Celebrities-Musicians- Athletes and Politics

[Mojo88]

This is not a thread about who you are voting for and how much you hate/love any candidate.

Personally I don't vote straight party lines, I vote for the person who has the best chance of getting the job done.

With that said it always seems that celebrities, musicians and athletes feel they have the need to tell people how to vote. I guess that their position and status provide them with some rare insight that us commoners lack.

Why this rant?

I went to a concert to see Jackson Browne who my wife enjoys seeing. I like the music, but it got to the point where his political views and commentary drew boos from the crowd. A audience member in front of us stood up and yelled" Play a song and shut up with the political commentary" People stood and cheered.

I got home and my wife had taped Steve Harvey who had Wanda Sykes on. I think Wanda is hilarious and I don't care about her lifestyle, funny is funny in my book. She lost me when she starting on Trump. I turned it off.

Amy Schumer had a concert recently where the audience got up and walked out. She literally blasted the people who left on twitter and called them stupid.

Here's what I feel: I got to a concert, sporting event or movie to escape for a couple hours. With the advent of the internet and 24/7 news I don't need any further lectures on how I should vote.

It's America, you have the right to say what you want, but I have the right to turn off the TV and not go to a concert where I know a lecture will be given.

Rant Over....

 

[dws]

Musicians have messages. Sometimes it's spoken word, sometime it's in song. But lots of them have a message. You either share the view or you don't. Can't really say much more than that. I know it's not what you wanted to pay to see, but it is what you paid to see. It's his forum. It's his microphone. Sorry you didn't enjoy it. 100% honestly am. It's no different with TV.

 

[Floyd Eye]

I expect musicians to reflect their views on many things in their music. I even like, well, love, some music that the lyrics are diametrically opposite of my own views. I love the music of Rage Against the Machine. If I ever saw Tom or Zac on the street it is likely I would need bail money though. lol You need to separate art from the artist.

That said, they should say what they gotta say in their music. When they get up and start spouting their crap it makes me get up and leave too.

 

[davent]

Browne's been using his platform/position for politicking since the 70's so it shouldn't come as any surprise that in an election year he'd be ramping it up. Like you i go to a concert for music not a lecture even if i'm in the same camp.

dave

 

[dws]

Side note: If you ever want to learn about tar sands in Canada, don't got to Wikipedia, buy a Neil Young ticket the next time he's your way.

 

[LostHighway]

I absolutely think people have a right not to go to concerts/performances by artists they don't agree with. However, when the artist's views are well known if you bought a ticket I expect you to either suck it up and sit there quietly and politely or to leave quietly. Disrupting performances is a jerk move IMO and highly disrespectful to both the artist and the rest of audience.

I don't care if it is someone left of center going to see Ted Nugent to someone right of center going to see Billy Bragg, the same rules apply.

 

[Floyd Eye]

What if you got up and left because Jackson Browne blows?

 

[Mojo88]

Musicians have messages. Sometimes it's spoken word, sometime it's in song. But lots of them have a message. You either share the view or you don't. Can't really say much more than that. I know it's not what you wanted to pay to see, but it is what you paid to see. It's his forum. It's his microphone. Sorry you didn't enjoy it. 100% honestly am. It's no different with TV.

I have seen him several times and I understand what you are saying. He even said people know what they are getting when they come to see me.

Where he lost me was when the concert turned to his views on the environment, plastic and 4 songs that had to deal with the government. I agree with some of the things he says, I just don't want or need a civics lesson.

Billy Joel said it best:

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano, it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you doin' here?"


Billy had it right I go to forget about life for a while.

 

[Mojo88]

What if you got up and left because Jackson Browne blows? :

I am still waiting for that refund from 77 when Jackson was so stoned he forgot almost all the words to his songs.

The majority of the crowd did walk out..

 

[Floyd Eye]

What if you got up and left because Jackson Browne blows? :

I am still waiting for that refund from 77 when Jackson was so stoned he forgot almost all the words to his songs.

The majority of the crowd did walk out..

That might make it more listenable.

 

[Mischief]

Shut up and entertain me! That's what I say and want.
I want a concert where the musician walks on stage plays their guts out and says as little possible!
Last concert I went to, Joe Bonamassa, I think he said maybe 3-4 sentences and played for 3 hours.

 

[MichWR]

Most celebrities don't live in the real world. I don't care to hear their political views. I just don't listen/purchase their music or go to their concerts if they are what I feel is too political.

 

[Haggises]

With that said it always seems that celebrities, musicians and athletes feel they have the need to tell people how to vote. I guess that their position and status provide them with some rare insight that us commoners lack.

Between this and the comment above.....
Why because they are celebrities/musicians/athletes are their viewpoints considered less valid than anyone else's?
If anything they've had more time to research, the money to go explore, the resources to investigate and actually spend time on a subject.
Doesn't mean they're going to be right or even show intelligence, but very often they've had the chance to be much more informed than the average joe who works 8-6 five or six days a week.

 

[Haggises]

Not saying this applies to anyone here, but I suspect that a Venn diagram of the two sets A (people who think entertainers should shut up with their politics already) and B (people who complain about others being too PC and too quick to be terminally offended) have a huge overlap.

 

[Lmarkow]

If you don't want to hear what a musician has to say, don't go to the live shows. Stay home and listen to the cd.

 

[Doc4]

Some musicians feel the need to preach to their audience about "important stuff" other than their music ... or make their music about "important stuff". Others would rather not.

Some concert goers would not mind and even enjoy being told about "important stuff" by the musician they go to see, and others would prefer not.

They find each other soon enough, and everybody's happy.

 

[BSAGuy]

Good point, Mojo. No matter where a person stands on politics, when I go to a ball game, I want to see a ball game. When I go to a concert, I want to see a concert. When I watch a talk show, I want to see light banter.

At none of these do I want to see/hear politics. There are plenty of other venues for that.

It seems like everything has been politicized 24/7.

 

[August West]

Good point, Mojo. No matter where a person stands on politics, when I go to a ball game, I want to see a ball game. When I go to a concert, I want to see a concert. When I watch a talk show, I want to see light banter.

At none of these do I want to see/hear politics. There are plenty of other venues for that.

It seems like everything has been politicized 24/7.

...or when I log onto Badger and Blade.

 

[Lmarkow]

Q: When has music ever not been "politicized"?

A: Never.

 

[dfoulk]

I'd personally rather not hear about politics at any event that I paid to see. You figure about one half the audience is going to be in favor of one candidate which would leave the other half preferring the other. So whatever they say in favor of one is going to upset about half the people that came to see them.

It's a poor decision on their part to offend half the audience, not to mention a bad business move when they are trying to promote their product. If they want to campaign for a candidate then they are welcome to perform at political functions or speak out on political talk shows where they are expected to share those views.

I just don't want to hear it when I paid to hear them sing.