25 Years After John Belushi's Death, His Cult Lives On
Published March 22, 2007
Charles Young's obituary for Belushi embodies both the hagiographic and the realistic approach. "John had the Burn, that charismatic flame in the eyes that only the greatest artists in any field possess. If he'd sobered up and spent more time studying his craft, he could have been another De Niro or Brando. As it was, he never quite figured out that TV-skit acting and movie acting require different techniques. His movies weren't great. I loved him because he didn't take shit from anyone. And he was howlingly funny. His tragedy came in never realizing that drugs aren't rebellious, a common flaw in counterculture heroes."
"I loved him because he didn't take shit from anyone"? That's how a teenager talks. That just won't do. Excepting perhaps a mass-murdering mob capo di tutti capi or dictator, every grownup has to take at least some crap from someone. As Young himself reported, an awful lot of people took an awful lot of crap from John Belushi.
I can't end this profile on a note of teenaged bravado.
The simplest and most concrete expression of John Belushi's charm came from Dan Aykroyd, who confessed that he had loved his friend so much that he might have let Belushi talk him into shooting up together. "When he came up to my family's farm to meet my parents, he got out of the car as my father was walking down the front steps and jumped up and did a flip for him! It was like, 'Here I am. I'm Dan's friend. I'll do anything you want.'"
- 25 Years After John Belushi's Death, His Cult Lives On
- Published: March 22, 2007
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Culture
- Filed Under: Video: Television, Video: Documentary, Video: Comedy, Culture: Society, Culture: Media, Culture: Celebrity, Books: Nonfiction, Books: Entertainment, Books: Crime
- Writer: Nicholas Stix
- Nicholas Stix's BC Writer page
- Nicholas Stix's personal site
- Spread the Word
- Like this article?
- Email this
Save to del.icio.us
- RSS Feeds
- All RSS Feeds (240+)
Comments on this article
BC articles by Nicholas Stix
Video: Television
Video: Documentary
Video: Comedy
Culture: Society
Culture: Media
Culture: Celebrity
Books: Nonfiction
Books: Entertainment
Books: Crime
All Culture Articles
All Opinion articles
All BC articles
All BC Comments
Comments
John Belushi was a comedic genius, and that's that. It's really sad that people like you spend their lives criticizing others with talent in order to somehow justify your own lack of any creativity or aptitude. If you had any real talent you'd stop wasting your time blogging on ridiculous sites and bitching about beloved celebrities. But, wait... you don't have any talent! Years from now, people will still remember John Belushi (and Dyke van Dyke and Andy Griffith), but I can bet no one will remember or care to remember you, Nicholas Stix. In the immortal words of John Belushi, "Go eat a bowl of fuck."
"Nicholas, this article pissed me off, made me think, pissed me off again, made me think again, and finally got me to grudgingly agree with--not all, but most of it. Exactly what a good article should do. Nice work."
Thank you, Michael.
#2 -- March 24, 2007 @ 21:09PM -- Erika
"Blah, blah, blah."
Is that the best you can do?
Do you own a t-shirt that says, "My parents spent a fortune sending me to college, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"? If not, you ought to.
Fuck you very much for your, ahem, commentary.
#2 -- March 24, 2007 @ 21:09PM -- Erika
P.S. Is that your real name? You wouldn't happen to be my ex, would you? If so, send my regards to your folks.
"'[He] brought renewed attention to Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and other R&B giants." That suggests, ridiculously, that Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin had somehow faded into obscurity until Belushi rescued them. The writer succeeds in one swell foop at racially patronizing both Belushi and two of the greatest singers of the recorded sound era.'"
It was not Belushi, but The Blues Brothers movie that brought attention back to those artists. Their stars did not shine as bright in 1980/81 as they had decades past. On the DVD, Landis talks about it. The truth is not racially patronizing.
You are right about him not being Billy Crystal. Belushi was way funnier.
well aren't you a steaming clump of toxic waste.
like Erika said - you lack all of the creativity and aptitude in the world and then some. John Belushi will always live in the hearts of those who knew what a truly beautiful soul he had, and just what an amazing person/comedian he was. A piece of him still lives with each and every one of us, and if you weren't so wrapped up in your own lies about the cause of his death then maybe you'd realize that. This article really ticked me off, but then I realized, just who the hell are you to make me feel this way? I have an argument for every single word of this article, except for a select few:
"John Belushi was a talented guy, but Chaplin he wasn't."
Right. Chaplin he wasn't. A womanizing and abusive asshole he wasn't. You really need to sort out your priorities, Nicholas Stix. Want to be jealous of amazing men? How about you face them instead of taking it out on the keyboard where they can't spit on you or dump food on your head.
:)
Carla: "well aren't you a steaming clump of toxic waste."
"like Erika said - you lack all of the creativity and aptitude in the world and then some."
So, you have to echo another pathetic soul's talentless put-down. Is that the best you can do?
"John Belushi will always live in the hearts of those who knew what a truly beautiful soul he had, and just what an amazing person/comedian he was. A piece of him still lives with each and every one of us, and if you weren't so wrapped up in your own lies about the cause of his death then maybe you'd realize that."
You didn't cite one lie, because you can't. You are the liar here.
"Beautiful soul"?
Are you on drugs?
"Want to be jealous of amazing men?"
Why would I be jealous of John Belushi? He was not a great or amazing man. The question is, why would someone idolize a mediocrity? Why don't you at least idolize someone who was great, Carla? It's bad enough mindlessly goosestepping your way through life, but at least do your goosestepping behind someone serious! But you wouldn't know an amazing man if he stepped on your toes.
"How about you face them instead of taking it out on the keyboard where they can't spit on you or dump food on your head."
I'm a writer. The keyboard is my tool. What's your excuse?
I've been spat on, and I always responded by spitting back on my tormentor, and in one case, punching him out, as well. I've never had anyone dump a plate of food on me, but I'm sure I'd respond the same way.
I'm much better at what I do, than John Belushi ever was at what he did.











Nicholas, this article pissed me off, made me think, pissed me off again, made me think again, and finally got me to grudgingly agree with--not all, but most of it. Exactly what a good article should do. Nice work.