The Jason Aldean controversy

[Quagmire]

My family is from the U.P. and my wife and I had a place there up until 4 years ago, plus we spent most of at least part of our summers there even before we bought our place.

Ah, I see.

I didn't even know they had Summers up there. I thought it was just Snow Season and Bug Season.

My wife is a "Sicilian Yooper" by injection.

My last name means obstinate in Sicilian.

(Which should be a surprise to no one)

 

[metis]

I didn't even know they had Summers up there. I thought it was just Snow Season and Bug Season.

Hey, last year we had summer one day.

My last name means obstinate in Sicilian.

Figgers!!!

Ever been there? My wife was born there and came to the States when 6, and we've spent time back in her village with her relatives. We'd love to go back and visit some more but for health reasons we can't as we're both in our 70's.

 

[Quagmire]

Hey, last year we had summer one day.

Figgers!!!

Ever been there? My wife was born there and came to the States when 6, and we've spent time back in her village with her relatives. We'd love to go back and visit some more but for health reasons we can't as we're both in our 70's.

I haven't, but my older brother was there a few years ago.

Funny story: my brother and his girlfriend were checking into a hotel in a village in Sicily. When the clerk saw the name on my brother's passport he looked up concerned and said, "Signor', that is a very famous name in our village"

My brother said, "Let me guess; famous athlete"?

Clerk: "No Signor'"

Brother: "Famous politician"?

Clerk: "No Signor"

Brother: "Phalantrpist"?

Clerk: "No Signor"

*Pregnant pause followed by a look of resignation (as he tells it):

Brother: "Famous criminal"?

Clerk: "Si Signor".

If you ever met some of the members of my family you'd understand why that's funny.

 

[metis]

I haven't, but my older brother was there a few years ago.

Funny story: my brother and his girlfriend were checking into a hotel in a village in Sicily. When the clerk saw the name on my brother's passport he looked up concerned and said, "Signor', that is a very famous name in our village"

My brother said, "Let me guess; famous athlete"?

Clerk: "No Signor'"

Brother: "Famous politician"?

Clerk: "No Signor"

Brother: "Phalantrpist"?

Clerk: "No Signor"

*Pregnant pause followed by a look of resignation (as he tells it):

Brother: "Famous criminal"?

Clerk: "Si Signor".

If you ever met some of the members of my family you'd understand why that's funny.

I hear ya, and some people hear "Siciliano" and assume "Mafioso".

So, I have to be really nice to my wife!

 

[Alien826]

"...from my cold, dead hands."

I still remember with affection the scene from Men in Black.

Redneck: You can have my gun when you take it from my cold dead hands.
Alien: Your offer is accepted.

 

[We Never Know]

This gave me a laugh lol

 

[SkepticThinker]

Could be. Or maybe they are adult enough to stand on their beliefs? Doesn't really matter... they are doing what they are doing. Doesn't matter to me... I don't drink beer.

Their beliefs that ... what? That people who are different shouldn't drink Bud Light or shouldn't be included in ads for Bud Light? What is the belief here, exactly?

Why is this the hill so many are willing to die on? These same people who supposedly care so much for "the children," why don't we see them boycotting the Catholic Church, for instance. You know, like people who have been systematically harming children for who knows how long. Silence there though, for some reason.

Be that as it may, if a corporation is promoting a certain belief system that I don't agree with and there is an alternative that supports what I belief in, I certainly will choose the one that follows what I believe. If they are just selling a product and I like it, I will buy it.

What "belief system" is being promoted by Bud Light?
I'm pretty sure their "belief system" is to make money for the company.

 

[Kenny]

Their beliefs that ... what? That people who are different shouldn't drink Bud Light or shouldn't be included in ads for Bud Light? What is the belief here, exactly?

Why is this the hill so many are willing to die on? These same people who supposedly care so much for "the children," why don't we see them boycotting the Catholic Church, for instance. You know, like people who have been systematically harming children for who knows how long. Silence there though, for some reason.

This doesn't make sense.

What "belief system" is being promoted by Bud Light?
I'm pretty sure their "belief system" is to make money for the company.

Apparently you aren't hearing what people are saying about the advertisement. It isn't hard to figure out.

 

[Kfox]

I'm surprised this hasn't been brought up yet, although I'm sure many of you heard about it by now.

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/20/1188966935/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-song-video

Of course, those who are calling the backlash "cancel culture" are the same ones who called for boycotts against Bud Lite, Target, Disney, Barbie, etc.

A bit of trivia; he was on stage during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that occurred at a country music festival. Curiously, he nor anyone else in attendence used their "good guy with a gun" powers to prevent it.

I heard people were upset by it because they said it was racist. But when I looked at the video..... racist against who? All the people in the video were white; even the criminals. So who is it racist against?

 

[Kfox]

An ideologue? Tell me what ideologue you are talking about.

There is an ideologue that says a biological male can be a woman. Not everybody agrees with that.

 

[Father Heathen]

I heard people were upset by it because they said it was racist. But when I looked at the video..... racist against who? All the people in the video were white; even the criminals. So who is it racist against?

They're saying that it alludes to the protests against police misconduct, also in the music video there is footage of a courthouse where an infamous lynching took place.

Dog whistle (politics) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Kfox]

They're saying that it alludes to the protests against police misconduct,

When you are damaging buildings and property, you are no longer protesting, you are rioting. The video alludes to people rioting.

also in the music video there is footage of a courthouse where an infamous lynching took place.

Dog whistle (politics) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Who knew that? 100 years ago somebody got lynched at a courthouse, and because it appeared in a video that's supposed to mean something? Do you really think that courthouse was in the video due to something that happened 100 years ago that was long forgotten about? I don't think so.

 

[Father Heathen]

When you are damaging buildings and property, you are no longer protesting, you are rioting. The video alludes to people rioting.

Who knew that? 100 years ago somebody got lynched at a courthouse, and because it appeared in a video that's supposed to mean something? Do you really think that courthouse was in the video due to something that happened 100 years ago that was long forgotten about? I don't think so.

I didn't listen or watch the thing. I'm of the opinion that people can simply choose to not watch/listen to things they find offensive. I just thought it was hypocritical and comical that conservatives were whining about "cancel culture" so shortly after their boycotts against But Light, Target, Disney, Barbie, drag shows, etc. They can't have it both ways.

 

[PureX]

When you are damaging buildings and property, you are no longer protesting, you are rioting. The video alludes to people rioting.

Who knew that? 100 years ago somebody got lynched at a courthouse, and because it appeared in a video that's supposed to mean something? Do you really think that courthouse was in the video due to something that happened 100 years ago that was long forgotten about? I don't think so.

Yes. Of the many thousands of courthouses he could have chosen, he chose the one that he knew someone would recognize as a racial supremicist signal. And that would help sell records to redneck bigots. So would all the media controversy. In the end it's always about the money. And unfortunately, racism sells well among a certain demographic.

 

[Father Heathen]

Yes. Of the many thousands of courthouses he could have chosen, he chose the one that he knew someone would recognize as a racial supremicist signal. And that would help sell records to redneck bigots. So would all the media controversy. In the end it's always about the money. And unfortunately, racism sells well among a certain demographic.

Yep. **** off those who are not part of your target audience, face backlash which converts into good publicity among those who are your target audience who then see you as a martyr, then rake in the resulting windfall.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

The difference is that when the cancel a conservative song, it increases in sales by more than 1000% but when Bud Targets Disney, they go down in sales.

Apparently Woke Won't Work in World's Workplace. ( I must be getting tired)

I don't think going "woke" is what is really hurting those brands. Some damage, certainly, but (and especially in the case of Bud Light) there are other reasons sales are down.

Music is VERY different from beer, department stores, and the entertainment industry.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Be serious and consider Bud Light's target demographic.

As well as the nature of beer-drinking and the unlikely nature that left-leaning folks are going to support them giving how much they donate to conservative groups and their weak response to the boycott. Had they pulled conservative donations and doubled down on supporting lgbtq+ they may have actually fared better.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I lived in both. Small town are closer knit, help each other more, support each other more, etc.

I'm guessing that you were raised in the small town to which you refer or else it wasn't in the South or Midwest. I've also had experience with both, having been born and raised in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and living in rural areas thereafter. My career began in rural California in the Inland Empire, where almost nobody there was born, and there was no problem getting to know one's neighbors. But in rural southeast Missouri, where most people who lived there were born, once an outsider always an outsider. You are never accepted, especially if you're from California.

 

[PureX]

Yep. **** off those who are not part of your target audience, face backlash which converts into good publicity among those who are your target audience who then see you as a martyr, then rake in the resulting windfall.

Politicians use "signaled" racism to get themselves votes. TV and radio use it to get and hold an audience. And no-talent singers use it to get noticed. Not just Aldean, but black racist rappers have been doing it for decades.

 

[SkepticThinker]

This doesn't make sense.

Why not? Why can't you just tell me what the beliefs are? Try engaging in a real conversation.

Apparently you aren't hearing what people are saying about the advertisement. It isn't hard to figure out.

Your inability or unwillingness to answer the question speaks volumes. Again.