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What To Say When The Sony Hack Is Brought Up

If asked, an appropriate overarching reply would be, “the shit hit the fan,” but we’ll give you a bit more to work with.

Unless you’re pulling a Patrick Star and live under a rock (as Amy Pascal probably wants to right now), you’ve probably heard about the Sony hack, terrorism threats and the subsequent pulling of the comedy, “The Interview,” originally scheduled to premiere on Christmas day.

The fictional film, starring comedy gods Seth Rogen and James Franco, was based on the false assassination of very real North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. North Koreans were less than amused.

In retaliation, hackers attacked Sony Entertainment computers on November 24, exposing private corporate data for the world to see. The hackers then threatened physical violence, warning “Remember the 11th of September 2001,” aiming the threat at “the very times and places” at which “The Interview” was to play.

The hackers ultimately got what they wanted, with Regal Entertainment, Cinemark, Carmike Cinemas, AMC Theaters and finally Sony Pictures deciding not to show the film. The obvious threat of violence, coupled with the 2012 Auroro, Colorado theater shooting and a possible effect on holiday movie earnings, ultimately led to the cancellation of the film.

What follows this catastrophic shit show can best be explained through a segment entitled, “Who’s Pissed Off At Who”:

Theater Executives are pissed at Sony.

Theater chains, who act as outlets for produced films, are irritated at Sony for leaving the responsibility, and subsequent media attention, of canceling the film on their shoulders, a problem that they feel was entirely Sony’s to solve. Theater executives believe that scrutiny for canceling the film (i.e. angered freedom-minded filmmakers, actors, fans and the Hollywood creative community) was unfairly attributed to individual theater chains, rather than Sony Pictures as a whole.

Fans are pissed at Theater Executives.

It’s no secret that the Seth Rogen-James Franco combo is one of comedy’s most popular duos. With movies like “Pineapple Express” and “This Is The End” grossing nearly $200 million combined (on top of their immense YouTube success), Rogen’s and Franco’s creative efforts are pop culture sensations and money-making goldmines. The cancellation of the highly anticipated film, “The Interview,” has left fans, producers and Hollywood heavy-hitters, such as Judd Apatow, reeling.

Sony employees are pissed at Seth Rogen and company.

Amid tensions surrounding the hack, Sony employees came to resent Rogen and his filmmaking colleagues for continuing to push the humor envelope and back the film, ultimately exposing employees to vulnerability, physical threat, and in some cases, irrefutable damage to reputations. In another hacked email exchange between Rogen and Amy Pascal, Sony’s co-chairwoman, Rogen reprimands her for suggesting relatively minor changes in the assassination scene, with Rogen asserting, “this is now a story of Americans changing their movie to make North Koreans happy.”

And Seth Rogen and company are pissed at the economy.

The hack, along with the decision to scrap “The Interview,” hasn’t come cheap. Experts estimate that Sony Pictures will take a $90 million financial hit, with the production and promotion of the film totaling $79 million alone. In deciding to forego a release of the film in any way, Sony’s also foregoing even a penny in returns on the comedy.

Get the full story over at The New York Times, and contribute something to the Sony conversation at your next holiday party!

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