Comments on: Return of the Tough Guy

By: will

will — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:56:31 +0000

zac efron hahaha

By: Deadmens

Deadmens — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:18:41 +0000

What are we most of us talking about here? Actors.
You will find real men out working on farms (which are disappearing quickly) trying to scrape out a living, operating excavators, rigging steel beams, busting their knuckles repairing diesel engines, and tucking their little ones in at night – not primping for hours before mirrors with an army of make-up specialists trying to get just the right look before they prance out before the camera for a few minutes. What we seem to be obsessed with is image, while we are starving to find, and striving to be, the real thing. There are real men we run into everyday. But Hollywod isn’t the place to find them. Let’s get real.

By: dsheppard

dsheppard — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:09:37 +0000

While I also have some problems with actors as male role models, that’s the thrust of the post, so I’ll offer my own pick: Did no one see Die Hard? Bruce Willis is the quintessential man’s man in almost everything he plays: Die Hard, The Last Boy Scout, Day in the Sun, even The Fifth Element (”Anybody else wanna negotiate?”).

The epitome of the working-man hero from Jersey.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:08:59 +0000

If you look to Hollywood for tough guys you will be sorely disappointed or perhaps deceived. The people in Hollywood are professional deceivers. No tough guys there. Muscles do not make one tough. Pretending to be tough does not make one tough. Facing and bracing adversity is the mark of toughness. Check the History Channel.

By: Chris in NYC

Chris in NYC — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:52:24 +0000

Of course your wouldnt think Stallone is a tough guy, you are the same douche that put Harry Reid on your list of Greatest American Men. This blog has promise, but since its written by a sissy liberal, most of the articles are crap. Real mean dont have to tor want to talk about their “manliness”

By: Fred Neal

Fred Neal — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:43:49 +0000

I Think you are on to something good,Rambo was entertaining and Chuck is a real man as far as i can see, but there are so many other men through-out history that can be held out as good examples.

By: drew

drew — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:01:29 +0000

i agree with mike. My dad left when i was 7 and im now 22 but as ive grown up the idea of a dad and a manly role model just becomes more appealing. Over time ive used role models but strangely enough the most influential has been my older brother. It doesn’t concern me as much as it did but that relationship is something i will never have. And at 7 years old i can hardly remember him or any lessons he may have given. I guess im just fortunate to have cool brothers and they probably feel the same. I dont use movies for role models but if there was one i could think of it would be the spaceman farmer. Or farmer spaceman? Has anyone else seen it. Its not an action movie but i think the characteristics at least portray a good role model for his family.

By: muddy999

muddy999 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:36:15 +0000

I do not look any further than my grandfather. He enlisted for WWII and was knocked back for a heart condition. Instead of whining, he signed on in the mobile cinema with the army showing the trailers and movies to troops on leave. He was gutted that he could not fight with his mates, but went and served as best he could anyway. Owing to the distances he covered in Australia he often had to live very rough and was confronted with issues with equipment not being suited to the country. Because he did not actually fire a rifle in anger he never claimed his medals that were due and his proudest moment during the war… managing to drive his truck without damaging it. If I had my way, I would claim them for him as he deserved them, but he maintained to his death his beliefs and I can only respect that.

You could give the man anything and he could fix it, he was amazing with his hands and took a great deal of pride and effort in maintaining his equipment. Always the consumate gentleman, he never said a bad word about anyone and always remebered his manners and treated ladies as they should be. He worked hard all of his life and provided for his family and I have nothing but respect for the man. My grandfather put great store in being self sufficient, educated and had a strong faith. Not a braggart, quiet and reserved, none the less, he was a true man in every sense of the word! I look at many men in Hollywood and I am sorry but most of todays crop, whilst they play the man, could not keep up with the men of my grandfathers calibre.

By: swilly

swilly — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:09:15 +0000

cagney!!

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:16:32 +0000

Like Neil, I find it interesting that we look to actors for representations of manliness. These men are acting and it seems more appropriate to look at the characters they are representing. For example, look at the character John Wayne played and remember, he was a draft dodger in WWII and was married 4 times. Brad Pitt is pro-choice, so do not look at him, look at the character he portrays.

Who can we look at in real life? Neil gave some good examples. Other good examples are Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush. Especially the first President Bush – WWII vet and a gentleman. Jimmy Carter is a Naval Academy graduate, nuclear engineer and also a gentleman.

The title of the blog is “Return of the Tough Guy.” The analysis says we are looking for real men to emulate. It’s too bad young men have to look outside their families to find real men. So many women are choosing to be single mothers it is becoming an American cultural tragedy.

Lucky is the boy who has a veteran and a gentleman for a father. He has both a proven tough guy and good emotional intelligence to emulate.

By: larryedit

larryedit — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:59:37 +0000

Here, here, Sarge! John Wayne!

I appreciate everything you said. I have to admit, tho, that I liked Matt Damon in the Bourne trilogy. Intense. But I am unfamiliar with his personal beliefs.

Lots of great comments throughout this thread. Makes me want to go rent some movies from yesteryear with guys like Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power, or Burt Lancaster. Not familiar with their classic work. I have seen Burt Lancaster, but in more recent work. Anyway, good stuff!

By: SARGE

SARGE — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:54:27 +0000

@C.S. Humble –

C’mon..not ONE for John Wayne???

im fairly certain Brad Pitt and Matt Damon have vaginas..”young hollyweird” has a definite lack of testosterone these days .. same as rock stars.. the hard drinking manly men like Jagger, Lemmy, Van Zandt, etc have been replaced by the ’sensitive,artistic manufactured pop’ bullshit

men are afraid to speak their minds lately..afraid of offending someone or appearing ‘un-pc’

end of the day..say what you mean.. mean what you say..know who you are and be true to it no matter who it pisses off.. its actually OK to harken back to your Neanderthal roots guys… facial scrubs and scented shower gels are for the metrosexual pretty boys .. revel in your body hair and fart proudly

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:18:51 +0000

What about Gerard Butler he has played a wide veriaty of manly roles. From Tomb Raider, 300, Timeline, Beowulf and Grendal. Showing the rough rugged alpha male. To Nim’s Island showing the loving father fighting to get back to his daughter.

To me this range from leader, protector, to father provides a good representation of manliness without being the slick pretty boy.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:32:49 +0000

@The Scam - I think that Denzel Washington fulfills the role of man very well. In Man on Fire, Inside Job and others, he is quite a man.

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:45:31 +0000

I watched an interesting video the other day in my Juvenile Delinquency class that dealt with a similar topic. The film was called “Tough Guise” and I highly suggest every man, as well as woman, watch it to better understand how we view masculinity in our society. It focuses on what we consider manly and why and how we need to change our perceptions of masculinity today. I thought of this site immediately. Amazing film, check it out.