The problem with heroes.

This morning I started my day by perusing some vegan news sites (gotta hear what's what in the daily abuse of non-human animals) and it appears Mr. Jake Gyllenhaal said a rather unappealing comment in the February edition of GQ Magazine (I don't exactly have a copy sitting on my coffee table next to the Country Living, ReadyMade or Herbivore magazine so I can't check for myself) about enjoying going to a farm and watching a pig get slaughtered. Who says shit like that? Apparently "nice guy" Jake does. That comment made me sad (because I have always bought into the "I'm just a super hunky guy who stands up for the environment and does cool arty films because I care about the way Hollywood presents certain topics, blah blah blah) which got me thinking about the danger of pedestalizing (not a word but I'm choosing to make a verb out of the phrase "to put someone on a pedestal) anyone, much less famous people that it feels like we know from their portrayals on screen and from the 15 second spot coverage on Entertainment Tonight. If it is true and he did say something like that, I bet his publicist is just shaking his or her head. Even if you do enjoy watching pigs get slaughtered (again, who says things like that?) why would you admit it publicly, especially when much of your fan base is a young, liberal crowd (hello, most vegetarians no doubt fit into that category Jake darling)? Purposely alienating a large percentage of a population for the mere sake of admitting something that your own mother probably doesn't even know doesn't make a lot of sense. So, take down your posters girls (and boys), toss out the October Sky, The Good Girl, Brokeback Mountain DVDs and begin again for the search of a hero. Once you find one you better quit reading the news and watching TV because no doubt that person will let you down as well. Instead, recognize the heroic acts in your daily life from the people that you know and pedestalize (there is that non word again) yourself by recognizing your marvelous acts rather than looking for perfection from others.

Except of course Michael Stipe and Woody Harrelson who at this point have still yet to disappoint me.