Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Kanye's Backlash

Hey all, just wanted to make a quick post before I call it quits for the night.

Thankfully, the rest of the world is citing Kanye West as a jackass egotist for last night's stunt with Taylor Swift. For those of you who need a good laugh, check out Colbert's autotuned blast of Kanye. (The first time's the only time the autotune shows up, so if that's all you're looking for, you can cut out after the first one.)

You have no idea how happy I am to see Kanye taking the heat that he is. It almost brings tears to my eyes to finally see a jackass treated like a jackass. Apparently Leno asked him the other night how he thinks his mom would have felt, had she been alive to witness the douchebaggery. Kanye had no real response, saying he needed to take time out to deal with her death. Thanks, media, for giving him the reaming he deserves.

Anyway, that's about it for the night. Look for a new episode of Struck Lightning tomorrow, everyone. Topics of the day: The Fray's concert in Champaign, IL, and Universal Health Care...look for a surprise announcement about the future of SL, too!

-Josh

Monday, September 14, 2009

Kanye's Ridiculousness

Ok, so I just posted a new podcast and found out minutes later about yet another piece of media ridiculousness that has fallen from the miraculously miserable mouth of Kanye West. (In case you don't know the story, check it out: Kanye decides to voice his opinion on Taylor Swift's reception of the award for Best Female Music Video) You know, it seems like every time a piece of his ignorance finally trickles its way out of the limelight, he goes and takes another verbal s*** on his audience and fans. And I'm not sure what bothers me more: the fact that people put up with his BS because he's a celebrity, or that there are people out there that support his BS claims.

We see it in the news every day now: Hollywood singer/actor is given an exceptionally minimal sentence for committing a horrendous crime. T.I. gets 1 year for carrying automatic weapons in his car. Chris Brown gets 5 years of probation for beating Rihanna to a pulp. Michael Vick gets his job back, but has to work for the ASPCA for running an illegal dog fighting ring and torturing/savagely killing animals. Now I'm a black man just like all of the aforementioned, but let me get caught hitting a woman or carrying AKs in the back of my car, and you know when you'll next hear from me? I don't know either, but it sure as hell wouldn't be any time soon.

Now I understand that there's a big difference between corruption in the legal system and a dumbass-of-a-rapper getting on stage at a live award show and randomly wrecking stuff. But Kanye's little outbursts aren't anything new; he busted out with all sorts of anger when he found out his performance at the VMAs back in '07 was to be in a hotel suite instead of on the mainstage. There's a mindset in our society that allows these events, so whose fault is it that these outbursts keep happening? Kanye's, or his "adoring fans"?

Don't take this the wrong way, reader; Kanye West is a grown man and should be able to assume responsibility for his decisions and words. But why have we put up with it for so long? Why do we continually buy in to the idiocy that spews from this man's mouth? Sure, he's had some great tracks and good lines, but when it comes to the man behind the artist, the kid's a jackass. And it's sad that we, as a society, not only condone, but promote his outlandish acts by sitting back and enjoying the show.

My thanks goes out to the crowd members who applauded Taylor Swift and booed Kanye after his stunt, as well as those out there in the media who are making their voices heard against Kanye's ignorance. The talented should at least have the decency to respect the others in their field who are also talented and working hard.

-Josh