Real Cowboys Steamed Over Brokeback Mountain

The fiasco over the "gay cowboy movie" Brokeback Mountain had me wondering what real cowboys thought about the film. As I suspected, the common answer is "Not much."

"Jim-Bob Zimmerschied is not a happy cowboy. 'They've gone and killed John Wayne with this movie,' he says angrily, beer in hand. 'I've been doing this job all my life and I ain't never met no gay cowboy. It wouldn't be right.'[...]


"But away from the bellicose posturing, a more subtle view emerged. Dave Miller, 48, a rancher in regulation black cowboy hat, leather waistcoat, blue jeans and boots, said: 'It's not the sort of movie that I'd go to see, but this is America and people can watch whatever they want.' Nonetheless, he repeated the common refrain that he had never encountered a gay cowboy. 'Well, not that I knew,' he added. 'I just don't think our way of life is conducive to them.' And like many others, his concern was that the film would give the wrong impression of life in the West."

My favorite reaction:

"Lee Hagel, 47, who was herding cattle there last week, had his own objections to the film. 'They aren't even cowboys -- they're sheep herders,' he said witheringly. 'You can't just put a hat on someone and say they're a cowboy.'"

GET THE STORY. [link to www.jimmyakin.org]

(NOTE: The article, although written for a mainstream newspaper, contains some crude language that may not be suitable for all readers.)

(JIMMY ADDS: JimmyAkin.Org rates the newspaper piece L for limited adult audience, articles whose problematic content many adults would find troubling.)