Monday, September 14, 2009

In Defense of Kanye

Okay, I said I wouldn't blog for a week because of my messed-up neck and I'm still two days away from returning. But I had to say something about the Kanye West "outburst" at the Video Music Awards. Thanks to the pathetic "news" provided by Yahoo, this came on my radar today and the story (as it has been told by entertainment pundits) really annoyed me.

Apparently, this is what happened: Some adorable, sweet, but more or less entirely talentless little nitwit named Taylor Swift won a VMA award for something-or-other. I wouldn't know, because her music sounds like the elevator music they would play in hell right before David Hasselhoff shows up to tell you his philosophy of life. After handing Ms. Swift her award (or rushing the stage, depending on which account you hear), Kanye West turned to the audience and said, "But Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time." Which is inarguably true. Teenage girls and gay men will be doing that choreography until the end of time, and it's not a bad song, either.

Beyonce showed a great deal of class later in the night. After accepting her own award, she called Swift up to the stage and let her have another undeserved minute in the spotlight. Everybody cheered and got a warm fuzzy and it was all good.

Then, the next day, everybody freaked out on Kanye for ruining this young girl's moment. Pink called him "the biggest piece of sh** in the world". Katy Perry said something equally mean that I have already forgotten because it was said by Katy Perry.

Here's the deal. Kanye West says the stuff that everybody is thinking but no one wants to say.
We already knew that George W. Bush didn't care about black people, but it seemed indelicate to say that aloud when he and FEMA were *trying so hard* to help Katrina survivors. We already knew that Taylor Swift is a cookie-cutter purveyor of pop slop who will be doing ProActive infomercials in five years, while Beyonce lounges on the beach of a small country she has just purchased.

We like to pounce on Kanye for blurting out comments that seem to be in poor taste, but let's face it - if our tastes were any better than his, Taylor Swift would not be winning awards. So let's quit slamming the guy, and give him a little bit of credit for saying the stuff we're too chicken to say.


I also wanted to say goodbye to an under-rated, under-appreciated actor. Patrick Swayze earned his acting chops. He shaved his legs and wore fishnets to play a drag queen, he played the motivational speaker from hell, and he could even dance.
We'll miss you.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

First of all, Kanye did not give Ms. Swift her award as he was not a presenter. He rushed the stage from his seat and grabbed the microphone out of her hand in the middle of her acceptance speech. Secondly, the disgust didn't start the next day as you indicate, rather those in attendance instantly booed, and Kanye himself realized what an ass he was being as soon as he walked off the stage and immediately apologized to Taylor and her mother. Now just so you know, I am in no way a Taylor Swift fan. I loathe pop-country music and think Beyonce should have one too, and she did for VOTY. However, make human decency should have told Kanye to at least save his rant until after she finished her speech.

S.M. Elliott said...

Hmm. I'm still with Kanye on this one. Poor timing doesn't mean you're wrong. Remember when Fiona Apple flaked out accepting her award and told everybody, "This world is b.s., don't believe any of it"? To me that seemed appallingly ungrateful and rude. But in hindsight? She was right, of course, and why not say it when people are actually going to be paying attention?

Incidentally, Apple was up against Hansen for "Mmmbop" that year. The entire audience had to buy into this mass delusion and actually pretend with straight faces that Hansen is comparable in any way to Fiona Apple. They needed a reality check that night.

tshsmom said...

Hey, I liked Mmmbop! I really didn't buy that Hansen CD to embarrass you...honest. ;)

tweetey30 said...

Never heard of her. I dont watch much tv even with the converter box.. LOL>. Just not interested in it anymore.. Take care.

Laura said...

I think it just comes down to common courtesy. Whether or not you think an award is deserved, it is still just plain rude to do what he did. Say what you want to the press afterwards, or to others, but the complete lack of common courtesy shown in this case is astounding.

I also don't think the parallel to his Bush comments after Katrina is apt, because in that case Kanye already had the spotlight and simply blurted out something off script. This was him inserting himself into a moment that wasn't his.

Totally inappropriate and rude.

S.M. Elliott said...

It was rude. I have to admit it. But I'm just not as appalled as most people seem to be. Especially after hearing his apology - he was practically groveling, running himself down. I just don't see the need for that. He did something inappropriate, he offended a lot of his peers and fans, and I think a simple straightforward apology should be sufficient. Maybe I'm not so offended because I find it refreshing to hear someone go off-script in this age of teleprompters.