Where’s John Lennon when we need him?

I was impressed with Kanye.  Primarily because they bleeped him.  I’m sure he
knew he was over the line, in the eyes of the pricks who control the media
beholden to the religious right that has got a stranglehold on mainstream
discourse, but he went for it anyway.  THAT’S the rock and roll spirit.

Not that he had answers.  The line in his song said he was a rapper, not a
thinker.  Shit, somebody speaking the TRUTH?

What the FUCK do I care what Jennifer Aniston has to say about hurricane
relief?  Or Julia Roberts?  Not to mention Jack Nicholson.  Your credential here,
the reason you’re an expert, the reason you’re getting all this airtime is
because you’re FAMOUS??  What do these people know about tragedy, about loss. 
We’re supposed to look up to them, derive answers from THEM?  That’s how fucked
up America is.  The kid who gets all A’s in school is beaten up, but the
good-looking football player or cheerleader gets a pass.  You’re a loser if you get
a straight job, are a contributing member of society.  You’re supposed to be
GLAMOROUS!  FAMOUS!  That’s all that matters in America today.

One of the reasons the music broke through in the tumultuous sixties was the
ATTITUDE!  That was just as important as the tunes.  Hell, a decade later,
after the music became too bloated and pretentious, the Ramones broke through
almost SOLELY on attitude.  It certainly wasn’t their skill.  And isn’t it funny
that it’s their music that survives today.  That punk is mainstream.

I saw no attitude tonight.  Except maybe for a moment with Chris Rock, and
the aforementioned Kanye.  I saw millionaires solemnly contributing to the
cause, all the time relishing the EXPOSURE!

I’d like to tell you that Randy Newman killed.  I LOVE "Louisiana 1927", I’ve
been playing it all week, but his rendition here was absent any and all
charisma.  He was so solemnly going through the process that I never got ENERGIZED, I was never REACHED!

Paul Simon…it’s good that he and Randy were rescued from the scrapheap. 
Trotted out one more time so the younger generation might see them, before their
music is forgotten.  But really, do I give a fuck what PAUL SIMON thinks
about New Orleans?  Is that REALLY what I’ve been wondering the past ten days?

I’d like to tell you some of the performers were bad.  Their performances
laughable.

But everybody was professional.  They delivered.

But I just didn’t care.

They’re so famous they need no introduction?  How many viewers knew that was
Mary J. Blige emoting alongside Bono?

Maybe if I was fifteen I’d still believe.

Then again, not in musical stars.  Maybe Tony Hawk.  Or a musician from the
past.  Up until recently, Jimmy Page didn’t play the game, he specialized in
BREAKING THE RULES!

And what’s up with the Fogerty covers?  I mean it’s not like John’s dead. 
Furthermore, if you’ve seen him perform recently, you know he KILLS!  If for
some reason he wouldn’t do it, couldn’t do it, couldn’t the Foos and Garth Brooks
find OTHER SONGS?  I mean what the fuck were the Foo Fighters doing on this
show ANYWAY?  Yup, U2, Neil Young and the FOO FIGHTERS?  Maybe this was an
appeal to youth.  But, the youth didn’t watch this show.

Oh, they watched the 9/11 show.  The precursor.  The PROGENITOR!  But that’s
because everybody was TOO FREAKED TO LEAVE THE HOUSE!  The show was a bonding experience.  The reason it worked is the same reason a funeral does.  It
acknowledges the dead, the tragedy, it’s CATHARTIC!  This solemn telethon did
NOTHING to assuage my anxiety with regard to the hellhole this country has become.  Where we’re supposed to kick in money at the urging of two-dimensional stars rather than pay into the coffers of the government JUST FOR THIS
REASON/POSSIBILITY.  I mean what if they don’t raise enough money?  Does that mean the victims go without?  NOBODY should go without.  Not without food, water, shelter and health care.  These should be basic human rights.  Oh, they are in
Europe, but never forget the United States is the GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!

Oh, the good old U.S.A. is mighty fine.  But it’s not perfect.  But, if you
question policy, you’re a heathen who must be shouted down.  It’s like America
has turned into a giant HIGH SCHOOL!  Run by the cool people.  And everybody
else is under their thumb, while they drink beer and plot ways to torture us,
the IRRELEVANT!

I’d have much rather watched a program featuring survivors’ stories.  Told
straight to the camera.  Edited by Marty Scorcese.  A powerhouse documentary. 
THAT would have been interesting.

But average people are not sexy.  They wouldn’t have generated ratings.  And,
you know it’s all about ratings.

America is a giant scam.  They tell you to buy the products to make your life
better.  Yup, after 9/11 the message was to KEEP SHOPPING!  They tell you to
believe in leaders.  Not only elected leaders, but those anointed by the media.

And then, sometime in adulthood you realize the President is just another
guy, who probably doesn’t know more than you do.  And those products…you don’t
need them to survive.  And the stars featured on TV and in "People", they’re
bozos.

John Lennon knew all this.  He didn’t buy it.

He spoke his mind.  He said the Beatles were bigger than Jesus.  Fanatics
misinterpreting his point bulldozed the band’s albums.  But you can’t stop the
truth.  The Beatles continued to be as big as ever.

And when the government tried to deport him, Lennon refused to go.  This
country was built on reasoned dissent, that’s it’s ESSENCE!  He wasn’t going to
give in.

Not that he didn’t get worn out.

It’s hard to be the leader of a generation.  Especially when you’re fucked up
yourself.  When you sometimes say stupid things.  When, deep into something,
you find out you’re wrong, that you really believe the opposite.

But that’s being human.

That’s the essence of life, of society.  And THAT’S what was missing in
tonight’s show.

Oh, don’t hassle me for railing.  Who gives a shit about this show.  Those
who saw it have probably already forgotten it.  But, the celebrity culture, that
remains.  THAT’S what bugs me.  All these uneducated twits DICTATING to me. 
Like they’ve learned something living on this planet that I haven’t.

Makes me want to retreat.  Focus on my life.  Like John Lennon.

I don’t believe in magic
I  don’t believe in I Ching
I don’t believe in Bible
I don’t believe in tarot
I don’t believe in Hitler
I don’t believe in Jesus
I don’t believe in Kennedy
I don’t believe in Buddha
I don’t believe in mantra
I don’t believe in gita
I don’t believe in yoga
I don’t believe in kings
I don’t believe in Elvis
I don’t believe in Zimmerman
I don’t believe in Beatles
I just believe in me
Yoko and me
And that’s reality

"God" (not that you could even LABEL a song like this today,
it would have to be titled "G*d", and radio would refuse to play it,
for fear of religious retaliation)