We actually kind of feel sorry for New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick, who whacked a guy with a binder at a film screening -- only to discover it was beloved, health-compromised icon Roger Ebert (who, with his
long-running movie-review show, pretty much pioneered the concept of
discussing films on television).
On second thought, no we don't: Apparently, the jerk never even apologized.
Here's the story (which, to be fair, is from the Post's biggest rival, the New York Daily News):
Both critics were attending a press screening at the Toronto Film Festival.
The screening room was packed. Soon after the lights went
down, a source tells us, "a man in the audience started yelling, 'Don't
touch me!' People looked around and shrugged. Ten minutes later, the
voice yells again, 'I said don't touch me!'"Again, people
shrugged off the disturbance. But a few minutes later, says our source,
"the guy stands up in the darkness and thwacks the guy behind him with
a big festival binder. He hit him so hard everybody could hear it.
Everyone freaked out and turned around."
The thwacker? New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick.
The thwackee? Esteemed Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert.
After battling thyroid and salivary gland cancer for years, Ebert, 66, can no longer speak.
"Apparently,
Roger was just trying to tap Lumenick on the shoulder to signal him
that he couldn't see the movie," surmises our source. "He was trying to
ask him to move over a bit."
Though Lumenick seemed surprised to see whom he had struck, he offered no apology, according to another source.
So, yeah, it's off to hell with this guy. Where he'll have to watch the new, boring version of At the Movies on a continuous loop forever.
UPDATE! From Roger Ebert's blog:
If it were up to me, you would never have heard about the incident at
the Toronto Film Festival on the morning of Sept. 6 when a fellow
critic whacked me with a rolled-up program or a festival binder or
something. It has been blown out of proportion. It is of little
interest....
I think the guy was wrong. A film critic of all people should be
respectful of the sight-lines of fellow audience members. But in one
way I feel sorry for him. He had no idea who was behind him when he
smacked me. Now it looked like he was picking on poor me. I have had my
problems, but I promise you I am plenty hearty enough to withstand a
smack, and quite happy, after the smack, to tap him again. I had to see
those subtitles. There was no pain. The incident is over. Peace.
Previously:
Oh, No: Ebert and Roeper Leaving Ebert & Roeper
Ebert and Roeper, Your Replacements Are Here
