Comment on Bush sparks Net furore

The Manchester Evening News said today it had received a record number of hits after reporting on its Web site that Morrissey , 45, had interrupted a Dublin concert on Saturday with news of Ronald Reagan's death, adding that he wished Mr Bush had died instead.
news.com.au...

Free speech
Sanc'.
edit: kerning

[edit on 10-6-2004 by sanctum]

Strangely enough, I was up late a few weeks ago and Morrissey was on CNN bashing Bush in an interview. I don't know if he is promoting a new album or something, but why does CNN think that what a musician from Europe thinks about the president of the US is news worthy?

I wonder what the mainstream media, not to mention the U.S. Admin',
would make of (SPIN) the same comment had say,
Geldof, Bono, Sting ect, said the same thing.

Sanc'.

Johnny Cash died last year...I wish Morrissey had died instead!

What comes around, goes around.

Originally posted by Jonna
Strangely enough, I was up late a few weeks ago and Morrissey was on CNN bashing Bush in an interview. I don't know if he is promoting a new album or something, but why does CNN think that what a musician from Europe thinks about the president of the US is news worthy?

Probably, the person who made this report hates Bush, but can't go on and say that - that would make CNN bias. So, this person would take any oportunity when someones says that and get it out there.

They should just launch a new cable channel "Weenie TV - Your Bush-Bashing Network"...They can have uncensored presidential debates available through pay-per-view...Don King could be the commentator.

I agree this story has gotten an undo amount of attention in the press. Its Morrissey for goodness sakes people! I like the Smiths and all, but who cares a whit what he thinks about anything?

I think that the story is getting attention not because he voiced his opinions on Bush, but because he made a comment in extremely poor taste. Saying you wished someone was dead is not considered good behavior regardless of your affiliations.

Originally posted by el_topo
I agree this story has gotten an undo amount of attention in the press.

As i posted above,
"I wonder what the mainstream media, not to mention the U.S. Admin',
would make of (SPIN) the same comment had say, Geldof, Bono, Sting ect, said the same thing."

Any thoughts?
Sanc'.

Morrissey has got a new album out, but he's always been political. I do get annoyed that he's been making his voice heard about UK politics lately, when he's been living in LA for something like 15 years.

That automatically rules you out of making a social commentary of the UK Morrissey, but it does give him the right to make one on the US. Anyway, The Smiths were fantastic so he can say whatever he wants.
I wouldn't exactly disagree with what he said either, and the reason people probably gave him a bit of attention is because he's actually a very clever man, not your average pop star.

Me thinks the media would calculate viewer reaction to $$$ of what ad sponsors would pay - U.S. Administration, depends on how they could play it for public opinion...makes me wonder what the celebrity news focus would be if John Lennon were alive and up to his political antics.

Originally posted by sanctum
As i posted above,
"I wonder what the mainstream media, not to mention the U.S. Admin',
would make of (SPIN) the same comment had say, Geldof, Bono, Sting ect, said the same thing."

Any thoughts?
Sanc'.

I think there would be a huge furor if that happened, especially Bono. Let's not forget U2 became America's darlings after they did the tribute to 9/11 at the SuperBowl and Bono kept posing for pictures drapped in the US Flag. Sting still has a high public image, Geldof not so much. If they did come out and say that though I think they'd lose any credibility that they've earned. Immediately they'd be dismissed as "silly pop stars" or dumb rockers. The Dixie Chicks learned a hard lesson about angering your fan base.

Actually, I think the press should be ashamed of themselves if at least one of them didn't use the headline: Bigmouth Strikes Again!

Bigmouth Strikes Again
The Smiths

Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head

Sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt

Bigmouth, bigmouth,
Bigmouth strikes again
I've got no right to take my place
In the Human race

Bigmouth, bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
I've got no right to take my place
In the Human race

And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to a roman nose
And her hearing aid started to melt

Oh, bigmouth, bigmouth
Bigmouth strikes again
I've got no right to take my place
With the Human race


The chorus always seems to go through my head everytime I say something stupid.

Originally posted by John Nada
I do get annoyed that he's been making his voice heard about UK politics lately, when he's been living in LA for something like 15 years.
I wouldn't exactly disagree with what he said either, and the reason people probably gave him a bit of attention is because he's actually a very clever man, not your average pop star.

Do i read a touch of bias?
Sanc'.

Originally posted by sanctum
Do i read a touch of bias?
Sanc'.

You tell me...

I think I made my feelings perfectly clear.

So a 45 year old burnout made some puerile, sophomoric, immature comments. Probably got a chubby just from saying something naughty. I can just imagine him giggling like a pre-teen as he said it, scanning the audience for reaction. Who cares? According to this:

"We do not have a recording of the gig, but as far as we can tell, Morrissey was just alerting the audience to the fact that Ronald Reagan had died," the newspaper quoted the company as saying.

The hits on the newspaper's site could just have been people looking for info on Reagan.

I would estimate that 99%+ of Morrissey's live audience would have agreed with his comments. No biggie.

That might explain why I've never heard of him. Shoplifters of....never mind.

In the eighties I hated Morrisey and Reagen equally.

I remain an equal opportunity basher to this day.

And skate punks should still eat curb IMHO.

Didn't someone in the eighties say that all Morrisey needed was "A cheeseburger and a good f%&k." Need we really speak about how pathetic it is for the rich and famous to vomit political statements? Leave the real world to the people who actually live in it.

[edit on 12-6-2004 by The Last Patriot]