Nothing like a good juxtaposition to clear the fog!
The other night I was watching Larry King Live because he was doing a full hour with Johnny Cash. Durring the commercials I would channel surf. Madonna and her fake lesbian kiss was everywhere. That's all people were talking about. Madonna. Britney. Christina. Justin Timberlake's raised eyebrows.
Then back to Johnny Cash. REALity. Johnny Cash is REAL. A REAL song writer. A REAL musician, a REAL drug addict, a REAL convict, a REAL outlaw, a REAL hero.
Seeing the two pop stars thrown together on my TV was so insightful. This is what she is...
OK, she's VERY talented.
She is an amazing A & R person (record company). She has an uncanny ear for hit records. She doesn't write them (no matter what the credit says) but she hears them. No small feat to be sure. (If it was easy they ALL could do it)
She is a great pop stylist. She always knows what to wear. What hair to do etc. She doesn't come up with ANY of this herself but again, she knows what to take. (I know why you like her Jimmy, she's good.)
She will go down in history as one of the fiercest publicists ever. Right up ther with PT Barnum and Billy Rose. She will do ANYTHING to stay in the spotlight. And if anyone thinks that is easy... think again.
She really knows human nature. (The "Low Road" anyway). She knows power is EVERYTHING.
example: Magazines keep her on top because she sells magazines.
She is shameless and knows nobody will challenge her as long as she makes money. She knows it's all about money today.
The same old trick she's been doing for twenty years.
She watches Tatu's fake lesbian kiss.
Thinks...
20 million people know about it. I can do it in front of 200 million people. Get more press and air time than they could in 20 years. And it will be "The Madonna Fake Lesbian Kiss". Not Christina's, Britney's or Tatu's.
Mine.
She was right. It worked like a charm. A week later people are still talking about "The Madonna Fake Lesbian Kiss".
Botton Line:
Here we are still talking about her.
20 years later.
NOW CHANGE THE CHANNEL.
FLASH BACK TO JOHNNY CASH.
He's singing raw with his guitar in front of a thousand inmates in Fulsom Prison.
"She walks these hills in a long black veil"
Real.
He would never make it today. Justin Timberlake would blow him out of the water. Neither would Aretha Franklin. (VH1's "Entertainer Of The Century") She's too dark and too fat.
OK, OK...
I know the argument Jimmy.
-She's just a Pop Star. What the hell do you expect?
Well Johnny Cash is a Pop Star.
So is Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchel, Kurt Cobain, Prince, Trent Reznor, David Byrne etc.
And I know that there have always been bubblegum Pop Stars. But she's not that. She is a sign post Pop Star. Like Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger. A reflection of a generation.
And that's what is interesting to me about her.
Paris (a couple of years ago)
Madonna to Daddy:
"You're so shady to me".
[This message was edited by daddy on 09-03-03 at 03:41 PM.]