Film, television, literature, the Bible have all taught us that when the devil comes, he will be sneaky. At least a slithering, tempting snake, if not a more ethereal manifestation of our own baser traits. More lately, Sam Harris and the New Atheists (albums in stores now!) suggest that the true evil may be a function of our own passivity, laziness, and our willingness to give it all over to G*D.
So, is Ryan Seacrest the Devil? Probably, yes.
Here's how it works. We're on the red carpet before the Oscars, and by we I mean me, my wife (in our den), Ryan Seacrest, and untold millions of Americans. Jennifer Garner, who seems like a genuinely warm, likable woman, and Laura Linney, another apparently authentic and decent sort, are catching up. They seem excited to see each other, conspiratorial yet playful, like friends catching up at another's wedding. Then, Ryan Seacrest butts in. I can't begrudge him that. It is his job to get the story, or at least mingle and chat. His questions and discussion frame are so banal and self-satisfied, I can't recall them. He reads like an unfunny, lost-in-translation alien clone of an already not so funny frat-boy wannabe. I wonder if his abilities to dodge and avoid any trace of human connectivity are conscious, Machiavellian manipulations, if he's just that out of it, or if he really believes that this is how he should perform his job.
I keep thinking, if not for the media, manifest in Ryan's diabolic form, desperately attempting to hock glam and trite quips, we could have a chance to see colleagues celebrating, catching up, relating. Then, a real opportunity for a human scene and empathy stumbles in, in the form of Gary Busey. Busey is an icon. Not just uniquely authentic to himself in life and films like The Buddy Holly Story, Big Wednesday, and even Point Break, but clearly a character and person with complexity, history, etc. Busey yells something across to Seacrest like "I'll catch you later." A bit brash, but in character. Then Seacrest takes the opportunity to introduce Busey to an unprepared Jennifer Garner, a little awkward, but not catastrophic. Busey, a big guy, leans in and gives her a kiss, and she appears a little taken aback. Fair reaction. To that point, I feel like I am getting a glimpse of interpersonal reality in Hollywood. Decent people doing their best to relate in slightly awkward circumstances.
But Ryan Seacrest has to push it. He channels the regressed, narcissistic dad at Thanksgiving, who pits his fully grown sons in dinner conversation battle; so he can reclaim his lost paternal crown. Again, who knows what he said exactly, but along the lines of " Whoa! What happened there?! Did you see her reaction to Busey?! That was crazy!" It's the money-shot of every low-key satanic depiction, tittering while goading mere mortals into reactionary rallies.
Why the simplistic scape-goating of an accomplished and clearly complex actor and man? Is it what the people want, what the viewing public craves? I doubt it. I used to get off on the train-wreck aesthetic of failing stand-up comics and even the early montages of first-round American Idol, but it is just so toxic. In his book Anger , Buddhist monk and writer Thich Nhat Hanh points out the notion of poison in, poison out. Toxic food and bilious thoughts can only perpetuate bile. To that end, I think the viewer just gets queasier the more junk he ingests. So, is it that Ryan Seacrest has nothing else to offer, desperately pitching his gen-Y vaudeville banter? Doubtful. Everyone has more to offer, to communicate, to discover, if they take some chances and push it. I figure the diabolic link must have to do with idle hands and ingrained, maladaptive neurotic behaviors on a societal level. Exploitation of trite dynamic ruts works. People buy into scape-goating, under-bus-throwing, calling an awkward guy "crazy." It gratifies, gets the ball in the cup. But is that really the height of the bar?
Ok, Ryan Seacrest is probably not actually the Devil. But maybe the closest thing is epic passivity and sins of omission, lost opportunities and bad vibes at the hands of lowered expectations and cheap thrills. GD
