A clip from the new show “Landman,” a new drama created by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, has taken off on X (formerly Twitter) because in a clip from it, star Billy Bob Thornton sounds off on the use of certain forms of “clean” energy, noting that it is far from being as “clean,” as portrayed. Though inaccurate at points, his message struck a chord with many people online.
As background, the show, hosted on Paramount+, is set deep in the heart of West Texas during the oil boom, showing the race of various roughnecks and wildcat drillers trying to turn the region’s immense oil into vast riches. Billy Bob Thornton stars as crisis executive Tommy Norris, who is trying to use the oil boom to push to the top.
In the scene that took off on X, Thornton’s character slams the use of “renewable,” “clean” energy, noting that the reality doesn’t match the marketing. That remark comes when co-star Kayla Wallace’s character asks, “They use clean energy to power the oil wells?” Responding, he snaps back, “They use alternative energy. There is nothing clean about this.”
Wallace, snarkily responding, said, “Please, Mr. Oilman, tell me how the wind is bad for the environment?” Responding, Thornton describes the reality of building a wind turbine, saying,
You have any idea how much diesel will have to burn to mix that much concrete or make that steel and haul this s–t out here and put it together with a 450-foot crane?”
Continuing, he notes the massive amount of oil used to deal with the machine, telling her, “You want to guess how much oil it takes to lubricate that f—ing thing? Or winterize it?” And, commenting on the massive amount of carbon generated by its production that he claimed, incorrectly, is nowhere near offset by its short lifespan, he said, “In its 20-year lifespan, it won’t offset the carbon footprint of making it. And don’t get me started on solar panels and the lithium in your Tesla battery.”
For reference, the actual point at which the carbon is offset is somewhere between five months and two years out of a twenty to twenty-five-year lifespan. However, a large amount of carbon-based energy and lubricating oil is, as Thornton’s character notes, used to construct the machines, even if it is offset.
Then, noting that even the ruthless companies known for their business sense don’t see the point of such wasteful machinery as alternative energy, Thornton’s character tells Wallace’s character, “If Exxon thought them f—ing things right there were the future, they would be put all over the g–damn place.” Watch the awesome scene here:
Alex Thorn, head of Firmwide Research at Galaxy, posted the awesome clip on X and captioned it by saying, “Taylor Sheridan’s new show ‘Landman’ hits Billy Bob Thornton with an epic monologue.” Responding, a commenter said, noting the massive number of birds killed by the devices, “There was no mention of the birds that are found dead on the ground underneath the blades, bald eagles included.”
Another commenter questioned the idea of cramming conservative talking points into a show, saying, “Even if what he says is generally accurate it’s just as cringe when media tries to shoehorn in an overt conservative message as it is when they go woke.” Thorn responded by saying, “it’s just a good scene — the character is an oilman so i think it’s fair to say that it’s the oilman’s perspective.”
The Texas Alliance, an oil and gas association, posted about the “Landman” clip as well, describing it as being “educational” and saying, “From an educational standpoint, f you watch just one scene from the new series Landman starring Billy Bob Thornton, this should be it. Spread it far and wide. @landmanpplus.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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