Interesting discussion...
of the issue of Tropic Thunder over here.
Actually pretty timely, because recently she'd also been posting about old-school Marilyn Manson, which reminded me of his remake of the following song, the distinguishing characteristic of which is the N-word. I've always really liked the song. Thinking about it now after having been involved in online communities that claimed, with dead seriousness, that white artists are irresponsible to put that word in any of their songs even if they mean it in an anti-racist way, I'm revisiting it.
Patti Smith's version (sadly, cuts off at the end):
Marilyn Manson's version:
I heard the Manson version long before I heard the original song. On the one hand, part of his reason for choosing the song to re-make is that he's just plain about shock, especially his early career. Part of why he chose the song, I'm sure, is because he gets to say that word and apply it to everyone from Jesus to Grandma to himself.
But on the other, I loved the way the song portrayed "Baby" -- someone who revels in her rebellion, someone who embraces one of the most horrible epithets that could be thrown at anyone. Maybe Smith herself was just playing with bad words, I'll never know. But it hit my gut in the way most faux rebellion doesn't. Baby is trashy. Baby is slutty. Baby is "rock and roll" -- not glamorous, not slick and sexy, but a frightening force. Baby is "getting bigger" -- not a fun, glitzy ride, but the terrifying ascension of someone who really does reject the world as presented. She reminds me of a Goddess, dark, devouring, hungry, crushing. Swallowing up everything in her way.
The song inspires me. The song makes me want to throw off everything in me that conforms for the sake of conformity. It makes me want to find myself and be myself, and lick my lips and embrace whatever anyone spits at me in response.
But that image relies on a specific word that's about a group of people the original artist (or the remaker, but I think we've handled him) isn't part of. She's not, say, "reclaiming" the term "white trash." She's not doing that safey-safe "I'm using that word differently" thing that academics can write slightly edgy but still pompous about. She's full-on, balls-to-the-wall, writing it in the way that will pack the most punch and have the most power.
And I love her for it. I think it can be worthwhile to ask why the mass media does what it does, why it sells cripface and blackface for general consumption. But I don't think you fuck with art.
Actually pretty timely, because recently she'd also been posting about old-school Marilyn Manson, which reminded me of his remake of the following song, the distinguishing characteristic of which is the N-word. I've always really liked the song. Thinking about it now after having been involved in online communities that claimed, with dead seriousness, that white artists are irresponsible to put that word in any of their songs even if they mean it in an anti-racist way, I'm revisiting it.
Patti Smith's version (sadly, cuts off at the end):
Click to viewMarilyn Manson's version:
I heard the Manson version long before I heard the original song. On the one hand, part of his reason for choosing the song to re-make is that he's just plain about shock, especially his early career. Part of why he chose the song, I'm sure, is because he gets to say that word and apply it to everyone from Jesus to Grandma to himself.
But on the other, I loved the way the song portrayed "Baby" -- someone who revels in her rebellion, someone who embraces one of the most horrible epithets that could be thrown at anyone. Maybe Smith herself was just playing with bad words, I'll never know. But it hit my gut in the way most faux rebellion doesn't. Baby is trashy. Baby is slutty. Baby is "rock and roll" -- not glamorous, not slick and sexy, but a frightening force. Baby is "getting bigger" -- not a fun, glitzy ride, but the terrifying ascension of someone who really does reject the world as presented. She reminds me of a Goddess, dark, devouring, hungry, crushing. Swallowing up everything in her way.
The song inspires me. The song makes me want to throw off everything in me that conforms for the sake of conformity. It makes me want to find myself and be myself, and lick my lips and embrace whatever anyone spits at me in response.
But that image relies on a specific word that's about a group of people the original artist (or the remaker, but I think we've handled him) isn't part of. She's not, say, "reclaiming" the term "white trash." She's not doing that safey-safe "I'm using that word differently" thing that academics can write slightly edgy but still pompous about. She's full-on, balls-to-the-wall, writing it in the way that will pack the most punch and have the most power.
And I love her for it. I think it can be worthwhile to ask why the mass media does what it does, why it sells cripface and blackface for general consumption. But I don't think you fuck with art.