Economics 101
Any business that deliberately offends 50% of it's potential customers is going to be in serious trouble very quickly. Even if the business can survive with half the potential business it could have, there is a point beyond which it cannot grow without those offended and presumably lost customers.
As the Dixie Chicks are learning the hard way.
The band is promoting "Taking the Long Way," its first album since Natalie Maines told a London audience in 2003 she was ashamed to be from the same state as U.S. President George Bush. The comment sparked a radio boycott of the group's music.
Although the album hits stores Tuesday, the first two singles from the album are not getting widespread airplay, Billboard.com reported Monday.
The first single, "Not Ready to Make Nice," only peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the second single, "Everybody Knows," is moving downward after its peak at No. 48.
Some commenter a while back held up the Dixie Chicks as an example of how people were being "suppressed". You know - their freedom of speech was being violated. Which is complete nonsense. What happened to them, and what continues to happen to them are known as consequences. Freedom of speech does not grant freedom from consequence. That would be anarchy. This is a case of employer/employee whether some people can understand that or not. You may have the right to express your negative opinion about your boss to his face, but you may not - in fact likely will not - have a job shortly after you do. In this case, if you are a performer who offends your core audience, you really should not be surprised that your employers, they people who buy your records "fire" you by not buying any more.
There used to be a pretty well understood rule that it was pretty much a path to career suicide to discuss politics or religion in the work place. There's a reason for that.
UPDATE: The estimable Captain William Teach weighs anchor on the subject. Yar!
By Blackhawk, Tuesday, 23 May , 2006 @ 11:39 pm
So, let me see if I can put this in perspective. John Lennon makes a comment about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus, records get burned, Lennon clarifies his statement. Even if he was trying to make a point about the shallowness of the fans in the 60s, the decline of religious influence in society, the ‘hippness’ of the counter culture movement, or was just talking out of his arse, he realized he presented his point rather poorly (unless it was the arse thing).
And the Chicks have done what? Gotten all pouty-lipped because they pissed off their core base of fans, then expect that same core to welcome them back with no clarification?
Freedom of speech…accept the responsibility. Or shut up. Or move to North Korea.
By Black Jack, Wednesday, 24 May , 2006 @ 8:59 am
I don’t know where those girls are coming from, but it ain’t from Dixie.
By Diva, Wednesday, 24 May , 2006 @ 12:08 pm
I just love how the Dixie Chicks, Madonna and company think they are so brave for saying stupid things. Then they blame the conservatives for trying to muffle their creative voices of dissent. The Dixie Chicks are reaping what they sowed. Hopefully, they have learned that being stupid has consequences. It was never about their dissent it’s about them dissenting as uninformed and subject-matter ignorant celebrities a la Jodie Foster, Sean Penn et al School of Celebrity Punditry.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 24 May , 2006 @ 12:22 pm
Yeah, the celebrity school is getting pretty stupid.
By Juggler, Wednesday, 24 May , 2006 @ 2:54 pm
Hopefully, they have learned that being stupid has consequences.
Unless, of course, your name is George Bush.
Getting us into a quagmire of a war under false pretenses. Turning a near-surplus into a huge debt. Denying global warming. Telling Mike Brown he was doing a “good job” dealing with the aftermath of Katrina. Ignoring the memo titled “Al Qaeda determined to attack inside the U.S.”
On the other hand, it seems that the American public is finally catching on, with his approval rating in the gutter.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 24 May , 2006 @ 3:00 pm
Do you have any original material or just the same old, tired schtick?