So one of the cool things about this 30 commentaries in 30 days thing, (note if you don't know what I'm talking about go down a few entries to the one entitled: Challenge) is that I suppose I will eventually catch up to what's happening in the world today. My partner Laura points out that I'm way behind the times with the Joe Wilson Commentary. Well, I will have to say that I am guilty as charged. I mean the Joe Wilson Story was like so 20 days ago. The good news is now I'm talking about Kanye, Taylor and Beyonce and I'm like only 17 days behind. So I think I'm catching up. At this pace by the time I'm done with the challenge, I'll be 5 days in the future. I guess this is a win for everybody.
Anyway. So unless you live under a rock at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, you know about Kanye's interruption of Taylor's Swift's acceptance speech for best female video. I know what you're thinking, what the hell is significant politically about this. The answer... Not a whole lot. But two points.
Point A: Despite the fact that Kanye was rude to a nineteen year old woman on national television, he was right. No he wasn't right for being rude, but people, Taylor Swift's Video is awful. I mean terrible. If you haven't seen it, Taylor plays the role of an "unattractive girl" trying to get the attention of a boy that's in love with a cheerleader. So young girls can grow up thinking: I should look like a skinny cheerleader and if I don't there is no hope for me because Taylor Swift looks like a skinny cheerleader and some hot stud thinks she's ugly because she wears glasses.
Point B: Beyonce's video for Single Ladies is truly brilliant. If you haven't seen it, watch it on YouTube. Than watch Mexican Breakfast by famous choreographer Bob Fosse and you will find that Single Ladies is a tribute to Fosse and his wife Gwen Verdon, arguably the best dancer on Broadway in the 50's and 60's. So what this says to me is that at least there are some people creating legitimate art even while simultaneously re-inforcing the patriarchal paradigm of marriage and relationships. I know that doesn't say a whole lot but it's the VMA's what do you expect?
So what's the conclusion? Beats me. I just figured I would share a few thoughts on this subject. I will have to call myself out and say that this commentary doesn't have a whole lot of Tofu to it. But it's only my second one of thirty, so get off my back!
I have seen neither of the videos nor the whole episode from the music awards. I'm with the President on Kanye, he's a jackass.
ReplyDeleteWho cares what he thinks, and why does he think we care what he says, especially when he's (allegedly) drunk?
If he didn't like Taylor Swift's video he should have written to the NY Times and they could have printed his letter on a slow Tuesday. The Post might have run it sooner.
What he did shows NO CLASS, no professionalism and an artist or musician, and makes him out to be the self centered child that I think he is.
He may be a "great artist", but that does not mean the rest of us normal people should grant him any license to be a "bad boy". Follow the rules or be cast out as a jerk.
There is no way around this, even if his artistic eye is better than who ever voted for someone else. It's all a qualitative measure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Kanye was wrong and rude, period.
Charlie Arbuiso