As the R-rated trailer above shows, the movie Ted 2 is coming out in late June. I saw the first one in the theatres, enjoyed it, and I want to see the sequel. For Ted 2, however, I will most definitely obtain the movie through pirate-like means. This may come as surprise to you, as I’ve stated many times before that I refuse to view and obtain entertainment like movies and games through less than legal means. It’s because I would find it hypocritical to ask people to buy the games that I make, yet pirate movies and games myself. Because of this, I don’t think I’ve torrented a movie in over ten years and it was probably 1993 when I last played a pirated game. For Ted 2, I will make an exception and that is because of one Mr. Mark Wahlberg.
Before he became a successful entertainer with a net worth of several millions of dollars, Wahlberg was straight up a punk-ass racist son of a bitch. His run-ins with the law are well-documented, including the time he assaulted two older Vietnamese men, essentially sucker punching them after shouting racial epithets at them. Wahlberg appeared to be proud of the assaults, admitting to investigators that he was the one who perpetrated the crimes against the “slant-eyed gooks”, a term he freely used when questioned.
Wahlberg was charged with attempted murder for his crimes but only plead guilty to assault. His two-year sentence was not served fully, as he was let out after just 45 days. Since he has become rich and famous, he has not made any efforts to reach out to any of the men he assaulted that day, despite his considerable power to do so now. In fact, Wahlberg has applied to state of Massachusetts for a full pardon for his crimes. Wahlberg states his reason for applying for a pardon is because he’s turned his life around and does “good work” for other people now. Yet, for all his “good work”, he has done nothing for the victims for this crimes.
Others have smartly discovered that Wahlberg’s ultimate reason for applying for the pardon is purely business. He is looking to expand his restaurant business into California and cannot get the right permits/licenses as a convicted felon. A pardon would remove such roadblocks. There is considerable opposition to Wahlberg’s application for a pardon, including the prosecutor who sent Wahlberg to jail and the organization 18 Million Rising, an organization that supports Asian-Americans.
Despite the fact that one of the men that Wahlberg assaulted has stated he forgives him, I see no reason for him to receive a full pardon. He has never fully acknowledged the racial nature of his crime, which would probably be prosecuted as a hate crime now. With his star-power and wealth, he has not done anything to make amends with his victims. The pardon reeks of business undertones, just so he can sling burgers in California.
I realize that if I don’t pay to see Ted 2, that won’t make a damn difference to Wahlberg’s career but I can’t in good conscience support his movie. I will gladly pirate this film when it comes out later next month. Apologies to everyone else who was involved in Ted 2, I’ll get ya back on a non-Wahlberg film next time.