CBS's David Edelstein Lauds ‘No Redeeming Social Value’ in Raunchy Film, Derides ‘Hypocritical Moralists’
On CBS's Sunday Morning program, as he reviewed the film Bad Teacher, starring Cameron Diaz, film critic David Edelstein applauded the raunchy film for having "no redeeming social value" as he derided "all the hypocritical moralists out there."
The film critic - who also contributes to New York magazine and NPR - recounted that Diaz’s character is "a conniving, druggy, drunken middle school instructor who’ll do anything for money to buy herself bigger boobs so she can marry rich and not have to do the job at which she’s, yes, bad," and then described himself as being "in awe" of the movie.
He then continued: "The beauty part of Bad Teacher is it has no redeeming social value. Let me clarify: With all the hypocritical moralists out there, a movie honest about having no redeeming social value has redeeming social value."
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the July 3 CBS Sunday Morning:
DAVID EDELSTEIN: Harry Dean could be the gonzo grampa of Cameron Diaz in the R-rated "Bad Teacher."
RUSSELL GETTIS AS JASON SEGEL: Hey, Elizabeth, you wanna grab a bite sometime?
CAMERON DIAZ AS ELIZABETH: You still a gym teacher?
GETTIS: I am, yeah.
DIAZ: Then, no.
EDELSTEIN: A conniving, druggy, drunken middle school instructor who’ll do anything for money to buy herself bigger boobs so she can marry rich and not have to do the job at which she’s, yes, bad. The movie is one "How bad is she?" joke repeated over and over. And my response is easily stated: I was in awe.
Folks, Cameron Diaz doesn’t get enough respect. She’s a great mad cap comedienne - her features gorgeous and clown-like, her long legs balletic and freakish. The beauty part of Bad Teacher is it has no redeeming social value.
Let me clarify: With all the hypocritical moralists out there, a movie honest about having no redeeming social value has redeeming social value. That’s what I think anyway, and it might explain why no one will hire me to teach.
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Comments
no what? really...?
Submitted by Rackie on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 7:22pm.
made me laugh out loud...
Southpark
Submitted by Texndoc on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 7:38pm.
Southpark regularly scours these people. Remember the San Francisco Prius show where residents would bend over to smell their farts and the "SMUG" of George Clooney's Oscar acceptance speech was wifting across the USA. "It's headed towards Kansas City!!" screamed the TV reporter.
David WHO?
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 7:46pm.
Where does management from liberal media sources FIND these obscure loudmouths? Looking at his bio, I wonder if he has ever been past the Hudson?!
Bad what?
Submitted by bkeyser on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 7:47pm.
"...drunken middle school instructor[?]"
Well, I can't say I much care
Submitted by ThatDude on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 7:50pm.
Well, I can't say I much care about how moral the movie is. Does it have an engaging story and will it make me laugh?
→ In other words
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 8:00pm.
It's a story of a teacher who doesn't teach. Wonder where they got the idea for this flick.
Are we to assume her students respect her and respond to her dedication?
Where does CBS get these people from?
Submitted by Herbster on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 8:03pm.
Did this guy come from a far away planet? CBS hired Norah (The dense) O'Donnell. Wasn't that enough lunacy for a season?
To even bother "Reviewing" this trash is beyond the pale.
By the way.......has anyone heard from Obama's teacher union friends on this? Where's the outrage? Let's replace this slutty teacher with any of the airhead empty skirts who "Do the news," on TV and make a movie about that. The howls of indignation would be heard all the way to Mars.
Liberals such as Edelstein feel the same way about this nation
Submitted by Rush Fan on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 8:52pm.
that they do about the character Cameron Diaz plays.
To them, this country does not deserve the respect it receives from those of us on the right (hypocritical moralists). To them, this nation has no redeeming social values
It's not the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution that has made this nation great, but as Barack Hussein Obama. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm has said: We would not be a great country without those commitments (entitlements).
America The Beautiful Flash Mob Food Court
Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance
Archie Bunker is not happy with Obama
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY off topic.....
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 10:55pm.
....but thanks for link to Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance....that is one of the most patriotic moments ever.........
Happy 4th, y'all!
Equivalence
Submitted by LaVallette on Mon, 07/04/2011 - 4:11am.
"With all the hypocritical moralists out there, a movie honest about having no redeeming social value has redeeming social value."
So : The lack of morality in the Jewish genocide of WW II, is itself a redeeming lesson on morality.
Where has this guy been?
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Mon, 07/04/2011 - 9:24am.
Does he think that a Hollywood production with no redeeming moral value is a new thing? This might have been news in the 60s or 70s.
dark clouds over Dorkville
Submitted by Rackie on Mon, 07/04/2011 - 2:55pm.
Like LGF, NewsBusters just might go down the rabbit hole. Dudes, Dudettes, lighten up. Don't take yourselves so seriously. It's just a freaking movie.
sure rackie*
Submitted by cajun2 on Mon, 07/04/2011 - 3:23pm.
Ignore this movie. But it does represent another step in the incremental destruction of morality and boundaries in our society.
Just a reminder, this guy was just giving a speech. No big deal, right?
'Teacher of the Year'
Submitted by mrt721 on Mon, 07/04/2011 - 12:31pm.
Teacher of the Year
"Bad Teacher took in $32 million last weekend and is certain to become a one of the summer's biggest hits. That's very bad news for defenders of the educational status quo like American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. This black comedy is the most scabrous portrayal of public education ever put to celluloid."
Weingarten probably thinks...
Submitted by falcon on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 10:09am.
...that it's a documentary.
“I will not stand by and watch this great country destroy itself under mediocre leadership, that drifts from one crisis to the next, eroding our national will and purpose.” – Ronald Reagan, July 17, 1980.
Weingarten
Submitted by Model850 on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 4:53pm.
Randi Weingarten must be one of those "hypocritical moralists out there."
How lost we rube's would be
Submitted by Semus on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 2:58pm.
How lost we rube's would be if we didn't have "David Edelstein", to explain these story lines to us. I mean how can you beat that perception. He had to look hard but he found it.
"With all the hypocritical moralists out there, a movie honest about having no redeeming social value has redeeming social value."
I like Camron Diaz's legs to but I never would have thought of that, and neither did the film makers I bet.