This right here is some Simpsons level prediction stuff, where it’s almost scary how close they got to what ended up actually happening.
If you aren’t familiar with the recent revelation of the story that The Blindside was based on not being the “happy, storybook ending” it was advertised as, let me get you caught up to speed. We all know the Sandra Bullock movie from 2009 depicting a family bringing in a homeless teenager and turning him into a football star, or at least we all thought we did.
In a bombshell news story earlier this week, the subject of the movie, Michael Oher, is stating that he was never actually adopted by the Tuohy family, and it was rather a limiting conservatorship that has allowed for the Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy to profit off Oher’s name, image and likeness while the former football player hasn’t seen a dime.
Bullock even won an Oscar for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy, and now that people are finding out that the whole story might not have been as “heartwarming” as it was portrayed, many on social media are saying Bullock should have her academy award revoked (which makes no sense at all, but it’s the internet).
The accusations are far from the “sunshine and rainbows” story that was portrayed in the beloved 2009 film, and have actually put the actual real life main character of Michael Oher in a rather difficult situation.
The legal filings that the former football player brought to court state:
“The lie of Michael’s adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher.
Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys.”
However, the Tuohy family has called it nothing more than a $15 million dollar shakedown, after Oher asked for that amount to not go public with this story.
The family argues that they sat Michael Oher (and his biological mother) down and explained that since he was over 18, a conservatorship would be the only way he could attend Ole Miss as a “member of the family” (Sean Tuohy was a prominent booster).
Sean also claims he sold his fast food franchises for roughly $200 million, so he had no need to steal a few thousand bucks from Oher. The family owned a whopping 115 Taco Bell and KFC locations in various states, as well as a handful of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers locations.
Which brings us to this skit from the 2010 ESPY Awards show, which featured Peyton Manning overlayed into footage from The Blindside to create a horror movie trailer called “The Darkside.” Manning plays himself, who basically gets kidnapped by Sandra Bullock’s character and held against his own will by the family.
There are definitely some moments that are outlandish (it’s a comedy sketch, it’s supposed to be), but there are also some moments in the comedy piece that now may ring surprisingly true. When Bullock shows Manning where he will sleep while he is staying with them, the sketch plays on one of the most famous lines of the movie.
Manning says “I’ve never had one before,” and when Bullock responds “what, a room to yourself?” Manning states:
“No, a crazy lady holding me against my will.”
Intense, scary movie “slasher” music plays as it reveals that Sandra Bullock has glowing red eyes.
Like I mentioned earlier, there are definitely some exaggerations in the skit, since it was just supposed to be funny, but it turns out that most of the comedy sketch is based on an extraordinary true story as well.
Well, that is… if Michael Oher is telling the truth.
Take a look:
