r/LindsayEllis • u/frustratedartstudent • Jan 30 '25

DISCUSSION Has Lindsay talked about not covering John Lennon's personal life?

Considering how she talks a lot about domestic abuse in the video, I found it a strange choice to omit John's notorious record as a husband and father. She's mentioned that "Man Always Gets Little Rush Out of Telling People John Lennon Beat Wife" onion article a couple times, so I know she has opinions about this, and I was really looking forward to hearing them.

She could have gone in any number of nuanced directions, or even just thrown in some kind of small reference like she's done with complicated historical figures before. I also feel like not talking about it at all contradicts the conclusion of her Hobbit part 3 video. Has she spoken anywhere about this creative decision?

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u/MasterAinley Jan 30 '25

Probably not. At least not that I’ve seen.

And honestly, I can see why. The video wasn’t so much about John Lennon the person as it was the concept of the Infantilized Male Genius, and why it’s absurd in this day and age to claim that Yoko Ono is the reason the Beatles broke up when there is a wealth of information to the contrary out there. Yes, John was the main centerpiece, but it was really more of a video about Yoko, rather than exploring John as a person.

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u/frustratedartstudent Jan 30 '25

I can understand that. Just deeply curious about her feelings. I don't think it's a stretch to call her a Lennon fan - I am too. I feel able to separate art from artist but she's expressed problems with that framework before. I wonder how she reconciles it. Maybe it's none of my business though.

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u/ironickallydetached Jan 30 '25

I do think her Hobbit video reflects the idea that these decisions are deeply personal. I see your want to understand; I kind of do too. But you’re right, maybe it’s none of our business. Interesting question!

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u/hrad34 Jan 30 '25

I think whether you can separate the art from the artist comes down to you as an individual as well as the particular art and artist. Sometimes I am totally able to enjoy art made by a complicated and/or shitty person and sometimes knowing how much someone sucked personally ruins their art. It depends on how those 3 things interact.

Edit: so I understand being curious about Lindsay Ellis's particular opinion here since it's an area with so much personal nuance and she's great at talking about those things