When Russell Crowe didn’t mind doing ads You may recall Russell Crowe’s profanity-laced tirade savaging actors who would sell themselves and their fans out by appearing in TV commercials. (“To me it’s kind of sacrilegious,” he said. “It’s a complete contradiction of the fucking social contract you have with your audience.”) This seems to be a stand that Russell took only after he had a few dollars in the bank, however, judging by this weird old commercial for Avondale College, a Christian school in Australia, in which Crowe plays a bad-boy biker won over by the unlikely idea of becoming a gospel minister. His acting has improved somewhat over the years, too. —Posted by Tim Nudd

August 30, 2007 | Permalink

Comments

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Crowe is a tool. I'd like to hit him with a phone.

Posted by: TunaTacoGrande | Aug 30, 2007 11:30:14 AM

In order to sell out, you have to have something to sell.
Years ago, a cartoon in The New Yorker
showed a kind of messy guy standing on the corner of Madison and 46th Street. He said,
"Ok, I'm on Madison Avenue. Where do I go to sell out?"

Posted by: Tom Messner | Aug 30, 2007 11:31:51 AM

Nice find - but 6 minutes does not a commercial make. I'd be willing to bet that Crowe justifies this career move in his youth by calling it a "short recruiting film for an institution of higher learning." And then he'd punch you.

Posted by: Jetpacks | Aug 30, 2007 1:40:25 PM

...He'd punch you, then climb into his boat, Tugger, and it's off to Japan (those li'l buggahs look like they'd but up a right nasty fight) to punch Asian people.

Posted by: Kid Zed | Sep 1, 2007 8:55:27 PM

What a bunch of BS. All actors sell themselves and their movies. These people are part of marketing campaigns to sell movies that cost millions to make. They go on Jay Leno to get people to see their stupid flicks.

Social contract? Give me a break. That's why I fucking hate celebrities. Give me actors that nobody knows, they'll work for $300 to $1000, do everything you tell them to do and be happy about it.

Posted by: Bobby | Sep 4, 2007 9:43:47 AM

Crowe would probably defend himself by say "I needed the money, I had to the ad."

Posted by: Tdave | Sep 7, 2007 3:53:21 AM

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