blowing your indie cred

Dan just sent this picture to me.



Yes, you're seeing that right. That's Jason Lee, completely blowing all the indie cred he's developed among thirty-somethings by appearing as Dave in a new, live-action version of "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Where the musical chipmunks of old are now RAP STARS. Yes, rap stars. It's rapping chipmunks. Chipmunks, performing rap.

I'm trying to figure out where Jason Lee's decision-making process went awry here. My guess is that he and his manager recognize that the fans of Kevin Smith movies are getting to the age that they are having kids, and they'll take their kids to see this movie, and Jason can't stay in the weird indie movies forever. But it's like Bill Murray voicing Garfield - just because it's a classic character, does not automatically mean it's going to be a good movie. Do these stars not vet these ideas, read the scripts? Are they fine with being in remade movies that are going to be financially huge ('cause you know it will be), but artistic vacuums?

It's like William H. Macy in "Wild Hogs." I love William H. Macy. I'll pay to watch him read a phone book. I think he's fabulous. But come on. He didn't know that "Wild Hogs" was gonna be a sad, sad movie? He's been cultivating indie cred for years, and he blew it on that? You KNOW he didn't need the money. Felicity is raking it in on "Desperate Housewives" - I think the family finances were secure. So what was he thinking?