Deseret News | Reader comments: Actor in LDS-themed films booked for theft

Reader comments
Actor in LDS-themed films booked for theft

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I'll say it | 9:42 a.m. July 16, 2008

Perhaps he was just borrowing it for one of his home teaching gigs.

ScreenAge | 9:51 a.m. July 16, 2008

Wow, there's a decision I bet he would like to have back.

There are a few things holding LDS films back.

First, many of them have cheesy acting and directing, which has given the entire genre a reputation that sullies even the good films.

Second, they keep reusing the same actors who didn't do it for us the last film either. Bet on a WINNING horse guys, not an experienced one.

Third, there is a perception that the people making LDS films aren't very LDS themselves, making them out of touch with their target audience.

It's not just how these LDS film people dress, talk and act, its headlines like Richard Dutcher leaving the church, Kirby Heyborne in beer commercials and now Michael Birkeland's arrest.

We LDS like to think they are supporting a good movie industry when we buy a ticket or a DVD for an LDS movie. If LDS filmmakers are basically just like the rest of Hollyweird, then LDS movie goers may as well spend our dollars on the better movies made by mainstream Hollywood.

Consequently, Michael Birkeland's arrest hurts LDS movie making as a whole.

That's too bad, both for him and for LDS films.

Rich | 9:55 a.m. July 16, 2008

If the guy had appeared in "The Godmakers," would this have made news?

Comments continue below

Too bad | 9:57 a.m. July 16, 2008

I'm not LDS anymore, but liked this guy. He was pretty talented. Yet another black eye for mormons.

Anonymous | 10:03 a.m. July 16, 2008

All the movies listed that this guy was in are horrible.

Ligairi | 10:18 a.m. July 16, 2008

How is this news? Because the person accused is well known? Maybe because of some perceived irony stemming from the community he is known in? You know celebrity hounding has reached new lows when the media is going after local actors for stupid things like this. There is probably a laptop stolen at UVU every day. I wonder if there is anything else important going on in the world?

Anonymous | 10:17 a.m. July 16, 2008

I guess LDS themed films sure aren't paying like they used to.

LDS films? | 10:25 a.m. July 16, 2008

Stop calling these stupid movies "LDS Films!" The people who make these have no connection whatsoever to the LDS Church other than that they happen to be members. These have to be some of the worst movies ever made in the history of the movie making.

Anonymity | 10:31 a.m. July 16, 2008

Heck, I just stole a laptop from UVU yesterday! Just kidding. But seriously, this guy was in some of my favorite LDS movies. It's too bad he's hypocritical.

Hero of Canton | 11:15 a.m. July 16, 2008

LDS Movies is a misnomer, as has been stated. You can call them LDS-themed movies perhaps but they have no connection or relation to the LDS Church...and thank goodness, we have enough criticism, we don't need this schlock being passed off as LDS dogma.

The felon was a hack, just like every other director and actor in these joke movies. There is no plot, there is no substance. The cinematography looks like it came from your local junior high pep rally and the acting is wooden, shallow and pedantic.

Oh and war BYUVU catching this guy, guess the team down south and its baby sister deserve a pat on the back for this one.

It figures | 11:16 a.m. July 16, 2008

there's a whole lot of need for movies on the scams other members run on each other through the years as well as now...Get Gephard..showed one classless person recently who ripped of 1.2 million ..and the beat goes on...

Wow!!! | 11:28 a.m. July 16, 2008

Good thing he didn't market a calendar, he'd be gone by now!

John Lambert | 11:34 a.m. July 16, 2008

I am waiting to hear Mr. Card's attempt to justify the stealing of the laptop. He will probably say "a laptop not locked down, the owner not even looking or trying to prevent the taking. How could he resist. What, you say how would he justify this to his family. That's easy, say 'It was taking the laptop, or us not eating to day, so eat your mashed potatoes and appreciate that your Dad goes out and is smart enough to steal stuff when people are not looking.' All you judgemental people better stop blaming people for following their natural urges to get more stuff. Anyway all you people miss the point. If there were no Mormons who copied DVDs or videos, or who held virtual ward parties in their apartments where the watched Singles Ward en masse than sales would be way up and this guy would not have to go around stealing".
I am not convinced that this is even a case of stealing for money, but the main point is just because people have stolen from you does not allow you to go steal from others.

black eye? | 11:40 a.m. July 16, 2008

Good thing nobody from any other religion commits crime.

Agree | 11:45 a.m. July 16, 2008

I agree that these are not "LDS films" as they typically do not portray in any way typical LDS life, which as we all know is boring and thus not marketable in a film sense. These films perhaps could more appropriately be called "LDS targeted films", because that is what they are after brothers and sisters, your pocketbooks! Years ago a wise man told me that once a person called him "brother" in a business setting he would clutch onto his wallet all the tighter - knowing that the "squeeze" was on.

This isn't news | 12:03 p.m. July 16, 2008

Other than the fact that the alleged perpetrator was in a few films with limited local interest, this hardly ranks as news.

A few weeks ago, there was a big headline that ran something like this: "High School Musical Actor Arrested." SCANDALOUS! It turns out that the "actor" was a bit player in a few scenes ("Skater #1", I believe). He had also appeared in the "Svarnik and Byll" anti-smoking commercials. Again, other than a very slight connection to the TV movie, the story was not newsworthy. However, the media hyped it up that one of our beloved tween stars was on a crime spree.

The media should start reporting real news stories for a change.

K | 12:03 p.m. July 16, 2008

Can't everyone wait until he confesses or is found guilty before making fun of him and his beliefs?

I'm not LDS.

Religion isn't for the perfect. It's for the imperfect. So I dislike the hypocrite statement based on the fact that IF he did do it he's worse cause he is a member of a religion. What the heck?

Anonymous | 12:25 p.m. July 16, 2008

This is not newsï¿½

Why are you wasting our time?

The LDS movies he made do not make him exempt from the law. Therefore, this story is not even news worthy. Wipe your hands clean of him and move on.

Perfect? | 12:51 p.m. July 16, 2008

why everthing you do is perfect, perfect, perfect and everyone you know is perfect perfect..if you talk the talk then walk the walk..bawk bawk!

RL | 1:32 p.m. July 16, 2008

"another black eye for mormons"???? Oh please! Mormons aren't perfect, and if one says he is, he clearly isn't. NOR is anyone else who is a member of any other church, or no church at all. Christ himself is the only one that has been born on this planet that can claim that. The dude apparently has a problem he needs to face. If he was a member of any other church, it wouldn't be included in the headline or the article. This pouncing on the church as a whole because one member is struggling with a weakness (you struggle with something yourself... remember the whole mote in the eye?) is just so old and stupid and lame and ignorant and did I say OLD?

@ RL | 2:01 p.m. July 16, 2008

No, mormons aren't perfect, they just like to think they are. And if they aren't perfect, they usually consider themselves superior.

And remember all of you who keep pointing out the LDS thread to this story and wonder about it's relevance to the story and if it would be an issue if it were a different religion, the headline and content of the story are in an LDS owned paper. If the LDS church didn't want people commenting on the LDS issue, why did THEY put it in the headline? They are the ones pointing it out.

RL | 2:04 p.m. July 16, 2008

I agree that it's just one bad apple on the tree. I have to say that showing the side of mormons who get into trouble is important. There are members of the faith that think they are better than the world. This is a story that can bring them down to earth and give a little wake up call.

PT | 2:09 p.m. July 16, 2008

He's human first and foremost...chalk it up to error in judgement. Has nothing to do with religion. He may be Athiest for all we know.

Stop ASSUMING | 2:21 p.m. July 16, 2008

Half of you are ASSUMING that he is LDS just because he was in movies with LDS themes. We don't know from this story whether he is or not.

Life imitates Art | 2:23 p.m. July 16, 2008

If I am not mistaken, he played a not too bright character in the home teacher movie. I haven't seen churchball, and I don't remember him in singles ward. Maybe he was just a natural for the part. By the way I agree with K from above religion is not for the perfect.

Jerry | 2:47 p.m. July 16, 2008

You are assuming that other people are assuming that he is LDS, talk about assuming too much!!!

Ironic Hook | 3:08 p.m. July 16, 2008

The use of religion in the story is simply an ironic hook, that an actor in a series of religion-themed movies is a thief.

It really wouldn't have mattered to the headline writer whether Birkeland is LDS or not, the movies he appeared in were based on LDS stereotypes.

bee gee | 3:11 p.m. July 16, 2008

Everyone dose dumb things and will get there due punishment, don't matta what church they go to or who they are, most peoples grandpas and dads and moms and so on have stolen something or a lot of things in life at some point and so have you and I so get over it.

Alice | 4:28 p.m. July 16, 2008

If that laptop was worth $2100 it must have been one heck of a laptop. Maybe it was gold plated.

Literacy please | 5:10 p.m. July 16, 2008

Interpretation and editing where required (some guess work involved) of an earlier post: Everyone does dumb things and will receive their due punishment. It doesn't matter what church they go to or who they are. Nearly everyone's grandfather and parents, etc. have stolen something or perhaps a lot of things in life at some point, as have you and I. Get over it.

Editor's comment: It's one thing to have improper use of the English language be hard on the ears, but with a blog it can be hard on one's eyes as well at times.

Ex Him | 5:11 p.m. July 16, 2008

He should be booted from the LDS church this Sunday!

NICK | 5:38 p.m. July 16, 2008

What a loser.

Anonymous | 5:55 p.m. July 16, 2008

People do bad things. In the view of some Christians a church should be reahing out to those in need not, just you those deemed perfect. If people were perfect, there would be no redemption.

RE: Too bad | 6:04 p.m. July 16, 2008

You stated, "Yet another black eye for mormons." What? Hardly...this is just a black eye for him. No one else.

When a non-mormon person commits a crime is it "yet another black eye for non-mormons?" LOL! Dude, give up the mormon hate. You'll feel better!

Too bad | 6:24 p.m. July 16, 2008

This was definitely not funny.

K | 7:18 p.m. July 16, 2008

Conservatives and Catholics also get bashed - usually at the time of arrest, not one waits until conviction or confession either. The are called hyporcrites all the time. It's not something that only happens to LDS.

I hope that no church would boot him, even if it's found he did this. Even with excommunication most faiths welcome all to services. I hardly think excommunication would even be warranted for something like this. If it were there'd be about a hunderd members max in any church, temple, mosque......

I have actually seen a number of the movies he played in. I'm Catholic not LDS, they are just interesting. I thought his acting was fine. What does what we do for a living have to do with the kind of person we are? I don't understand the shock? Is it cause people thought he was a poster child or something for your church? That's a lot of pressure on anybody and I doubt that would increase membership anyway.

Mark | 7:21 p.m. July 16, 2008

Now, this guy deserves to be ex-ed more than that Hardy guy, who made a calender! Its bullcrap like this, that makes it the decision to leave the faith even easier. Nothing will happen to Birdcrap or whatever his loser name is, because he is struggling and needs help, but when some member is not struggling, and finds success of some kind and the yes-men in SLC say they don't like what so and so is doing, they are forced out. WWJD, heck what would Joseph Smith do? In either case, its not what is being done now.

Good Bye LDS church, call me when you care about saving souls, not what your perceived to be, faithless leaders you all have.

Alibaba | 7:24 p.m. July 16, 2008

A wayward bruda who was confused and forgot to be in the world but not of the world.
May need some good counselling from the bretheren to mend his ways.

Dave | 7:29 p.m. July 16, 2008

First Kirby does beer and now Birkeland's a thief. And all I can do is chuckle.

So will there be a follow-up story in Mormon Times with Birkeland explaining that he was also inspired (like Kirby) to do this?

K | 7:45 p.m. July 16, 2008

When you judge a church based on it's human leaders, you will always be disappointed. It's not about them, is it?

Kid Actors | 8:05 p.m. July 16, 2008

Let's hope the actors of the Mormon film genre don't start going the way of the Hollywood kid actors.

Walking away with a laptop, that seems like a hard one to explain your way out of it. The stress of dealing with customers at the shaved ice stand must have finally broke him with every other one asking "Hey, aren't you that guy from The Home Teachers. Will you please autograph my sytrofoam cup?".

On your Mark | 8:10 p.m. July 16, 2008

Calm down Mark..this is not about you,.It may help to ask yourself,have i done any good in the world today!put things in their right perspective and stop being so hard on yourself.
Everybody have challenges mate!!

Pure LDS | 8:39 p.m. July 16, 2008

if any of you is a man or woman of no sins, let him expressed him or herself here. None of us is perfect so there will always be a mistake you and I did every single day. Why judge others if you knew you will be judged in the days to come? I would say, let's pray for him and his family for our love must be with those who are in deed needy. I love you all.

A-Man | 8:58 p.m. July 16, 2008

The DesNews rarely, if ever, does any stories on Hollywood - which I am glad about, because why should we care? Yet here's another story from Happywood. Let these "local celebrities" - at least according to the paper, make their stupid decisions in private. And come on, who among us hasn't stolen a $2000 laptop?
As for the person who said these LDS themed films are the worst ever, there are much worse. If you have digital TV hooked up already, check out channel 4.2 TheHive. That is some truly crap filmaking (can I say the c word in here?).
Lay off Kirby, yeah his acting is pretty c-word, but appearing in a beer commercial, not actually drinking beer isn't that bad. As a married man, I think kissing another woman is worse than drinking beer, but I've had to do it in plays and film. That's what you do when you're an actor.
Another thing, how does it take 3 1/2 months to find somebody? As Wigham says,"That's some nice work boys."
Also, GO UTES!!!
And one more thing... wait no, that's it.

T_H_R_O | 10:33 p.m. July 16, 2008

Whomever makes those awful films should be booked for theft, too: of people's TIME.

Re. John Lambert | 10:47 p.m. July 16, 2008

Good comment!
And I'll repeat one of mine about the beer commercial thing. DON'T use public figures as your idols.
None of us is perfect, and, don't ask me why, but public figures who have garnered lost of attention seem to be worse off than plain old ordinary folks.
Used to be a few people out there who really were worthy of emulation, but I don't see many any more. Sad! When a society looses the ability to produce members who set a good example of kindness, unselfishness, maturity, courage, and so on, that society is dying.

Lynn | 1:41 a.m. July 17, 2008

Mark, you know darn well Chad Hardy was excommunicated for much more than the calendar! I'm sure that Michael Birkeland will be counseled and disciplined by the proper priesthood authorities for what he did, though I don't know what the consequences are for stealing, if he is convicted. I think if someone goes to prison, there are serious consequences for a member of the Church, but I don't know if it includes excommunication.

As for your remarks about how this article makes it easier to decide to leave the Church, it seems to me you are just looking for excuses to leave anyway. Have you spoken to your priesthood authorities, your bishop, etc.? Have you really thought about it? As I mentioned on the thread about the calendar, there are serious consequences, and a decision to leave should not be taken lightly.

If you do decide to leave, then do us all a favor and leave quietly. Don't become a nasty anti-Mormon who wastes all your time badmouthing the Church and everyone in it, or mocking sacred ideals and covenants.

Jhans | 3:47 a.m. July 17, 2008

Sweet! We finally have some great material for a great "LDS" not LDS movie. Come on Utah directors these news bites are great material. Don't forget about the owner of that "Awesome" computer chain. He's my favorite. No offense to Michael...he gave me a hug once. Good guy. Now was he in character or out of character when he did this? Sorry for the lame joke.

Sell | 4:46 a.m. July 17, 2008

Some people would sell there own daugters to get into the news.

Bob | 5:54 a.m. July 17, 2008

Many of these comments are extremely hypocritical. None of you Mormons and Non-Mormons said anything about Michael Birkeland when he was doing those movies and you watched them and told all of your friends how funny and good the movies were. Michael Birkeland was a great person then. Now because Michael has personal issues and made bad decisions he all of a sudden should be thrust down to hell by you. I used to be a Professional Stand-up Comedian and I have done many comedy shows with Michael B. and know him better than anybody making any of these comments. Michael has had some troubles in his life that have been struggles for him. And to say all entertainers have these issues and to label entertainers is a worse sin then any entertainer doing the sin in the first place. You all better go evaluate your own life before judging someone elses.

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