Sean Astin did not brave the fires of Mordor to be disrespected like this!

It’s hard to put a label on Sean Astin’s career. Every person you ask has a different project of his they love. I, myself, am a Goonie, and when Astin showed up at the Democratic National Convention to show his support, the fan response was something else.

Again, Astin is known for a lot of different roles, but one role I would not say is his “claim to fame” is Bob from the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. He was cast in the series because of his ’80s icon status, but still, Bob is beloved and I do get that. He’s one of the best characters on the show. But tell me why multiple people on social media called him Bob from Stranger Things when they saw him on their television screens?

Taking part in the DNC roll call, Astin was part of the announcements for the state of Indiana. Astin himself is from California, but he did famously play a guy who loved Indiana. And no, it isn’t Bob. Astin played Rudy Ruettiger in the 1993 film Rudy. Ruettiger is from Illinois, but he is determined to make it on the football team at the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana. At the DNC, the crowd surrounding Astin was literally chanting “Rudy” at him. So why are people on X calling him Bob?!

I get it; it’s a joke. But there are literally so many other characters you could have said and I would have been fine with it. But multiple people made a Bob from Stranger Things reference. I mean, I too wish Bob were alive on Stranger Things, but when I hear a crowd chanting “Rudy,” I don’t instantly think about season 2 of a Netflix series that killed off beloved actor Sean Astin.

So many people came to Astin’s defense

I don’t want to yuck someone else’s yum. If you instantly think of Bob from Stranger Things when you see Sean Astin, okay. But really, this man’s filmography deserves to be recognized. It is iconic, and he is someone who many of us grew up watching.

I am the first person to start yelling about The Goonies at any given moment because I love Mikey Walsh and his friends so much.

But Astin is also a comedy legend. Remember when he was wearing shirts with holes in them and working out too much in 50 First Dates?

The actual response (outside of his character Rudy, for obvious reasons) to Astin should be to praise Samwise Gamgee. The most heart-wrenchingly beautiful moment in cinematic history is watching Samwise realize he cannot take the ring for his friend but that he can carry him. I cry every time! It is beautiful.

What I wanted to happen was for Astin to just go state to state to celebrate his iconic characters. Then, and only then, would I let Indiana have Bob from Stranger Things.

The point isn’t that you can’t love Bob. You can; my brother has a Bob Funko Pop, and he is right for it (Bob rules). But for that to be your first thought when you see Astin?! We need to open the schools!