Did you watch the Grammys last week? I watched bits and pieces while flipping channels, catching the surprisingly boring opening performance by Madonna, a very interestingly lit performance by *NSync, and Faith Hill demonstrating that she has no lower register. I skipped Eminem's performance because I have zero interest in hate mongerers. He can claim he doesn't really hate gay people all he wants, but I don't buy it. He is vicious towards gays in his music, and he's just as bad about women. I've heard for myself, and I won't listen any more.
I have a real problem with a lot of gangsta lingo anyway. Anyone referring to women in general and me in particular as "my bitches" when what they mean is "my friends" is no friend of mine. Bitch is a descriptive word for a female dog with nasty, hurtful connotations when used to mean a woman, and I don't think anyone is redeeming it by using it playfully or including men in that appellation. It's a demeaning name that skirts the edge of sexual harassment. I'm all for free speech. Just don't count on me overlooking that kind of attitude, or sticking around for it.
I've been trying to watch more music videos, but they're terribly sparse on the ground these days. MTV seems to be nothing but game shows, sitcoms, and that annoying Carson Daly. I can't watch TRL because every single video is chopped up and interspersed with fan reactions, all of whom invariably say the same thing. "I'm Acne McBadhair and I requested this Christina Aguilera video because I love her so much, even though she looks increasingly like a five dollar whore, and she is the greatest singer ever wooooOOOOOOOOOO!" I'm clearly the wrong demographic for that show.
It's not like I turned 40 and suddenly became conservative and uptight, you know. I've always disapproved of people confusing objectification with sexual freedom. I've always been critical of anyone who dresses inappropriately where inappropriate is defined as "too much information." If you want to go to a bar in Florida on Spring Break and enter a wet t-shirt contest, that's fine with me. If you then get comments about your boobs, don't act surprised or complain about being harassed. You voluntarily objectified your body for the duration of that contest. If, however, you choose to wear a wet t-shirt for your boyfriend or girlfriend in private, that's sexual freedom. Either way I don't care, but I know the difference, and I expect you to as well.
I think I'll switch channels to Animal Planet. It's less irritating.
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