F**k Rex Reed

       My list of those who have become passe', irrelevant and just plain embarrassing to themselves and the world at large has yet another name on its wall of "who gives a shit?"  Trump, Schlafly, Santorum, Nugent  and Robertson are joined by alleged movie  critic Rex Reed. Reed's cruel and undeserved criticism of  Melissa McCarthy in Identity Thief, would, if based on her performance in the high grossing film, simply be one more example of Reed's inability to critique  actors and acting. Instead, he chose to lambast Ms. McCarthy for her weight.  Mr. Reed, whose own acting performances in Myra Breckenridge and Superman gained zero accolades and were generally scourged,  has decided that the Academy Award nominated and Emmy winning actress (Bridesmaids, Mike and Molly, SNL) must do more than just be a brilliant Comedy actress. She must also conform to Mr. Reed's personal tastes regarding body type and weight. The adjectives he uses in his critique of Identity Thief  ("tractor-sized", "humongous", "obese", and a "hippo") ^[are hurtful, derogatory and, most importantly,  totally unrelated to Ms. McCarthy's performance.

          This would be intolerable even if Reed were himself an icon of healthy lifestyle and moral fiber, instead of an alcoholic accused petty thief  (shoplifting) who also gained notoriety for his scandal mongering regarding Melissa Tomei's  1992 Supporting Actress Oscar for My Cousin Vinnie when he claimed Jack Palance was "too drunk or stoned" to properly read the results, and that another had won. The Academy and fellow critics lambasted him, not for physical attributes, but for being an asshole. Reed also managed to insult the entire nation of South Korea in 2005 with his scathing review of the movie "Oldboy," apparently  based on his personal distaste for the national relish:  "What else can you expect from a nation weaned on kimchi, a mixture of raw garlic and cabbage buried underground until it rots, dug up from the grave and then served in earthenware pots sold at the Seoul airport as souvenirs?"  This review, despite the fact that the film, a winner at Cannes,  ranks 86th on the IMDB top 250, far above such films as  Slumdog Millionaire, The Graduate,  Gone with the Wind and All About Eve.  Clearly Mr. Reed has earned the irrelevant and passe' listing on my wall.

  I end with the twitter posted by  Paul Feig, who directed McCarthy in  Bridesmaids and The Heat. "I cordially invite Mr. Rex Reed to go f**k himself."  Mr. Feig, unlike me, didn't use strategic asterisks!