LoC: You’re BOTH sellouts!
I hardly even know where to begin this week. The financial crisis is just plain crazy — but expected. Phish has come back which is just plain crazy — but expected. Last week, I went on a mini-rant on artists coming out to show their support for a particular presidential candidate and I’d like to stick with that theme this week. It all started from a quote I found on my daily tear away calendar aptly titled “Stupid Things People Say”:
“I’m not very politically involved. And I don’t like to talk about it. I mean, if you say you’re a Democrat, that’ll turn off Republicans and that’s half your fan base.”
The quote comes from Lindsey Lohan, which I still have hanging on my office wall next to my George W. Bush quote of “The great thing about America is everybody should vote.” You know what though? She’s actually correct in my opinion. Granted, she has since decided to turn into a lesbian so I can only assume that’s turned off half of her fan base anyway.
READ ON for more of this special bonus edition of LoC…
But it’s a pretty good assumption that you lose a connection with your fans if you decide to publicly support a candidate if it’s someone that the fans don’t particularly care for. John Rich, a full-fledged McCain supporter (note: he actually sang “Walk the Line” for Fred Thompson first), was recently asked about alienating his fan base, to which he stated:
“I’d rather take a risk than keep my mouth shut and see someone else become president.”
John Rich’s website is all about Raisin’ McCain. Barbara Streisand recently held a fundraiser to support Obama. Though, she’s been supporting the Democratic candidates since McGovern so her fans should be used to her political views by now.
The funny thing is, on the day of Obama’s Hollywood party McCain was hanging out with us ‘common people’ and mockingly said:
“Let me tell you, friends, there’s no place I’d rather be than here with the hard-working men and women of Ohio.”
First, he uses the word ‘friends’ WAAAAAAY too much. Secondly, he’s a hypocrite because he held his own Hollywood parties.
So Obama and McCain. I’m officially calling you out as sellouts. BOTH of you. I know they both would say they need the money to finance the campaign to reach their core audiences, but come on — seriously? And Hollywood, I wish you would just stick to something like this:
Encourage people to vote, encourage people to participate, encourage people to care. But please, don’t encourage us to vote for a particular person.
Reminder: Voter registration deadlines are happening NOW! Please make sure you are registered today!
I see where you are coming from with respect to musicians wishing to not alienate half their fan base. But that assumes that musicians are *only* musicians. They are humans, and many of them care passionately about politicized issues. If one cares very deeply about an issue, I would argue that there is an obligation to speak to one’s fans on the topic, while recognizing that some fans, and income, will be lost in the process. What you are proposing is that everyone should just keep their opinions to themselves and make as much money as possible. That only works if you lack strong opinions. And given the condition of the country and the world right now, that is a dangerously passive stance.
Good points Jesse. I don’t think I’m necessarily proposing anything – just making a point. The reason I go see a show or a performance is to escape all of what’s wrong in the world today, as do most of the people I know. Musicians are humans and they are often more vocal than anyone I know – though they have more of a vehicle than I – they have a stage, a captive audience and if they chose they have lyrics to express their viewpoint. But when they are on stage they are also doing their job and what I, along with everyone else there are paying them to do – performing.
Because I work the state I have NO opportunity to voice my opinion at work or try and influence anyone, they only way I can speak my mind at work is by the bumper stickers I sport on my Camry.
So should I not be granted the same opportunity at my job that they have at theirs?
Something to ponder at least…
Maybe they think the stakes are too high?
I don’t want my music polluted with politics. I think Yonder Mountain String Band pretty much jumped the shark when they played the Democraptic National Convention. I listen to music to feel good and escape the shittyness of the world, not listen to some asshole pimp for Obama. Or McCain either for that matter. Both major candidates are clueless anyway and I don’t see how anyone could vote for either of them. I’m all about freedom and individualism, yet the major candidates represent socialism and facism. Now, if you sang about Ron Paul I would probably like it, but a lot of others would feel alienated. The best thing is just to leave party politics out of your music.