Drudge has a flash story about Alanis Morissette pretending to strip (perishable) on some pretentious, self-aggrandizing award show, and some of her comments show just how bizarrely out-of-touch celebrities can be.
Morissette strips down to blast US 'censorship'Oh please, spare me the martyrdom. First of all, you're a coward; you didn't have the guts to really take your clothes off, so you wore a bodysuit. How absurd. (Sound familiar?)
Mon Apr 05 2004 14:14:52 ETNot another wardrobe malfunction !! ... feisty rock singer Alanis Morissette poked fun at Janet Jackson's notorious breast-baring episode by stripping on stage to reveal cartoonish fake nipples and pubic hair.
Morissette, hosting Canada's annual music awards, said the stunt, in which she appeared in a provocative skin-hugging body-suit was intended to expose US "censorship."
The singer, renowned for her angst-ridden lyrics, told the audience at the Juno Awards in Edmonton "we live in a land where we still think the human body is beautiful and we're not afraid of the female breast."
Morissette let a dressing gown fall to the floor to reveal her "nudity" after an announcer warned : "we can't show nipples on national TV," in an obvious dig at US outrage fanned by Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at the Superbowl.
"I am proud to be able to stand here and do this," Morissette said, to wild cheers from the audience at Sunday night's show.
Morissette then blasted US radio stations which have forced her to change the word "asshole" in one of her songs.
"They're in an era when they're scared, when there's lots of fear," she said.
END
Secondly -- assuming I'm part of the "they" who don't want naked people and cursing on the public airwaves -- what exactly do you think we're afraid of? Historically, naked people have been pretty powerless. There's never been a naked president or general; there once was an emperor with no clothes, but everyone eventually agreed that he was a fool.
It may be hard to believe, but we're not afraid of you, we just don't like you. We find your nakedness and superfluous cursing to be aesthetically unpleasing. We don't want our kids to grow up to be like you, because absent the publicity machine of the fading music industry you're a pathetic, angst-ridden loser. You've written some music some people like, and that's a nice accomplishment, but it gives you about as much moral authority to pontificate on war, censorship, and politics as Humpty (pronounced with an "umpty").
Get off your high-horse and get some perspective on life.
Update:
I just considered: this is yet another reason to encourage file-sharing! Any endeavor that will result in undercutting the political clout of loony celebrities deserves our support.
In response to this post I have three things to say...
First, right on. I hate it when people who do sinful/innapropriate things justify it by saying that they're unafraid/artisitic/ground-breaking.
Second, I had a professor once draw a picture of me on my "literary high horse" on a paper I wrote. I have never been so pleased when looking at a graded paper.
Third, I can't believe you referenced the Humpty Dance. Amazing. If I'm remembering correctly, my brother once reported seeing a middle-aged couple slow dancing to this song. Priceless.
So we have a Canadian protesting U.S. policy in Canada, and we're supposed to care how much?
Hey, CBC can show as much nudity as it wants between hockey games.
M: I'm an amazing person (cf. everything else I've ever done). Since lyrical music has largely replaced poetry, I'll go out on a limb and say "The Humpty Dance" is a great piece of modern literature.
B: Don't forget: symbolism matters much more than mere substance.
The textbook my AP English teacher used included lyrics to a RunDMC song. He never encouraged use to study it though. Pity.
An issue for debate: Which is more offensive - Morissette's silly publicity stunt or her awful harmonica playing?
M: Well, I was mostly being facetious.
LJR: I dunno, I have never purposefully listened to her music.