By:
The Dude on the Right
I’m still a little perplexed as to when to write a blog, and when to do a
podcast, mostly, because, in the grand scheme of things, the podcast is just so
much simpler. All I have to do is flip a switch, start a couple of
programs, talk about what I’m thinking, and "Bam!!!", I’m done, other than
getting things posted. But sometimes I just seem to be in the mood to
type, and this seems to be one of those times, especially adding links to things
that I am writing about. Anyway, let’s go.
First off, and I guess I missed the bulk of the
story when I was back in Ohio around Christmas, but I didn’t realize Howard
Stern created such a
hubbabaloo with his latest billboard campaign until a few days ago. It
seems that Howard and
the folks at Sirius Satellite
Radio launched a billboard campaign with the tagline "Let freedom ring.
And let it be rung by a stripper." When I first heard the tagline I found it
kind of funny, and thought to myself "Self, wasn’t that in a Martina McBride
song? I remember that line from somewhere?" And then it occurred to
me, it was from the song "My Country ‘Tis of Thee." That doesn’t seem to
be where the controversy came from, though. It seems Dr. Martin Luther
King incorporated the phrase into his "I
Have a Dream" speech, even referencing the song. At least two
billboards were put up along Chicago expressways, meant, pretty much, to try and
catch the glimpse of those driving into downtown Chicago, probably on their way
to work, stuck in traffic, and maybe create a smile in the heart of every dude
and a little bit of disgust in the heart of every dudette. Except,
according to a Reverend in Chicago, the phrase "Let freedom ring" was made
"popular" by Dr. King, and it is disrespectful to the African-American community
to trivialize it, and since the billboard locations were in African-American
communities, that made it even worse.
The
protest wasn’t started by the Reverend you might thing it would have been
started by, namely Reverend Jesse Jackson, but by a Catholic Priest, Rev.
Pfleger, who lost all respect by our own Stu Gotz when
he threatened to leave the Church if he was transferred from his parish.
In any case, it seems the Reverend Pfleger got his wish, and both Viacom and
Clear Channel
bowed to his pressure and removed the ads after protest threats. I
hope Sirius got their money back. But that isn’t even my real problem with
this. My problem is that both the Reverend and, yes, Reverend Jesse
Jackson did chime it later, made this thing about race and the location of the
original billboard, when the billboard’s location is meant for one thing, and
one thing only – to catch the glimpse of those driving into Chicago on the Dan
Ryan Expressway. They use the fact that the billboard structure is located
in an African American community as their sounding board, that somehow this ad
is meant to trivialize Dr. Martin Luther King, and that’s bad. Had this ad
been on a local billboard, at ground level in an African American community, I
might, sort of, agree with their argument, but I have to wonder, if the first
billboard got put up off of the Ronald Reagan Tollway here in Illinois, if they
would have even noticed, or cared.
On a
lighter note, my mother wonders about "Dancing
With the Stars," and how did Jerry Rice and his partner get the score they
got the other night. Mom says, and I quote "what’s
with Jerry Rice getting 3 7’s when actually all he did was move around while
she did all the shaking and I mean SHAKING!!!!!!!!!" I had to agree with
my Mom, although I did admit to her that I was watching
his
partner a hell of a lot more than the
greatest wide receiver ever in the NFL. I really hope there isn’t a
fix.
Well, I’ve got
to wrap up this blog and plan my weekend. It’s looking like I’ll catch the
movies "Match Point," where I’m bound to fall back in love with Scarlett
Johansson, and either "Grandma’s Boy" or "The Ringer" for me being of the easily
amused and looking for something to be easily amused by. And, oh yea, I
have one more dilemma to work out this week, namely do I buy another Sirius
receiver for my home or just listen to Howard in my car come Monday, January
9th, when freedom rings, and I, personally hope it will be rung by a stripper.
From the replay of the test show on Howard 100 today, there looks to be many a
technical difficulty come Monday, enough which might actually make Howard’s head
explode. I’m sure this would be much more entertaining on video, but even
on the radio, I’m thinking Howard can still make that pretty funny. But
Johnny B.
is back in Chicago, and I started here listening to him when I first arrived
here back in 1985, even awakened one morning hearing our own Stu Gotz talking
with Johnny about things and a bunny rabbit, and I have been listening to him
since Howard has been off the air, and have found the Brandmeier-meister just as
amusing in a different way. I’m so torn. I guess the weekend, and my
compulsive disorder, will tell how this all works out. I think I need a
couple of TIVO’s for my radio personalities now, but when would I listen to them
when I’m still watching my replays of "Dancing With the Stars?" I’m so
screwed.
That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!