# Billy Bob Thornton is a sad, little man **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 9, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458 "2009-04-09T00:12:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/81 "2009-04-12T20:10:19Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > And that’s what’s great about Mr. Ghomeshi. Maybe it’s because I’m old, but I don’t tune in to the radio to listen to Don Imus or Howard Stern-type screamfests. In a music show, I would expect to hear about music, and the host was right in declaring a “truce” and turning the interview back to its proper subject. Exactly. “Calling Thorton out” may be satisfying, but it isn’t the point of the show. I think it would be easier to succumb to the temptation to call out such an obvious asshole rather then to put personal feelings aside and do what you can to do your job right. The interviewer was completely professional, even though Thorton’s belligerence would press anyone’s buttons. I think that is what people are responding to. It is a less extreme version of the Hudson river crash landing - sure these guys are just doing their jobs, but it is still admirable to see them done so professionally in spite of a high degree of personal stress. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/82 "2009-04-12T20:25:52Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > In a brief skim of the thread, I have not seen [THIS](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0410092billybob1.html). > > It is a tour rider requiring them to be billed as Billy Bob Thornton and special guests the Boxmaster. Damn. It also has a half page long list for requirements for BBT’s dressing room (private bath, 2 bottles of Cabernet, case of Bud Light, 6 foot banquet table with white cloth, etc.) and requests that the band’s dressing room hold 7 people and be “in close proximity to a clean bathroom”. Nope, no Hollywood primadonna behavior at all. Agree with all who applaud Ghomeshi precisely because he wasn’t confrontational. In not having a screaming match he stopped BBT from winning control of the interview and reminded people “this is a group, not just a crackpot having a hissy fit”. I feel sorry for his bandmembers but hopefully they’ll at least benefit from the exposure since _they_ weren’t being psycho. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/83 "2009-04-12T20:32:12Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Damn. It also has a half page long list for requirements for BBT’s dressing room (private bath, 2 bottles of Cabernet, case of Bud Light, 6 foot banquet table with white cloth, etc.) and requests that the band’s dressing room hold 7 people and be “in close proximity to a clean bathroom”. Nope, no Hollywood primadonna behavior at all. > > Agree with all who applaud Ghomeshi precisely because he wasn’t confrontational. In not having a screaming match he stopped BBT from winning control of the interview and reminded people “this is a group, not just a crackpot having a hissy fit”. I feel sorry for his bandmembers but hopefully they’ll at least benefit from the exposure since _they_ weren’t being psycho. [His 4th wife’s divorce proceedings](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/bbt2.html)- chilling. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/84 "2009-04-12T21:00:35Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > [His 4th wife’s divorce proceedings](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/bbt2.html)- chilling. Wow. That would make an awesome snuff film. (More seriously, reading that was like reliving my childhood. Those poor kids.) ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/85 "2009-04-13T00:29:15Z")
I don’t understand why people equate calling someone out with a “screaming match.” Did you even watch the clip of Jeremy Schapp interviewing Bobby Fischer that I linked to? Schapp’s behavior was the opposite of a screaming match, but the perfect way of calling someone out. He just calmly said “as are you” as soon as Fischer brought up the Jew stuff, then later said “you’ve done nothing to disprove it” as to the accusations of Fischer being insane. No screaming, no Howard Stern type behavior. He calmly, professionally, civilly, handed Fischer’s ass to him. That interviewer could have done the same thing but he just sat there and let Billy Bob openly disrespect him. I don’t have any admiration for that kind of attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/86 "2009-04-13T01:53:51Z")
Those of us who listen to music and arts interviews aren’t interested in hearing someone’s ass handed to him. It’s irrelevant. So what if Ghomeshi had taken a point from Thornton? It’s a point in a contest we’re not interested in. It wouldn’t change anything and it would have nothing to do with the purpose of the program. I’m much more interested in a polite, professional interviewer, who can handle a difficult interview subject without stooping to his level and making it personal. The fact that Ghomeshi kept his cool and did his best to steer the interview back to its purpose is what’s impressive. Interviewing Bobby Fischer was a completely different deal. Everyone knew he had completely lost his mind. There was no other reason to interview him except as a kind of cage match. Fischer had nothing to say about music or arts or chess or politics that any sane person had any reason to listen to. The only reason someone would try to interview him was to make it a cheap sparring match when he inevitably made some kind of insane comment about Jews or whatever. Unlike with Fischer, Ghomeshi had a real subject for his interview – music – and he was absolutely correct to do his best to simply try to get his guest to talk about music. Scoring points off Thornton wouldn’t benefit anyone really; it wouldn’t prove anything; it wouldn’t make the world a better place. Thornton would still be a jerk and everyone would still know it. The difference would be that Ghomeshi would have shown that he didn’t have the self control to not engage in petty personal bickering. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/87 "2009-04-13T03:24:33Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Willie Nelson would probably perform if he had double pneumonia and a bullet in his left testicle. And he certainly has attempted to perform while shit faced drunk – the only concert I have ever walked out of early: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8357337&postcount=30](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8357337&postcount=30) ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/88 "2009-04-13T04:55:06Z")
**Update** : Billy Bob and his band the Boxmasters have [scrapped the rest of their tour](http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/12042009/364/thornton-s-band-scraps-tour-bad-gig.html&e=l_news_dm) with Willie Nelson after getting booed onstage in Toronto. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/89 "2009-04-13T11:17:50Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > **Update** : Billy Bob and his band the Boxmasters have [scrapped the rest of their tour](http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/12042009/364/thornton-s-band-scraps-tour-bad-gig.html&e=l_news_dm) with Willie Nelson after getting booed onstage in Toronto. Pulling out of the tour “ **as support to Willie Nelson**.” “Support?”😃 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/90 "2009-04-13T11:55:09Z")
Melissa Lee Gatlin (1978-1980) Toni Lawrence (1986-1988) Cynda Williams (1990-1992) Pietra Dawn Cherniak (1993-1997) Angelina Jolie (2000-2003) Boxmasters (2007-?) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/91 "2009-04-13T12:28:08Z")
Heh, well, there you have it. It seems about 3 years is the maximum amount of time anyone can stand Billy Bob. Poor guy. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/92 "2009-04-13T12:42:11Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Pulling out of the tour “ **as support to Willie Nelson**.” > > “Support?”😃 The scrapping isn’t “as support.” It was the touring that was “as support,” as in “supporting act.” ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/93 "2009-04-13T13:43:47Z")
Ah, like Billy Bob Thornton & the Boxmasters with Special Guests ZZ Top. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/94 "2009-04-13T22:23:24Z")
What I find shocking is that someone with money has so little class as to request a bottle of Jack Daniels for his band’s dressing room and a case of bud light for his own. Even an average middle class American can and should buy higher quality beer/liquor than that. I can almost forgive the Bud Light, as it is mostly tasteless and an easy way to get drunk, but Jack Daniels is so eclipsed by any number of whiskeys, many of which are not much more expensive that it boggles the mind. ---
**Author:** ![PotLuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@PotLuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PotLuck)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/95 "2009-04-13T22:30:21Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Even an average middle class American can and should buy higher quality beer/liquor than that. I can almost forgive the Bud Light, as it is mostly tasteless and an easy way to get drunk, but Jack Daniels is so eclipsed by any number of whiskeys, many of which are not much more expensive that it boggles the mind. But Jack Daniels is soooo rock 'n roll. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/96 "2009-04-14T01:30:19Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > “Billy Bob, it’s been great talking to you… Before you go, though, I wanted to offer you some of these _French fried pertaters_! Heh heh… Billy Bob Thornton, ladies and gentlemen, you know him as a mudererous redneck retard, who’s now found a hobby as a musician and we just wish him the best of luck.” Oh man. Thanks for this. Got me to do the proverbial LOL ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/97 "2009-04-14T02:00:20Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > **Update** : Billy Bob and his band the Boxmasters have [scrapped the rest of their tour](http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/12042009/364/thornton-s-band-scraps-tour-bad-gig.html&e=l_news_dm) with Willie Nelson after getting booed onstage in Toronto. One bad show and they pack it in? That’s pathetic. I know people who would run over an old lady to open for Willie Nelson. Hell, I’d run over an old lady to open for Willie Nelson. I boo you lustily, Billy Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/98 "2009-04-14T02:20:41Z")
Na, he’s just packing it in for the remaining dates in Canada. Tomorrow, he’s all set to give the good folks of Stamford, CT a dose of his “music”. The pathetic part is that they blamed the cancellations on “the flu” that one of the bandmembers suddenly came down with. Billy Bob does not even have the guts to honesty cancel a performance. He had to hide behind the (fake) vomit of one of his band mates. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/99 "2009-04-14T03:37:52Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The pathetic part is that they blamed the cancellations on “the flu” that one of the bandmembers suddenly came down with. Billy Bob does not even have the guts to honesty cancel a performance. He had to hide behind the (fake) vomit of one of his band mates. > [@](#): > > Nigel Tufnel: It was actually, was actually someone else’s vomit. It’s not… > David: It’s ugly. > Nigel: You know. There’s no real… > Derek: You know they can’t prove whose vomit it was…It wasn’t his own vomit… Everything about Thornton just indicates he’s a real piece of work. His first wife and his daughter lived in poverty while he was a deadbeat dad/broke actor and when he was earning $20 million per year (which he actually did) all he paid was the back child support his ex-wife sued for (which was based on his then earnings- something like $20,000 all totaled). His daughter became a single mother at 21 and was actually on WIC and delinquent in her rent for a time before he sent some money due to bad press. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458/100 "2009-04-14T04:10:10Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > I don’t understand why people equate calling someone out with a “screaming match.” Did you even watch the clip of Jeremy Schapp interviewing Bobby Fischer that I linked to? Schapp’s behavior was the opposite of a screaming match, but the perfect way of calling someone out. He just calmly said “as are you” as soon as Fischer brought up the Jew stuff, then later said “you’ve done nothing to disprove it” as to the accusations of Fischer being insane. No screaming, no Howard Stern type behavior. He calmly, professionally, civilly, handed Fischer’s ass to him. That interviewer could have done the same thing but he just sat there and let Billy Bob openly disrespect him. I don’t have any admiration for that kind of attitude. No, he just sat there and let Billy Bob openly make himself look like an asshole. (I have a feeling he got his ass reamed out by his bandmates afterwards.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-bob-thornton-is-a-sad-little-man/492458.md?page=6)