, that’s not what Ms. Larson said. She never, at any point, advocated disparaging white men. She didn’t even say that people who hate her movies are racist and sexist, something the “Star Wars” crowd is painfully familiar with.
Again, all Ms. Larson spoke out against was a lack of diversity among film critics. That part is worth emphasizing because it renders the outrage surrounding her statement as utterly absurd. It also makes the targeted attack on the fan reviews for “Captain Marvel” both asinine and misguided.
Even though the movie isn’t out yet, the movie is being targeted with negative comments on Rotten Tomatoes. Since it has only screened for a handful of audiences, it’s unlikely that any of these people actually saw the movie or were inclined to see it in the first place. Some are even claiming that this has already impacted the projected box office for the movie.
Whether that impact manifests remains to be seen, but it’s worth noting that when “Black Panther” was targeted with similar attacks, it failed miserably. At the moment, early reactions to “Captain Marvel” have been glowing so the chances of these attacks hurting the box office are probably minor at best. If the pre-ticket sales are any indication, the movie will likely turn a hefty profit for Marvel and their Disney overlords.
Even if there were an impact, it would be for all the wrong reasons. It would send the message that there’s a large contingent of people who are willing to work together to tank a movie because of comments a celebrity said that had nothing to do with that movie and weren’t the least bit controversial, when taken in context.
In this case, it was simply twisting someone’s comments to make them sseem like they said things that they never said or even implied. Then, those who bought into that narrative simply use that as an excuse to disparage a movie that they haven’t seen. That’s not just absurd, even by the skewed standards of outrage culture. It sends the worst possible message from those who think they’re protecting their favorite movie genre.
It tells the world that they don’t care what a celebrity actually says. They actively look for an excuse to hate someone who doesn’t completely buy into their preferred status quo. It would be one thing if that status quo was just and reasonable, but that’s not the case here.
All Ms. Larson did was advocate for more diversity among film critics. If that is somehow too extreme, then the problem isn’t with her or celebrities like her. It’s with those determined to hate her. There are a lot of issues in the world of celebrities and movies that warrant outrage, but advocating for more diversity in film criticism isn’t one of them.
I can already hear some people typing angry comments stating that if she had said those same words, but changed the demographic to something other than white men, then it would be an issue. However, the fact remains that this isn’t what she said.
It also doesn’t help that Brie Larson identifies as a feminist and that term has become incredibly loaded in recent years. However, she has never embraced the kind of radical rhetoric that other, less likable celebrities have espoused. Until she does, those determined to identify her and “Captain Marvel” as racist, sexist propaganda are only doing themselves and their politics a disservice.
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Filed under Celebrities and Celebrity Culture, extremism, gender issues, Marvel, media issues, men's issues, movies, outrage culture, political correctness, superhero movies
Tagged as anti-feminism, Brie Larson, Brie Larson comments, Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, celebrities, celebrity controversy, celebrity culture, celebrity scandals, ComicsGate, female superheroes, feminism, gender, gender disparity, gender inequality, gender politics, internet outrage, internet trolls, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Comics, Men's Rights Activists, movie criticism, movie critics, movies, MRA, outrage, outrage culture, political correctness, politics, Racism, Rotten Tomatoes, Superheroes, trolls