ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Are Zack and Miri making a controversy?
MTV News recently caught up with fast-rising funnyman Seth Rogen, who is busy these days making his first Judd Apatow-free films since the super-producer aided his "Knocked Up"/ "Superbad" breakthrough. And while he always stays true to his reputation as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, the star admitted that it's been a little bit harder lately to keep that famous smile on his face.
"The MPAA is gunning for us, I think," sighed Rogen, discussing the current difficulties he and director Kevin Smith are encountering during the rating process of their highly anticipated October comedy "Zack and Miri Make a Porno." "It's a really filthy movie. I hear they are having some problems getting an R rating from an NC-17 rating, which is never good."
Sure, the title alone would seem to indicate a natural conflict with the Motion Picture Association of America. But the film, about two platonic friends whose monetary needs have them making a sex tape but eventually falling for each other, sounds like vintage romance-through-rudeness fare from writer/director Smith. And if he was able to give his fans all those fellatio jokes in "Clerks," the finger-cuffs references in "Chasing Amy" and the donkey-show performance in "Clerks 2," then what's the problem?
"They are really f---ing around with us," Rogen said, only half-joking. "Those di--s!
"A guy f---ing a donkey, they ain't got no problem with," he continued. "But a man and a woman having sex they seem to have real issues with, for some weird reason. It's insane. It's completely insane."
It might be a bit out of character to hear such comments from a comedian beloved for his hearty laugh and easygoing attitude, both of which were most recently glimpsed when he smoked "weed" with James Franco at the MTV Movie Awards. But the fact remains that the MPAA has a long history of censoring love scenes in films like "The Cooler" or "Team America: World Police," while permitting graphic violence in R-rated films like the "Saw" or "Hostel" series.
"They [fight against] sex stuff. Isn't that weird? It's really crazy to me that 'Hostel' is fine, with people gouging their eyes out and sh-- like that," Rogen shrugged. "But you can't show two people having sex — that's too much."
We weren't able to reach Smith or the MPAA for comment on Rogen's remarks. But Rogen, who is also busy these days shooting the comedy "Observe & Report" opposite Anna Faris, added that no matter which rating "Zack and Miri" carries when it opens nationwide on Halloween, he's done with the mysterious, anonymous board that makes such judgment calls.
"The MPAA? It's my mission to sue the MPAA and take them down," he insisted. "I don't know how to go about doing that. But to me, it seems like it's something that has to be taken care of."
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