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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Popzart.com interviews Jack Thompson

Hey y'all.

Well might as well talk about my homebase here for a minute.

We got an interview with the figure who always seems to stirup a cloud of controversy with the vidgame biznass, the one and only Jack Thompson.

Booker T says: Tell me...he did not say that. TELL ME...he DID NOT Say That!

Yep I said it.

 

If you wanna check it out go on over to this link and read the story for yourself:

Popzart Interviews Attorney Jack Thompson

http://www.popzart.com/?page=view&topic=851

 

You're probably gonna be surprised about this interview. For all the vitriol surrounding this figure, it's interesting to know that no one has ever sat down with the man to get his point of view. We just heard about his intentions from a media source and nothing else. Only at best seeing him on TV which is known for not always accurately portraying an individual.

The interview enlightened even me because I once had disdain for the guy myself. But I also could never understand game blog/news sites making him into the ultimate supervillain while pumping his name up every chance they got. It was almost like they were using him and creating notoriety to make a name for themselves if you ask me. Remember I used to watch a lot of pro wrestling. I understand "Heel" and "Face" dynamics. All for the crowd.

This interview is not necessarily defending him and his aims, it's just letting him speak for himself unfiltered for once. Judge him by the quality of what he says and come to this interview as free as you can from preconceived notions.

Interview done by my teammate Mr. Universal.

You'll be surprised at what's in here. I was.

John Lucas



Words from the Official VGChartz Idiot

WE ARE THE NATION...OF DOMINATION!

 

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Did you catch that Metal Gear Solid 4 gameplay demo by any chance?



Thanks to Blacksaber for the sig!

I read the whole thing to give him a fair chance...

Unfortunately the hard questions were not asked of him, the ones that I would have liked asked anyway.

I find Jack Thompson shameful, and is the epitome of what is wrong with the USA in this day and age.

Sorry if you don't agree with me johnny boy but no matter what this man says I can never see eye to eye with him and some of his tactics disgust me.



I don't quite have time to read the article, but a quick question, do they ask him why he went on Fox news the day of the Virginia tech shooting, claiming to be a "School Shooting Expert"? Did they ask him why he spent the entire interview stating that they had to check his computer for videogames, as only by playing videogames could he get the practice and skill necessary to shoot people? Did they ask him if any of the family and friends of those that lost their lives in that massacre were angry at him for co-opting their tragedy into his soap box despite the fact that his roomates later said they never even saw him playing videogames?





I'm a mod, come to me if there's mod'n to do. 

Chrizum is the best thing to happen to the internet, Period.

Serves me right for challenging his sales predictions!

Bet with dsisister44: Red Steel 2 will sell 1 million within it's first 365 days of sales.

I think it does give us some insight into Jack Thompson's mind, but it does not in any way lessen his image as a man pathologically bent on the destruction of the video game industry (except for Sesame Street games). If anyone here actually thought he was some kind of lunatic who could only spew vitriol at the camera, then I guess they would stand corrected after reading this.

He starts off the interview with a long paragraph in which he makes it quite clear that he literally sees himself as a crusader in God's cause, defending children from the evil, evil, EVIL game industry.

He takes frequent time out from answering PopZart's questions to attack Penny Arcade, Wikipedia, and anyone else who has gotten on his 'shit list'. He REPEATEDLY says things like, 'If games are art, then Jeffrey Dahmer/Jack the Ripper/(insert mass murderer here) is an artist like Rembrandt or Van Gogh'.

No, I don't think I was wrong about him at all. He's a religious fanatic who sees video games as the Devil's work. That explains pretty much all of his behavior.



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I have the most epic death scene ever in VGChartz Mafia.  Thanks WordsofWisdom! 

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stof said:
I don't quite have time to read the article, but a quick question, do they ask him why he went on Fox news the day of the Virginia tech shooting, claiming to be a "School Shooting Expert"? Did they ask him why he spent the entire interview stating that they had to check his computer for videogames, as only by playing videogames could he get the practice and skill necessary to shoot people? Did they ask him if any of the family and friends of those that lost their lives in that massacre were angry at him for co-opting their tragedy into his soap box despite the fact that his roomates later said they never even saw him playing videogames?



 That's my main fuel for hating the guy and they didn't bring it up... the worst they got was bringin up the Wendy's thing, but he never even comprehends that Nintendo is so family safe being the only company with parental controls etc... he still believes if it came out on Wii the Wii is a murder simulator.

 

He is a friggen whack job and as I said he is exactly what is wrong with the United States right now, he's the kind of person that put Bush in charge of that country and fucked it right to hell. 



Hey, I never said I agreed with him. I didn't give the interview.

And yes I DID see him on those talk shows after VA Tech tragedy. That disgusted me also because it really wasn't the time or place for it.

But at least by letting him speak his side you can definitively see what his motivations are and judge him accordingly. And by the looks of things it seems you guys give him the thumbs down all over again. Hahahahaha!

That's how it's supposed to be done. Equal time, that's all. Either his words build him up or they tear him down.

I never knew this guy had a religious bent to his motivations. I just thought he was some meddlesome busybody cynically trying to make a name for himself by attacking popular media and just that.

Hey leave some comments on the story there at Popzart and express your content and discontent about what was asked, what was not asked, and what he said. Mr. Universal'll use this feedback for his future interviews. He really wanted to take a chance by going out and interviewing the source of the controversy.

A few points he made DID have validity from what I've seen. Those who make threats on his life in public and at his homestead is not acceptable I don't care HOW much you disagree with him. His talk of people slandering his name because of his view is also valid. I can hate his views but I can't go out there making up the most vile things about him just 'cause I think his beliefs suck. At least from what he said I TOO don't want government meddling in the approval of videogame content and wish it would stay self-regulated by the industry.

And I give him props on admitting his bias, his errors, that he indeed has an agenda and the potential that he could be wrong and has been wrong. Acknowledging that is the first step. Some crusaders never question their foundation. He also makes a point about others in media who have an agenda but deny it publicly. Media has to be open with its bias if it holds any strong ones because it has a responsibility to be accurate. I admitted my Nintendo bias in my "Importance of Nintendo" article. For God's sake I'm dressed up like a Black Luigi! Doesn't mean I can't be fair-minded and even-handed but people have to know where I stand if I'm going out here publically making all these statements in articles.

DEFINITELY share your grievances on the site so Universal can get some feedback on this issue to refine his questioning in later interviews. This is big for us over there.

By the way ckmlb, Perfect Dark Zero was displayed at Spaceworld 2000, a Nintendo event. 5 years later we see it on XBox 360. Things can change on a dime in this industry never forget.

John Lucas



Words from the Official VGChartz Idiot

WE ARE THE NATION...OF DOMINATION!

 

"The demise of Manhunt 2 is a proof that God exists..."

- Jack Thompson 

 

Did he really just say that? 



To Each Man, Responsibility

Man, I was waiting for a sign from god that was a little more obviously. Like maybe some big dude opening the sky and saying "Hi, I'm God" or the sky raining frogs or something. I never knew a video game being rated AO was the sign we'd get. Better hit up the church on my way home...

ps...not making fun of any religion in particular btw =)



http://gamepolitics.com/?s=Jack+Attack

first 4 links. Read what GamePolitic's responses to Jackass Thompson



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