Controversial Opinions (For Everything Other Than DC Comics)

[seismic-2]

Why hasn't history recorded James Buchanan as the first gay (although not openly gay) president of the USA, although he was still in the closet? He was suspected, if not known, to have had a relationship with Vice-President William Rufus King.

It seems to me that "history" has in fact recorded it. That's why we know about it. It's all there in that Wikipedia article (and all other sources about him).

[Jim Kelly]

Why hasn't history recorded James Buchanan as the first gay (although not openly gay) president of the USA, although he was still in the closet? He was suspected, if not known, to have had a relationship with Vice-President William Rufus King.

It's not the job of historians to put modern labels on historical figures who would never have used those labels in their lives. Historians can describe how those folks conducted themselves (as much as they can derive from surviving documents) and readers can come to their own conclusions.

In fact, with the new thinking, I'd say that putting labels on historical figures is inappropriate. Attitudes towards sex and gender change over time and the labels that are popular now apply only to the current era. They don't adequately describe the attitudes of the past. Furthermore, we seem to be taking a second look at the labels we've adopted in the last fifty years and questioning whether that's the right thing. We certainly believe it's up to the individual to choose their own label--if they want one--and it's wrong to put a label on someone without their consent. Since the dead can't give consent, it's wrong to label them in this way.

[batnbreakfast]

Perhaps the most subjective thing in entertainment is comedy. I don't find Adam Sandler funny, millions do.

Kill them all

[Gray Lensman]

Why hasn't history recorded James Buchanan as the first gay (although not openly gay) president of the USA, although he was still in the closet? He was suspected, if not known, to have had a relationship with Vice-President William Rufus King.

He was also billed as the worst POTUS in history for allowing the Southern states to secede from the union.

I'm partly wondering if that bolded part might have something to do with it. Now granted, I'm a straight guy, but if I was in any marginalized group I wouldn't exactly be pushing to claim the consensus pick for Worst of All Time as one of my own.

[Gray Lensman]

Perhaps the most subjective thing in entertainment is comedy. I don't find Adam Sandler funny, millions do.

I'll admit Adam Sandler can be funny, but he usually isn't.

[CSTowle]

I enjoyed the first couple of movies, "Happy Gilmore" and "Billy Madison". I enjoyed a few parts of "the Wedding Singer", "the Waterboy", and even "Little Nicky" ("4 o'clock, time to shove a pineapple up Hitler's a$$"). I enjoyed some of the bits from his comedy album, I forget the name but the one with Tollbooth Willy (that's probably the best of the bunch). But most of his work since then is just awful (IMO). Maybe that juvenile slapsticky thing just hit harder when I was of a certain age, and it's partially a nostalgia thing. But bless him for continuing to make money for himself and his friends.

[Jim Kelly]

PUNCH DRUNK LOVE and THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES are exceptional movies and Mr. Sandler's acting is on point in both. I aim to watch UNCUT GEMS one of these days--I started to watch but it was a tough movie (good, just I need to be in the right head space to watch that kind of movie). He was also fairly good in MURDER MYSTERY--and I like murder mysteries, so I hope he makes more of those.

If the only thing he was doing was hackneyed comedies, then I'd say he's given up on doing anything worthwhile. But obviously he's always willing to do these other kinds of movies that may not pay the rent, but show he has range.

[numberthirty]

Well, since we are already here...

Adam Sandler in Shakes The Clown?

Completely underrated performance.

[numberthirty]

Oh I have one. Agents of Shield is the best live action marvel show they have ever done. Better than anything including the new shows. Come and get me.

Bold. I've enjoyed some of its arcs better than others.

I don't have Disney+, but as far as on air superhero shows, I completely agree. Nothing better than AoS.

Man, idk. Better than Netflix Daredevil and Luke Cage?
Speaking as a fan of AoS, I don’t think so.

Its a matter of personal taste I think. I enjoy the neflix shows but week in week out AOS was better in my humble opinion. Very fast moving always keeping you guessing, fun characters, good jokes, cool locations and equipment. They are different types of shows for sure, I just enjoyed Shields format more I think. I appreciated the Netflix format to but they could get boring and slow for me sometimes.

On that particular point, one guy's take...

Any of the Netflix shows?

They came up to bat standing on second base. If you didn't get amazing results? That would be the shocker.

Now, take M.A.O.S.

That show? It was got the most amazing results out of the most disparate elements while a network was practically trying to kneecap it the entire time.

Pound for pound?

The show is not just one of the best live action Marvel shows. It is one of the best television shows ever.

[OopsIdiditagain]

I don't understand why Netflix keeps including fictional stories alongside its documentaries, most of the time it's more confusing than interesting. DW, Refinery29, and Vice make interesting documentaries without following the same format.

[TheRay]

Wrestling is good because it's basically like a live action comic book.
As evidenced by wrestling comic books.

[Gray Lensman]

Wrestling is good because it's basically like a live action comic book.
As evidenced by wrestling comic books.

I always considered pro wrestling to be an action soap opera. Anything with the word opera in it has an unrealistic premise. Opera: everyone communicates only through singing. Space Opera: everyone lives and works in space. Soap Opera: everyone is rich and pretty, plus they can do those terrible things to each other and somehow be on speaking terms after instead of shooting terms. Pro Wrestling: they can still walk after all that.

WWE: As World Turn....

[Kieran_Frost]

It's not the job of historians to put modern labels on historical figures who would never have used those labels in their lives. Historians can describe how those folks conducted themselves (as much as they can derive from surviving documents) and readers can come to their own conclusions.

In fact, with the new thinking, I'd say that putting labels on historical figures is inappropriate. Attitudes towards sex and gender change over time and the labels that are popular now apply only to the current era. They don't adequately describe the attitudes of the past. Furthermore, we seem to be taking a second look at the labels we've adopted in the last fifty years and questioning whether that's the right thing. We certainly believe it's up to the individual to choose their own label--if they want one--and it's wrong to put a label on someone without their consent. Since the dead can't give consent, it's wrong to label them in this way.

I think battling over semantics is a distraction from discussing truths. Whether we call him gay, bisexual, a friend of Dorothy, a confirmed bachelor... the question of whether he had sexual relationships with men, specifically with a former Vice President, is worth discussing. Whatever his label, he's part of the LGBT+ community, in some form, IF it was true.

But I think shutting down discussion of it because it's 'inappropriate to label' is a little silly. Regardless in these cases normally the first openly gay mayor/senator/congressman/director/footballer/baseball player etc is the one people count and celebrate. As a great many were in the closet for centuries.

[TheRay]

I always considered pro wrestling to be an action soap opera. Anything with the word opera in it has an unrealistic premise. Opera: everyone communicates only through singing. Space Opera: everyone lives and works in space. Soap Opera: everyone is rich and pretty, plus they can do those terrible things to each other and somehow be on speaking terms after instead of shooting terms. Pro Wrestling: they can still walk after all that.

Um yeah sure why not?

[CaptCleghorn]

I always considered pro wrestling to be an action soap opera. Anything with the word opera in it has an unrealistic premise. Opera: everyone communicates only through singing. Space Opera: everyone lives and works in space. Soap Opera: everyone is rich and pretty, plus they can do those terrible things to each other and somehow be on speaking terms after instead of shooting terms. Pro Wrestling: they can still walk after all that.

WWE: As World Turn....

I will admit that considering this opinion as controversial is, in itself, controversial.