R.P. Barr

The Reality of Song

The last few weeks have had a number of juicy stories that I wish I had the time to get into.  Someday soon, I hope to be back on track.  For the moment, though, I am going for low hanging fruit.

 Today’s mango is the flap over the video by Rihanna.  I will begin by saying that I have never watched more than 30 seconds of any Rihanna video, and that is not a comment on her talents.  I simply do not care for that genre of music.  (It's okay, Rihanna probably doesn’t care for bluegrass.  Has she ever used a banjo or harmonica in one of her songs?)  Anyway, CNN showed the opening—pre-music—seconds of the video.  The singer is sober looking and watching a man walk away from her.  Then, her hand lifts a lady-size revolver and fires a shot.  From the angles shown in the video it is unclear how she was able to hit him, but blood spurts from his back, and the man topples over.  Presumably the music starts then.  

 Two groups: the Parents Television Council and Industry Ears  have condemned the video.  No matter that the shooting seems to be the resolution of an abusive situation.  Pastor Delman Coates—whoever he is—has joined in the condemnation.

 They should know that songs about murder have a long history.  Is there anyone who can’t warble a chorus of Frankie and Johnnie?  Her gun went rootie-toot-toot because Johnnie done her wrong.  That’s where the controversy should stay.  Murders, real and imaginary, have always been the inspiration for songs.

 Rihanna has been the victim of very public physical abuse by her boyfriend, Chris Brown.  She certainly deserves to work out her demons in a video if she wishes.  God bless her.

Where I do have a criticism is with her defence of the video.  She said or tweeted, "U can't hide your kids from society, or they'll never learn how to adapt! This is the REAL WORLD!"  What she says is true enough, but she is talking about a music video.  Music videos are not society, and they sure ain’t the “real world.”  Rihanna, please, defend your right to artistic expression and I will be right beside you—figuratively speaking.  (I have no interest in traveling to California--which I recall as being a very nice state, but I’ve been there already.)  But, to continue my point, please do not defend a music video—any music video—as being true to life.  I have yet to see one that comes within driving distance.

 Meanwhile, for the groups making claims on the high moral ground, why no comment on the plight of Eman al-Obeidy?  She’s the woman who said she was gang-raped by Moammar Gadhafi’s security forces, and was then arrested as she appealed to Western reporters for help.  She finally escaped from Libya and went to Qatar.  Now, she has been deported back to Libya, allegedly after Qatari police beat and handcuffed her.  Why doesn’t Pastor Coates offer to sponsor her immigration, so she can find haven in a country so safe that we even protect her from the theatrical violence of music videos?

 

Dancing with Paranoia

I watch Dancing with the Stars.  This is one of those guilty pleasures that cultured people are not supposed to admit.  My excuse is that wife wanted to see it that first time.  I admired the scanty dance costumes, and then got into the sport and drama of it all.  Today, it seems part of a global conspiracy—but I get ahead of myself.

Over the years, I have seen things on the show that smacked of bias.  If you haven’t seen the show, the scores of the three judges count for half of the total, and votes by the viewers count for the other half.  The celebrity with the lowest count each week leaves the show  If you vote on line, you get multiple votes, one less than the number of contestants.  On occasion, the judges have seemed to single out a celebrity contestant for particularly harsh criticism.  I believe that this was their way of trying to influence the popular vote to get a not-so-good dancer out of the running and keep better dancers in.   The results of this tilting were mixed, and I haven’t noticed it during the last couple seasons.

 Meanwhile, the public has sometimes voted for favorites without regard for skill or talent.   A good example was Steve Wozniak.  He was pitiful, but as a founder of Apple, attracted the geek and nerd vote.  Or so it seemed.  He lasted well beyond what logic dictated.   Usually, contestants of this kind fall by the wayside as the competition tightens.  One year, the producers were evidently afraid that the favorite clod-hopper would go too far and had a special week in which the bottom two celebrities were eliminated.  None of these shenanigans were as shocking, or suspicious as what happened last week.

 Former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was a celebrity two years ago.  He might have lasted at least a week longer, but broke bones in his feet through the stress of practice.  DWTS staff might say that this Republican politician was balancing season three’s appearance by Democrat Jerry Springer, who had been mayor of Cincinatti once upon a time, but that’s a stretch.  At the time, DeLay publicly campaigned against Springer the dancer, by urging people to vote for country singer Sara Evans. Ms Evans was married to a Republican politician at the time.  When her marriage ended midway through the season, Ms Evans dropped out.

That brings us to this season, the show’s eleventh, and Bristol Palin.  Ms Palin’s journey reminds me of   Kelly Osbourne from last season.  Both are daughters of famous parents, and neither has a typical dancer’s body or was given a snowball’s chance of winning.  However, both young women worked very hard and won over their own set of fans.  The major difference between them is that Ms Osbourne became a much better dancer.  Ms Palin has simply improved.  She is cute, though, and that counts for something.  I have thrown a vote or two her way in past weeks just to see if she really would get better.  She's young after all.

 From week one, the far-and-away best dancer was actress Jennifer Gray, followed closely by singer/actress Brandy and actor Kyle Massey.  None of the other nine starters came close.  Bristol Palin probably wasn’t the top talent of this lower tier, but she was good enough that no one objected to her progress. 

Last week, in the final four semi-finals, Ms Palin was clearly the one who was out of place.  The judges had ranked her at the bottom for six weeks, and last week was no exception.  But, Brandy, with her stage presence, long lean body, and exquisite lines, was the one who went home.  Many people cried foul.  Foul it was.

 The judges have been unnaturally kind to Ms Palin throughout the season.  However, they usually save their polite deference for large professional athletes and contestants over 60 years old.  Their true opinions are only reflected in their scores.  But, assuming that the vote counting is fair, I do not blame the judges or the show for last week’s upset.

 I do believe that Tea Partiers and young Republican guerrila activists have had a roll in the outcome.  And, neither Bristol nor mama Sarah were necessarily aware of this action. 

 The reason it is disturbing is because it is the latest example of a conservative effort to hijack the media.  Fox president Ailes charged this week that National Public Radio is run by “Nazis," albeit left-wing, liberal Nazis--the worst kind.  On the wider internet, I have looked up weather reports and seen comments attacking global warming.  Organized or not, there is a movement afoot.

Ultimately, who wins or loses a dance competition doesn’t matter any more than who wins the Super Bowl, but who wins the fight to control communications and public opinion does.  And, every battle is important.