Michael Jackson
Yes his death was tragic and his music brilliant, but the 00s found Michael Jackson making headlines for ground breaking moments in weirdness as opposed to ground breaking new tunes.
When the album Invincible flopped in 2001, Jackson claimed the head of Sony Music was racist and blamed the label's lack of promotion for the record's failure. You know you're crazy when Al Sharpton stops representing you.
2002 found Jackson holding his youngest son Prince Michael II (nicknamed "Blanket") over a hotel balcony in Germany to a horde of bewildered fans.
ABC aired the disastrous special Living With Michael Jackson in 2003 where Jackson claimed it was OK to share your bed with a 13 year old child. This would be a strange enough statement to begin with however it was even more shocking given his checkered past with children.
That interview led to charges of child sexual abuse brought on by the LAPD in 2005. While Jackson was acquitted on all charges, the trail was a media circus as well as emotionally and physically draining on the pop star. Jackson fled the country and relocated to the Middle East.
His fabled Neverland Ranch sold and his financial resources in ruin, Jackson stayed quiet and was seldom heard from. His last magazine profile was in the winter of 2007 with Ebony which celebrated 25 years of Thriller.
His death was shocking and untimely. However his tragic passing has liberated his songs from the baggage of his personal life. Jackson's death has also given his art a new audience simply adding to the timelessness of his catalog. It's just a shame that the latter half of his life and career is mire with disgrace and disappointment.
Dixie Chick Fans (And Rednecks in General)
While Bush was building a war, Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks spoke her mind. While in London performing a concert during the run up to the Iraq War Maines said, "Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."
Needless to say all hell broke lose Stateside. Many country stations dropped the Chicks from their rotation. The band received death threats and was picked on by Mr. White Trash himself Toby Keith
Maines never apologized for her comments. Instead the band worked with Rick Rubin for 2006's Grammy Award winning Taking the Long Way while Mr. Keith made more Ford commercials and became a further parody of himself as well as the entire state of Arkansas.
Maines spoke her mind and was called a traitor. Meanwhile Ted Nuggent threatens to shoot President Obama by saying "Suck on my gun!" and no one cries foul. Gotta love hypocrites.
Ashlee Simpson Lip-Syncs
I've always known Ashlee Simpson was a tool. Just because you wear Chuck Taylors and skinny ties with your Ramones t-shirt doesn't mean you're punk. But her "tool" status was shown for all to see when she "performed" on Saturday Night Live (watch the clip here)
The wrong song started playing and the singer's voice started blasting through the speakers when the microphone was no where near her mouth. Simpson became flustered and did a hoe down jig off the stage
She tried to redeem herself at the Orange Bowl a few weeks later. However she failed miserably as she squealed her way through the song and was booed at the end of her performance (watch the video below).
Where is she now? Married with children to the only person who is a bigger tool than her - Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy. A match made in poser heaven.
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