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(Huffington Post)   While some states are trying to relax labor laws to allow children to go to work in dangerous environments, here's an opinion in the other direction: Maybe we should ban child acting altogether   (huffpost.com) divider line
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    More: Interesting, Film, Law, Child actor, Abuse, Employment, Informed consent, The Proud Family, Knowledge  
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530 clicks; posted to Entertainment » on 09 Feb 2023 at 12:30 AM (6 weeks ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



36 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest
 
Chemlight Battery
2023-02-09 12:45:16 AM  
If George Lucas can convincingly create a wookie by putting a man in a hairy suit, surely we can get by with just putting a man in a child suit.
 
Craw Fu
2023-02-09 12:45:37 AM  
I don't think it's a controversial  stand to take that child labor should be and remain banned
 
Neondistraction
2023-02-09 12:49:35 AM  

Craw Fu: I don't think it's a controversial  stand to take that child labor should be and remain banned


You'd be surprised.
 
AppleOptionEsc
2023-02-09 12:50:09 AM  
Buuuut interneeeeet. I don't like when my horny teenager look like 20 and 30 years olds. It ruins the immersion.
 
nemisonic
2023-02-09 12:56:17 AM  

Neondistraction: Craw Fu: I don't think it's a controversial  stand to take that child labor should be and remain banned

You'd be surprised.


Liberal Counterpoint: "Kid's Baking Championship is Okay! Because... Baking!"
No, it's not ok, when I first heard these kids are "business owners" I found myself wondering what exactly the parents did every day to delete their children's childhoods, one day, at a time, every day.

(Better Win, kid)
 
Wobambo
2023-02-09 1:28:09 AM  
If 40 year olds can play 20 year olds, 20 year olds can play newborns. Fair's fair.
 
Pats_Cloth_Coat
2023-02-09 1:38:25 AM  
Up the percentage thatr goes in to an account the parents can't touch. Many of these kids are wealthy by 18
 
Nonrepeating Rotating Binary
2023-02-09 1:56:18 AM  
Or you could try to tighten laws and add protections for child actors.

But why kid ourselves, money would put an end to that.
 
Spartapuss
2023-02-09 2:08:43 AM  
Might as well. They're all a bunch of coonts anyway.
 
Aussie_As
2023-02-09 2:42:08 AM  

Spartapuss: Might as well. They're all a bunch of coonts anyway.


I heard a great interview with Harry Shearer some years ago where he was fondly reminiscing about his time as a child actor. His first role was in Abbot and Costello go to the Moon, he had one line which was repeated several times "but how does a rocket ship work?", causing Costello to bluster and obfuscate in his standard comedy schtick. He also worked with Jack Benny which he found amazing, in an environment which was nurturing and generous.

So yeah, I guess I can see this both ways. Lots of child actors are taught to be and continue to be coonts, on the other hand sometimes they develop the talents of the very multi-talented Harry Shearer, and it would be a shame to miss out on that.
 
mengelji [OhFark]
2023-02-09 3:52:08 AM  
After surviving vaudeville from a young age W.C. Fields saw moviemaking for what it was, and wouldn't work on the same set with a kid or a dog.  W.C. Fields cared.
 
Ragin' Asian [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 3:54:43 AM  
Fark user imageView Full Size


Both an exception and a standard.
 
Gordon Bennett [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 3:57:19 AM  

Nonrepeating Rotating Binary: Or you could try to tighten laws and add protections for child actors.

But why kid ourselves, money would put an end to that.


That could do it. I've never heard about this sort of trauma and abuse happening to child actors anywhere other than in the US. Perhaps this is a result of productions elsewhere having people on staff whose entire jobs are to look after the health, education and well-being of the young actors.
 
Wine Sipping Elitist [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 3:58:43 AM  
That article was hard to read. Poor kids
 
Nogale
2023-02-09 4:21:56 AM  
A big part of the problem is predatory, money-hungry stage/screen parents who see their children's careers as both wish fulfillment and a golden ticket.
 
stoli n coke
2023-02-09 4:40:39 AM  

Ragin' Asian: [Fark user image image 425x256]

Both an exception and a standard.


Question: had he not been a child actor, would anyone give a shiat who he is now?

Nostalgia was a major factor in his casting in Buttplug Family Superheroes: The Movie.
 
Wine Sipping Elitist [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 5:06:18 AM  

Nogale: A big part of the problem is predatory, money-hungry stage/screen parents who see their children's careers as both wish fulfillment and a golden ticket.


Parents that pimp out their kids are monsters.

And it's not just the movie industry that I'm talking about
 
Great_Milenko
2023-02-09 6:32:18 AM  

Chemlight Battery: If George Lucas can convincingly create a wookie by putting a man in a hairy suit, surely we can get by with just putting a man in a child suit.


Or maybe, just maybe, write stories without children in them.
 
lindalouwho [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 6:57:59 AM  

mengelji: After surviving vaudeville from a young age W.C. Fields saw moviemaking for what it was, and wouldn't work on the same set with a kid or a dog.  W.C. Fields cared.


You have a citation for that?
Because it's always been said that Fields felt kids were unpredictable and stole scenes they were in.
 
Unscratchable_Itch
2023-02-09 6:59:57 AM  
I blame the parents. I mean, really, who else can you blame? All I can imagine is horrible, careless, opportunistic parents looking the other way while horrible shiat was happening, because money.
 
Another Government Employee
2023-02-09 8:08:00 AM  
It's been a while since I've read it, but Ron Howard has some memories. He stated he was fortunate in that 1) His parents (especially his mom) were pretty hard-assed on set. and 2) Andy Griffith didn't tolerate much stupidity from the staff.

I had a casual acquaintance whose daughter was in one of the Schneider shows for a couple of years. It almost killed her mentally.
 
Persnickety [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 8:57:17 AM  

Gordon Bennett: Nonrepeating Rotating Binary: Or you could try to tighten laws and add protections for child actors.

But why kid ourselves, money would put an end to that.

That could do it. I've never heard about this sort of trauma and abuse happening to child actors anywhere other than in the US. Perhaps this is a result of productions elsewhere having people on staff whose entire jobs are to look after the health, education and well-being of the young actors.


Lol no.  The reason you don't hear about it happening elsewhere is the same reason you don't hear about child labor abuses in the textile industry anymore, i.e. Since we no longer have an American textile industry, those problems have moved overseas, and with it, our concern for them.  See also: environmental pollution.

The reason we know so much about Hollywood abusing child actors is because there's only one Hollywood in the world and it's right here in America.  Yes, there are other places that produce entertainment, but Hollywood is the one with the truly global market.  And as to those other places: https://www.misskyra.com/celebs/bollywood-actors-who-faced-sexual-abuse-in-their-childhood/photostory/60211944.cms
 
ReaverZ
2023-02-09 9:03:36 AM  
A quick read of the article and it seems that the problem is adults engage in near criminal or criminal behavior and no one speaking up because they can't afford to lose a job in entertainment.
 
meanmutton
2023-02-09 10:13:06 AM  

ReaverZ: A quick read of the article and it seems that the problem is adults engage in near criminal or criminal behavior and no one speaking up because they can't afford to lose a job in entertainment.


That plus legal protections for child actors are ridiculously inadequate.
 
Dj Orange Threat
2023-02-09 10:32:15 AM  

Nogale: A big part of the problem is predatory, money-hungry stage/screen parents who see their children's careers as both wish fulfillment and a golden ticket.


I watched the HBO sports doc State of Play, and The Short Game. It is interesting to watch parents that are trying to live vicariously through their kids and don't realize how bad they are. Following up after watching, since it's been years since they filmed, to see that the ones that were pushing their kids super had barely performed at the college level. Maybe something to do with being a-hole parents.

The one parent had a website that had all her stats but also a pile of comparisons between his daughter and Tiger Woods. I believe he ended up seeing a psychologist at least.
 
Chemlight Battery
2023-02-09 11:04:47 AM  

Great_Milenko: Chemlight Battery: If George Lucas can convincingly create a wookie by putting a man in a hairy suit, surely we can get by with just putting a man in a child suit.

Or maybe, just maybe, write stories without children in them.


Representation matters.
 
Billy Liar
2023-02-09 11:15:32 AM  
Jackie Coogan

th.bing.comView Full Size


Pioneer in rights for child actors - had legislation named for him
Sued his mother and stepfather for the money he earned and they squandered
 
cryinoutloud [BareFark]
2023-02-09 11:23:34 AM  
Maybe we should ban the entire movie industry, and put those people to work doing something besides burning down the planet for entertainment.
But we have never done anything that reasonable, so expect child actors to keep getting raped in Hollywood.  It's for your convenience.
 
SBinRR [OhFark]
2023-02-09 11:30:47 AM  
Child Actor Becomes a Teen/Adult Trainwreck" is a cliché it's so common. We laugh when we should be outraged.
 
Another Government Employee
2023-02-09 11:57:15 AM  

ReaverZ: A quick read of the article and it seems that the problem is adults engage in near criminal or criminal behavior and no one speaking up because they can't afford to lose a job in entertainment.


Same as it ever was, really.
 
PvtStash
2023-02-09 12:07:06 PM  
uhhh, "child acting" sounds like 'a thing" and all, but uhhh, hierarchy of order kinda matters here.
try it on like this:

Should telling each other stories about Children Acting Just Be Banned Already?

yeah go on and tell us about the future where there is not one single live action tv show, movie, or play, that tells any story at all that was about a child or involved any children.
 
monkeypapa
2023-02-09 12:16:19 PM  
You could write the same article and just replace actor with athlete and come to the same conclusion.
 
Kitty2.0 [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 12:26:18 PM  

PvtStash: uhhh, "child acting" sounds like 'a thing" and all, but uhhh, hierarchy of order kinda matters here.
try it on like this:

Should telling each other stories about Children Acting Just Be Banned Already?

yeah go on and tell us about the future where there is not one single live action tv show, movie, or play, that tells any story at all that was about a child or involved any children.


You can tell stories without providing a visual of the subject itself. What you would not be able to do is write Harry Potter and turn it into a billion dollar franchise that enriches a vile, disgusting human being (its creator).
 
rewind2846
2023-02-09 3:54:06 PM  
The future of child acting:
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
mengelji [OhFark]
2023-02-10 6:10:11 AM  
I'm just trying to imagine movies like Monster Squad or The Sandlot being filmed with an all adult cast...

/ Stand By Me, starring Leo Gorcey and the Bowery Boys!
 
Michic
2023-02-10 6:49:12 AM  
Ban children everywhere!
 
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