Let's talk about Confessions of A Dangerous Mind

[Kick Strickland]

I liked this movie a lot. It's quirky as hell and unique, and that is something I appreciate in movies. Sam Rockwell kills it as Chuck Barris (he kills it in everything, really). George Clooney did a great job in the director's chair in this one. And what do you think about the CIA stuff? Was Barris really a hit man? Does he have a psychological disorder? Or is he just an attention seeking liar? I gotta admit, it is a pretty cool thought that he could have been a hit man, using his status as game show host to travel around and do the dirty work. I highly doubt that it's true, but it's a really interesting thought.

 

[dildos]

I want to participate in this lively discussion of this movie but I sadly haven't seen it.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

Great movie, entertaining and lovingly done. Recommended



My personal thoughts are that Barris was probably ACTUALLY contacted by the CIA to help them (not to become a legit agent or be a hitman, though).

His position in media allowed him to help them in psychological propaganda (using his show), furthering their goals. Some people found out that he was helping and so he/they concocted a silly over-the-top cartoonish crazy story about being a clandestine spy/assassin to openly claim out in public (like an idiot) so that anyone who heard or inquired about his possible actual connections/dealings/assistance with the CIA would be written off immediately.

This is how your average person's mind works-- it prefers to mindlessly wander towards the more sensational rather than true, and it hates actual boring details as opposed to grandiose jokes and dismiss-able fiction, so of course the average person strongly prefers to talk about the possibility of Barris being a highly trained James Bond style govt. assassin on the side (while doing his show) rather than just a brainwashing showrunner. They used the average prole's mind as a weapon against them to obscure the truth

Brilliant smokescreen of an idea. All they needed were stupid people to cloud and cover his tracks for him.

 

[Kick Strickland]

Great movie, entertaining and lovingly done. Recommended



My personal thoughts are that Barris was probably ACTUALLY contacted by the CIA to help them (not to become a legit agent or be a hitman, though).

His position in media allowed him to help them in psychological propaganda (using his show), furthering their goals. Some people found out that he was helping and so he/they concocted a silly over-the-top cartoonish crazy story about being a clandestine spy/assassin to openly claim out in public (like an idiot) so that anyone who heard or inquired about his possible actual connections/dealings/assistance with the CIA would be written off immediately.

This is how your average person's mind works-- it prefers to mindlessly wander towards the more sensational rather than true, and it hates actual boring details as opposed to grandiose jokes and dismiss-able fiction, so of course the average person strongly prefers to talk about the possibility of Barris being a highly trained James Bond style govt. assassin on the side (while doing his show) rather than just a brainwashing showrunner. They used the average prole's mind as a against them to obscure the truth

Brilliant smokescreen of an idea. All they needed were stupid people to cloud and cover his tracks for him.

That's what's interesting about his account. You can't prove or disprove it. If CIA denies it (and they openly have) then that works right into what people would expect them to do. They're never going to say "yeah Barris is telling the truth" and nobody expects them to. So it's a brilliant piece of fiction (or truth) from Barris.

And I agree with what you're saying about people's minds gravitating to the more sensational. It's true. It's also the reason his shows were successes.

Not sure I'd agree with you about the CIA using his shows as psychological propaganda. I can't see a realistic purpose in them doing that. But you never know.

 

[Kick Strickland]

I want to participate in this lively discussion of this movie but I sadly haven't seen it.

Put it on your watch list. It's a good one

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

That's what's interesting about his account. You can't prove or disprove it. If CIA denies it (and they openly have) then that works right into what people would expect them to do. They're never going to say "yeah Barris is telling the truth" and nobody expects them to. So it's a brilliant piece of fiction (or truth) from Barris.

And I agree with what you're saying about people's minds gravitating to the more sensational. It's true. It's also the reason his shows were successes.

Oh yeah I didn't think about that. He probably would/did get some kind of recompense (funding for his cheap ass proto-reality shows?) from the CIA in return for assisting them

Not sure I'd agree with you about the CIA using his shows as psychological propaganda. I can't see a realistic purpose in them doing that. But you never know.

How about the CIA supplying and being behind the sudden emergence of LSD, fueling the useage/popularity among beatniks and then hippies (same kinda dealy I say) which led their entire generation in behavior and politics. This one is already given to us, actually.