As it turns out, the Farmers Insurance guy has a mean streak a mile wide. J.K. Simmons might be the nicest guy in the world off-screen, but when he's on camera he has these cold penetrating eyes and a way of speaking that allows him to spit out insults that cut to your core. That's sort of his niche. And even he outdoes himself on Oz. He's one of the leaders of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacy group, in a maximum security prison, which should tell you everything you need to know about the guy. On top of that, well...he's sort of one of the reasons why the stereotype of male rape in prison is so pervasive in popular culture. He exhibits an alarming penchant for sexual sadism, manipulating weaker white inmates into vulnerable positions and then exploiting them. Overall, he's probably one of the most despicable characters featured on television in the last twenty years, if not ever.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
