It should probably go without saying that basing any aspect of your personality on a deranged villain who lives for nothing more than chaos, death, and disorder shouldn’t come recommended, but that hasn’t stopped the internet from developing a fascination with almost every live-action version of the Joker.
Both Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix’s interpretations on the Clown Prince of Crime became unexpected cult heroes, which definitely wasn’t the intention given that there’s nothing in their respective Academy Award-winning performances that hints you should be rooting for the guy in clown makeup who just wants to watch the world burn.
On the plus side, Jared Leto’s take on the Jester of Genocide almost certainly isn’t going to be leaving a long-lasting imprint on pop culture beyond being a figure of widespread mockery, but that hasn’t stopped Suicide Squad director David Ayer from weighing in on the trend to look to the green-haired menace as a source of inspiration.
In a way, Ayer has helped alleviate the problem somewhat by overseeing what most folks would deem the worst spin on the legendary antagonist there’s ever been, so props to him for that. Then again, maybe if his illusive cut of Suicide Squad ever sees the light of day, Leto could be reborn as a vastly superior Joker, which would once more open the doors to misguided people opting to assimilate several of his traits into their own existence.
It’s all hypothetical, of course, but we all remember the days of “we live in a society.”