Microstory 951: Bloopers

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Oopsy Daisy!

Bloopers. I love them because they’re funny, of course, but also because they show that the actors are real people enjoying their jobs. There was a time when bloopers were included in the extras section of a DVD, but now that we’re not watching films like that anymore, it’s kind of a dying art. They can put them up on YouTube, but then you have to think about seeking them out. Some films put them during the rolling credits, but I don’t think that’s done enough either. During my research for this tiny story that’s mostly just a waste of your time—which was not as fascinating as it sounds—I learned that some actors have refused to allow their outtakes to be released to the public. Perhaps the most famous example of this is from Leonard Nimoy, who didn’t appreciate his mistakes being shown at Star Trek conventions. I don’t love hearing that from someone I admire. Mistakes make us human, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I think, in general, people need to lighten up about those kinds of things in general. I would much rather you screw something up accidentally than do something really well, but never learn anything from it. I went over this sort of thing in my entry about constructive criticism, which was better written, so you should go read that one instead. Consider this one here to be part of my blooper reel.