Billy Bob Thornton’s Boxmasters get Booed off Canadian Stages

Billy Bob Thornton found out just how much gravy Canada has when a difference of opinion on a Canadian National radio show interview with his band the Boxmasters unraveled, and lead to his comment that Canadian audiences are “Potatoes with no Gravy”

Lets take a quick look at that interview from Billy Bob Thornton and his band the Boxmasters.

For the first half of the video BillyBob seems to be spaced out and kind of a prick, but as he gets to the point you see why he is upset. Artistically he doesn’t want to have his movie career attached to the attention and success of his band. To be fair to his bandmates who may have a musical presence in their genre, they are a new band and are only getting attention because of Billy Bob’s existing fame. I can respect that he is attempting to sidetrack that inevitable spotlight. Hell, the only reason this story came across my desk was because it was related to a movie actor (and Canada)

But I am a little on the fence about his reaction. Clearly the interviewer was instructed (or was supposed to be) to not bring up his acting career, and maybe felt that it was worth mentioning it in his introduction as opposed to a direct question or steering any part of the discussion toward Billy Bob’s fame as an actor. But I can see how the interviewer felt it was relevant to introduce him that way. We can speculate on what his producer told him specifically but we don’t know.

I can see what Billy Bob is is doing throwing in a silly story about a monster magazine contest he worked on as a kid. Its irrelevant to his music career like his acting is irrelevant to his music. But I can also see the interviewer Ghomeshi’s point that a lot of their attention is because he is already famous. Obviously a sensitive subject to Billy Bob Thorton.

So a little sore thumbs on both sides of this struggle. I don’t know that either of them is wrong.

HOWEVER, when the interview gets back on track and Billy Bob makes a casual observation that Canadian audiences are more reserved than some of the European or American audiences, the interviewer admits is not an uncommon observation. Then Billy Bob pushes it further into the “Potatoes with no gravy” kind of comment, and national pride took this two sided disagreement to Billy Bob is the enemy. Online comments and call in shows across the nation were furious at his hurtful assessment.

So much so, that he was BOOED off stage at his Massey Hall performance opening for Willie Nelson. There’s your gravy.

Boxmasters quickly announced that some of their crew and a band mates were about to get the flu, and all Canadian dates were all canceled.

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35 thoughts on “Billy Bob Thornton’s Boxmasters get Booed off Canadian Stages

  1. BBT is a great actor. It’s a pity he’s not a great person. I saw this on local TV last week and was stunned at the stupidity of the man’s answers to simple, straightforward questions.
    if he didn’t want his fame to prejudice people thoughts on the band, then maybe he should never have done the interview in the first place. Leave it to the other members of the band.

  2. I’ve been aware of this band for a while now but never bothered to look into them (not for lack of interest, just haven’t done it). I may have to listen to them just for the heck of it now.

  3. what an ass prick, with three minute already i am so pissed off the way he’s so clueless adn not sure whats his problem,

    in a world if your famous, you will be brough up with different topic, GET USED TO IT ALREADY !!

    Man these famous ppl wants to live in normal life, how about stop working and use that money as living normal life like any citizen of North America does

  4. HAHA, apparently i’m the only person that found this interview hilarious. I take a lot of things with a grain of salt and I think this was just part of his asshole schtick that he’s always done. He’s no different than how Vincent Gallo carries himself, which I also find amusing. Oh well…

  5. lol.
    adios billy bob and the boxmasters.
    now american audiences are gonna boo him off the stage just for the lulz.

    billy bob gets all the musical credit for single handedly sinking his band forever.

  6. Hey hey hey those were only the Republicans that elected Bush. I’m not one of em, don’t assume we ALL voted for him, what a horrible president.

    ANYWAY

    Billy Bob Thorton lost my and others respect over this

  7. I don’t see why this is so horrible and why Canadians are so offended and stuff. I can see why people thought it was a little weird in the first half of the interview but I didn’t see what was so bad about him saying that Canadians are calmer then most other audiences.
    I like how he was so offeneded that you can only smoke in certian areas. Probably because he was stuck in one of those “areas” a little before this interview started.

    1. We are offended because you Americans keep bashing us (2 weeks ago that Fox show insulted the Canadian Forces), and why? Us Canadians never talk about American, about how the world hates Americans and how you have a 77% illiteracy rate and various other things, u elected Bush twice. If you are going to perform in someone’s basement you don’t shit in the kitchen (tried to make that redneckish for ya’ll)

      Eh.

  8. Ok if he gets pissed off at the interviewer, but leave canada out of it, not like we all jumped up and mentioned he was a actor. I’m a actor and the “fame” thing will follow you around forever no matter what you do. He should know that??
    Not too sure what he was expecting…
    Common sense Bill, common sense…

  9. This is SO disappointing. I think BBT is a great actor with a good sense of humor (from other interviews) and am shocked he was acting like such a complete asshat during the entire interview. His early responses were nothing short of ridiculous.

    Kudos to the interviewer for maintaining his cool and not getting upset. Too bad the Boxmasters are going to pay dearly for this idiotic play by BBT.

    1. And every artist wants to cancel their entire Canadian tour over a publicity stunt.

      There is no good way for them to spin this. Everyone knows about it now, and no one has heard their music yet.

  10. i watched the interview…im from america…fuck billy bob…..mother fucker is a joke….ok fact is billy bob isnt some super redneck drummer that just wails with awesomeness…no he is a well paid actor who has lots of money and time to make a band called the boxmasters…would he be touring with willie nelson if he wasnt a famous actor…no fucking way…..do i like potatoes…fuck ya and i love gravy…but i dont think insulting a region cause u got asked a question ( which wether he likes it or not does have to do with the group)…fuck u billy bob…u can now expect to be booed where ever u go..ps even your womenthink your a douche and your fans think your a douche.

    1. Dude’s got a point!
      I’ve played on same stage w/ him years ago in Philly while he was still w/ Jolie and I can say the Dude’s like every other actor turned musician, Hell I’ll take Billy over Segal anyday. but this comes off as a “douche move” for sure.

  11. I think a wiser person would have spun a reference to his acting career BACK to the music rather than get all princess-y.

    As far as comparing himself to Tom Petty, well, hahahahahaha.

  12. If he doesn’t want to be referred to as an actor, then maybe he should stop acting.

    Although that would suck, cause he’s an excellent actor, but if he’s gonna throw such a fit over it…

  13. The interviewer did nothing wrong with setting up the band by mentioning that BBT was an actor. It was literally one sentence telling audiences what he had accomplished and who he was.

    BTW, according to the folks over at The AV Club, his band sucks. That’s just what I’ve heard.

    But I love how the band just looks ashamed and embarrassed and afraid to say anything in front of BBT for fear of upsetting him.

    1. Geez, yeah, the band did look a little sheepish there in the shadow of that dickhead. And, yes, the interviewer was nothing but professional. Billy needed a sock full of quarters to the jaw.

  14. Rodney, how about a little professional proof reading before posting? The title either makes me think that Billy Bob is bored of Canadian stages or he got booed off canadian stages.

  15. Billy Bob likes to say he isn’t using his name to bring recognition to the band, but at the same time he instructs all shows to bill the event as ‘Billy Bob Thorton, with special guests The Boxmasters’ yeah, real subtle there Billy Bob.

    They mentioned he was in fact the actor only in the introduction, but no questions were directed to that topic during the actual interview. It was a fair and expected opening to any radio show interview. Billy Bob just came off as a spoiled whiny child.

  16. I can’t see how you can possibly defend Billy Bob. Artistic integrity is such a cop out when he is using the same acting star power to sell his gigs and get on tour.
    Sure his acting was mentioned at the start but none of the questions from that point on revolved around his acting. The interviewer was only trying to keep the audience interested as hearing that the Boxmaster’s were going to be interviewed is not a way to keep people tuned in.

    1. I am not defending HIM per se, as much as I can see what he was trying to do.

      He wants any publicity or interview to focus on his band as a whole instead of shining a spotlight on him.

      He wants the band’s accomplshments to be the focus and not his existing fame in another field.

      I also agree that they likely wouldn’t have had much fame if not for Billy Bob anyways, but he is at least making an effort to circumvent that inconvenient truth.

      Both of them are just trying to “do their jobs” and it was Billybob that slung the mud after the interviewer called a truce on the misunderstanding.

    2. Actually, as I wrote below, he isn’t even promoting the bands accomplishments since he demands all show/concert names/billing be advertised as “Billy Bob Thorton, with special guests The Boxmasters”. As if he is selling himself as the main act and they are just along for the ride.

      If he’s trying to focus on the band, he’s doing a piss poor job of doing it.

    3. funny he’s a drummer and doesn’t want to take his drums, so they do an instrumental? but in all the youtube videos of them performing togther, he’s singing and someone else is playing drums?
      shut the hell up billy bob. however, it actually sounds good. nothing really special though…and they were also shows here in the u.s, and the audience looks pretty well reserved in the videos. No rowdyness there.

    4. BBT is a jerk, he is acting like a 2 yr old throwing a fit. If he doesn’t want anyone to know who he is why is he front and center on every CD cover? Why didn’t he just go by Billy or something if he really just wants to be known for his music. The only reason he went to music is because his movie career is over, sling blade was yeas ago get over it. The interviewer did a great job and if it was me I would have stood up and punched him in the face, but then Jolies blood vial may spill on the nice carpet.

    1. I think Billy did a disservice to his band. Not to mention downright rude. He could have talked about his band and said some good words about them, I don’t think his career as an actor would have anything to do with his band at all. Anyway, I give credit to his band for bringing there music to an audience and giving an effort to heighten there careers, but I am sorry to say, I think there music sucks, and Billy Bob needs to stick to acting, his drumming sucks also.

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