"Fat Ass"

I recently re-watched "The Shawshank Redemption" and let me just say, that is one of the best movies I've seen. But that is not why I'm writing this blog post. I'm writing this post because of one character in particular: the one Captain Hadley kills because he was crying in his cell.

In the movie this character was referred to by the other inmates (Heywood in particular) as "Fat Ass". Since this is the case the credits have him listed as "fat ass".

How would you like that? You know he has to want to tell people that he played a part in "The Shawshank Redemption". But then the poor guy has an awful choice to make. Does he admit to his character's ignominious name (sorry for such a big word), does he lie about his part, or does he simply not mention his role in the movie? I guess he just has to tell people that he played the part of "fat ass". But gosh, how's that for eternal remembrance?

I wonder if that nickname stuck with him. Are people to this day referring to him as "fat ass"? If so, how much of an incentive is this to improve his physique in regard to his posterior tissue and general excess of flab?


Now, I realize that these people have a tough time thinking up names for extras; but come on. They could have called him "Man with a rather large posterior" or, uh. . . "big guy bludgeoned by Hadley". Ok, ok. Those wouldn't fit. But they've gotta figure out something other than "fat ass". This is a person's self-esteem we are talking about. Oh well, that's life I guess.