“Donald Trump's choice to be his vice president did not take a traditional path into politics.

Vance’s bestseller about his roots in rural Kentucky and blue-collar Ohio made him a national celebrity soon after its publication in the summer of 2016, and became a cultural talking point after Trump’s stunning victory that November.

Before filming on the movie even started, Netflix paid Imagine $45 million for the exclusive screening rights in January 2019. The move debuted on the streaming platform in November 2020.

After the announcement that Vance would be on the ticket with Trump for November's showdown election with President Joe Biden, the movie became the third most streamed movie on Netflix.

Vance has a colorful family: Mamaw (grandmother) douses the sleeping Papaw with gasoline and drops a lit match to punish his carousing, he escaped with minor burns, and his mother’s own problems with spreading substance abuse lead her to Rollerblade through a hospital emergency room.

At one point, she badgers her son into providing a urine sample for her drug test. He was adopted by his mother's third husband at one point.

His father abandoned the family when Vance was just a toddler, which led to him being surrounded by a series of stepfathers.

'It was the saddest I had ever felt. Of all the things I hated about my childhood... nothing compared to the revolving door of father figures,' he wrote in his book.

Eventually, Vance and his sister, Lindsey, are taken in by the their grandparent, adopting their last name.

He learns early to fight to defend family honor, while coping with a chaotic home life.  

With his tough Mamaw’s support, he went on to serve in the Marines, including in Iraq, and to success at Ohio State University, at Yale Law School, and in a Silicon Valley investment firm. …”

DailyMail article:
https://mol.im/a/13639779

I’ve also heard similar stories of people overcoming insurmountable odds. That’s not to diminish him. I am just in awe of people like that. I ball up sobbing whenever I get a paper cut thinking the whole universe is against me.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I ball up sobbing whenever I get a paper cut thinking the whole universe is against me.

You and me both brother. Those things HURT!!

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:

Vance’s bestseller about his roots in rural Kentucky and blue-collar Ohio made him a national celebrity soon after its publication in the summer of 2016, and became a cultural talking point after Trump’s stunning victory that November.

Never saw the movie, but the book (Hillbilly Ellegy) is excellent.

I watched the movie last night with Mrs. Scuba. It reminded me alot of rural Mizzourah south of I-70 and the Ozarks (sans the Lake and tourism) in particular.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I ball up sobbing whenever I get a paper cut thinking the whole universe is against me.

quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Steve Sig:
I watched the movie last night with Mrs. Scuba. It reminded me alot of rural Mizzourah south of I-70 and the Ozarks (sans the Lake and tourism) in particular.

Yep; south of MO 60 for my upbringing. Lots of interesting stories.

His story brings back a childhood memory of a friend that spent more time at our house than his. He was one kid out of eleven and lived in a 4-room house. His mom obviously couldn't work with all of the kids and his dad was a dedicated alcoholic with good carpentry skills that he seldom used due to his alcoholic addiction.

They not only did not have indoor bathroom facilities - they did not even have outdoor ones. They were taught to use the woods around them and stay off of the path when using them. You could tell you were approaching their house when you got within a hundred yards

He helped us with our household chores, but would never eat lunch or supper with us. He also claimed he wasn't hungry. We found out later that he would never eat at another house when his brothers and sisters barely had enough to eat at home. He finally quit school in the 8th grade. He told his teachers that it was either get a job or watch his brothers and sisters starve (no government or church assistance back in those days and that rural area).

He worked and supported his siblings until they either completed school or dropped out. He became a heavy-equipment operator, married and had a family, became a dedicated church member and became a well-respected member of the community.

His work ethic and positive attitude helped me as I grew up in a low-income family, but with a solid family atmosphere. I never felt pity for myself or my "lack of financial aid" because I knew I was solidly blessed when compared to his life journey. We should all be so blessed .......