Saturday, February 25, 2012

We Need to Not Talk About Chris Brown

Every six months or so I get really obsessed with a non-news item - in other words I’ll buy a ticket for about one of every 25 shit shows. I can't remember exactly what the last one was - but right now I am delighted by CHRIS BROWN VERSUS THE WORLD. Did this all start with him being "allowed" to perform on the Grammy's? I suppose it was more of when the rumors started that him and Rihanna were getting back together. MANY INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS TOPIC FOR ME. Item - if a person is extremely talented, albeit a dick - should one not enjoy said dicks work. Chris Brown is unfortunately one in a very long list of entertainers that fucked up. What I am fascinated by though is the extent in which Chris Brown is being persecuted on every media outlet while getting a considerable amount of air time on the radio. Unfortunately if Actor XYZ shot and killed wife #25 as you read this, there would not be such a tremendous backlash, and they would probably eventually be found not guilty. I suppose what freaks me out about this situation is the insanely steep stances every side is taking. This guy got into a tweet-fight with Brown and is challenging him to a “fair match” mano a mano.
While I would like to acknowledge Mr. Punks gallantry there's something familiar and dangerous in his discourse - that unbeknownst to him is very damaging and real. He says something along the lines of "women are to be revered" true that bro but check it out - while I would like to see the bookoo proceeds from this match go to every women's shelter you're not exactly advancing gender equality by curating this "fair match" - look at the language. Bascially he’s insinuating that women are incapable of defending themselves. AND NO ONE BUT ME sees the irony of a PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER who makes $$$$ beating people up offering up his services to beat someone up, to teach someone who beat someone up a lesson? It's easy to miss but unfortunately it is more easy to ignore subtleties like the language used by team anti-Brown that have a lot to do why domestic violence has a space to exist in the first place.
I feel disappointed by the pop-feminist community as well - they seemed to ignore Rihanna all together, regardless of whether they are getting back together or not. I don't feel like they're advancing the issue any by consistently talking about him while hardly respecting, or listening to the victim. Look - I hardly want to ignore the gravity of what Brown did - I just can't stand the self censoring prefixes (like I just did!) that will always be assigned to just him - especially since the incident seemed to be out of character for Brown. You've heard it before! Someone will say - "now everyone makes mistakes - but the new Chris Brown ..." I guess I'm just pissed no one will ever say "Did you see that rerun of one and a half men and the man who shot at his wife?" At the end of the day, I feel like he’s a very talented man. Excellent dancer, very charismatic.