Eyebrow Cinema | Chris Benoit and Separating the Art from the Artist @EyebrowCinema | Uploaded April 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
This is a reuploaded version of a video originally published in February of 2021. I've had to make some modest edits to appease copyright, but nothing too drastic.
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/eyebrowcinema
Can we separate the Art from the Artist? Even if we can, should we? What moral responsibilities do we take on when we engage with art made by people who've caused harm? This video essay seeks to answer those questions and more through a personal exploration of the legacy of Chris Benoit. I grapple with the former WWE superstar's artistry as a pro-wrestler and his heinous double murder-suicide that claimed Nancy and Daniel Benoit's lives. Analysis builds on art theory, the work of philosophers and critics, and also includes discussion of other troubling artists such as Roman Polanski (namely Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, and Chinatown) and Bill Cosby.
*Quick amendment: New criticism is more mid-20th century than early-20th century. I misspoke in recording.
Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/danpgsimpson
Works Cited:
My Woody Allen Problem. 2018. A.O. Scott. - nytimes.com/2018/01/31/movies/woody-allen.html
Bill Cosby: From America's Dad to Disgraced Comic. 2018. BBC. - bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30194819#:~:text=Bill%20Cosby%20was%20once%20known,national%20treasure%20in%20the%20US.
Art by Jerks. 2017. Bernard Wills and Jason Holt.
Art, Emotion, and Ethics. 2007. Berys Gaut.
What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men? 2017. Clara Dederer. - theparisreview.org/blog/2017/11/20/art-monstrous-men
What Do We Do When the Art We Love Was Created by Monsters? 2019. Constance Grady. - vox.com/culture/2018/10/11/17933686/me-too-separating-artist-art-johnny-depp-woody-allen-michael-jackson-louis-ck
Brain Injury, Not Steroids, Seen in Wrestler's Death. 2007. Daniel Trotta. reuters.com/article/us-usa-wrestler/brain-injury-not-steroids-seen-in-wrestler-death-idUSN0523057520070905
The most controversial episode of Louis C.K.’s TV show now plays as a veiled confession. 2017. Emily VanDerWerff. - vox.com/culture/2017/11/10/16631926/louis-ck-louie-episode-pamela
Can We Separate the Art from the Artist? 2018. Eve Daldez.
On Judging the Moral Value of Narrative Artworks. 2006. James Harold.
Woody Allen, # MeToo, and the Separation of Art and Artist. 2018. Jeet Heer and Josephine Livingstone. - newrepublic.com/article/146876/woody-allen-metoo-separation-art-artist
Louis C.K. Is Done. 2017. Matt Zoller Seitz. - vulture.com/2017/11/louis-ck-is-done.html
Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. 2008. Matthew Randazzo V.
Is Bill Cosby Still Funny? Separating the Art from the Artist in Stand-Up Comedy. 2019. Phillip Deen.
The Death of the Author. 1967. Roland Barthes.
Does JK Rowling's Transphobia Ruin Harry Potter? 2020. Sarah Z. - youtu.be/m-rh-N4eFDU
Wrestler Chris Benoit Brain's Forensic Exam Consistent With Numerous Brain Injuries. 2007. Sports Legacy Institute. - sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070905224343.htm
Artistic Creation and Ethical Criticism. 2020. Ted Nannicelli.
Performer, Persona, and the Evaluation of Musical Performance. 2017. Theodore Gracyk.
Music Featured:
Zvez by Lingua Lustra
Mutations by Small Colin
Warmed Up by Small Colin
Love Him by Loyalty Freak Music
Symphony No. 1: Hope? by Steve Combs
And Never Come Back by Soft & Furious
Both Flanks by Small Colin
Alpha Number II by Small Colin
sednoseteres by Hinterheim
Fragmented Pianos by Mikael Lind
finally lost by Hinterheim
Symphony No. 2: Truth by Steve Combs
Setup With an E by Small Colin
Red Wine by Small Colin
More Eyebrow Cinema:
Villains Reformed in Batman: The Animated Series - youtu.be/S19TB-6j1AA
Listening to Blade Runner's Terrible Voiceover - youtu.be/3V2Hyq546gE
No, Superhero Movies are NOT Like Westerns - youtu.be/SiV-bOulZl8
Dark Souls Difficulty and the Easy Mode Debate - youtu.be/z_lRIP8AkXM
On Her Majesty's Secret Service and The End of James Bond - youtu.be/Ko492zTs9xs
Long Movies are Good, Actually - youtu.be/YGhsxpsXgF0
Stanley Kubrick's Favourite Actors - youtu.be/Uon8unTCEX4
Never Say Never Again is a Waste - youtu.be/GsdMCujvmMA
The Plot Holes of Vertigo (and why they don't matter) - youtu.be/xP9EDhntal4
The Decay of Cinema - youtu.be/hjDNtwh2i5M
Star Wars Can't Move On - youtu.be/ESWgz-lcUuE
Contextualizing Insomnia - Nolan's Secret Gem - youtu.be/IUef5zrtRQ4
How Terence Young Made James Bond - youtu.be/2sTt_nkgGFE
The Curious Case of Forrest and Benjamin - youtu.be/gWAg1suGwnM
This is a reuploaded version of a video originally published in February of 2021. I've had to make some modest edits to appease copyright, but nothing too drastic.
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/eyebrowcinema
Can we separate the Art from the Artist? Even if we can, should we? What moral responsibilities do we take on when we engage with art made by people who've caused harm? This video essay seeks to answer those questions and more through a personal exploration of the legacy of Chris Benoit. I grapple with the former WWE superstar's artistry as a pro-wrestler and his heinous double murder-suicide that claimed Nancy and Daniel Benoit's lives. Analysis builds on art theory, the work of philosophers and critics, and also includes discussion of other troubling artists such as Roman Polanski (namely Repulsion, Rosemary's Baby, and Chinatown) and Bill Cosby.
*Quick amendment: New criticism is more mid-20th century than early-20th century. I misspoke in recording.
Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/danpgsimpson
Works Cited:
My Woody Allen Problem. 2018. A.O. Scott. - nytimes.com/2018/01/31/movies/woody-allen.html
Bill Cosby: From America's Dad to Disgraced Comic. 2018. BBC. - bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30194819#:~:text=Bill%20Cosby%20was%20once%20known,national%20treasure%20in%20the%20US.
Art by Jerks. 2017. Bernard Wills and Jason Holt.
Art, Emotion, and Ethics. 2007. Berys Gaut.
What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men? 2017. Clara Dederer. - theparisreview.org/blog/2017/11/20/art-monstrous-men
What Do We Do When the Art We Love Was Created by Monsters? 2019. Constance Grady. - vox.com/culture/2018/10/11/17933686/me-too-separating-artist-art-johnny-depp-woody-allen-michael-jackson-louis-ck
Brain Injury, Not Steroids, Seen in Wrestler's Death. 2007. Daniel Trotta. reuters.com/article/us-usa-wrestler/brain-injury-not-steroids-seen-in-wrestler-death-idUSN0523057520070905
The most controversial episode of Louis C.K.’s TV show now plays as a veiled confession. 2017. Emily VanDerWerff. - vox.com/culture/2017/11/10/16631926/louis-ck-louie-episode-pamela
Can We Separate the Art from the Artist? 2018. Eve Daldez.
On Judging the Moral Value of Narrative Artworks. 2006. James Harold.
Woody Allen, # MeToo, and the Separation of Art and Artist. 2018. Jeet Heer and Josephine Livingstone. - newrepublic.com/article/146876/woody-allen-metoo-separation-art-artist
Louis C.K. Is Done. 2017. Matt Zoller Seitz. - vulture.com/2017/11/louis-ck-is-done.html
Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. 2008. Matthew Randazzo V.
Is Bill Cosby Still Funny? Separating the Art from the Artist in Stand-Up Comedy. 2019. Phillip Deen.
The Death of the Author. 1967. Roland Barthes.
Does JK Rowling's Transphobia Ruin Harry Potter? 2020. Sarah Z. - youtu.be/m-rh-N4eFDU
Wrestler Chris Benoit Brain's Forensic Exam Consistent With Numerous Brain Injuries. 2007. Sports Legacy Institute. - sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070905224343.htm
Artistic Creation and Ethical Criticism. 2020. Ted Nannicelli.
Performer, Persona, and the Evaluation of Musical Performance. 2017. Theodore Gracyk.
Music Featured:
Zvez by Lingua Lustra
Mutations by Small Colin
Warmed Up by Small Colin
Love Him by Loyalty Freak Music
Symphony No. 1: Hope? by Steve Combs
And Never Come Back by Soft & Furious
Both Flanks by Small Colin
Alpha Number II by Small Colin
sednoseteres by Hinterheim
Fragmented Pianos by Mikael Lind
finally lost by Hinterheim
Symphony No. 2: Truth by Steve Combs
Setup With an E by Small Colin
Red Wine by Small Colin
More Eyebrow Cinema:
Villains Reformed in Batman: The Animated Series - youtu.be/S19TB-6j1AA
Listening to Blade Runner's Terrible Voiceover - youtu.be/3V2Hyq546gE
No, Superhero Movies are NOT Like Westerns - youtu.be/SiV-bOulZl8
Dark Souls Difficulty and the Easy Mode Debate - youtu.be/z_lRIP8AkXM
On Her Majesty's Secret Service and The End of James Bond - youtu.be/Ko492zTs9xs
Long Movies are Good, Actually - youtu.be/YGhsxpsXgF0
Stanley Kubrick's Favourite Actors - youtu.be/Uon8unTCEX4
Never Say Never Again is a Waste - youtu.be/GsdMCujvmMA
The Plot Holes of Vertigo (and why they don't matter) - youtu.be/xP9EDhntal4
The Decay of Cinema - youtu.be/hjDNtwh2i5M
Star Wars Can't Move On - youtu.be/ESWgz-lcUuE
Contextualizing Insomnia - Nolan's Secret Gem - youtu.be/IUef5zrtRQ4
How Terence Young Made James Bond - youtu.be/2sTt_nkgGFE
The Curious Case of Forrest and Benjamin - youtu.be/gWAg1suGwnM
