Hollywood is ripe with talent that often goes unnoticed, overshadowed by things like Angelina Jolie’s lips or Channing Tatum’s abs. John Goodman isn’t known for either of those things, so it’s not surprising that his celebrity is not often, well, celebrated.
The awesomeness of John Goodman is immensely unappreciated. Oh, sure, he has a Facebook page dedicated to how much of a badass he is, but it only has 21 likes. And that’s just not enough.
Remember Roseanne? Sure, it was no Seinfeld, but it was a pretty damn good show with a sense of humor that still holds up. John Goodman, dare I say, made that show. He proved not only to be an amazing comedic actor, but he showed off a deeper side on that show as well:
Goodman put almost a decade of his life into that show, and for that alone, he deserves some respect. But instead of giving him props, we give him a Wikipedia profile with this picture attached to it. Seriously? I know he’s a big dude, but surely they could?ve found a more flattering photo, or at least one that doesn’t make him look like a goddamned serial killer.
Then there was Goodman’s performance in The Big Lebowski. His portrayal of Vietnam War vet Walter Sobchak was not only entertaining, it gave us some great witticisms, and most came from Goodman’s character. I can get you a toe. I don’t roll on Shabbos! Donny, you’re out of your element!
And then there was The Big Easy, O Brother, Where Art Thou, and, hell, even King Ralph is worth watching. His cadence is just plain loveable:
Goodman recently costarred in Argo, working alongside Alan Arkin. As you might imagine, it was pretty amazing.
“From the moment I wanted to be an actor, I loved him,” Goodman said about Arkin in an interview with GQ. “There’s this intelligence about him. It’s awful. The damn thing is: You can’t steal that shit.”
Whether he’s portraying a movie exec helping the CIA or a down-on-his luck slob with a penchant for singing “Good Golly Miss Molly,” Goodman makes it work.
It’s not just his acting, either. Goodman is just a damn endearing and entertaining human being altogether. Just check out this interview with Esquire’s Scott Raab. At one point, the waiter asks if he’d like some anchovies and Goodman replies, “I say yes. My gout says no.”
Not only is he great at what he does, he’s the dude you just want to throw back a couple of beers with.
Sure, John Goodman may not have an Academy Award. He may not have Ryan Gosling’s jaw line, either. And overall, the public may simplistically sum his career up as “the guy from Roseanne.” but John Goodman is so much more. And he deserves our appreciation. Or at least a better Wikipedia photo.