Thursday, February 9, 2012

Naomi Wolf, Still Not Relevant!

It wasn't enough that Naomi Wolf torpedoed Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000 by telling him to wear "earth tones" which had the unfortunate effect of people mistaking him for an oak dining set. No, now she is trying to de-legitimize those of us who think Madonna is a washed up no-talent by claiming sexism.

News flash--if everything is sexist, then nothing is. Just like if I call someone a "Christian basher" for trying to prohibit school prayer, it makes light of the actual murderers of Christian minorities in Egypt. Words have meaning, and the proper term for a critic of Madonna is not "sexist" but "someone with taste".

In fairness, Madonna's early works were catchy and very much a part of mid-'80s nostalgia as anything else (though it didn't hurt her prospects that the '80s were a cultural wasteland. It's true, look it up. And hike up your pants while you do). But somewhere along the way her act got tired, with weak, forgettable songs, and constant attention-whoring that was impressive only in terms of her ability to get media coverage and sell that schtick. Good for her, as a promoter. But an "artist", as Wolf calls her? Give me a break!

Wolf seems to think there's a double standard when critics give Madonna a hard time for being a no-talent hack who added nothing of artistic value for the past two decades, when they aren't so harsh on her male counterparts. Yes, that must be it. Male attention whoring "artists" never get that kind of criticism. That's why no one makes fun of Nickleback, Creed, or Kanye West. Universally admired, all of them.

Look, if you're part of the tasteless that love and appreciate what Madonna has been doing since "Papa Don't Preach", then great for you--everyone has a right to their own taste or lack thereof! I don't expect everyone to agree with my appreciation of the Stax and Motown artists of the '60s and '70s. But I'm not about to call anyone a racist because they don't like the same artists I like.

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