savaster

Out of Favor?

Added 2023-10-05 13:00:03 +0000 UTC

Throughout past decades, I admit I've had a moderate-to-favorable view of actor Steven Seagal. Yes I've only seen a few of his movies, but I'd say the reception to his occassional apperance in the Japanese media (like this old energy drink commercial) has been always overly positive here in Japan. I mean, people could tell first hand that his "Aikido" moves were not genuine and his Japanese was not as good as he claimed to be (he has an Osaka accent - maybe that's where he picked up the language?), his general respect for things Japanese have always been accepted with a smile (and his first wife was Japanese and has a half-Japanese daughter and actress from that relationship).

So I was recently shocked to find most Western movie critics actually treat him like trash, like Seagal could only play Seagal (which is true), was a narcissistic bum, was the legend-level worst host of the SNL, and all his movies were bombs at every level and so on and so on. Also owing to his low exposure and prominence as a performer (e.g. compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger or Tom Cruise), Seagal may be the one person whose reputation is extremely polarizied between Japan and the rest of the world.

Honestly, what do you think about him? I mean, he shouldn't be that scum of a human being...I'd think XD