Our president was right when he called Kanye a jackass. I’m glad he did and am glad it was recorded. It was a good moment I thought, for our country to see our president being human, expressing an opinion any reasonable person would have a difficult time disagreeing with.
Really, despite his millions of dollars and legions of fans, does Kanye have one true friend in the world? Is there not one person willing to pull him to the side and say, “What are you thinking?” or “Who do you think you are?” With a father nowhere in sight, either in front or in the rearview, and a mother who recently passed, it looks like Kanye is on his own to decide between right and wrong. I’m guessing this only means there’s more where that came from.
Normally I find Kanye too boring to give a hoot about his antics. As a person I find him rather heinous and don’t think he’s much better as a rapper. He has the flow of a broken faucet and the breath control of an asthmatic. I’m tired after a single verse just imagining him crouched in the corner wheezing. As a producer, I’ll admit he’s remarkable, but so what. If Kanye had one tenth a percent of the talent he thinks he does, the world would have an artist for the ages instead of someone the collective unconscious can’t wait to forget.
I didn’t watch the MTV awards this year, nor did I have the desire. There seems to be a correlation between obnoxiousness and relevance that MTV started ignoring about fifteen years ago and it has only continued to fester each year. Though I didn’t see Kanye’s outburst live, it was on Twitter twenty minutes later, so of course there was no escaping. I bookmarked the link as something to watch later and finally caught up with it the following morning.
Call me a baby all you want, but I cried a bit when I first saw the clip. So did Cindy. Kanye’s always been an egomaniac, but the man standing on the stage thieving a once in a lifetime moment from the widened eyes of a young girl too befuddled and flummoxed to muster the rage the moment deserved, is nothing better than a teeth gnashing, foaming at the mouth monster.
The pain of that moment, imagining my own daughter standing freshly battered on the stage, was simply crushing. I felt Taylor’s disgrace, her immediate sense of bewildered displacement. I could feel her wanting to melt into a cool puddle and ooze off the stage. I wanted someone to come and drag Kanye to the far side of the curtain and beat some sense into him. I can’t imagine the saber rattling echo that bounced against the inner bones of Taylor’s father; Ms. Swift and I don’t share a drop of blood, but I know what I was feeling on her behalf.
I was happy when the audience collectively booed Kanye with their mouths while using their palms to hand Taylor a standing O, and I was thrilled when I clicked onto the clip of Beyoncé. After winning Best Video for Single Ladies, she said:
“Wow this is amazing. I remember being 17 years old and up for my first MTV award with Destiny’s Child. It was one of the most exciting moments in my life. So, I’d like for Taylor to come out and have her moment.”
Taylor came out and delivered a slightly altered version of the same speech she was plundered of a little earlier, and the world was a tiny bit better.
MTV has been too terrible to watch for a while now, but I don’t know if I’ll ever willingly flip to the station ever again. Kanye was a guest at their event. He had no authority whatsoever, as winners are determined by popular vote. Had any other village idiot had the insolence to do what Kanye did, they would have been ejected from the theater and charged with being drunk and disorderly in public.
Later, when Kanye had an opportunity to apologize, he said that he was “only being real.” Yeah you were, Kanye. A real @$$^*!#. Kanye also apologized on his blog. Sorry buddy, not good enough. Any yellow bellied baby mouse can tap out a few words and press publish, or have their ghost blogger do it for them, but it takes a man to look someone they’ve wronged in the eye and own their wrongdoing.
Kanye owes Taylor a whole lot more than he gave, and as an unfortunate role model, he owes the entire nation something as well. I doubt we’ll get it.
What a jackass indeed.
Writer Dad
If you think your children might like to voice an opinion on the Kanye incident, head on over to Children Write the Future for today’s writing prompt. Because Kanye apparently lit my ire this weekend, my post over at the Inkwell asks, are you Kanye or the Fray? And at Ghostwriter Dad, it’s what can Kanye teach you about good business?
About Sean Platt
Well said, Sean!
In a way I’m not sure Kanye knows how to apologise, but believe that Taylor Swift handled herself extremely well and didn’t play into his game = more kudos to her! :-)
Well said, Sean!
In a way I’m not sure Kanye knows how to apologise, but believe that Taylor Swift handled herself extremely well and didn’t play into his game = more kudos to her! :-)
Of course there’s the conspiracy theorists who note the huge publicity generated by the incident for all concerned and point to Kanye West and Taylor Swift’s shared agent. But you ain’t seen me, right?
Of course there’s the conspiracy theorists who note the huge publicity generated by the incident for all concerned and point to Kanye West and Taylor Swift’s shared agent. But you ain’t seen me, right?
I don’t know if it was staged or not, but either way he’s a jackass and am glad he was called one. Well said post, WD.
I don’t know if it was staged or not, but either way he’s a jackass and am glad he was called one. Well said post, WD.
Lucky Obama’s African-American, otherwise there’s no way in a million years the President would have gotten away for a Hip-Hop star a jackass.
But Obama hid…and for that, I’ve gained a whole new level of respect for him.
Someone ought to take Kayne to the woodshed out back, and give him a tune up.
Maybe Obama can do that too.
Lucky Obama’s African-American, otherwise there’s no way in a million years the President would have gotten away for a Hip-Hop star a jackass.
But Obama hid…and for that, I’ve gained a whole new level of respect for him.
Someone ought to take Kayne to the woodshed out back, and give him a tune up.
Maybe Obama can do that too.
Amen. And the graphic is perfect!
Amen. And the graphic is perfect!
MTV has been dead to me for years and it is obvious why they keep letting Kayne back to those awards shows, because his antics cause huge ratings and lingering buzz.
And while I may disagree with the president matters of policy, I couldn’t agree more with that taped moment that showed him being human, one of us, if you will was brilliant. I loved every second of that clip.
MTV has been dead to me for years and it is obvious why they keep letting Kayne back to those awards shows, because his antics cause huge ratings and lingering buzz.
And while I may disagree with the president matters of policy, I couldn’t agree more with that taped moment that showed him being human, one of us, if you will was brilliant. I loved every second of that clip.
West was ejected from the venue and not allowed back in for the duration of the broadcast, which is why he wasn’t seen on camera thereafter. Granted, MTV likes to push the envelope more and more each year with outrageous antics – I bought into the whatzizname landing on Eminem at the movie awards and Eminem’s ensuing outburst and storming out with his entourage, until learning that it was staged as a publicity event for Whatzizname’s film, which was called.. uh..
See how well it worked?
Anyway, this wasn’t staged and Kanye has been sufficiently whipped by the media, the public and Jay Leno, who made him cry on national television by bringing his dead mother into it. Good move, Jay. I would have cried too. It’s doubtful it’ll impact his behavior at future events, but it was fun to watch.
I catch things like this award show just for the laughs. Lady GaGa being slowly devoured by a toilet brush was worth the price of admission alone.
West was ejected from the venue and not allowed back in for the duration of the broadcast, which is why he wasn’t seen on camera thereafter. Granted, MTV likes to push the envelope more and more each year with outrageous antics – I bought into the whatzizname landing on Eminem at the movie awards and Eminem’s ensuing outburst and storming out with his entourage, until learning that it was staged as a publicity event for Whatzizname’s film, which was called.. uh..
See how well it worked?
Anyway, this wasn’t staged and Kanye has been sufficiently whipped by the media, the public and Jay Leno, who made him cry on national television by bringing his dead mother into it. Good move, Jay. I would have cried too. It’s doubtful it’ll impact his behavior at future events, but it was fun to watch.
I catch things like this award show just for the laughs. Lady GaGa being slowly devoured by a toilet brush was worth the price of admission alone.
Interrupting is disrespectful period. If you want to hear some great dialogue, listen to our youth on an elementary school playground. I got quite the earful and turned it into a writing prompt which invoked a lot of writing from the heart. Priceless.
Interrupting is disrespectful period. If you want to hear some great dialogue, listen to our youth on an elementary school playground. I got quite the earful and turned it into a writing prompt which invoked a lot of writing from the heart. Priceless.
Wow!! Well said. As a father of two daughters (both involved in the performing arts), I especially share your sentiments.
Wow!! Well said. As a father of two daughters (both involved in the performing arts), I especially share your sentiments.
Kanye drives me nuts. I love much of his music and I also love that he was willing to take a stand about how “everybody in hip-hop discriminates against gay people” which is true and probably a huge factor as to why Queen Latifah has not come out.
BUT.
He is a flaming jackass. My heart melted for Taylor because, whatever the hell he was thinking, we were watching a girl get bullied in front of the nation.
Kanye drives me nuts. I love much of his music and I also love that he was willing to take a stand about how “everybody in hip-hop discriminates against gay people” which is true and probably a huge factor as to why Queen Latifah has not come out.
BUT.
He is a flaming jackass. My heart melted for Taylor because, whatever the hell he was thinking, we were watching a girl get bullied in front of the nation.
Andrew: Hey there, Andrew. I totally agree on both counts. I doubt the dude even has it in him to muster a real apology, even if at some point in his life someone had taught him how to do it, and Taylor handled herself like an absolute lady. I probably should have mentioned that point – her father I’m sure is very proud.
Iain: No way! Seriously?!? They have the same agent? Hmmm…. that is definitely food for thought.
Emily: Hi Emily! How wonderful to see you. : > )
If it was staged, I will be really disappointed. With everyone involved really, but especially Taylor. Going from innocent victim to puppeteer would just be sad. Thanks for the compliment, Em.
Friar: I couldn’t agree more. It was an awesome moment. Brother to brother he was able to say something that no other president in the last half century would have been able to.
Deb: Snicker… you should see all the graphics I didn’t choose, this being a family site and all. : > )
PJ: MTV stopped being about the music so long ago, and it really is sad. In their day they were so groundbreaking. What if they had decided to continue with that kind of cutting edge thought instead of melting into irrelevance the way they have? Could’ve been something special. I agree about Obama, the moment was so human, which is something we need from our leaders.
Rhodester: Though I didn’t know about his ejection at the time, it has since been brought to my attention through a series of emails. That does make me feel a bit better for sure. I also have yet to watch the Leno clip, though I aim to get to it before the end of the day. I hear he manages to squeeze out a little sympathy. LOL on Lady Gaga. Too funny.
Cindy: Right on teacher preacher! Hmmm… if only we can get our children to stop interrupting us at dinner. : > )
Brian: Thanks Brian. Yeah, it was difficult for me to separate myself from being a dad for sure. I just imagined by daughter and it rolled my blood all the way to a boil!
Hayden: LOL, you added flaming to jackass. That’s awesome! I melted for Taylor as well. Truly a sad moment – and you’re right, it was bullying at its worst. Did you hear Pink’s quote? It was awesome and a half.
Andrew: Hey there, Andrew. I totally agree on both counts. I doubt the dude even has it in him to muster a real apology, even if at some point in his life someone had taught him how to do it, and Taylor handled herself like an absolute lady. I probably should have mentioned that point – her father I’m sure is very proud.
Iain: No way! Seriously?!? They have the same agent? Hmmm…. that is definitely food for thought.
Emily: Hi Emily! How wonderful to see you. : > )
If it was staged, I will be really disappointed. With everyone involved really, but especially Taylor. Going from innocent victim to puppeteer would just be sad. Thanks for the compliment, Em.
Friar: I couldn’t agree more. It was an awesome moment. Brother to brother he was able to say something that no other president in the last half century would have been able to.
Deb: Snicker… you should see all the graphics I didn’t choose, this being a family site and all. : > )
PJ: MTV stopped being about the music so long ago, and it really is sad. In their day they were so groundbreaking. What if they had decided to continue with that kind of cutting edge thought instead of melting into irrelevance the way they have? Could’ve been something special. I agree about Obama, the moment was so human, which is something we need from our leaders.
Rhodester: Though I didn’t know about his ejection at the time, it has since been brought to my attention through a series of emails. That does make me feel a bit better for sure. I also have yet to watch the Leno clip, though I aim to get to it before the end of the day. I hear he manages to squeeze out a little sympathy. LOL on Lady Gaga. Too funny.
Cindy: Right on teacher preacher! Hmmm… if only we can get our children to stop interrupting us at dinner. : > )
Brian: Thanks Brian. Yeah, it was difficult for me to separate myself from being a dad for sure. I just imagined by daughter and it rolled my blood all the way to a boil!
Hayden: LOL, you added flaming to jackass. That’s awesome! I melted for Taylor as well. Truly a sad moment – and you’re right, it was bullying at its worst. Did you hear Pink’s quote? It was awesome and a half.
Oh, Kanye you’re the greatest writing prompt ever!
And I’m absolutely thrilled President Obama called him out, this egomaniac, clueless jackass.
Hey, flaming jackass? That’s so delicious – now I can’t get it out of my head! LOL
Oh, Kanye you’re the greatest writing prompt ever!
And I’m absolutely thrilled President Obama called him out, this egomaniac, clueless jackass.
Hey, flaming jackass? That’s so delicious – now I can’t get it out of my head! LOL
If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of wasting your time listening to Kayne West talk, you know it wasn’t staged. He’s a narcissistic flaming jackass. It’s what I would expect from him. He truly thinks he is God’s gift to the world.
If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of wasting your time listening to Kayne West talk, you know it wasn’t staged. He’s a narcissistic flaming jackass. It’s what I would expect from him. He truly thinks he is God’s gift to the world.
I’m enjoying all the KW rage inspired posts, Sean. Like you, I’ve a daughter who performs on stage and I felt for Taylor Swift. I may not have been quick enough to get up there and past his minders, but my goodness, if anyone stole a moment of glory from my daughter like that, I don’t know what I’d be capable of.
I wonder what will happen with the joint agent situation now? That one intrigues me…
I’m enjoying all the KW rage inspired posts, Sean. Like you, I’ve a daughter who performs on stage and I felt for Taylor Swift. I may not have been quick enough to get up there and past his minders, but my goodness, if anyone stole a moment of glory from my daughter like that, I don’t know what I’d be capable of.
I wonder what will happen with the joint agent situation now? That one intrigues me…
These days you have to really be under a rock to miss what ‘happens’, eh?
An ‘adult’ (term loosely applied to KW) bullied a child in public – it appears as if that adult lacks the humility to realize the impact of his actions. I also feel for Beyonce, as she too was put in a difficult position.
These days you have to really be under a rock to miss what ‘happens’, eh?
An ‘adult’ (term loosely applied to KW) bullied a child in public – it appears as if that adult lacks the humility to realize the impact of his actions. I also feel for Beyonce, as she too was put in a difficult position.
Kanye is a jack ass, there is no doubt about it. To say Kanye is a bad rapper is obviously not knowing the industry.
It’s MTV though, I wouldn’t put it past them to stage an event like this.
Kanye is a jack ass, there is no doubt about it. To say Kanye is a bad rapper is obviously not knowing the industry.
It’s MTV though, I wouldn’t put it past them to stage an event like this.
What a great post! I was appalled by this behavior as well, and like you, didn’t spend my precious time watching the awards at all. YouTube.com came to my rescue when I heard about this from my hubby.
I think the bigger discussion should be – why is it important to sensor yourself on occasion? Why are apologies important? AND, even bigger… why do we continue to idolize and support people like Kanye? As a Mom of growing daughters (twin 3 year olds), I find it immensely important to continue discussions like this.
Thanks for a great post!
Jennifer
What a great post! I was appalled by this behavior as well, and like you, didn’t spend my precious time watching the awards at all. YouTube.com came to my rescue when I heard about this from my hubby.
I think the bigger discussion should be – why is it important to sensor yourself on occasion? Why are apologies important? AND, even bigger… why do we continue to idolize and support people like Kanye? As a Mom of growing daughters (twin 3 year olds), I find it immensely important to continue discussions like this.
Thanks for a great post!
Jennifer
Jan: Seriously, Jackass was great, but Hayden took the ball and left the field with Flaming Jackass! It’s a good thing I stopped when I did, I could’ve written about Kanye for an entire week. : > )
Stephen: Couldn’t agree more. That’s why I don’t think the dude has any real friends. Someone needs to pull that dude to the side! Not only is he disrespectful to his other fellow contemporary musicians, he’s also far to arrogant about the music that mattered well before he was a zygote.
Janice: LOL, I’m glad, Janice. I have NO clue what is going to happen with the joint agents, and actually didn’t know they even had joint agents until it was pointed out to me in the comments just above. It is intriguing for sure…
Trina: I felt super bad for Beyoncé too, but I was thrilled with how she handled it. Someone a lot bigger than Kanye needs to show him what if feels like to be bullied.
Matt: I agree about MTV, though I sure hope it’s not true. I stand by my comment about Kanye being a bad rapper though. My favorite thing about rap is to listen to someone’s flow; the way they cram their syllables into the space given. Kanye is weak. Even in his own songs, he is consistently out dribbled by others. This doesn’t mean he can’t occasionally nail it, but that’s with a lot of studio edit. By in large he’s weak sauce and I’ve never heard a live performance that stood muster. Purely speaking of verbal flow, he wouldn’t make a top 100 list. Of course this is just my opinion.
Jennifer: Thanks, Jennifer! I couldn’t agree more. Those are all valid questions. I don’t idolize or support Kanye. I would never buy his records and I think he’s a big giant joker face, but it does make me sad that we as a society are so eager to hand our money to someone who has no ability to be humble.
Jan: Seriously, Jackass was great, but Hayden took the ball and left the field with Flaming Jackass! It’s a good thing I stopped when I did, I could’ve written about Kanye for an entire week. : > )
Stephen: Couldn’t agree more. That’s why I don’t think the dude has any real friends. Someone needs to pull that dude to the side! Not only is he disrespectful to his other fellow contemporary musicians, he’s also far to arrogant about the music that mattered well before he was a zygote.
Janice: LOL, I’m glad, Janice. I have NO clue what is going to happen with the joint agents, and actually didn’t know they even had joint agents until it was pointed out to me in the comments just above. It is intriguing for sure…
Trina: I felt super bad for Beyoncé too, but I was thrilled with how she handled it. Someone a lot bigger than Kanye needs to show him what if feels like to be bullied.
Matt: I agree about MTV, though I sure hope it’s not true. I stand by my comment about Kanye being a bad rapper though. My favorite thing about rap is to listen to someone’s flow; the way they cram their syllables into the space given. Kanye is weak. Even in his own songs, he is consistently out dribbled by others. This doesn’t mean he can’t occasionally nail it, but that’s with a lot of studio edit. By in large he’s weak sauce and I’ve never heard a live performance that stood muster. Purely speaking of verbal flow, he wouldn’t make a top 100 list. Of course this is just my opinion.
Jennifer: Thanks, Jennifer! I couldn’t agree more. Those are all valid questions. I don’t idolize or support Kanye. I would never buy his records and I think he’s a big giant joker face, but it does make me sad that we as a society are so eager to hand our money to someone who has no ability to be humble.
I am just amazed at how “important” some people think they are. This guy is selfish and pitiful. You are right in that he robbed the girl of her glory. He was real alright, just like you said Sean, a real ASS! (I’m older, so I can say it)
I am just amazed at how “important” some people think they are. This guy is selfish and pitiful. You are right in that he robbed the girl of her glory. He was real alright, just like you said Sean, a real ASS! (I’m older, so I can say it)
Yeah, what they said. As always, comments on your posts are spot-on. I wrote a little something about it, too, right after it happened. My heart was breaking for Taylor. Kanye is a turd.
Yeah, what they said. As always, comments on your posts are spot-on. I wrote a little something about it, too, right after it happened. My heart was breaking for Taylor. Kanye is a turd.