Kanye West

[MikeA]

BTW:

What was the context of Obama's statement? I mean was he asked about it or did he call a press conference to express his opinion? I don't know. But I can see him responding to such a question if asked.

[Wildthyme]

The way I understand it during the prep for a press conference the mic that was being put on the President was live when it wasn't supposed to be and during the course of a casual conversation with others in the room someone asked him what he thought of the Kanye debacle and part of his comment included the jackass remark. Unfortunately the live mic recorded what he said and of course someone was opportunistic enough to then make the comments public...

[sodascouts]

It was "off the record" - he was joking around while waiting to get interviewed. If you listen to the audio clip, they asked him about it and everyone was laughing, egging him on. I wouldn't appreciate him using the word in a speech, but he thought his words were relatively private. Perhaps he learned the hard way that nothing is truly private when you're around the press, even if you do specify it as "off the record."

ETA: I didn't realize he didn't even know his mic was on! Thanks for the extra piece of info, WT.

[MikeA]

So Barak Obama is shooting to be another Andrew Jackson? Next thing you know, West will call him out for a duel at ten paces <LOL>

[AmarilloByMorning]

That comment marked the first time Obama actually said something with which I could wholeheartedly concur. I actively campaigned against the guy, but have to support him in this matter.

Swift annoys me to no end... but West's capacity for sophomoric and cretinous behavior seems limitless. Nobody deserved that kind of treatment, least of all a teenager with a reputation for really not saying anything negative about anybody.

[Prettymaid]

http://www.comcast.net/video/obama-o...st/1257444839/

[Molly]

That comment marked the first time Obama actually said something with which I could wholeheartedly concur. I actively campaigned against the guy, but have to support him in this matter.


Swift annoys me to no end... but West's capacity for sophomoric and cretinous behavior seems limitless. Nobody deserved that kind of treatment, least of all a teenager with a reputation for really not saying anything negative about anybody.

I said the same thing yesterday!

While I'm not particularly a fan of Taylor's music or videos, I do admire the poise, humor and grace she's shown at such a young age, not just at the VMA's, but every time I've seen and/or heard her. She's really an engaging young woman.

I've heard she's also amazingly wonderful with her fans, especially the young girls who look up to her.


In today's entertainment world, she is a rare combination of talent and personality in a good way.

And kudos to Beyonce who has more class in her little finger than Kanye...well, you know how it goes.

[MikeA]

And THAT shows you how familiar "I" am with either one of these two young women. I can't even spell their names right! <LOL> But you won't hear me bad-mouthing either them or anything they are doing! I don't know anything about West either, but you don't have to know a lot about someone to form an opinion over something as blatant as he pulled.

That was just shocking. Beyond comprehension. Still can't believe anyone could be so stupid as to show himself like that to that big an audience!

[AmarilloByMorning]

Molly, I completely agree. She seems an exemplary role model in a world of Miley Cyrus and Gossip Girl. Doesn't keep me from gritting my teeth when her songs air, but I'll take one for the team.

Haha Mike, we got the point with their names. But, no kidding! You really don't need to know much about him - this is merely the latest in a series of slights he's made against, oh, just about everyone. And then using his Jay Leno Show appearance as a vehicle to issue a PR apology... jeez.

But this is why I love Leno - he opens by saying to Kanye in his congenial manner, "Tell us about your day. Did you have a bad day?"

[bernie's bender]

The last few music and video awards shows have had controversies that all ended up being set up.

You can look it up. The Borat thing, the eminem thing and so on and so on.

If you have ever worked a show like that or an event with security... nothing and I mean nothing happens without planning... even going back to the 'soy bomb' incident... it was an inside job.

MTV is not really a music channel anymore. It is a third or fourth rate cable channel with very very small ratings. It is owned by viacom and if you look at all the participants they all have relationships with viacom.

Will Taylor Swift want to remain a 'country' singer for her entire career? Will she want to broaden her audience and maximize her earning potential and be as big as she can possibly be? Did the Eagles add Joe and Don because they wanted to rock or because they needed to rock?

In this case, the scenario ends up with everyone winning. Kanye is already Jayz's boy and because of that he earns street cred for doing what, in the end, was a very mild thing... he interrupted her. Go back and watch, there were no raised voices, no violence, no threat, he was just mildly rude... and someone allowed him on stage. They didn't edit it out (it wasn't live and they do 'redos' on those shows.)

So, sure he looks like a jerk, but that spins Jay's new show way up in the ratings, it gives MTV new life for reruns of that show (and why they pulled down the youtubes) so they make out too...

Kanye gets cred in his fan base and Beyonce, well, Beyonce gets to be the new queen, right? she is gracious and a winner of her award and she brings Taylor back and gives Taylor credibility among the pop people... practically welcoming her into the pop world ... right there on the pop awards show....

it was her 'coming out party'.... Now, Taylor is a controversial character among the country audience. she is widely mocked and it is said that she has major pitch problems and is not a strong singer. She also sings 'new' country which the traditionalists hate. Along comes this urban rap guy who is rude to her... guess who suddenly takes up the Taylor Swift defense? Yup. The very people who had disrespected her. Big win solidifying her base and now she is introduced to a whole new base...

Now, I wonder who Jay will have on real soon to continue to feed this frenzy? We'll see!

Now the really big winners are the fans! Everyone gets to be upset and see a boogie man and have a 'black hat' who we can take all of our frustrations from our own lives and pour them out on the evil man Kanye.

He doesn't mind because he has watched pro wrestling for years... in pro wrestling everyone takes their turn as the villain and then they get to be heroes. When Snoop Dog was part of NWA they were banned and were horrible individuals... now we know snoop as a sweet guy who coaches his kids football team and is a religious man who slips sometimes and chases women and smokes a little dope... a long way from the evil snoop....

It is all theater folks. It is all made up and staged for your benefit and as long as you pay with your time, attention and money. None of it is real.

Even when you read a biography... it isn't real.. it isn't the way it usually happened.. it is a story like the ones your grandpa told you when you were a little kid.

It is fun to get caught up in... and make generalizations about society and the future and the way people act...

My grandfather was an entertainment lawyer in Hollywood. He once won a case for 100K for defamation of character for her. That was a lot of money back then... He received the entire 100K. It was basically a setup to generate free PR for her. He didn't know it until well after as he would never have participated (he would have been disbarred if he knowingly did it.)

That doesn't mean that Taylor Swift was in on it... Lets face it, she isn't important enough to have to know, right? It is so much better theater if it is a genuine response...

In awhile, as it all dies down... we'll discover it was made up and created... and it will be long enough that we won't care anymore....

but, hey, have fun... It is a lot of fun to get really upset and be indignant....even if we are being used.