Tacky
January 29th, 2011 at 5:30 pm by David FarrarStuff and NZPA report:
Filming of The Hobbit will be delayed after director Sir Peter Jackson was hospitalised with a perforated stomach ulcer.
Jackson was admitted to Wellington Hospital last night with acute stomach pains.
A statement said he had undergone surgery for a perforated ulcer.
“Sir Peter is currently resting comfortably and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery.”
Sir Peter’s surgery is not expected to impact on his directing commitment to The Hobbit beyond a slight delay to the start of filming, the statement said.
The Hobbit author JRR Tolkien suffered from a perforated ulcer before dying in 1973.
That last line (bolded by me) is just tacky. What relevance is it to the story, except to suggest Sir Peter may die from the ulcer. Note Tolkien was around 82 when he died.
January 29th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
I imagine its entirely relevant, if the goal is trivial entertainment that keeps attention and gets another couple of page clicks ($$$). I don’t blame the media – its the users who apparently lap this sort of thing up that are in the end responsible.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 5:59 pm
It shows that the graduate from journalism school who penned the story is able to Google JRR Tolkien.
Obviously a person destined to go places in his/her chosen profession.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
If he/she can go on to master the art of cut & paste we could have a Pulitzer Prize winner.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
It’s the curse I tell you. Remember the Earl of Carnarvon. It’s starting all over. Give that scribe an award!!!!!
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
I don’t think it’s tacky. It’s a reasonable comment and comparison. Nobody nowadays thinks that Peter Jackson won’t have a good recovery.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Tacky? Don’t think so – just an little factoid to round out an inconsequential story.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
***What relevance is it to the story, except to suggest Sir Peter may die from the ulcer.***
Jackson has brought Tolkien’s stories to life on the big screen. It’s perhaps a curiosity that they both suffered the same medical ailment. To avoid the suggestion they probably could have just mentioned that without saying Tolkien died shortly afterwards.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
It’s the voodoo of MEAA, Simon Whipp, Robyn Malcolm, et al; or, more likely, the stressor of hobbitgate on Sir Peter. Get well soon, Sir Peter. Hobbits are hardy.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
No, it’s not tacky at all.
It’s the kind of quirky but interesting little detail that you can end a story with.
It’s no big deal. No-one suggests Sir Peter Jackson will die.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
The negativity is hard wired into their socialist brains, they cannot help it.
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Do Hobbits have SMS?
Small Man Syndrome?
Vote:January 29th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
You know what the international media’s angle in the story is, “Is the Hobbit production cursed?”?
Vote:January 30th, 2011 at 12:08 am
A logical factoid to include.
Vote:January 30th, 2011 at 3:07 am
Hmm, I ‘m with DPF on this one.
I think the mention of the ulcer possibly has some relevance but linking it, “…before dying in 1973″ implies that Tolkien died of an ulcer and so possibly Sir Peter Jackson will too.
Sensationalist rubbish.
Vote:January 30th, 2011 at 6:18 am
I hope he makes a full recovery.
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