Roger Friedman should NOT have been fired from Fox over publishing a review of the leaked version of Wolverine. But I’ll get to that in a minute.
I have said and will always say… Pirating movies is stealing. There is no debate. Any attempt to try to argue otherwise is just delusional self justification. You’re taking something without permission and without paying for it. It’s stealing. But, even though it is stealing, I have always hated how the MPAA treats everyone like criminals… threaten lawsuits and suing teenagers… basically I hate the methods employed by the MPAA to enforce anti-piracy laws even though I agree people shouldn’t be downloading movies illegally.
With all that being said, most of you will remember that a little while ago there was a major leak of the new Wolverine movie online long before its release in theaters. One Fox columnist (the aforementioned Roger Friedman) decided to write a review of the leaked movie (how stupid was that?!?!?!) Basically admitting to the world he downloaded a pirated film, a film that belonged to his employers (FOX).
There was an outcry from people that he should be fired. And while I agree that he did something REALLY REALLY REALLY stupid, I don’t think you take a guy’s job away from him just for that. I think you punish him, maybe suspend him, fine him, whatever… but taking a person’s job away is a serious serious matter in today’s world and I firmly believe firing him over one (although stupid) mistake was uncalled for and highly reactionary.
But life has a way of correcting itself, and Roger Friedman has landed a new job over at the Hollywood Reporter to cover celebrity news… and I’m glad he did.
Look, he didn’t leak the movie online. He didn’t drive drunk. He didn’t sexually harass anyone. He didn’t snort coke. He didn’t assault anyone…. he watched a downloaded movie and was stupid enough to review it. Hardly worth taking away a man’s living. Just don’t do it again Roger.
