TBT: “This word that’s used it’s a word called ‘fan’, and I never really liked that word.” ~ Johnny Depp (August 14, 2015)
6 years
ago, on August 14, Johnny made a surprise appearance at 2015 Disney’s D23 Expo,
at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Los Angeles, California. On that
day, Johnny became a member of the 2015 class of Disney Legends, an exclusive
group selected by the company for their contributions to the Walt Disney Brand, and gave a funny speech thanking his fans, or as he rather say: “employers.”
>> Johnny’s
Full Speech:
“Hi! (Chuckles
while audience screams)that’s what I did when I woke up this morning… I
screamed at that top of my lungs. So, I don’t know why I’m here… (audience
laughs again) I really don't… (Someone says ‘We love you’ and Johnny replies: ‘Bless you,thank you very much, Sweet.) I am, yeah I don’t know why I’m here, but it’s an absolute honor to be here and
in all honesty the only reason I suppose that I have here (Johnny stops after
spotting a mosquito flying around) Oh, a mosquito! Did you guys see that? By
the way, did you see a guy all dressed in gold and like a little machine? Cool.
(Chuckles
) Just wanna make sure…
There’s only one reason that I’m here and it is because, there’s a
word that’s used tonight and I’m not a big… (Johnny is interrupted again as
someone shout something. As the audience laughs he jokes) That was fantastic
because I didn’t actually understand what you said. (the audience continues
laughing as the man shouts and the word is passed by until Johnny understands, making them laugh again) Oh, ‘Parley’ (he says with Captain Jack Sparrow accent)
Terribly sorry, mate… (As the audience laughs, Johnny continued)
This word that’s used it’s a word called ‘fan’ and I never really liked that word, because
it’s… I don’t know, it’s sort of… it implies that someone is above and someone
is beneath in a weird way. So I would say that you are, in fact, my
employer. (audience laughs and applauds). True.
Thank you
for giving me this this great opportunity to, you know, basically do stupid
stuff for a living… and for watching it. I’m honored
to be inducted into this thing - there’s another word that I’m not big on,
‘legend’, (laughs) but, I am honored to be inducted into this, with the likes
of these other folks who are here the George Lucas, Dick Van Dyke, Dodd… It is absolutely an honor and I will treasure
it and hopefully get to meet Mickey Mouse(audience laughs and applaud) Thank
you very, very much. Thank you for supporting and for keeping me with the job.
Take care”
6 years later, Johnny thanked again his employers.
“They are all our employers. They buy tickets, merchandise. They made all of those studios rich, but they forgot that a long time ago. I certainly haven’t.”
(Johnny Depp, for the The Times UK, on August 14, 2021)
