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George Clooney covers the January issue of Esquire Magazine, the theme of which is “The Meaning of Life”. Ugh, dudes. It’s just a magazine! Anyway, Clooney is shilling The Descendants hard, of course, and George really, really wants another Oscar. So instead of sitting down with People Magazine to talk about his girlfriend (that comes a few weeks from now), George sits down with his dog, Einstein, and talks about “the meaning of life.” The whole article is written in George’s “voice” – you can read the whole thing here. I’ll try to do some highlights:
On politics: I get asked a lot about getting into politics. I say, “Take a look at politics. You tell me what seems appealing about that.”
Clooney on the Democratic Party’s biggest problem: “If this were a Republican president and Republican government, the advisors around it would be selling this as the most successful three years of a presidency in years. They’d start by saying, “When my guy took office, we were losing four hundred thousand jobs a month. That would mean fourteen million less jobs if we continued along that pace. And it stopped immediately. We saved the auto industry. We passed a health-care bill that no one could pass” — although Republicans wouldn’t have wanted that. “We killed Osama bin Laden.” You could go down the list of things that you could brag about. But Democrats are terrible at selling. So they’re just kind of apologizing, and everybody feels disillusioned.”
Clooney doesn’t play the stock market: I didn’t put money in the stock market. To me that’s like Vegas without the dancing girls — none of the fun, no gambling or dancing or drinking — and you don’t get to participate. So I paid off my house in cash when I could. It’s about having a foundation for when things go bad. I still have that mentality. When things go badly, I’ll have this piece of land I can sell first, and then I have this piece of land I can sell second. You always think that way.
He’s not a balls-out Method Actor: Somebody asked me, How can you relate to being a father? Well, I’m also not running for president, but I played that role in Ides of March. I wasn’t an actual lawyer when I did Michael Clayton, and I don’t fire people for a living like I did in Up in the Air. Go down the list. It’s just a job. An acting job is playing pretend. I’ve been a child of somebody’s. I’ve been an uncle. All my friends have kids. I’m around kids. I have an understanding of what it is. And I also have a really good script that informs me what is required of this father. Because, for the most part, the father I play in The Descendants doesn’t resemble any of the fathers that I know. I don’t have friends who have the kind of issues that this guy has. So a lot of it is just the information you get from the screenplay. There are Method actors that are really wonderful. I don’t bash anybody’s way of working because the results are the only thing that matter in this game. But for me, I don’t have to do heroin to play a heroin addict.
On money, and doing commercials overseas: Ides of March I did for scale — scale as a director, scale as an actor, scale as a writer. And I don’t have any back end on it. So I’m not going to make any money after that. I enjoy living in a nice house and having a nice life. So I do two or three commercials overseas a year to sort of fill in, because they pay pretty well. The wedding one in Norway was great. I usually try to keep away from anything that would have to do with me personally. I always think the commercials should make fun of me, sort of as a personality, but I try to keep my personal life out of it. But they called and sent the script, and the idea was funny. This woman in Norway wakes up and she’s married to me. It makes a big difference when you’re working with the Carol Burnett of Norway. She’s great, and it turned out fantastic. That commercial in particular helped fund a satellite project that keeps an eye on the Sudanese border to try to hold these war criminals in check. The satellite project costs about a million and two a year. So I’m always looking for a gig like that.
On relationships and marriage: People forget that I was married. I love that, Will he get married? I don’t talk about it because I don’t think about it. I don’t ever question other peoples’ versions of how they live their lives or what they do. I understand that it’s a subject of interest for people. But sometimes it exists only because it came up years ago. It becomes this conversation piece that constantly resurfaces. Everybody sort of has their own versions of what they think I am and what they think that is. I’m just living my life and doing the best I can. The rest of those versions, there’s not much I can do about. No matter what I do, I’m somehow upsetting someone in some way or making somebody happy. I can only live my own life and my version of it. My life isn’t focused on results. My life is really focused on the process of doing all the things I’m doing, from work to relationships to friendships to charitable work. If I focused on results, if it’s only about the ultimate results, I’d be a failure in Sudan, I’d be a failure in film, I’d be a failure with my friendships, I’d be a failure in relationships. I look at it as an ongoing process.
[From Esquire]
I love that he talked about that awesome Norwegian commercial – go here to see it. He also talks a lot about politics and his humanitarian work, and he even talks about his dog. It was a decent piece, and the whole “in Clooney’s own voice” angle worked really well for this particular piece. I get tired of most Esquire celebrity pieces that are just a lot of filler crap that no one cares about. Good read!
Photos courtesy of Esquire.
Written by Kaiser
Posted in George Clooney
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Dirty old man
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^^This X billion times.
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Yup that’s exactly what he is.
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Well said.
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I agree I used to like him but there is something really off about him now.
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He’s having a good time, and the women he dates have to know what they are getting. If they don’t, it’s their own fault. You shouldn’t judge, personally I think he and all his “ladies” are having a good time. It’s their lives. Sheesh, he doesn’t say anything about people who are married, it’s just not for him. I don’t get why everyone blames him when the women are enjoying the “ride”?
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I used to think he was an immature perv (all those pranks on set, ugh). Now he just looks sad and old and shrunken. I hope it’s not his back injury.
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Wasn’t he supposed to retire or something? enough of him already.
The man is such a disapointment.
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I say yay him – he’s having what he wants, without hurting people unduly and helpng other people appropriately.
We’re here for a good time, not for a long time.
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This interview is awesome, everyone should read the full piece.
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He does does this crap every year around award season where he promote the hell out of his movie(s) and drag around some paid hooker around to famewhore his way to an Oscar.
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Yes, george is an actor. In this interview he plays the role of a committed and smart guy.
Unfortunately his real private life isn’t matching at all with his character. He cannot spend his time with the tackiest girls around and pretend we believe he is smart, brilliant and committed. When he talks about Darfur and politics he sounds desperate and fake.
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the interview kinda made me like him…he sounds real, leading his life the best way he knows how and not having to answer to anybody plus i love what he does with his money
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Excellent interview. Thanks for posting.
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Oh George. George, George, George. Image is everything, and the old saying of, “When people show you what they are, believe them”, applies here. You can talk up a good game of what a socially aware, humanitarian you are- and then you nix it all by toting around your famewhoring bimbo girlfriends and practically begging for another Oscar. What are we to do with you?!
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Well said!
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Absolutely agree.
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Absolutely agree x9!
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This is what I don’t like about George. He campaigns so hard for the Oscar that it hurts. Why exactly is he on the cover now except as a campaign tool. I am not sure he is as smart as everyone likes to believe. Of course others will campaign, but he is just so very obvious. As much as he said he did not mind, I think he was really irked that he did not win last time and Jeff Bridges won and is going to make sure he does everything he can this time. For that reason alone, I hope he fails.
His personal life is of course his business, but it reflects on the type of person he is as well. You can’t separate it like others seem to think.
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I love how he’s a Democrat but then talks about making tons of money overseas because he “like to live in a nice house and have nice things”.
Contradict much?
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It’s not a contradiction at all. Lots of democrats are rich. Being rich has nothing to do with political beliefs.
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This is the George Clooney I like. He’s honest, intelligent, doesn’t take himself too seriously…he’s the George that doesn’t have an escort in training to be his Oscar date. I’d like him so muchore if he didn’t feel like he had to campaign with a girlfriend.
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Yes..!!
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Actually I would rather him be honest about liking the young floozies, rather than other actors who cheat on their Hollywood trophy wives.
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How much should you have to sell the only good ideas out there?
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Anybody getting tired of people (i.e. George Clooney) with little to no education acting like they know it all? He is so pathethic – like he knows what is wrong with the Democrats. And yes his whole lifestyle is not inline with Democratic views. They have a more the rich should give to the poor mentally (one which I don’t toally disagree with by the way). I don’t think George would like to give up his “nice” house to help those in America who are only making minimum wage – do you?
If George was a woman we would be calling her would for her desperation of having to have a date for awards. We would say that she couldn’t keep a man, that she was desperate,etc. Same goes.
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I have a difficult time reconciling these days whether I like Clooney or not. On one hand he comes off as the smart, thoughtful humanitarian and politically aware. Spends his own money on good causes.A guy you would go out and have a beer with. The other Clooney is sort of comes of as a hypocrite. He goes out with these young, arm candy bimbo girls (as he calls them girls, not women)and comes off as looking like dirty old man. He would never date a older woman of substanc. (I mean a woman in her late 30s is too old). Can’t understand why he needs her for the Oscars. They seem to get negative publicity and don’t even look like a couple together. So this is where I can’t decide if I want to spend my hard earn money to see Clooney’s movies.
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The Democrats didn’t kill Bin Laden. The Navy Seals did.
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Exactly!!! And from what I hear he didn’t even make the decision to do that.
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What’s with the jealousy and mean comments? Dating bimbos doesn’t make you dumb it just means that you dont need an intellectually challenging partner but a mere sex/fun attractive partner. Can somebody pls explain how that is wrong?
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Yeah I completely don’t get that at all. What does who he dates have to do with how smart he is? He likes pretty girls-SFW? Anyway, this is a great article-he’s an intelligent guy, without a doubt.
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Because you are the company you keep! in this case a tasteless famewhore who tries to sound smarter than what she is and who would do anything to remain in the spotlight! He’s not better than her
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Uh ok. I completely disagree but ok. I don’t really define myself by my friends or significant other nor do I judge other peoples’ intelligence by who they choose to be friends with/who they’re dating. If you do that then that’s your prerogative, but I’m happy you’re not my friend because you sound pretty judgmental. I mean I know it’s a gossip blog but you need to chill a bit
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Kitten, you may not judge yourself by the friends you keep but others will. Especially the ones you chose to date because it’s a reflection of your self worth.
You can have a great time (and great sex) with total strangers, but the one you keep around for a while is someone that you have a deeper connection with even when it’s not all fun and games. If you never require anything past fun and games, then you are either very young or very insecure. Everyone around you will notice (and judge) that about you, even if you don’t.
George’s career depends on women liking him. Actions speak louder than words, and George’s actions show a man that doesn’t have a high opinion of women. He can be charming, witty, handsome and a good humanitarian, but if his actions keep showing us that he doesn’t have any need for a smart, independent woman, it makes him look shallow, arrogant and insecure. It reflects a man who is terrified of strong women who can stand on their own merit. Once women notice that in a guy his credibility usually starts taking a dive.
The other problem people have over who George dates is how phony the relationships all look. If they are just for PR, how come George can’t pretend with someone that has more class? The aging lothario routine is a really stupid PR move. It invalidates his years of pretending he had some class of his own. If George refuses to notice how it affects his box office draw, or the public’s opinion of him, he isn’t the smart man he pretends to be.
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Playlist, I couldn’t have said it better and I totally agree. The women he dates do reflect on his character whether he likes it or not.
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I hear ya, Playlist and you make good points and I DO value deep and lasting relationships with people but I also accept that what works for me may not work for others. And that’s ok with me. Now if I had a friend who was dating someone who was abusive that would be a different story but I love the fact that my friends come to me for objective, non-judgmental advice about who they date and who they choose to be friends with. I don’t project my personal opinions onto their PERSONAL choices. To do that would NOT be supportive or loving. It’s just my nature and I respect that others chose to live a certain lifestyle that I may not chose for myself. My point being that if you are a girl who wants to date only hot guys, a guy who wants to date only guys, or an older guy that only wants to date younger girls, a girl who dates boys AND girls, whatever-as long as you’re not hurting anyone then I don’t judge. Two consenting adults should be able to live their lives how they want.*shrug* In my opinion (had to add that!)
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@Susan, yeah like YOU’d give all your hard earned money away, if ONLY you were a Democrat! WTF Who told you that about Democrats? Obviously you don’t really know any from your statement above because what you sound more like here is completely clueless…about Democratic voters and pols anyway.
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He is delusional; Democrats are not apologetic, they are doubling down on their decisions and policies. The problem is, George, is that you cannot sell what no one wants to buy. I am unemployed and your statistical analysis on unemployment does not impress me, so keep your theories to yourself. I am well educated and I know horse manure when I smell it.
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OH Einstein is George’s dog. I thought it was Stacy’s dog the way she is always putting photos of Einstein on her twitter and facebook page. Calling Einstein the love of her life. Did she get Einstein’s permission to put him up all over the internet.
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Actually, Cray Cray got a lookalike dog to make people think she’s in George’s house with his dog. That’s how big of a famewhore she is.
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I think it has more to do with the fact that lib/dems do not generally go for blood. When a republican is found out to be a drug abuser or a closeted gay person caught doing something illegal, or just anything seen in a negative light it’s brought up but dems don’t ram it down the republicans throats. Dems dont start e-mail campaigns against that person. The a average American only pays attention to what they’re forced to so if they see it on the nightly news for 2 weeks, hear about it on conserv. radio twice a day, or get e-mails about it then that’s what they’ll remember.
An example would be rep/conservatives complaining about Obama being a smoker vs. The dems reaction to rush limbaugh being a drug addict.
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Huh it surprised me to read some of these comments. I like him the more I read his interviews. He’s smart and funny IMO. Why should he have to get married again? He has strange taste in women, but that’s his choice. He’s a kinky guy, but I don’t know many men that aren’t. He’s also doing a lot for the plight in Sudan. GC has officially grown on me.
P.S. Everyone has their own political views and theories. The right and the left.
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He’s totally right about the dems. President Obama had accomplished more his first year than most presidents, yet he’s so quiet about it. He got ambushed by the republicans and he just throws around a few complaints of blame because they refuse to pass anything unless the rich can somehow get richer. I think Murdoch does a great job promoting propaganda while the dems figure out how to help the poor, middle class, sick and children. The dems really need an uptight old religious gun carrying angry white guy to sell their story of caring about humanity more than money, but they would have to fear for their life. Step up bitches! I only know a few republicans and they are very angry people, and they admit it!
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Debbie Wasserman-Shultz is that you? You forgot to include that Repubs also want to push granny over the cliff, want dirtier air and water, etc. etc.
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This guy is an idiot. Can’t stand him! Stick to acting moron!
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If you start getting into your political views, you could be here all damn day.
@nan: Nice!
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I thought it was great that he loved the dog so much that he rubbed turkey meatballs all over his shoes just to make sure that he was the one able to adopt the dog.To me that was not only funny but very creative.
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We the people are sick of reading and hearing about disingenous, hypocritical PHONY Clooney and his phony fame ho gold-digging contracted ESCORTS.
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Stacy is a paid fame ho. Mothers, be advised: she has publically displayed her a$$ countless times with her wrestling antics. George is sick to “contract” disgusting women and then “pretend” they’re who he is “dating.”
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Smug Alert!
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What George fails to understand is people don’t have a problem with how he lives his life… they have a problem with how he sells his movies.
I don’t care if he dates bimbos, that’s his private business. But he times each new girlfriend to coincide with film promos. He deliberately goes public with arm candy in time to sell films and campaign for awards. That is what I find worthy of criticism.
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I’m curious as to why. I’m no GC fanatic by any means. But really, who cares who he has on his arm at the same time that he’s trying to sell a movie? If you think about it, it’s obviously disappointing to you and others that he dates these types of women. So wouldn’t it be more beneficial for GC to stay single and bring his parents or go it alone on the red carpet? I think he just does what he wants, when he wants. And at this point doesn’t give a sh*t what people think. I like that.
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Except that it’s all so obviously orchestrated. The first article in People about Cray Cray was practically a marketing survey asking people what they thought about the possibility of Cray Cray being with George. From then on it was the same old stuff from the usual playbook: press releases complete with quotes from “sources” and staged photo ops. But we the ignorant public aren’t supposed to be able to figure all of that out. George and his publicist are sooo much smarter than us common folk that we’re just supposed to swallow it all up unquestioningly.
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Yes, George, it’s getting harder and harder to sell your brand of snake oil when people see it isn’t working.
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Yuk I don’t get it, he is nasty looking to me. Whatever floats your boat.
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Guys I got news for you, the minute you offer your opinion on anything you have a judgement. There is absolutely no difference between Dems and Reublicans. Now if we go back to historical fact, it was the Republican party by the way of Lincoln that freed the slaves whereas historically Ku Klux Klan had it’s beginnings in the Democrat party. Democrats in those scary years lynched and oppressed black people. Somewhere along a mind fluck was developed and it is reverse thinking. Bottom line both parties are truly not for the people. George is talking out of his money maker as usual.
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