Ryan Gosling Saves "Gentlewoman Of Fortune" From Taxi Accident
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- British reporter Laurie Penny would like everyone to calm down about Ryan Gosling saving her life because there are more important things to worry about.
Yes, that is certainly true Laurie, but Ryan Gosling saving you is a nice mental vacation for those of us who think about things like war, the economy, and Iran's nuclear weaponry capabilities on a daily basis. You're just going to have to let us get all swoony in your honor, thankyouverymuch.
Penny, new to New York, and our pesky habit of driving in the "wrong direction" was looking the wrong way while trying to cross the street last Tuesday. The handsome chap from The Notebook (also a recent New York transplant) was standing near her, grabbed her arm and said "Hey, watch out!" just as an oncoming taxi careened toward her.
Gosling's identity was confirmed by another woman standing near her who saw the whole thing and exclaimed, "you lucky bitch."
In a recent review of the incident for Gawker, Penny suggests we give our hero worship a break.
I really do object to being framed as the ditzy damsel in distress in this story. I do not mean any disrespect to Ryan Gosling, who is an excellent actor and, by all accounts, a personable and decent chap. I thought he was marvelous in The Ides of March, and will feel weird about objectifying him in future now that I have encountered him briefly as an actual human.
But as a feminist, a writer, and a gentlewoman of fortune, I refuse to be cast in any sort of boring supporting female role, even though I have occasional trouble crossing the road, and even though I did swoon the teeniest tiniest bit when I realized it was him. I think that's lazy storytelling, and I'm sure Ryan Gosling would agree with me.
I feel a "How many gentlewomen of fortune does it take to cross the street?" joke coming on.
This isn't the first street-side heroic act, if I may call it that with Ms. Penny's permission, performed by the actor. In August, Gosling broke up a brawl in the East Village that was caught on film. I, for one, feel a little bit safer now that Ryan Gosling lives in New York...and like I should probably wear more makeup.
