May 22, 2003

Increased Chatter

Call me skeptical, but I don't see why the Homeland Security threat level should be elevated just because of increased chatter like this. Followers of both these guys are off their rockers, but they're probably harmless.

I'm admittedly confused over the whole term "Reality Television." The news media focus on unreal things, or at least bring an unreal perspective to very important things. In comparison, maybe a gaggle of smarmy Vegas wanna-be singers competing to become fodder for the corporate entertainment junta does qualify as "real."

WTFUTK? At its best, Country music used to be real as things get. My TV remote settled very briefly last night on the Academy of Country Music (another oxymoron) awards ceremony, but I missed the evident highlight of seeing the Dixie Chicks get booed. I'm ambivalent about the Chicks -- they seem original only in comparison to the bereft shit that passes for Country music today. I was disgusted by how they backtracked after being caught criticizing Dear Leader while on foreign soil. Then, they bucked up when interviewed by Diane Sawyer, succeeding at least in making the apology sound insincere. Given what I know about the evil Clear Channel company (even the name is Orwellian), I wouldn't doubt that they packed the ACM audience with lackeys instructed to heckle poor Natalie Maines, whose performance was piped into the awards venue by satellite. The ceremony was held in Vegas and began with a benediction by Wayne Newton, btw. He most certainly was not Country When Country Wasn't Cool -- oh wait, it's officially not cool anymore.

Maines wore a t-shirt saying "F.U.T.K.", which was presumably a slap at the monumentally ignorant and talentless Toby Keith, ACM's "Entertainer of the Year." (Mysteriously, Keith was a no-show, so watch for news that he stayed away to protest the Chix' presence. Oh boy.) Bear with me for several months as I try to decide whether the wardrobe gesture by Maines was brave or lame. Either way, it can't be long before she is known as the Sinead O'Connor of Country MusicTM. (And that wouldn't be a bad aspiration, btw.)

So in an attempt to get real today, here is a slideshow from June Carter Cash's funeral. I found the photos very moving. Attendees included Wilma Lee Cooper. (In the news biz, they call this "burying the lead.") Posted by Vernam at May 22, 2003 07:45 AM

Comments

Where did I see a song title recently called, "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Pop"?

... and... Jane Seymour?

Posted by: Jim at May 27, 2003 10:08 PM

Have they determined yet if more folks voted for American Idol than did in the last presidential election? I was at a sports bar Wednesday night and they turned off two baseball games to put up the American Idol finale. We bitched at the manager about it and he picked up the next round.

Linked to you from my site, home.

Posted by: Pat L at May 24, 2003 09:12 AM

...damn, you trademarked it. no fair.

I'm letting you use 'DL', just so long as for each impression on this site, you send me a martini olive.

Natalie M. will have some serious back-up soon. You heard about ol Fat Mike and NOFX's "The War On Errorism?" Thought not, you hillbilly. There's plans for a Rock Against Bush Tour, an anti-Bush comp, the works. punk!Punk!PUNK!!!ROCK.

Posted by: deano at May 22, 2003 09:19 PM