Billy Eichner Now Blames 'Homophobia' For Failed 'Bros' Movie
Comedian Billy Eichner's movie Bros has been a highly-publicized bomb, despite glowing reviews from critics. For the second time since its release, Eichner is trying to shift the blame for the film's failure. This time he's pointing to homophobia.
Because blame has to be placed somewhere, right?
After the movie's opening weekend, Eichner balmed straight people for the gay rom-com's anemic opening weekend.
Eichner talked about the film at the New Yorker Festival last week, and while he conceded part of the reason for the poor box office performance was an audience preference for streaming, he still blames homophobia.
"Homophobia is a bigger problem than how it pertains to this silly rom-com,” he said. “But do I think it’s a factor? Yes, in certain parts of the country, I think it was a factor," He said.
"Though, to be honest, we really didn’t make the movie for homophobes anyway. This is an R-rated gay rom-com. It was never intended as a movie to try to convince people who don’t like gay people that we’re normal, and soft, and cuddly, and okay to love."
The reason people didn't see Bros wasn't homophobia, it was because most of the population can't relate to it or has no interest in it.
This is ironic because that's the same reason he made it.
The Reason People Didn't Go See Bros Is The Same Reason Eichner Made It
Everyone talks about representation in media and the reason for that is that under-represented groups can't see themselves in the movies, books, and TV shows being churned out regularly.
Alright, that's fair.
So when you make a movie intended to hold a mirror to a fraction of the population, why is it a surprise that the vast majority of the population has no interest in it?
It'd be like if Eichner made a movie about cricket and then wondered why no one in the US went to see it.
Dude, none of us are into cricket. It's not our bag.
That's why ultra-liberal Hollywood studios didn't make a gay rom-com a la Bros for so long. It inherently lacks the mass appeal that they look for in projects.
But shouldn't people who like good movies be turning out for what has been a critically acclaimed film?
But they aren't, and I think that's because people can sense something is off with the reviews.
Hollywood Phonieness Hurt Bros From The Start
Billy Eichner is a funny dude. That's not even up for debate. The remotes he used to do for Conan were fantastic.
So there's no doubt that the guy could make a funny movie.
However, I'm amazed that this movie is getting the "rave" reviews that it is, yet still no one is going to see it. On Rotten Tomatoes — the Richter scale of the movie world — Bros has an 89% from both critics and audiences. That's a solid showing.
If critics are giving genuine reviews, which given their track record, they probably weren't.
Maybe it is that good, but my theory is that the majority of critics and audiences wouldn't dare give the movie a bad review for fear of being labeled a homophobe by someone like Billy Eichner.
It's the reason why most critics had Bros on their best-of-the-year lists before the Universal globe was even off-screen.
If you want to keep your movie-reviewing gig, you've gotta play the game. I think your run-of-the-mill moviegoer has picked up on this. That's why no one is saying. "Hey, let's go see Bros. It's got great reviews!" because people can pick up on this.
It's gotten to the point where anything that parrots progressive talking points gets put on a pedestal no matter what.
So, long story longer, this is Bros' problem.
Billy Eichner can blame homophobia all he wants for why his movie flopped, but the truth of the matter is that years of bludgeoning people — and movie executives, apparently —with progressive ideologies is why Bros was doomed to fail from the second it got the green light.
Follow on Twitter: @Matt_Reigle