I was one of those dumb f-cking c-nts. I was a believer. I kept believing, right up to the very, very end. Right up until USADA charged him in October 2012. I’ve written about it before. How much I wanted to hang on to the idea that Lance Armstrong was possible. I read all the books. Then, afterwards, after I had to give that up, I read Tyler Hamilton’s book, The Secret Race (which I obsessed over for weeks). And I finally saw Lance Armstrong’s true character. And you know, for me, it’s not the cheating. The lies are never as bad as the cover-up. Because, come on, everyone was cheating. It was about who was the champion cheater. He was just better at it than most. What makes Lance a piece of sh-t is not that he was a cheat but that he is a bully. He tormented people into serving him. The threats, the intimidation, the ruthlessness… this is what’s unforgivable. And this is Ben Foster’s challenge in The Program.
The first trailer was released yesterday. Am totally sold on the appearance. Not sure if I’m sold on the voice. Lance’s voice is a lot cockier. Even when Lance is apologising he’s doing it with his dick shoved in your face. The smile and the zip-lip at the end though? Yes.
But the scene with him practising his lies in the mirror? That’s not working for me. Because I don’t think Lance had to do that. I don’t think Lance had to put in any effort to get himself there. Lance was always already there.
Guillaume Canet at Michele Ferrari though? Terrific. And look at you Landry, Jesse Plemons. Look at you showing up in every movie everywhere. I’m going to see the f-ck out of this movie.