Johnny Depp wants Tonto to boss around the Lone Ranger

Fox News ^ | 5/9/2011 | Foxnews

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Maybe they'll call it "Tonto's Revenge"?

Actor Johnny Depp, who is developing the movie version of “The Lone Ranger” with his “Pirates of the Caribbean” director Gore Verbinski, wants someone other than the guy wearing a white hat calling the shots.

"I remember watching it as a kid, with Jay Silverheels and Clayton Moore, and going: 'Why is the f***ing Lone Ranger telling Tonto what to do?'" Depp told Entertainment Weekly about the durable black & white Western TV series that ran in reruns well through the 70s.

"I liked Tonto, even at that tender age, and knew Tonto was getting the unpleasant end of the stick here.”

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I saw him recently on an old Johnny Carson "Tonight Show" re-run, and he was spoofing himself as "Tonto"."

I remember he did commercials in the 70's for Chevy Suburbans dressed up as Tonto. I think he probably knew what was cashing his paychecks and probably didn't feel he demeaned Native Americans by playing that role. I never thought of Tonto as a lackey. He was a courageous crime fighter. At least that's what I thought of him as a kid.

[dfwgator]

Mine was in color.

[ArrogantBustard]

I'd offer having been distracted by Tonto Kowalski as an excuse, but that might be ...

...

... ummmm ...

...

misinterpreted.

[dfwgator]

Next, somebody will comment on Steve McGarrett bossing around Kono and Chin Ho on Hawaii Five-O.

[FrankR]

He certainly saved the Lone Ranger's hide a few times, and he was also a quick draw.

I always so them in the "faithful companion" light and not in a subserviant way.

Depp spent his formative years toking too much.

[fish hawk]

Just about every enemy against enemy in the whole wide world and for ever and ever have raped their foes. Your comment is bordering stupid. Like those bad Indians were the only ones doing it.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Back in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s I did not know how to describe my suspicions when I saw The Lone Ranger and Tonto. Today, I can articulate my suspicion that Tonto was probably gay.(a berdache.)

[getarope]

That reminds me of that old cartoon show “Go Go Gophers”!

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

A lot of American Indian tribes were warrior tribes, and there is no reason in the world to disparage them for it. As warriors, they also understand that a superior/subordinate role among warriors does not mean master/slave, in that warriors usually have equal tribal status, but some are better at it, so attract subordinates that trust and respect them. A “chief” rules by wisdom and charisma. If he slacks off even a bit, his warriors are free agents whenever they want to be.

As far as the warlike nature of some of these tribes, when the US entered WWII, adult Indian men waited outside recruiting stations all night on several reservations. One of the Iroquois tribes, which had declared a separate war against Germany in WWI, had not signed on to the armistice, so was still technically at war, and referred to WWII as “resumed hostilities.”

[Peter from Rutland]

Exactly!

[Jack Hydrazine]

“I remember the old Bill Cosby routine...”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEEIyvl0PlM

[Carling]

I'm younger than Johnny Depp, and I watched Lone Ranger reruns as a kid.

His reasoning is idiotic, but if you claim Depp is a liar for saying he watched the show, then you are calling me a liar as well.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Reruns ended 2 years before he was born. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

The network stopped running them, but they went into syndication. I'm about the same age as Depp and I well remember seeing them as a kid.

[Little Bill]

I remember talking to my Grandfather, Born 1886, about the earlies when our family went West in the 1840’s. It was you leave us alone, we will leave you alone, other than that target practice. more people died of disease on the trails West than by Indianians.

[savedbygrace]

Good post. Reruns ended in 1961 and Depp was born in 1963.

Is Depp still living in France?

[PowderMonkey]

“My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.”

Just great. Another make believe Indian. I wish I had a nickle for every jerk I met that claimed Indian ancestry. Ever notice how it's always "Cherokee", and it's always matrilineal? White folks would never claim their white woman ancestor married an Indian, and say "my grandfather was a Cherokee." It's always the other way around; a captive Indian woman from a conquered tribe brought into a white family.

[Fresh Wind]

Me not understand why he do this.

[hattend]

So, after reading all the comments... raise your hand if you are going to go watch Depp’s movie.

Don’t see too many.

[Lee'sGhost]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Lone Ranger was disguised as a pool table and Tonto racked his balls.

[MsLady]

Why is it that the left thinks two wrongs make it alright? This is just stupid, can’t we all just get along?