Author Topic: Tom Selleck in the news (Read 1377 times)

nw_hunter · « **on:** April 13, 2011, 03:53:35 AM »

April 4 2011

(GunReports.com) -- Tom Selleck acted appropriately and smartly by stopping an extra on the set of his TV show Blue Bloods from pointing a real gun at people!

The extra — who was playing a cop but had never held a real gun — was horrified when Selleck, a lifelong gun enthusiast and board member of the National Rifle Association, spotted him and yelled, “Hey, YOU! What the HELL are you doing? That gun’s NOT a toy — stop waving it around!”

“Look at you…your finger’s STILL ON THE TRIGGER!”

According to American tabloid the National Enquirer, the extra then squirmed, “Is the gun really loaded?”

Selleck replied, “No, it’s not loaded. But when you handle a gun it’s common sense to assume it IS loaded, and NOT point it at people!”

Kudos to Tom Selleck for doing the right thing.

I'm puzzled at why they would use real guns for a prop on a TV show? I don't think the majority of actors would be capable of handling a cap pistol in a safe manor

slim rem 7 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2011, 04:46:55 AM »

always did kinda like that fella.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2011, 04:58:07 AM »

Seems like a real jerk to me.

The proper way to handle the situation was to turn it into a teaching moment and leave the "extra" with a positive reinforcement for good behavior. The "common sense" lacking here is that most people in the arts are not gun enthusiasts, Selleck was oblivious to that.

If there's an organizational issue, then the management should do some basic safety training for acceptable behavior on a job site.

You can't blame the "extra" for not knowing this stuff.

ed k · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2011, 05:25:17 AM »

Your basic training has to be before hand not after. Stopping somebody from waving a gun around is not being a jerk. Letting him keep doing it would be stupid though. ED K

wreckhog · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2011, 05:56:29 AM »

Should the prop dept provide gun safety training? The insurance company? Should you be required to take NRA Basic Pistol before getting a SAG card? Aren't actors expected to point guns at each other and pull the trigger? Actors like Lindsey Lohan in Machete, someone who has about a zero chance of getting a CCW in real life, but who handles prop guns are part of her job.

Whoever brought a real gun on set and left it out of their direct control F'd up. Since Bluebloods is filmed on location in NYC, that would likely be a legal gun owner, LEO or a NYC CCW.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #5 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:25:27 AM »

Quote from: Conan The Librarian on April 13, 2011, 04:58:07 AM

Seems like a real jerk to me.

The proper way to handle the situation was to turn it into a teaching moment and leave the "extra" with a positive reinforcement for good behavior. The "common sense" lacking here is that most people in the arts are not gun enthusiasts, Selleck was oblivious to that.

If there's an organizational issue, then the management should do some basic safety training for acceptable behavior on a job site.

You can't blame the "extra" for not knowing this stuff.

I have to disagree with you. Mr. Selleck did not behave like a real jerk. People like Rosie O'Donnell behaving the way she did in her interview with Tom Selleck, are real jerks.

I'm sure you feel that this was a Obommy teaching moment, just like I'm sure you felt that Obommy was correct in jumping to the defense of the College Professor when he confronted the LEO who was investigating a report of a break in at the Professors house.

Are you saying that people in the "arts" are lacking in common sense regarding dangerous behavior, because they are involved in the "arts"? What the extra did was childish behavior (waving a gun around), not something an adult would engage in.

If you can't blame the "extra" for behaving like a idiot, who should we blame? His parents, his lack of a nurturing home, his lack of education, etc.. I assume you see where I'm going with this. Responsibility for your actions rests with you. Don't try to pass it off.

Conan The Librarian · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:32:16 AM »

No, it's just a basic approach that any good manager employs while coaching employees who make mistakes.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:35:27 AM »

Quote from: wreckhog on April 13, 2011, 05:56:29 AM

Should the prop dept provide gun safety training? The insurance company? Should you be required to take NRA Basic Pistol before getting a SAG card? Aren't actors expected to point guns at each other and pull the trigger? Actors like Lindsey Lohan in Machete, someone who has about a zero chance of getting a CCW in real life, but who handles prop guns are part of her job.

Whoever brought a real gun on set and left it out of their direct control F'd up. Since Bluebloods is filmed on location in NYC, that would likely be a legal gun owner, LEO or a NYC CCW.

Wreck,
All guns used in filming are rented to the show, and usually provided by a movie prop company.

http://www.imfdb.org/w/MoviePropMaster2008:_IMFDB%27s_Own_Armorer

Most main characters in movies are trained in the safe handling of firearms, by people who are competent in the use of firearms. A good example of this is the handling of weapons in the movie "Tears of the Sun", I couldn't believe the correct weapons handling that the actors used, until I saw the credits. They were trained by ex-military personnel.
On a TV show, extras aren't given the same training, but as I stated, common sense should have precluded the behavior of the extra. Possibly, the extra was only supposed to stand around, and not draw the firearm as part of his role, therefore no training or directions were given to him.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:40:16 AM »

Quote from: Conan The Librarian on April 13, 2011, 06:32:16 AM

No, it's just a basic approach that any good manager employs while coaching employees who make mistakes.

A good manager should "coach" an employee that makes a mistake, but a mistake involving a possible fatality or serious life threatening injury, is not to me a "coach able" situation, and should be resolved immediately.
You can save your "coaching" for non life threatening situations.

Pat/Rick · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2011, 11:19:33 AM »

I suppose that if the producers are idiot enough, to not have people in a movie or tv thing trained at least in the basics, then its up to someone who knows. The offendor did get positive feedback from selleck. Listen, or work somewhere else.

Dee · « **Reply #10 on:** April 13, 2011, 11:30:50 AM »

When Selleck played a queer in a movie, he lost me. I still occasionally watch some of his older Westerns, but after the aforementioned movie, I put him with the rest of the do anything for money actors. The rant mentioned on the set sounds like theatrics to me. I would wager the gun had been made safe before it came out of the prop room.
I'm still hopin Voit doesn't disappoint me.

mannyrock · « **Reply #11 on:** April 13, 2011, 01:13:27 PM »

Gun safety is not about wagers, or probabilities or maybees. You don't point a real gun at anyone period end of story. This jerk on the set was endangering the life of Selleck and everyone else. He needed to be jumped on hard. Selleck's job title does not include getting shot by an idiot.

Does anybody remember what happened to Burt Reynolds about 20 years ago? While making a movie with Clint Eastwood (I think it was Chicago Nights), there was a fight scene in a bar. An extra who was not a stuntman and not suppose to be in the scene jumped in and hit Reynolds across the face with a steel chair (not a balsa wood one), and broke his jaw in three places, broke his cheekbone and eye socket, and knocked out several of his teeth. As a result, Reynolds had to go through numerous plastic surgeries, and was addicted to pain killing narcotics for almost ten years. He was virtually out of showbiz during all of that time (this was the period of fighting and divorce from Lonnie Anderson). If you ever see the movie, you will see how Reynold's character kinda disappears two-thirds of the way through the film. The movie was a box office flop, despite having two of the biggest named actors of the time.

All because some little jerk extra wanted a second or two on film.

Mannyrock

Sourdough · « **Reply #12 on:** April 13, 2011, 02:05:36 PM »

I am a shooting/gun safety instructor. I feel Tom Sellick did the right thing, I would have handled it pretty much the same. The young man will definately remember being chastized in the future, and will definately either not go near a gun or get some training on how to properly handle one, if he wants to continue to be selected as an extra.

After talking with a person that works as an extra in Hollywood, and discribing the incident to her. She said this guy will probably never get another job working as an extra. At least not for a while till this incident is forgotten. And the people that do the selecting have long memories. She said anything that involves safety, especially gun safety is a big issue. They don't need another accident, they have enough as it is.

BUGEYE · « **Reply #13 on:** April 13, 2011, 02:16:24 PM »

When someone is about to walk off a cliff, you don't calmly suggest that they stop walking.
you yell as loud as you can to get his attention.

wreckhog · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2011, 02:14:08 AM »

I still blame whomever was in charge of the guns. What if there was a child actor on the set who did this?

myronman3 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 14, 2011, 03:38:27 AM »

dont forget the incident that took brandon lee's life. gun safety is mandatory.

Shu · « **Reply #16 on:** April 14, 2011, 04:45:43 AM »

I think Mr. Selleck did take a moment to teach. Yelling for someone to stop putting everyone else in danger teaches everyone around to rip thier heads out.

How many times have we heard the excuse, I thought it was empty, I didn't know it was loaded etc. Simply put if you don't know anything about a gun ask, the prop guy etc will show you. At a gun show do you just pick up a gun on the table or do you ask first?
I ask first, and if it something I am unfamiliar with I ask the owner about it. Gun safety is just to important to worry about somebodies feelings. How many people are killed with "unloaded" guns every year?

powderman · « **Reply #17 on:** April 14, 2011, 05:06:12 AM »

Quote from: BUGEYE on April 13, 2011, 02:16:24 PM

When someone is about to walk off a cliff, you don't calmly suggest that they stop walking.
you yell as loud as you can to get his attention.

EXACTLY. I think Selleck was right on the money. Good for Tom. POWDERMAN.

guzzijohn · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2011, 05:09:42 AM »

I would have liked to have been there. Perception of "yelling" varies greatly. Any of you here that have taught secondary education know that if you have to discuss an "issue" with a student and you do it in a firm but calm voice 8 out of ten teenagers will say that you yelled at them.
GuzziJohn

sidewinder319 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 14, 2011, 06:35:47 AM »

He should have been yelled at, disarmed, slapped across the face with a riding quirt, put on latrine duty for a month during a flu out break. Did I forget anything?

mannyrock · « **Reply #20 on:** April 14, 2011, 06:45:01 AM »

As a final thought, I see above where someone felt that Selleck's reaction was not the proper manner in which to instruct or discipline one of his Employees.

The extra on the set was certainly not an employee of Tom Selleck's. He was an independent contractor, hired on an hourly basis, by the production company.

And in reality, when safety is concerned, it doesn't matter who works for whom. It would have been totally appropriate for a janitor on the stage to set down his broom, grab this guy by the collar, and read him the riot act.

By the way, I'm guessing that sometime during our youths, we accidently pointed a firearm in an unsafe direction and were immediately and loudly chastised or disciplined by our fathers or other family members, or maybe by a Drill Instructor. None of us are crying about it,and we are glad that we were corrected.

wreckhog · « **Reply #21 on:** April 14, 2011, 11:46:42 AM »

So if Tom Selleck does somethng unsafe on set (touches a hot stove, smokes near children, etc), the janitor should tell him off?

nw_hunter · « **Reply #22 on:** April 15, 2011, 04:19:23 AM »

Quote from: sidewinder319 on April 14, 2011, 06:35:47 AM

He should have been yelled at, disarmed, slapped across the face with a riding quirt, put on latrine duty for a month during a flu out break. Did I forget anything?

LOL! You lost me with the riding quirt thing, but other than that...........YUP!
A good backhand would work

powderman · « **Reply #23 on:** April 15, 2011, 05:16:53 AM »

Quote from: nw_hunter on April 15, 2011, 04:19:23 AM

Quote from: sidewinder319 on April 14, 2011, 06:35:47 AM
He should have been yelled at, disarmed, slapped across the face with a riding quirt, put on latrine duty for a month during a flu out break. Did I forget anything?

LOL! You lost me with the riding quirt thing, but other than that...........YUP!
A good backhand would work

YEP.

.
guzzi. First ya gotta get their attention. POWDERMAN.

Shu · « **Reply #24 on:** April 15, 2011, 06:52:45 AM »

Gun safety is no joke and if raising your voice keeps someone from getting hurt then by all means raise your voice. I would rather have someones precious little feelings hurt than someone killed by carelessness.

Brett · « **Reply #25 on:** April 15, 2011, 01:08:24 PM »

Conan, your liberal side is showing. Gun safety is a serious matter and is not the time to worry about being being PC. Selleck's strong words may have hurt the extras feelings a little but I bet he will pay more attention to what he is doing the next time he handles a gun.

Their have been a few occasions in my youth concerning firearms, power tools and machinery where my father, older brother or mentor jumped on me about a safety issue I had not recognized at the time. Their strong words did two very important things: 1) Showed me the seriousness of the situation. 2) Implanted a strong memory in my head which has kept me from repeating the same mistake ever again.

Kudos to Mr. Selleck for recognizing a dangerous situation and having the wherewithal to deal with it post hast.

Spirithawk · « **Reply #26 on:** April 15, 2011, 03:04:34 PM »

Quote from: Brett on April 15, 2011, 01:08:24 PM

Conan, your liberal side is showing. Gun safety is a serious matter and is not the time to worry about being being PC. Selleck's strong words may have hurt the extras feelings a little but I bet he will pay more attention to what he is doing the next time he handles a gun.

Their have been a few occasions in my youth concerning firearms, power tools and machinery where my father, older brother or mentor jumped on me about a safety issue I had not recognized at the time. Their strong words did two very important things: 1) Showed me the seriousness of the situation. 2) Implanted a strong memory in my head which has kept me from repeating the same mistake ever again.

Kudos to Mr. Selleck for recognizing a dangerous situation and having the wherewithal to deal with it post hast.

+1

billy_56081 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 16, 2011, 05:29:22 AM »

Tom did just fine. Had a nephew who was a bit careless with a gun when he was young. I whooped him good and when his dad found out he got a second helping. There is no room for error handling a gun.

sidewinder319 · « **Reply #28 on:** April 16, 2011, 04:36:20 PM »

A quirt is a small whip used for horse encouragement. In the old days it is said cavalry officers would strike troopers with their quirts. This was military discipline before PC.

tallyho · « **Reply #29 on:** April 17, 2011, 12:59:51 PM »

Quote from: sidewinder319 on April 14, 2011, 06:35:47 AM

He should have been yelled at, disarmed, slapped across the face with a riding quirt, put on latrine duty for a month during a flu out break. Did I forget anything?

As soon as I read sidewinder's post I immediately had the name George Patton pop into my head.