And sooner or later
Everybody’s kingdom must end
And I’m so afraid your courtiers
Cannot be called best friends

“The King Must Die”
Elton John

Roger harassed Megyn. He’s soon to be gone.

Sources: Megyn Kelly Told Murdoch Investigators That Roger Ailes Sexually Harassed Her

This is what happens when you think you’re bigger than the game, that the rules don’t apply to you, that if you just circle the wagons and fight hard enough you’ll make it through. The end comes when you least expect it.

Gretchen Carlson realized you win in the court of public opinion, that if you’ve made it to the courtroom you’ve already lost. Which is something the music business could learn, it’s shaming the well-liked YouTube and its inane efforts to change the law are just that, crazy and ineffectual.

When you’re the top dog, people are gunning for you. And your best chance for success is to be nice to those below you. Because the same dudes you abused on your way up you might meet up on your way down (thank you Allen Toussaint!)

On one hand Ailes established the new paradigm, one the Democrats and celebrities have still not adjusted and adhered to. You don’t apologize, you don’t show weakness, once you grant an opening the public will pour through, and most people were never on your side to begin with. Fox News might win in cable news, but that’s barely better than winning the Little League World Series. You see not that many people watch. But the left can’t stop pointing out the bias, playing right into Ailes’s hand, making his outlet ever more powerful. Donald Trump used this same game to win the Republican nomination. You might be laughing that Melania cribbed her speech from Michelle, but so far no one on Trump’s team is admitting it, and his fans cannot be swayed from their belief in him, the same way Swifties believe Taylor is always right.

So what happens now?

The only band to survive the loss of its lead singer is Van Halen. And despite record success with Sammy, most fans prefer the Dave iteration. Sure, Genesis called Phil Collins up from the drums to replace Peter Gabriel, and now oldies acts like Foreigner are touring with faux frontmen, but the truth is individuals make a difference, especially in the United States, the land of the rugged individual.

Apple is a shadow of itself without Steve Jobs.

And if you expect Fox News to survive in its present incarnation you think there’s a Red Rocker of news.

It’s possible, but probably not.

Life is a long game. You do your best to outlast your enemies.

But if you want to kill them along the way, you’ve got to go for the jugular, you’ve got to play rough.

No one condones sexual harassment, no one condones rape. Prove it and you’ve got an instant correction factor.

You want your opponent to touch the third rail and die instantly.

And that’s what Gretchen Carlson did.

So, so long Roger Ailes. A fat cat from the past who thought brains trumped behavior. Politics might be show business for ugly people, but not every entertainer is entitled to a lifetime career.

And so long Bill O’Reilly. No one’s got your back. There are no wagons to circle. Like a superstar deejay fired from the clear channel station you’re gonna find you’re expendable, the institution is bigger than any individual. And America abhors a bully.

So long blond bombshell anchors showing their legs on camera. You’re gonna have to appeal with your brains as opposed to your looks.

And so long Fox News. It’ll exist in name, but the Murdoch brothers won’t tolerate its present agenda, they’re lefties, they want a mellower version at best, one that puts out trial balloons as opposed to employing a scorched earth policy.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Yesterday “New York” printed that Ailes was history and the Fox people denied it. Today, “New York” doubled-down, they said not only was the station’s star Megyn Kelly harassed, but Ailes would step down by August 1st.

Republicans have lost control of their own party. And now their house organ has taken a huge hit, news is up for grabs.

This is a correction factor. Not only will it aid women in the workplace, it demonstrates they have power, that they can play the game as well as the boys.

This is a victory for truth, justice and the American Way.

The king is dead, the king is dead

Elton John – The King Must Die – Spotify

Elton John – The King Must Die – YouTube

What kind of crazy fucked-up world do we live in where the dust-up eclipses the song?

People don’t have time to check out a track. That’s the dirty little secret the music industry doesn’t want to admit, that so many have tuned out new music because it’s overwhelming, and the plethora of playlists isn’t helping.

But that Kanye track, you know, the one off the album only on Tidal, the collection more famous for its penumbra than its bona fides, talked shit about Taylor Swift.

If you ask me, it was over the line. But there is no line anymore, when you can Google porn and the only people against sex and dope work for the government. So, in an attention overload society, even the biggest of stars must resort to stunts for mindshare. Believe me, Kanye was thinking about the controversy and the attendant ink when he wrote the words.

Which would have meant nothing if it weren’t for the flames fanned by the media.

And today popular culture is a sport. We’ve all got the celebrities we root for, whether they be Michael Moore or Donald Trump, Kanye West or Taylor Swift. You don’t want to get on the bad side of either, I’ve got the e-mail and tweets to prove it. Offend someone with acolytes and you’re gonna be buried in hatred.

But just when you thought the story was dead, Kim K. drops a bomb on her TV show. This was completely unforeseen. Kinda like Gretchen Carlson attacking Roger Ailes. Carlson wanted to catch Ailes and his team unawares, Carlson played to the media, because we all know the court…is the court of last resort. People think Woody Allen is guilty, we keep reading about it in the paper, even though the court said he was innocent!

And Taylor Swift seems to have forgotten the first rule of social media, which is you do your best not to pour gasoline on a fire. If Taylor hadn’t barked back, this story would have faded away. Kim K. might be rich, but the ratings for her show are minimal.

But Taylor responded.

And now she’s losing.

I get her point, it’s hard to cogitate and give the right answer on the spot. And always playing nice except when she writes lyrics, Taylor didn’t call Kanye out in the phone call.

And recording phone calls is illegal in most states. But come on, the government’s gonna crack down on Kanye? When? After it eradicates crime in the inner city? Stops illegal drug use? Gets rid of gangs?

Kanye and Kim may not have the right to record and distribute, but they certainly have the power. And if you think every time you break a law you get arrested…

But the more interesting thing is how Taylor Swift is losing control of her own narrative. Which evolved from vindictive boy crazy nut to girl-bonding everywoman. But she’s not, everywoman, that is. She’s a superstar living in a bubble who’s lost touch of how she’s perceived. And the media was on her side because she sold ads and played ball, reporters love access, but now Swiftie’s shenanigans are on repeat, there’s no news there, just endless boyfriends, girlfriends and staged do-gooding.

So the media has turned and piled on and Taylor Swift’s carefully managed image has taken a hit.

Let’s be real folks. America is so starved for stars, the music landscape is so incomprehensible, that he or she who works with the biggest superstar in the world, Max Martin, will continue to dominate. It’s kinda like country, where writers want their songs sung by hitmakers, Taylor Swift has access to the best songwriters in the land, so she’ll continue to dominate.

Unless music changes.

Which it hasn’t in fifteen years.

But the truth is no one’s that big anymore. We’ve got a thin layer of superstars playing to a small vertical of fans. This ain’t the Beatles versus the Stones, Kanye versus Taylor is more like Herman’s Hermits versus Gerry and the Pacemakers. Then again, those two British Invasion acts had much more musical penetration.

Used to be about the music. Used to be a great track was known by everybody. Used to be your image was secondary to your tunes.

Not anymore!

P.S. It was not only E!, Kim also took to Snapchat, the social media site du jour, to spread the word. Today’s celebs might have little talent but they’re media-savvy, they know how to use the tools to get their message across.

Ariel gets boosted all day.

I’m an anxious guy. I’m always worried I’ll fire up Uber and there will be no cars, or it will take too long for them to pick me up. It’s an on demand service, but it’s hard for me to believe I can count on it. So hard for me to believe I can count on so much of the modern gadgetry. I come from the sixties and seventies, when everything didn’t work right right out of the box. Although we did have manuals. And we were able to get stuff fixed. Now you just throw it away.

So I was shocked to find out I was gonna have to pay a surge fee. You see I keep cutting it closer, learning to depend upon the service, and now I find out I’ve got to pay x1.5. What’s a poor boy to do? Other than play in a rock and roll band? Just bite the bullet and pay up.

But my driver, Allen, told me to just wait a few minutes. That usually in three or four the surge disappears. Although at that very moment, 1 PM, it was x2 in Northridge. What’s happening in Northridge?

Possibly lunch. Lunch is a very busy Uber time.

And what Allen also told me is drivers don’t know the destination. Otherwise they’d pick and choose rides, wanting to go as far as possible as opposed to a few short hops.

Allen used to work at Dolby, as a troubleshooter. But there just wasn’t enough upward mobility. He’s now driving Uber full time.

As was Ariel. He gave up a job at Samy’s Camera for the same reason. Used to be you could pay your bills working for the man, now you just can’t get ahead.

Allen doesn’t leave the house unless it’s surge pricing.

Ariel made $1300 driving 42 hours last week.

But without the boost, he’d lose more than half of that.

You see the driver gets 80%. Of everything but the booking fee, a buck sixty five today. But to make sure there are drivers on the road… Uber boosts their pay all day. Ariel showed me the schedule. All day long he was making more than x1, even if I wasn’t being charged a surge fee. Good deal for me.

Ariel drives a Prius. Allen drove a Camry Hybrid. They want to use as little gas as possible. Ariel figures he spent eighty bucks last week. And he’s got to change the oil every 10,000 miles, that’s about $70, but his tires lasted 80,000 miles and he got some Hankooks, on the car, for $250 at a place south of downtown. So he’s netting good money. Although he’s learning to drive a big rig. A friend of his made a hundred grand doing that last year.

Allen’s looking for another gig. Meanwhile, sometimes he’ll drive after midnight, when surge can go to x4. Used to be customers complained and Uber reduced the fee, but now everybody’s aware. At that hour you’ll pay anything to get home.

And there are other tricks of the trade. If you get taken far off the beaten path, to Long Beach or some other godforsaken place, you’re better off driving back to town without a passenger, to ensure you can continue to make bank.

Last week’s driver played the Warped Tour.

I was wondering when I saw the tattoos creeping up his arm. How could he make it in regular life? But now he cuts hair and drives Uber on the side. And was gonna pay to go to the Warped Tour this year, because he can’t miss out on Good Charlotte and Sum 41, he grew up with those bands.

I sit and stare at the four walls, depressed about my on schedule but slow recovery. And then I call up an Uber and I have a window into the world. I find out twenty three year olds are voting for Donald Trump, despite being half-Mexican. I find out the younger generation is addicted to Jason Ellis on Sirius, their skateboard roots shining through. And despite the Carpenters being from Downey, the Uber generation is more impressed that James Hetfield graduated from high school there.

Everybody’s got a story.

Everybody wants to be their own boss.

Everybody wants to not only pay their bills, but get ahead.

Everybody is open and friendly if you give them respect.

And it’s great to live in a world where you can get a ride on demand. I keep thinking about all the times I needed one in the past.

I’m not about to give up my car, but I know people who have.

Neil, Brandon, Suzy…

But what about the grocery store?

Suzy just pulls up UberEATS!

I have a dream.

One in which no color or ethnicity is demonized, but all are given respect and considered equal.

One in which our elected officials are not beholden to special interest groups, but work with their brethren to move this country forward.

One in which facts reign and opinion is just that.

One in which every boy and girl is given opportunity and every man and woman goes to bed knowing they can find a job and if not they still have a roof over their head and can put bread on the table.

One in which the poor are not told to pull themselves up by their bootstraps but are lifted up by those who have more.

One in which sports and entertainment are not seen as the only way out of poverty.

One in which those doing the hard work of our society, the teachers and the police, who are on the front lines every day, are lionized, not demonized.

One in which a white man is not afraid when a black man steps into an elevator.

One in which white workers don’t think their jobs are stolen by brown workers.

One in which elites don’t think they’re better than the rest because they’re educated and rich.

One in which government is not demonized and taxes are used to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.

One in which guns are used for hunting animals but not shooting people.

But right now this dream is shaky.

I’d hate to be a police officer right now. With a target on my back. As of this writing we still do not know exactly what happened, but we do know multiple officers are dead.

But I’d hate to be poor and black even more. Seen as second class before I’m even known. Branded by my skin. Shut out unless I’m the court jester, putting a ball into a hoop or rapping.

How did our society become so coarse? How did we go from togetherness to division? And who is responsible for this?

Let’s look at right wing talk radio and Fox News, which have been telling their constituents again and again that the government and the poor people have undermined the American way of life. It’s a disinformation campaign folks. Just because there are two sides that does not make them equal. Sure, Democrats get it wrong sometimes, but not as frequently as the right and certainly not with the same intentions.

But the Democrats in power have disconnected from the rank and file. They’ve blinked in the eye of right wing propaganda, stood by as unions and safety nets have been eviscerated. Afraid of offending the vocal right, they’ve been silent.

And both sides are beholden to the money. It’s fine to cut school programs and underfund the TSA when your kids are educated in private institutions and you fly NetJet, especially when that flight is paid for by a billionaire whose bill you support.

This is not about policemen.

This is about opportunity.

This is about the soul of America. A country built on freedom and upward mobility. The right keeps screaming about freedom being taken away yet they vote for surveillance, they’re the ones voting for guns which make our entire nation afraid. And the left pays lip service to the underclass but does little to lift it up.

And everybody’s afraid of having their chance stolen, they don’t want others to take their seat at the table and be left out.

The fact is upward mobility is worse in the United States than the European Union. And the safety net over there is much better than it is here. But ever since the Iranian conflict way back when it’s been USA!, USA!, all the damn time.

All I know is I’m sick and tired of people saying something and doing nothing.

I’m sick and tired of protections instituted for the rich while absent for the poor.

I’m sick and tired of white people demonizing blacks while their kids embrace African-American culture.

I’m sick and tired of drugs being criminalized when they’re a social issue which needs to be addressed via treatment.

I’m sick and tired of black men’s lives being sidetracked in prison, with their families forever fractured.

And I’m sick and tired of a political system where lies run rampant. They tell us to be honest while they’re not.

Ain’t that America, a two-tiered system.

Want to end violence?

Give people jobs. Give them upward mobility. Educate their young. Don’t spread hate, saying that one group or another is responsible for your fate.

And realize your well-being is dependent upon society. Your company is worthless without customers. That the rank and file prop up this great nation of ours and they need to be embraced, paid more than lip service, which they rarely get anyway.

I have a dream all this can come true. Or at least we can move forward.

But it would require you to weep for a deceased black man as much as a dead white.

It would require you to accept that the President was born in America and is still the head of the government, even if you didn’t vote for him.

It would require you to admit America’s a great country, but it still has problems, it still needs work.

And it would require you to acknowledge the future is here and we can’t go back to the past, that we can’t abandon the losers in the new economy but we must support them and find them a slot.

But these are just words.

The oppressed are waiting for action.