I was at the clapperboard for Orson Welles' drunk wine commercial (2021)

Parodies, references, and Welles in pop culture

• Many comments link to parody versions of the wine outtakes and to classic Welles-related spoofs in cartoons and sketch shows.
• The “frozen peas” commercial outtakes and other food ads are cited as parallel “legendary” performances.
• Welles’ voice work is discussed: his impression as the basis for a cartoon character, his dubbing in a biopic, and his final role voicing a planet-sized villain in an animated film.
• Several users recall being traumatized or deeply affected by that animated film (and its toy-marketing logic), including discussion of character deaths and resurrections.

Filmmaking and acting craft discussion

• One subthread dissects how dialogue scenes are normally shot: establishing wide, mediums, over-the-shoulder “dirty” shots, closeups, and final wides, stressing time and cost savings.
• “Walk and talk” sequences are noted as a deliberate subversion that trades setup time for more natural performances.
• Trivia is shared about scenes in a famous thriller where the two leads mostly acted separately because of set constraints.
• Some discussion touches continuity risks and the role of crew carefully cataloging set details.

What was happening in the wine commercial?

• The article’s sleeping-pill explanation leads several commenters to reassess the “obviously drunk” narrative.
• One line of comments emphasizes the insurance angle: he was filmed in unusable condition to justify a claim, then later that day performed flawlessly.
• Others insist alcohol was likely involved, citing his reputation, while a few point out that delayed-onset medication is plausible.
• Overall consensus: behavior was unprofessional but mild compared to notorious on-set misconduct, and he ultimately delivered.

Welles’ broader persona and anecdotes

• Multiple anecdotes present him as brilliant, self-mythologizing, funny, and generous in defending other artists, even late in life.
• Stories about quick, perfect narration sessions and his quips about how he’d spend the money add to a picture of a larger-than-life but competent worker.
• Some readers say they now admire him more, seeing the commercial as an exception rather than pure cynicism.

Online journalism, ads, and ad blockers

• A major subthread complains about the article’s intrusive mobile ads: popovers, full-screen interstitials, and auto-playing videos that destroy narrative flow.
• This leads to a broad debate on ad blockers:
  • Some refuse to run blockers, seeing ads as the implicit “price” of free content, and simply abandon unreadable sites.
  • Others argue adtech has a track record of privacy abuse and malware, so blocking is self-defense and ethically justified.
  • One view is that widespread blocking pressures the industry by making ads unbearable for the remaining unblocked segment.
• Comparisons are drawn to print newspapers: they also had heavy ads, but not individually targeted, tracking-heavy, or executable.
• Alternatives suggested: paid subscriptions, per-article payment, curated journalism funds, or stronger public-service models (e.g., PBS-like platforms).

Professionalism, artists, and ethics

• One extended comment argues that calling Welles “unprofessional” misapplies a concept meant for regulated professions (law, medicine, etc.) and subordinate employees.
• It claims freelance artists occupy a different category: their “product” is partly their feelings, they lack a client-protecting professional college, and their unions serve them rather than the public.
• Others react more simply: they see his behavior as imperfect but still relatively responsible and considerate toward crew.

Meta and reception of the article

• One commenter criticizes the article’s narrator for perceived ego and class attitude toward other crew members.
• Another flags that complaints about site formatting are technically discouraged by forum guidelines, though they remain a large part of the thread.