WEIRDLAND: With chum Robert

Monday, December 04, 2006

With chum Robert

"Nobody’s wearing any underwear at table 23,” joked Robert Downey Jr. from the lobster-shaped podium at the Americans for the Arts’ National Arts Awards Monday night at Cipriani 42nd Street. He was presenting the Young Artist Award for Artistic Excellence to Jake Gyllenhaal, who was sitting along with his friend Lance Armstrong at table 23.

“He’s just the real deal,” Mr. Downey said later of Mr. Gyllenhaal. The two had become close on a recent project. “What I respect about him is his process. The people that I hang out with, the people that I hang with that I’m close with, the people I respect—sometimes it’s an external thing, but largely it’s his character. Are you living by a set of principles that you really adhere to? And I see him doin’ it, and that’s why I got his back forever.”

Ditto for Mr. Gyllenhaal. “I love Robert,” he said, gesturing to the man across the table. “We worked together on a movie and we became really close after that. It’s very rare that you have an experience like that and you keep a real friendship. When you keep that connection and it means something and it’s deep to you, that’s awesome—and that’s what Robert and I have.”

The Brokeback Mountain star was also pleased to have his good buddy Lance Armstrong there for support in the seat next to him. “Our friendship was born out of a mutual appreciation for a lot of things—mostly just staying in shape. But we’ve become good friends, and he’s an awesome guy. He’s the personification of courage for most of the world, and it’s a real honor to be his friend.”

To complete the circle of love, Mr. Downey has also become close with Mr. Armstrong. “He’s an awesome guy. He’s been giving me guff ’cause I still smoke. He’s inspired me to quit—I mean, if he can beat cancer, I think I can beat cigarettes.”
Pics via IHJ. Source: Observer.com

13 comments :

The Chemistry Guru said...

I sure wish he'll inspire jake to quit the ciggies too.

Elena said...

Hey, Kokodee, you were MIA in Weirdland, I've missed you and your comments, you know it's cool a bit of British irony since Miss Paltrow has stated that English are brighter than Americans!

jn-girl said...

There is something frightening in those pics. Maybe Armstrong is frightening? ;)

Elena said...

Mr. Armstrong look is a bit scary for me, maybe it's his strange eyes, so close and a not very defined still expression... he's not either an actor like Robert or Jake, so if he decides to play himself in his bike story should essay to communicate some emotion.

Anonymous said...

Hey Kokodee,
I thought Jake gave up the cigs? With all that biking with Lance and hanging out with him I thought he quit??

Anonymous said...

i love robert.he's such a great actor (he deserved an oscar for "charlie".i'm very happy he seems to be doing well, i saw a pic of him with his wife,who's gorgeous by the way.

i'm embarassed to ask but can someone please explain to me what exactly "i got his back forever" means?

Anonymous said...

gr77, I'm sure a lot of people whose native language is not English do not understand this expression! I THINK it means that you will always stick up for that person. (Please correct me if I'm wrong).
Loved this article, by the way.
Awwww.

Anonymous said...

thanks penny lane :)

The Chemistry Guru said...

Yeah, i've been here and there...but mostly snowed under with work.
Ms Paltrow better watch her back, I don't think the Americans take too kindly to being patronised by a has-been. GRRRRR!!

Anonymous said...

thanks simon :)

about gwyneth paltrow,i could never describe her as a "has been".she just took some time off to focus on her family,which i really respect.and i think she has the right to express her opinion.

Elena said...

Gwyneth has told "People" she is proud to be an American, anyway sometimes I don't understand Americans' wild reaction to free expression of anothers when it's unpopular.

Elena said...

It must be hard to explain, according to Gore Vidal's essays and interviews you and others have pasted in the Jake Watch Message Board, on one hand I consider myself anglofile and very fond of U.S. lifestyle and I think it was a little snobbish from Paltrow making such an obviously biased comment, but on the other hand, if Americans are so proud of free expression, why did they react so angry at a Hollywood actress'-not an intellectual- opinion? she's said that Portuguese "Diario de noticias" mixed her words...

Elena said...

I remember when Penélope Cruz bashed the bullfights, certain sectors got slightly uncomfortable, but nobody uttered so many hatred statements against her, although hers was a minor "offense" to a Spanish tradition.