I know you don’t think we’re idiots, JDM, I grasp subtext!
By Susie Graham
Jeffrey Dean Morgan participated in a radio interview where his hilarious comments were taken out-of-context and very literally about certain fans of The Walking Dead.
Don’t worry, JDM, I grasp subtext, and casual conversation. As a blogger, I like many The Walking Dead related Facebook pages so I can find material to write about and pictures to Tweet and just generally keep up with The Walking Dead.
Today I scrolled by an article (linked here) and a post on someone’s page that suggested fans had lost respect for Jeffrey Dean Morgan because of comments he made calling fans who were upset or complained about the cliffhanger “idiots.”
So I decided to check it out and see what this was all about. I wondered if I’d be seeing this breaking news everywhere soon. I read the article before I watched and listened to the interview.
From what I got out of the article, I expected to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan become just fed up with the questions, get irritated and use the word idiots. As I watched, I laughed. The radio interviewer used the word idiots and JDM just went with it in a teasing manner and then he kept going.
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Language is not always literal. There is subtext, sarcasm, symbolism and texture to language. There is tone, body language and facial expression. If you have a handle on some of those other aspects of language, you can tell that he did not “call the complainers idiots”.
Even later in the interview when he used stronger language and told people to shut the “f” up. There was subtext to that. He plays NEGAN, people. He is promoting the 7th season of The Walking Dead.
He’s letting us know that it’s almost October 23rd and the wait is almost over. It’s time to let it go. Come along for the ride with him as Negan or don’t. If you’re Negan fans, it seems to me you would be thrilled with his language. Thrilled with his message that the cliffhanger was nothing and there is so much more to come.
Next: Examining Season Premieres
With that, I welcome Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I’m ready to hate you in The Walking Dead and I’m ready to love you in interviews. (I already do.) I’m ready for The Walking Dead to be on my screen and I’m ready to write about you. I’m confident that if you happen to read my articles about Negan that you’ll understand my subtext.