The American Spectator : John Hughes, RIP

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John Hughes, RIP

By Ben Stein on 8.7.09 @ 6:09AM

He's the poet who gave us "Bueller, Bueller" and so much else.

John Hughes was a stunningly talented director, a wildly funny writer, a great friend, a Republican in a town where being a Republican takes some courage. But most of all, he was a poet. He was to the postwar middle class white kid what John Keats was to the age of upheaval during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars.

John Hughes had many brilliant insights: his portrayal of the carnage that modern business travel wreaks in men's lives in Planes, Trains and Automobiles was by far the best evisceration of what deregulation has wrought, and a powerful comment about the loneliness of the life of the working middle-aged traveling man. His understanding of the mindset of the rich pre-teen child -- total paranoia combined with almost Hitlerian fantasies of power and sadism -- was made funny in his Home Alone movies. His thought that family is far more of a combined prison and circus than a heaven was brought to hilarious life by his National Lampoon's Vacation series.

But the insight that will make him immortal came in his teen movies, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles and my favorite, the one that changed my life, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This insight was that the modern American white middle class teen combines a Saudi Arabia-sized reservoir of self-obsession and self-pity with a startling gift for exultation and enjoyment of life. No one had ever thought to note that along with James Dean's sulky self-obsession might also come a shriek of happiness at just being alive. John Hughes -- Republican -- saw that potential, saw that the individual still had the ability to transcend whatever was weighing him or her down and come out leading a parade down Michigan Avenue.

This insight sized up teens perfectly but also ennobled them, which made them -- and all of us -- love him. In a way, he was describing modern man of any age.

There is no one else who can lay a glove on this insight or portray it so magnificently in the young American.

John Hughes was irreplaceable.

About the Author

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes "Ben Stein's Diary" for every issue of The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (64) | Leave a comment

Andrew B| 8.7.09 @ 7:49AM

Thank you, Mr. Stein, for that moving remembrance. Thank you also for your part in making John Hughes' films immortal.

I came of age in the early 1980's, and the soundtracks of John Hughes films were the soundtracks of my happiest, most carefree days.

All that, and I never knew that he was a Republican. One more reason to enjoy his legacy.

Ferris| 8.7.09 @ 8:46AM

I need to take a day off in remembrance...

Danny| 8.7.09 @ 9:44AM

I must take strenuous exception to The Breakfast Club. I maitain this movie was a terrible flick with horrible messages. Absolutely horrible.

I was around 23 and happened to see it with my fater. I asked him wahat he thought and he slowly eviscerated the movie. That was my turning point/eye opener to the destructive nature of Hollywood.

One could easily picture Sam Mendes making that movie-a precursor to American Beauty.

Danny| 8.7.09 @ 10:09AM

Sorry for the typo's above...the thought of Judd Nelson with that ridiculous earing was too much to bear...

Tim| 8.7.09 @ 10:54AM

An indication of Hughes' genius is that he actually made Molly Ringwald likeable. Note to Ben: the parade went down Dearborn.

Beth| 8.7.09 @ 10:55AM

John Hughes + Randy Quaid + Christmas Vacation = pure comedic genius!

rwisher| 8.7.09 @ 11:48AM

Ben Stein is brilliant as usual. As a young man, I enjoyed the movies Hughes made for the fun they seemed to project, like rays of sunshine. Stein's Bueller Bueller moment set into cement a piece of history. How many millions of times was that one line repeated by all of us? I didn't know Hughes did the Vacation series, but that explains the comic genius within the movies.

His passing reminds us how precious life is, and to live each day to its fullest. Which was the message of Ferris in the first place.

Christopher Scott| 8.7.09 @ 12:23PM

I think Sixteen Candles is the best depiction of teen-aged angst and longing that I have ever seen. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. I loved these movie when they were released in 1984 and 1985 when I was fifteen and sixteen years old; I still love them today at age forty.

Most of John Hughes other movies are also quite funny. I never knew Mr. Hughes was a Republican. I like him even more now that I know.

David Govett| 8.7.09 @ 12:35PM

I think of John Candy at the entrance to Steve Martin's house, forcing a smile appropriate to the Christmas cheer. That metaphor of human existence--smiling despite the grief--has stuck with me and made me more compassionate, more so than any religious scripture could do. Thank you, Mr. Hughes.

Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 8.7.09 @ 2:12PM

Danny said?,.. “I maitain (maintain) this movie was a terrible flick with horrible messages. Absolutely horrible.”
Well Danny?,.. your spell checker is horrible too!!,.. but that not my point!!,.. this is?,.. are you talking about the same movie that I watched at least 200 times in my life?,… to the point that I can no longer watch it with anybody else in the room?,.. because I annoy them so much by reciting all of the lines of the script?,.. are you referring to that Breakfast Club?,.. I think you may have missed the point of this movie by listening to you Dad,.. granted!!,.. they smoked pot in the movie?,.. not the best message in the World!!!,.. but the rest of the movie was about not following the crowd blindly,.. to be who you really are,.. that’s a good message,.. and by the end of that day of detention?,.. everybody in the movie grew (emotionally) and learned to be more honest,.. except maybe the Principle?,.. but somebody had to be the bad guy I guess?,.. but he was a hell of a funny bad guy!!,.. maybe you should watch it again,.. and you may see the movie in a different light,.. The Breakfast Club was his best movie (ever) in my opinion,.. but?,.. I loved almost all of his movies,.. he had the gift of making movies in the 80’s,.. I wish Hollywood would start releasing movies like his again,.. everybody would be better off for it,.. R.I.P. John Hughes!!
Holocaust Scam / Money Spinner guys?,.. you’re both dicks!!,… was that even supposed to be funny or something?,.. it’s not!!,.. thank God you don’t write Comedy scripts,.. your sick and boring!!,.. get a life!!,.. all you do is spread destruction when you write vile crap like that,.. this article was about a guy who Directed funny movies in the 80’s,.. if you’ve got nothing to say about that?,.. well then don’t write anything loser!!,.. what is your friggin’ problem?,.. you know what I think?,.. the wrong person died today!!

IMKessel| 8.7.09 @ 2:51PM

To the Mien Kampf Morons and Anti-Semitic Deniers of Truth:

Is the page the proper place for such diatribes and anti-Semitic screeds? It is completely off subject, and here at The American Spectator, your writings go against all forms of discussion and decorum.

Please find a site where what and how you write are acceptable posting. In other words, if you need to clear the bowels of your mind, please use a toilet. It is more than common courtesy; it is common sense.

Tim| 8.7.09 @ 3:12PM

There's probably an essay or column here about how a simple jewish man gets dogged by nazis 65 years after Hitler shot himself. God bless Mr. Stein.

David Vuyadinov| 8.7.09 @ 3:27PM

Carrie,

I thought you'd like this. And to think, he was a Republican.

Love you,

David

Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 8.7.09 @ 3:29PM

Tim: Ah Ha!! Now I get it?,.. it’s about Ben Stein,.. I didn’t make the connection until your post,.. so I guess this happens to every article that he writes here,.. don’t leave a comment about what he wrote?,.. about John Hughes in this case?,.. just attack Jews!!,.. that makes sense on Mars?,..because the article was written by MR Stein?,.. they have to cut and paste Holocaust denier crap for the next hour or so!!,. Jeez that’s pretty sad huh!!,.. but who can understand the wiring of a person like that anyway?,.. but American Spectator?,.. whoever’s in charge of letting these off topic comments to post?,.. Dude?,.. you’ve got to do a better job!!,.. put down that PSP your playing for a second?,.. and delete this trash!!,.. it gets old you know?

IMKessel| 8.7.09 @ 3:35PM

Fellow Posters,

Please contact the editors of TAS concerning vile postings left on the comment section of "John Hughes, RIP" page.

Open discussion and debate is an integral part TAS on line edition, but, generally, so is decorum. Even Dave Matthews is welcome to post; many of us find his views to be amusing (though lacking wit, insight, intelligence or any sense of reality) but they fall within the boundaries of semi-civil exchange. Posting hate speech is not conducive to debate or any other civil activity. In no way is contacting the editor censorship. It is his responsibility to maintain the page; by contacting him regarding inappropriate postings, we are acting as good neighbors and engaged citizens. Those who wish to post hate filled spew have thousands of other sites on which they can post. They can even give links to said pages without violating the principles of decorum and common decency. If we the readers assist the editor in being vigilant about posts, we can continue to enjoy an open atmosphere of exchanging views. If we do not, the ones who return to this site will not be the readers or writers with whom we wish to exchange ideas.

IMKessel

PS The content has already removed with all deliberate haste by the editor.

Reginal Perrin| 8.7.09 @ 3:43PM

Thanks Mr. Stein, this article makes much more sense than most of your financial writings. However, I fail to see how Mr. Hughes' political affiliation is relevant. Can't we ever just appreciate a person and his art, without worring about his politics?

Red in Denver| 8.7.09 @ 3:45PM

One of my favorite movies of all time is "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

Irreverent humor, humor that pokes fun at authority figures/the establishment, is my favorite variety of humor; and it has never been done better than in FBDO.

IMKessel| 8.7.09 @ 3:50PM

LL &L,

Bobby Bare fan? Shel Silverstien? Both?

Ammo Guy| 8.7.09 @ 3:57PM

Who knew he was a Republican? I kinda wish Ben hadn’t blown his cover until after his funeral – now the Hollywood crowd will probably disparage rather than eulogize him. Married to the same woman for 39 years, two sons (not hooked on drugs as far as I can tell, unlike others in LaLa Land), and ended up as a son of the soil in Illinois – what a great story.

Tim| 8.7.09 @ 4:09PM

Kessel
People reading this later will miss all the context (sorry) but right now at 4PM eastern Ben's other piece is reNazied up. I know it's Friday afternoon but really...

RKI| 8.7.09 @ 4:20PM

Ben - so many thanks for all you do & say, but on this occasion, double-mega-dittos. John Hughes is a very sad loss.

Crime Net work at Jew.com| 8.7.09 @ 4:27PM

The Judenfrei Jew Review
News and Views on Jews (beta version)Home
Barack Hussein Obama at Risk for Assassination by Jews
Submitted by Administrator on Mon, 03/16/2009 - 23:06
The election of Barack Hussein Obama as President of the United States of America was a disastrous event, not because of Obama’s racial background (black + Jew), but because the Jews could kill him and blame it on white supremacists, getting blacks to riot and wreak havoc across America, and also for reasons related to Obama’s birth.

White supremacists/racialists/separatists/nationalists and Barack Hussein Obama
All thinking white supremacists/racialists/separatists/nationalists know that the race of the American President hardly matters because he is no more than a Jew tool. The people who rule are the ones who issue money, and in the United States of America, the government doesn’t issue money, the bankers do under the auspices of Jews. If the U.S. government issued its own money it wouldn’t be under $10 trillion-plus in debt; it would have no debt.

Yet the Jews would like people to believe that President Obama has upset the white supremacists because he is black. The truth is that many white supremacists/nationalists rooted for Obama because they believed that Obama would be a disaster and help awaken white America into taking back their country. I know of a white nationalist who supported Obama because he thought Obama would be less subservient to Jews!

White supremacists/nationalists have nothing whatsoever to gain from killing Obama and lots to lose by doing so. But the Jews have been preparing the public for Obama’s assassination, if needed for their cause.

Here’s an example of two clowns, presumably Jewish – Cowart is used by some Jews and Schlesselman seems to be an uncommon name, who allegedly plotted to rob a gun store, assassinate Obama and kill 88 blacks, including 14 by beheading. The plausibility of fulfilling this goal stretches the imagination far beyond the wildest Hollywood fantasy scenario. This was a classic Jew hoax. As the narrative goes, these nincompoops planned on robbing a gun store to get their weapons, but were scared off by dogs!

The Jews have given publicity to other alleged individuals that have plotted to kill Obama: Alfred Brock, Tharin Gartrell, Nathan Johnson and Shawn Adolf, Raymond Hunter Geisel, etc. One of these people, Steven Joseph Christopher, made a fake threat against Obama to try to get media nattention, and as he was being hauled away he told the camera crew that he was trying to bring attention to the fact that Obama is a Jew tool, but the mainstream media portrayed him as a nut with a message from God.

And then we come across agent of the Jews’, David Duke’s take on the Obama assassination threat (#), which is another indication that the Jewish crime network is preparing the public for a possible assassination of Obama.

David Duke on the Barack Hussein Obama assassination threat

What's next| 8.7.09 @ 4:31PM

The Judenfrei Jew Review
News and Views on Jews (beta version)Home » Holocaust-hoax Related Materials
An Introduction to the Holohoax or Holocaust Hoax; $$ Shoah Business $$
Submitted by Administrator on Wed, 02/25/2009 - 10:00
The Holocaust refers to the alleged killings of 6 million Jews by the Nazis – many by gassings employing either Zyklon B or, mostly, diesel exhaust – as part of the Nazi plan to exterminate all Jews. The Nazis allegedly also killed millions of Poles, Gypsies, feeble-minded individuals, homosexuals, etc., though non-Jewish victims are not included as part of the Holocaust. The total tally of Nazi killings, a lot of it supposedly by gassings, is reported to be in the neighborhood of 11 million. These beliefs are promoted with a religious zeal by the Jews and aptly termed as the fundamental tenets of Holocaustianity.

Those who publicly oppose Holocaust claims by the Jews face extensive persecution, including incarceration in some countries.

Here we provide a brief overview – with links to scholarly sources – that Holocaust claims range from the grossly exaggerated to the unsupported, ludicrous and baseless. The Holocaust is, simply, a hoax that is aptly termed a Holohoax (alternatives: Hollowco$t, Holyhoax, H¤£¤¢¤$t, $hoah bu$ine$$). The Nazis simply wanted what numerous people before them have wanted: expulsion of the Jews.

Another brief overview of the Holocaust hoax has been provided by Eric Hufschmid. The scholarly resources are ‘Dissecting the Holocaust’ by Germar Rudolf (Editor) (pdf of Dissecting the Holocaust) and Nazi gassings by Friedrich Paul Berg.

Brutal persecution of Holocaust revisionists
Is this how one defends the truth? The truth does not require persecution in its defense; only falsehood does.

The Jews don’t allow an investigation of the Holocaust
Truth does not fear investigation.

Lack of physical evidence proving the Holocaust
Killing 11 million humans and disposing off their remains in any form is a formidable task. There should be a massive amount of forensic evidence. Where is it?

Here we see Jews argue, extensively, about evidence for mass burials at Sobibor. The official claim is about 80,000 burials there. The physical evidence offered is lush vegetation over regions where the decomposed bodies supposedly acted as fertilizer and some pictures alleged to be bits of human bones. Think about this. If 80,000 bodies are buried in a small space – actually the size of a chicken coop – wouldn’t the Jews have the top archaeological teams from leading Universities arrive at Sobibor and dig up the burial space? Nothing would shut up revisionists like evidence for mass human remains that is independently analyzed by separate teams, including revisionist scholars. Sobibor doesn’t even compare to Treblinka, where 700,000 Jews were allegedly buried, again in a small space, then dug up and cremated. The Jews have been running into problems with their Holocaust denial laws and persecution of revisionists. People are asking why don’t the Jews dig up the mass graves or burial sites and thereby deal a definitive blow to the revisionists, obviating the need for Holocaust denial laws? The Jews have had decades to do it, but they haven’t done it and refuse to let others do it.

Here’s what Jewish evidence for the Holocaust is essentially, and why it won’t stand for long.

Jews have made no claims for the dead bodies of their relatives
People usually attempt to recover the dead bodies of their relatives and give them a proper burial. Many Jews are alleged to have been buried in pits, but Jews have made no claims that these pits be dug up and the remains examined and turned over to the right relatives. Jews have also not demanded that the ‘lampshades and soap made out of Jews’ be returned to them. However, Jews have demanded that the gold from the teeth of Jews be returned to their families!

Lulla-basher| 8.7.09 @ 4:32PM

Here ya go, you halfwit:

From Jonah Goldberg...

"I'm not entirely sure what "fresh truth" means in the context of a 25-year-old movie. Moreover, I'm not sure that I agree with the panel about The Breakfast Club. I liked the movie, just as about every teenager did back then. And there's much truth to it. But I don't think every teenager hates himself or resents his (or her) parents quite as much as the film suggests. Indeed, it's hard to imagine any of the kids in the movie watching a movie with their parents the way your daughters watched The Breakfast Club with you."

Scott A Joseph, MD| 8.7.09 @ 5:24PM

I was a high schooler in a nearby high school when The Breakfast Club came out (Maine East, I believe the film was shot at one of the New Trier schools). Loved Hughes' teenage films. " Ferris Bueller" was a love song to the city of Chicago.

nick| 8.7.09 @ 5:31PM

Thanks Mr. S.,

Ferris Beuller's Day Off is to me, one of the most funny and joyful movies ever made. I showed it to my children a year or so ago, and they wanted to see it again and again. Anyone who does not smile when Ferris sings in the parade has a heart of stone.

Your most pleasant eulogy since you wrote about President Nixon's funeral oh so many years ago.

Thank you.

mickeymat| 8.7.09 @ 6:01PM

You know I think sometimes it is best to ignore the trolls that post of sites we visit. To address them is to render credibility to them. Thanks to everyone who wrote their touching remembrances to John Hughes and especially to Ben Stein. I am older than most of the posters but had an early career as a teacher, thus I found Hughes' films absolutely delicious and so meaningful for my students. What a sad loss.

Frazier| 8.7.09 @ 6:09PM

Everyone seems to forget Better Off Dead and the Sure Thing and Say Anything. Three great Hughes movies that are cult classics.

PBR| 8.7.09 @ 6:11PM

Thanks so much for this comment. I have always thought John Hughes was a great artist. But I'm not sure why you emphasize so heavily that he was a Republican, other than to demonstrate that he was "out of the box" in Hollywood. The last long paragraph seems to imply that only Republicans are capable of seeing the power of the individual. Why needlessly politicize his legacy?

MiltonF Admirer| 8.7.09 @ 6:27PM

I enjoyed John Hughes movies as a teen (graduated high school in 1985) and loved the Breakfast Club because it so well captured the angst teens feel, the personas they invent, and the walls they put up as a result.
Now I enjoy the Home Alone movies with my daughter. It's something special we share. They're innocent, adventurous, and John Williams music is just beautiful.
God bless and receive John Hughes and grant his family solace in the knowledge of the enjoyment he brought so many.

Uncle Buck| 8.7.09 @ 6:33PM

Miles: Where do you live?
Buck: In the city.
Miles: You have a house?
Buck: Apartment.
Miles: Own or rent?
Buck: Rent.
Miles: What do you do for a living?
Buck: Lots of things.
Miles: Where's your office?
Buck: I don't have one.
Miles: How come?
Buck: I don't need one.
Miles: Where's your wife?
Buck: Don't have one.
Miles: How come?
Buck: It's a long story.
Miles: You have kids?
Buck: No I don't.
Miles: How come?
Buck: It's an even longer story.
Miles: Are you my Dad's brother?
Buck: What's your record for consecutive questions asked?
Miles: 38.
Buck: I'm your Dad's brother alright.
Miles: You have much more hair in your nose than my Dad.
Buck: How nice of you to notice.
Miles: I'm a kid - that's my job.

Uncle Buck| 8.7.09 @ 6:33PM

Joe| 8.7.09 @ 6:34PM

and my favorite: She's Having a Baby...his father in law was the best!

CaryDee| 8.7.09 @ 6:41PM

Hey! Everyone has failed to mention one of the most wonderful, tongue-in-cheek, offerings of John Hughes: "She's Having a Baby", dedicated to his wife, Nancy. Funny how it lined up with the birth of their first son??? Generous to the nth degree, he (and Nancy) made their house a home to all his sons' friends, made their rock band dreams a reality, their dinner table a constant gathering place for the people he cared about, and was that guy who would pay for your Starbucks when you realized you'd forgotten your cash. He will be missed in town, in the world and in life. Our love and comfort to his family. cd

Mack Hall| 8.7.09 @ 6:53PM

Ben said it for me. Thanks! John left behind a body of work ennobling humanity. God bless him.

Dougal| 8.7.09 @ 7:49PM

I'm approximately Ben's age and remember seeing Ferris Bueller as I was approaching 40. I was struck by how ingeniously it captured that moment in life when you are a senior in high school and have figured out all the angles. (A few months later you end up in college as the low man on the totem pole and it comes as a bit of a shock.) But those shining moments of your last few months in high school always remain. It's a time when you are king of all you survey, you've got your parents perfectly trained, and most of your teachers and perhaps your priest or rabbi thoroughly convinced you are a saint, albeit a lazy one. In short, you know you can get away with whatever mischief you choose.

A brilliant movie. Ben's portrayal of the lacklustre, boring teacher was right on the money.

So thank you to John Hughes, an American original. And a Republican to boot! Thank you for the gift of your art.

Conrad Spiracy| 8.7.09 @ 7:51PM

Thank you Ben. Yes, his movies were hilarious, thought provoking and most enjoyable. To paraphrase a line from one of his movies:

"The sportos and motor heads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads...they all adore him. They (thought) he (was) a righteous dude."

Beth - your comment ROCKS! I watch Christmas Vacation every year around Christmas, and sometimes even in between. I often find the opening theme song running through my head just because. I think I'll watch it this weekend when the temperature is expected to approach 100 degrees in NW NC.

RIP John.

Dane| 8.7.09 @ 7:56PM

Finally, a republican with more than one ounce of talent and ability in the entertainment industry! You can count them on one hand. Eastwood. Hughes and hmmmm. I will not accept Willis, Selleck or Craig T Nelson.

Conrad Spiracy| 8.7.09 @ 7:57PM

Oh yes - I forgot one other thing. As a lifelong Red Wings fan, I always appreciated Alan Ruck wearing the Gordie Howe jersey in the middle of Blackhawkland.

Incidently, Gordie lost his bride of 58 years, Colleen, March 6th last. "Mrs. Hockey" was the first female agent in all of professional sports. A true beauty and popular figure in Hockeytown.

See here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/sports/hockey/07howe.html

Joel Jenkins| 8.7.09 @ 8:03PM

My 21 and 22 year old daughters adore Mr. Hughes' films, attesting to their timeless charm. God bless John Hughes and Ben Stein. Sidenote: Jennifer Grey was smokin'hot!

Tony Stephens| 8.7.09 @ 8:22PM

This is amazing. Just yesterday I was quoting to an office colleague Ben Stein's line from John Hughes' film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, " Bueller, Bueller, anyone" and now Mr. Hughes is gone. John Hughes was brilliant! My personal favorite was "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". This film captures the essence of the Thanksgiving holiday which seems almost forgotten these days. I'll miss Mr. Hughes. God bless him and his family.

defeated pigs| 8.7.09 @ 9:03PM

YOur a blogger on this sight Stein? I just lost all respect for you. In fact I'm not buying Clear Eyes anymore and am switching to Visine.

defeated pigs| 8.7.09 @ 9:06PM

RIP Hughes. Didn't know you were a repube but I forgive you. You were a great writer and director. You will be missed.

Ben Stein is a Disgrace| 8.7.09 @ 9:19PM

What a disgraceful post, Mr. Stein. To abuse the memory of the recently deceased to make idiotic political points in sad defense of your so clearly failed ideology is pathetic and dishonorable. John Hughes was not a politician, and your attempts to abuse his memory because the failure of laissez-faire was so pronounced last year when Wall Street destroyed itself renders you every bit a ghoul feasting on the carcass of a celebrity to score craven political points.

I award you no points sir, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Jack Hughes| 8.7.09 @ 9:25PM

Of course he was a Republican - it's mandatory!

Chuck D| 8.7.09 @ 9:56PM

Dear Reginal Perrin

"Can't we ever just appreciate a person and his art, without worring about his politics?

There was a time I think we could. But nowadays the hatred between political factions runs deep and soon, I fear, will become violent.

When I was a kid being a Democrat didn't appear to have the same meaning as it does today.

I guess it also depends on the politics. What if Hughes was an active member of the American Nazi party? I bet he could have made the greatest epic movie of all time, like Birth of a Nation, and no one would admit they liked or even saw it.

Happily Hughes was able to conceal his leftists notions fairly well, so I enjoyed them all.

"it is the function of art to conceal the propaganda as to make it more palatable to the average recipient, while yet not destroying its effect.”-William Pickens 1924

I never saw The Breakfast Club. I think I will now that it has become so controversial.

nick| 8.7.09 @ 10:32PM

You know, I don't often respond twice to things, but it disturbs me greatly that people use the death of someone to make cheap points. Ben Stein did not do that and neither do I.

A man has died folks. A man who made movies that touched us all. His abilities as a filmmaker and storyteller transcended whatever his personal beliefs were.

Thank you Mr. Hughes for providing us all with so much to enjoy and share and to you Mr. S. for sharing your feelings.

J. L.| 8.7.09 @ 10:59PM

As one who was a teen during the 1980s, I have to thank John Hughes for providing the backdrop to our adolescence through his excellent movies.
An example of his brilliance comes in the movie The Breakfast Club, a movie which featured teens from different cliques communicating with one another, and finding that they have more in common than they would have supposed. There is an excellent moment in that movie, where the jock character (played by Emilio Estevez) acknowledges that he mistreated a less athletic peer in a cruel locker room prank. Estevez's character comes to realize just how wrong and cruel his act was, and how painful and humiliating it must have been to this other human being. At the conclusion of his comments, the bookish character who is also part of this group, played by anthony michael hall, asserts that this humiliated kid was one of his friends. And then came recognition . . . that those who one viewed as "the other" was a human being just like himself.

Thank you, John Hughes. R.I.P.

pete | 8.8.09 @ 1:33AM

The fact that Ben Stein would take the loss of this beloved, brilliant director and turn it into a partisan grab of "he was one of ours" is utterly shameful.

This man had the ability to touch us all, to unite us through our shared feelings of inadequacy, that we are all "a brain, and an athlete and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. (Breakfast Club)"

What a shame that Ben Stein is so steeped in his agenda and ideology that he has used his "friend's" death as an opportunity to spit on his legacy.

What a pathetic display.

Hollywood as distraction| 8.8.09 @ 10:54AM

Prothink.org was originally started in October 2007 as a website that ‘exposed Zionism.’ Zionism, also known as a political support system of Jews and it’s brainwashed ‘Judeo’-Christians. This group believes in the creation and sustainment of the state of Israel or more commonly known as ‘Jewish Homeland’. I, Mike Delaney, the owner of Prothink.org understand the issues in much greater detail since the opening of my website and have now identified the problem as the Jewish Question or problem. Prior to the start of my website, my research has lead me to consolidate that this singular group is behind almost every form of criminality known to man. The discovery leads one to see and understand how Jews work as a parasite or cancer to everything in the world universally known to be good or positive. This massive scale of deception and deceit is more then most people have the capacity and/or the ambition to discover. It is like a person who knows deep down they have cancer and it will kill them so instead they go on in life ignoring it until it creeps enough to finally kill its host. The person could have acknowledged they had cancer and fought it off with a great possibility of curing it and having a prosperous and beautiful life, but chose to be lazy and in turn died a miserable death. I have chosen like so many before me to identify and face this cancer to humanity, also known as the Jew, and decided the opportunity to achieve a better future for hopefully myself, but if not for later generations was worth the battle/struggle. Besides what would life be without great challenges? Here are just a small list of crimes, organizations, events, etc that have been created, orchestrated, started, owned, operated, manifested, and performed by Jews that I have learned about and confirmed since the start of my education on this parasite:

A GOYIMS life is Over| 8.8.09 @ 11:11AM

How do you see the world? there is white & there is black, there is positive & negative. Thre is night there is day. The Jews have fooled the world by using the simplest of things and are winning.

There is good and there is bad. The Jew have used the ancient text to fool the world, such as the Stock market you can tell thr truth or you can tell a lie. Tell a lie, people buy and lose their money, like a horse race, win or lose. There is always tow sides to life no mone than the NUMBER TWO, its like life and there is death, they is light or darkness. There is good and there is evil, there is right and there is wrong.

There is only two numbers in the world 1 & 2 in the game of a Jew. You write two programs one for the people you wish to kill or rob, and one to win against these people. There is the Bible & there is the TORA, one book for the winners and one for the losers.

To win you need a distraction from the people you want to lose. Hollywood, the music industry, the legal system set up againt the losers. An education system, to get the idiots to think in one mode, with out training the brain to think in a Universal mode a one trick poney, producing a bunch of idiots that will never know what you the Jew is doing, write magazines to get them to think a certain way, its the media mind control.

Most of America is dead because they have brought into the Jewish mind game and there is only one winner, they are master of how you think and behave.

Though they are killing you you are too stupid to know what they are doing, they control nations and Governments. The average man in the sterrt have no idea that its a win or lose game the game is simple 1 & 2, you save we steal your life savings.

defeated pigs| 8.8.09 @ 1:25PM

NEW YORK – Monotone TV personality Ben Stein has been stripped of his Sunday New York Times business column because of his work as a pitchman for a credit monitoring company.

New York Times spokeswoman Catherine Mathis released a statement Friday that said the newspaper decided it would not be appropriate for Stein to pitch for FreeScore.com while writing his column.

An e-mail requesting comment from the former host of Comedy Central's "Win Ben Stein's Money" quiz show was not immediately returned.

Earlier this year, Stein withdrew as the University of Vermont's commencement speaker over complaints about his critical views of evolution in favor of intelligent design.

Stein famously played the part of a monotone economics teacher in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

Israel want to destroy America| 8.8.09 @ 2:14PM

Zionist Jews crimes against USA!

The nation of Israel and Jews, friend or foe of America? Actions speak louder than words;

June 8, 1967; Israeli jets attack the USS Liberty, killing 34 American soldiers.

May of 1970; Perle passing secrets to Israel during Kissinger and Nixon term

1973-2001; according to the Christian science monitor, Since 1973, Israel has cost the United States about $1.6 trillion. Top Jewish senators and Jewish congressmen in the US are voting to take tax payer’s money to support Israel. If divided by today’s US Citizens, that is more than $5,700 per person. That is more than twice the cost of the Vietnam War. Israel receives over 2 billion per year as a peace accord agreement, yet still to this day violates that agreement.

1979-1981 During the US hostage crisis in Iran, Israel was specifically asked to stop supplying Iran with weapons while Iran was holding US hostages. Israel was selling 500 million dollars per year of weapons to Iran, even after America asked Israel to stop.

October 1983; Israel deliberately allows 241 American Marines to die

1984; Israel denies U.S. Justice Department demand to extradite Marc Rich, a convicted Israeli spy against America.

August 1985, Israeli American scientist arrested for stealing 800 nuclear weapons triggers from America and sending them to Israel

November 22, 1985; Jewish US Navy Employee Arrested as Israeli Spy

October 27, 1991; Israel enflames race tensions in America by supplying apartheid South Africa with weapons and forcing the Bush administration to waive sanctions against Israel.

March 1995; Israel Charged With Systematic Harassment of U.S. Marines

August 23 1996; CIA accuses Israeli spies of theft of U.S. corporate scientific and technological data as the type of espionage that poses the greatest threat to U.S. economic competitiveness.

September 1997; Israel, as a haven for Jewish American murderers to flee to and be holed up in, refuses to extradite the Jewish murderer of an American.

June 18, 1998; Israeli businessman convicted selling chemical and biological weapons components and know-how to Iran for $16 million.

January 28, 1999; Israel transfers laser technology to Communist China, despite American outrage

February 24, 1999; Another Jewish American murderer flees to Israel and is holed up there, after killing another American.

July 30, 1999 Israeli hackers attack Pentagon

February 24, 2000; Israel again sells donated US military technology to Communist China, in the face of US outrage.

September 11, 2001; Israeli spies caught by FBI and Police cheering and photographing the WTC as it fell. What was their excuse? They said they were making a Documentary of 9/11. WTF? If they knew we were going to be attacked then why did they not warn us?

On 9/11 a group of Israelis were arrested.
1) Celebrating the attacks on us.
2) Trying to blow up the George Washington Bridge.
3) Blowing up a Van on King St near 6th and 7th.
911 Missing Links documentary. Very Interesting Information!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7877765982288566190

15 March 2002; Israel ignores US demand to leave Palestinian territories, damaging American credibility and making America look like a hypocrite for forcing Sadam out of Kuwait but not Sharon out of Palestine.

June 28, 2002; Israel Reports Weapons Development in Iraq, also prodded by 25 neo-conservatives, mostly Jewish, Bush went to war with Iraq, costing nearly a thousand American soldiers their lives, no weapons found.

August 28.2002; Israel Supplying Iran again: Germany holds up Israeli military shipment said headed for Iran

October 4, 2002; 9/11: WHAT DID ISRAEL KNOW? – and when did they tell us?

November 17, 2003; Israel blatantly uses American weapons in violation of AECA agreements between both countries which stipulate that Israel not use such weapons in civilian territories, enraging and inflaming the animosity in the Middle East against America, even though Israel can use Israeli weapons since Israel is the 6th largest weapons producer, it consistently showcases American weapons against civilians, spreading the guilt onto America by association.

25 Apr 2009 A Delta Airlines passenger jet en route to Tel Aviv from New York had to make an emergency stop when an Israeli man attempted to hijack the plane.

Today; Israel forces America to keep silent about Israel’s nuclear weapons, again destroying America’s credibility world wide and leaving America looking like a hypocrite on it’s goal to end weapons of mass destruction world wide, also allowing the “unsecure” Israel to attempt to guard that nuclear stockpile from the Middle Eastern black market.

In conclusion, since the founding of Israel in 1950, no other country has cost America more lives, money, and damage to credibility than Israel.

You can not change a Scorpion| 8.8.09 @ 3:04PM

Satan 1000 Years is up soon, so they think to Bankrupt the RICHEST most powerfull Country, and the Continent of Europe & Africa, and to Enslave her people.

Shame evil is not perfect, take all the money to Israel and it will all be lost like the Jewish people, wondering around the world as the curse of the Jews, to destroy and create hell on earth. The Blacks had all the wealth of the world, never enjoyed lived in poverty, world wide, the Europeans Industrialised the world and lost it to the Jews, their Banking and wealth controled by Jews, to Bankrupt the world at will, and drag them into wars around the world, like DUM animals fight and have no clue what it is they are fighting for, Brainwashed by the Jewish Satanic murders as the Bible says they are like their father Satan the DEVIL, Murders and liars, it's their trait. They have beed thrown out of every country on Earth and have won favour and got back in and they do the same, over, and over, and no race or continent can understand why these evil VIPERS keep doing the same thing over and over again. They do not know, like the Scorpion it's in his nature to sting, like the Jew its his nature to corrupt and to polute every thing he touches, including nations of the entire world.

Satans People the Jews| 8.8.09 @ 3:12PM

You can not change a Scorpion| 8.8.09 @ 3:04PM
Satan 1000 Years is up soon, so they think to Bankrupt the RICHEST most powerfull Country, and the Continent of Europe & Africa, and to Enslave her people.

Jewish Blood Rituals| 8.8.09 @ 3:35PM

06. Blood Wars: Judaism, Blood Sacrifice, Occult Ritual, Middle East Conflict and the Grand Plan for a Greater Israel:

Armed to the teeth with American weapons, Israel’s Socialist/Talmudist armies are ravaging, killing, and maiming hapless Palestinians in Gaza. With President Obama’s approval, the next targets are Iran and Syria. Meanwhile, the United States will intensify its bloody conflict in Afghanistan and massacre thousands in neighboring Pakistan. These are all occult rituals, human sacrifices in honor of Satan. The Israelis began their war against the people of Gaza on Hanukkah, a Jewish Holy Day. Cabalistic Numerology is also being used, with the 2006 Israeli war against Lebanon lasting exactly 33 days. The "Blood Wars" of the Middle East are part of the Grand Plan for a Greater Israel and the New World Order. Also includes: Shocking new evidence by acclaimed Jewish historians that, for centuries, Jewish rabbis have abducted, tortured, sacrificed, and cannibalized young gentile boys and girls.

Jewish Plot against the world| 8.8.09 @ 4:31PM

There will soon be enormous masses of human beings dying as a result of Jewish manufactured famine, disease and war. The Jews have prepared many Christians for this, their engineered eventuality, by foisting upon them a Jewish version of Christian eschatology which misidentifies Russia and the Muslim nations as Gog and Magog destined to fight the end times battle against Israel only to themselves perish; and which falsely promises these Christians that they will be whisked away from the Earth as the catastrophe strikes the infidels.

The Jews are preparing the Israelis for the mass casualties soon to befall humanity, by making them feel isolated and hated. Jewish leaders want the Jews of Israel to feel that the World is against them and planning to annihilate them, so as to justify a Jewish attack on the World and to win the support of common Israeli Jews for such an attack on the human race.

Back on 9 September 2006, I wrote in my blog that it appeared that Jewish leaders were setting up Israel for an apocalyptic war in order to artificially fulfill Jewish messianic prophecy, and that this war is being designed to kill off two thirds of Jews, and the entire rest of humanity:

Is Israel Deliberately Sowing the Seeds of Its Own Destruction? September 09, 2006

Jewish end times prophecy calls for the destruction of two-thirds of Jewry and of all of the nations, all of the Goyim. The Jewish

Neo-Nazis, go away| 8.9.09 @ 4:25PM

I see that the monsters from the "Judenfrei Jew Review" are commenting here as well as after other TAS articles. In case any TAS readers don't know, the JJR is, according to its own Web site, "aiming to expose the Jewish crime network and set the stage for the expulsion of Jews from the United States of America as well as other Western societies."

Their Web site says that "Jews won't stop with their criminal agenda. They have to be stopped by us." JJR is "dedicated to the Jewish problem." It says that "the Holocaust is a hoax" and that "Jews did 9/11."

It also has a number of items against black Americans, including lurid cartoons. In a comment, one fan suggests writing articles that "present a detailed anecdote of black malfeasance, [but] don't cap it off with how much you hate blacks now. Let the reader live through your imparted experience, and come to dislike blacks on his own." Clearly, these monsters use the same tactic to try to turn people against Jews.

The person who writes the Web site notes the formation of the "One World Nazi Party," and says that "if they are serious or if some other serious contenders come up, then Judenfrei could join in to set up a formal movement to expel Jews."

I hope the TAS staff will find a way to keep these neo-Nazis out. Nothing they have to say is worth reading.

GG| 8.10.09 @ 12:12AM

Two cabinet ministers have strongly denied allegations of collusion in the abuse of terrorist suspects overseas.
But Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Home Secretary Alan Johnson said it was impossible to remove all risk when using intelligence obtained overseas.
This came as a committee of MPs urged a probe into the transfer of terror suspects through UK territories.
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Last week a committee of MPs and peers called for an independent inquiry into claims of UK complicity in torture.
The Joint Human Rights Committee said on Tuesday the government had not done enough to investigate these claims, because it had been unable to establish whether British officers were involved in mistreatment.
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Now the Foreign Affairs Select Committee has also said it has grave concerns that British officers were complicit in torture.
'Hard choices'
But in a joint article in the Sunday Telegraph Mr Miliband and Mr Johnson said the UK "firmly opposed" torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.
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They said there was "no truth" in suggestions it was official policy to "collude in, solicit, or directly participate in abuses of prisoners".
But "difficult judgments and hard choices" had to be made, they added, and while anyone detained in the UK would be treated well, the same guarantee could not be made about those held by foreign authorities.
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"Operations have been halted where the risk of mistreatment was too high. But it is not possible to eradicate all risk," they wrote.

Appleby| 8.10.09 @ 9:48AM

When did "funny" become what used to be "dirty"?

To quote my favourite line ever, from a show much older than John Hughes, "Taint Funny, McGee."

Danny Bloom| 8.12.09 @ 7:34AM

My blog has most recent photo of Mr Hughes in 2001. There are lots of good conservative Republicans in Hollywood, don't believe the myth that it is only a leftwing liberal cabal runs by Jews. A good example of a fine Republican screenwriter in Hollywood with a great blog on conservative issues is Robert Avrech. An Orthodox Jewish man, conservative, mensch. I disagree with his politics, but I love the man. Read his blog sometimes. There are lots of people like him working in Hollywood. Like Ben Stein, too, although why Ben believes in intelligent design and does not believe in evolution is a mystery that will have to wait for the next life. O Ben!

albert jones| 8.12.09 @ 9:01AM

Maybe this explains some of the mystery surrounding John Hughes untimely premature death?

“John Hughes was a wealth management client of the Northern Trust Bank while I was working there in the early 1990s. Hughes became rapidly legendary for his passive-aggressive manner in which he dealt with his investment team at the bank, to the point that the Northern eventually was left with little recourse but to fire him as a client. Apparently the story goes that Hughes was a legendary jerk in all phases of his life. I guess that is the work of the genius mind for some……Anyway, I too came of age reveling in his outstanding films. At least we have his films to remember him by.”

— albert jones

poptropica| 4.8.10 @ 11:18PM

I’ll have a Poptropica full written walkthrough very soon, but in the meantime, here are some answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Mythology Island. Having trouble? Post a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer it!
Getting Hercules to Help You

Hercules won’t help you until you have all five items from Zeus’ quest. Once you have the five items, bring them to Athena. Zeus will appear and steal them. The big jerk! Once this happens, talk to Athena and she will tell you that Hercules will help you. You’ll need to have the magic mirror from Aphrodite because Hercules doesn’t want to have to walk. He’s so lazy!
Getting the Hydra Scale

You can see how to do this in the videos, but basically you need to jump up when the Hydra is about to strike. He will rear one of his heads back to attack and his eyes will bulge out. When this happens, jump up in the air and then try to land on top of his head. That head will get knocked out. When all five heads get knocked out, the Hydra will be asleep and you can click on him to get one of the scales. I’ll have a full written walkthrough very soon, but in the meantime, here are some answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Mythology Island. Having trouble? Post a question in the comments and I’ll try to answer it!
Getting Hercules to Help You