[Fast forward to the 4:15 minute mark]
I'm a huge of David Jaffe. Speaking as someone who consistently puts his foot in his mouth on a regular basis, especially in regards to things that I'm very passionate about.
Here's another kicker, I actually had an article in the pipeline [collecting dust, actually] in my Google Docs, coming to his defense on issues not regarding what we're witnessing above. The article was in regards to the three developers talk at this past year's PAX. It was amazing. Damn near poetry. You'll never read it.
As my Twitter feed fills up with "par for the course" and "Jaffe just bein' Jaffe" retorts. I'm kinda not letting this one go. It's easy to brush off the guy who created God of War and Twisted Metal, two gaming franchises, that in retrospect could be construed as exercises in bro-tility. But, since we're being honest, those incredibly simple-goaled games [depending on your tastes] are damned amazing.
I'm having something akin to that R. Kelly moment I had as a teenager. Whom of which, I was a big fan of. That was until video footage cropped up on the internet of him having sex with a 14-year-old [edit: Sorry, R. Kelly allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old]. I remember him going to court and paying lawyers to do what high-paid lawyers do. I remember no news of R. Kelly being found guilty, but what followed next was what was most unsettling. When R. Kelly was interviewed [via B.E.T.] he managed to answer every question as creepy and weird as possible. Saying he had a thing for younger girls and that all types of women wind up back stage.
Interviews like that, little phrases like that, stick with me. Forever. And I'm not trying to trivialize rape, molestation or anything like that. I do recognize that what R. Kelly may have done and what David Jaffe actually said, are two different things.
The thing is Jaffe [I can call you that right?], much like my old R. Kelly CDs and tapes, I'm looking at your body of work differently now. Past, present and future. I looked at R. Kelly's collaborations with Aaliyah and the song "Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number" differently. I will look at your new Twisted Metal game differently. That is, when I purchase it used, at a discounted price, in a bargain bin.
In the short-term? You gave me something to think and write about this brisk Monday evening. In the long-term, I sure hope you have something more than self-effacing to say. I'm not the most PC person myself. Hell, I probably offended a couple people with that R. Kelly comparison, but I at least try and take public criticism and transform it into some form of positive output. Here's hoping you do the same.
Jussayin.
P.S. -- Props to Gametrailers.com for providing the video, but I do question why they ran it in the first place. Do you guys need clicks that bad?
Update: In the interest of transparency and promotion of a healthy dialogue [though I admit that this post is mostly me venting]. I sent Mr. Jaffe the post via twitter. Here's what he, myself, IGN's Ryan Clements and MTVs Matt Clark had to say. link