“We are the people
They couldn’t figure out
We are the people
Our parents warned us about”
I once flew from Chicago to Hartford seated next to someone who services Hammond organs and did so for some big name bands. He mentioned one which happened to be a long time favorite and told me that they occasionally came by the shop in a city outside of Hartford. “Man, I’d love to be there one time and meet them” I said to my neighbor. He just shook his head. I looked at him quizzically for a moment and then I thought I caught on. “Are you saying that it’s better I don’t meet them and maintain the image I hold rather than learn the truth?” He nodded. The former lead guitar player has twice been arrested for beating his wife since then. I’ve flown on a fairly regular basis for more than 25 years and that’s the way it is with celebrities. Some are really nice and some are awful. A lot of them are really ignorant about current affairs.
Jimmy Buffet, a native of Mississippi, is planning a benefit concert in Gulf Shores, Alabama on Sunday. Sounds great. I’ve loved his music as long as I can remember- back to the early 70’s. On my wall hangs a sign that reads “It’s five o’clock somewhere.” I’ve tailgated and consumed Concoction machine-produced Margarita’s all afternoon prior to concerts. I loved it. Right up to when I read Buffet’s book “A pirate looks at fifty.” Buffet lives his own life. Married more than once, Buffet seemed painfully self-centered. Flying his private jet often for frivolous endeavors, Buffet would make certain his wife and kids were occupied with some distraction so he could ditch them and go Bonefishing with a pal.
Buffet makes the argument that people get angry when they see oil creeping onto the beach and that’s fair. But then he violates the Ingraham rule (“Shut up and sing”) and goes political on us.
“To me it was more about eight years of bad policy before (Obama) got there that let this happen. It was Dracula running the blood bank in terms of oil and leases,” he said. “I think that has more to do with it than how the president reacted to it.”
Even for a monstrously wealthy liberal with a private jet who couldn’t care less about what energy costs the average Joe, this was pretty ignorant.
Jimmy Buffett’s horse carriage
It wasn’t all that long ago that Barack Obama opened new areas to offshore drilling.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Barack Obama gave a safety award to the very oil rig that sank.
And Barack Obama has been the single biggest beneficiary of BP monetary largesse.
Barack Obama is thicker than blood with oil and with BP.
Buffett writes fun music but facts are not his strength. That was quite clear when he said “To me…” Everyone is entitled his own opinion but no one is entitled to his own facts. Then again, maybe it’s because Barack and Jimmy have something in common;
Seems everybodys joggin or heavy into health shit
Don’t tell me that I ought to get rolfed
Cause I love cajun martinis and playin afternoon golf
We are the people there isn’t any doubt
We are the people they still can’t figure out
Buffett made an interesting comment:
“If you’re born and raised on the Gulf Coast and it’s kind of in you, and you don’t feel anger and rage initially over what’s going on down there, I think you’re a hypocrite,” he said in a telephone interview from New York. “That’s the way I felt. Now, what you do with that is a big question.”
It is. So here’s my question: Why doesn’t Buffet do a benefit concert in New York City, charge a reasonable buck for it and donate all the proceeds to Gulf relief instead of doing something in Alabama? How much can they spare? Who’s really being relieved?
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
All five disks in the cd player in my wife’s car are Jimmy Buffets. When I drive the mountain roads here in Northern Arizona where I live, I open the sun roof let the breezes in and enjoy. Now after hearing just how politically stupid Jimmy is, some of the fun will be lost. With a few exceptions entertainers are just minstrels, jugglers, musicians and fools who have a talent for entertaining, and little else.
This is a common occurrence with media people. People outside the business think that the stage persona is the real thing.
he has been married more than once Wow that is so harsh. Some say that he also may have used illegal drugs.
John, John, John
I was trying to be nice. I haven’t begun to say what I really think nor have I said all I wanted do say.
Dr John If that’s ‘trying to be nice” let’s hear what you really think about Jimmy.
@DrJohn
The answer to that last question is the gulf residents themselves who are being relieved. They are being relieved of what little money they have in order to enrich a celebrity’s ego. Common sense left the celebrity animal long ago. I love his generality of ‘bad policy’ as well. Chances are, Mr. Buffet could not name or delineate ONE SINGLE policy of President Bush’s that directly led to the gulf oil spill. On the other hand, conservatives could list several liberal policies and causes that hindered efforts at easier oil drilling prior to the spill, and several factors directly attributable to the current government leadership that has made the spill worse than it could have been.
@Mr. Ryan
When is the last time you presented any cogent facts to support your obvious liberal ideology?
License given final approval under Obama administration by Obama appointed official
Drilling go ahead given by Obama administration.
Safety inspection by Obama administration. After Haliburton demanded well be shut down because of safety swithces appeared to be inoperable. Over ruled because of government inspection pass.
Oh. And those fired Division heads? Obama appointees inspite of media’s attempt to imply they were Bush holdovers.
This occured because of the BP campaign contribution in my opinion.
I met Jimmy Buffett when I was writing a social column for Florida TODAY on Florida’s Space Coast. Buffett was a friend of astronaut John Glenn’s and was here for the shuttle mission that took Glenn into space a final time. Buffett was writing a piece about it for Rolling Stone magazine.
At a pre-launch party hosted by USA Today/ Florida TODAY founder Al Neuharth at his seaside Cocoa Beach home, I ran into Buffett and made my way over to introduce myself and chat him up. He looked at me as if to say “who the hell are you?” and brushed me off to his “publicist”. Evidently not in the mood to be “bothered” with small talk from a fellow guest at this VIP event.
The following day at the Kennedy Space Center press site, I approached Buffett again to get a few quotes, and he was just as rude.
“Oh my God, here she is again”, he said with arrogant disdain. I wrote it up verbatim in my column, letting my readers conclude that this rude man was obviously in dire need of a Margarita or three.
His music was fun. He wasn’t. Jimmy Buffett. Classic example of an a-hole who made it big. Now he’s a big a-hole, still looking for his lost shaker of salt. Any suggestions as to where he might find it???
Jimmy has changed from margaritas to Kool-Aid®.
If I only had a pencil thin mustache, the Barack Hussein Obama kind.
“License given final approval under Obama administration by Obama appointed official
Drilling go ahead given by Obama administration…”
I’m confused. Are republicans madder at Obama because he approved more offshore drilling, or because he tried to put a temporary moratorium on new deepwater projects after one blew out and trashed the entire Gulf coast? Does the government regulate the industry too much or not enough, or does the answer vary depending upon what happens in any given case? What bothers us about BP’s political contributions to Obama? That he accepted campaign funds without actually being bought off?
@Andrea Shea King:
Given Buffet’s new role as a beard for the Obama administration on matters close to Florida’s heart – NASA and sand – he should be a perfect useful fool for the whole NASA-Islam overture. Maybe they can cobble together another shuttle mission with Buffet on board as a passenger with the first Islamic astronaut at the helm. One problem right from the start will be finding a helmet to fit Buffet and the next will be finding a Muslim pilot that includes landing in his repertoire.
@Greg:
Here’s your answer: The Government regulation you speak of is ineffective and the extension to that is a blanket moratorium that is based on approaching election dates rather than a coherent plan for inspections and certification requirements.
The blanket moratorium also serves as incentive for operators to move their drilling platforms to other locations such as Brazil. Wait a minute…didn’t Obama just loan federal dollars to Petrobras…to drill in deep waters off Brazil? And isn’t George Soros, the leading Progressive moneybag for Obama, a huge investor in Petrobras’ deepwater drilling venture? Don’t you know? Or are you “overlooking” that small coincidence, Greg?
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/19/obama-soros-petrobras-brazil-offshore-drilling-double-standards/ _ & _ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203863204574346610120524166.html
Seems like I have a few questions – but what about you? Do you know the answers to those questions? Do you wonder or did you trade in your “Question Authority” bumper sticker when a Progressive finally made it into the White House?
Was Obama “bought off” by BP or is he helping a rich, Progressive contributor? I say “whatever”. What I want to know is why he has been so completely ineffective – to the point of making matters worse – with his handling of the Deepwater Horizon leak.
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” Buffet isn’t a deep thinker and the image of him in people’s minds is based on song lyrics, not reality. Same with all celebrities. Similar to our Resident being a blank canvas on which people projected their fantasies. And then it turned out that he was a stiff dancer and a girly pitcher and a boring talker. The disillusionment is inevitable and comes sooner with increased exposure. And, people never get back that loving feeling either.
I live in Florida and we’ve been putting up with his politics for years. He was a friend of the liberal former Governor Bob Graham.
He is reported to make about $100 million a year between record sales, concert tickets, restaurants, and his books.
Stop buying them.
His music? Si.
His politics? No.
Hey that’s new! Another lib/prog celebrity finds a way to blame Bush (or just conservative policy in general) for the worlds short comings. I don’t understand why this is so shocking to you all, haha!
@buffalobob
LMAO
I was raised on the Gulf shorelines since I was 2 years old… My family and friends are still there. I get back as often as possible, and suspect I’ll end up there to die. As a matter of fact, used to live down the beach from the ol Parrothead himself, and see him play in a small dive there before he made it big time.
However I don’t feel “anger” or “rage”. Sad at this event, concerned to have the well capping and clean up done more efficiently… yes. Anger and rage? Just at idiot regulations that get in the way of common sense.
Too many approach this like BP was just hoping to waste the lives of 11 employees, lose billions and cause damage. It will come down to a few humans and their errors, pitted against Mother Nature. Sheeeeet happens.
As for Jimmy… well, I don’t need to like the man. He’s a master weaver of fun musical folklore. I’d say he probably “passed out in his hammock, slept til way past noon, stood up and tried to focus… hoping he wouldn’t have to look far” a few times too many.
And oh lawdy… please tell me that’s not Jimmy today. Dang we are all getting older….
Even funnier was LeBron James telling people who to vote for in 2008, please
Any stay cat cutting through my yard could make more sense
Buffalobob,
Those CDs are great for target practice.
I already used up my John Cougar CDs. Gotta look to see if I have any Buffet.
Can’t they just keep their mouths shut?
So disappointing.
Good story followed by good comments. For the same reason, I keep the channel changing if I see Springsteen or McCartney doing a concert on Palladia. I do a little guitar-playing and I won’t be doing any McCartney songs too soon. Another dipstick.
Jimmy Buffet is just another example of a has-been musician that is still trying to capture the moment.
Yeah, he had a couple of good tunes, but most people under 25 never heard them.
So what does a has-been, not very desirable music act do when they see they have lost the sparkle? Why, make some idiotic political statement and hope that you become relevant again. Think Willie Nelson. I would imagine Jimmy and Willie share a lot more than just being inconsequential from their remarks.
And Buffet’s whole Mississippi concert reminds me of the concert that Tim McGraw and his idiotic wife were going to give on the coast of Mississippi after Katrina; when the D.J.s found out that the concert was not only NOT free, but that only a portion of the proceeds would go to help Mississippi, they slammed McGraw, hard. The concert was cancelled.
Andrea Shea King: Thanks for the info. I think you have clarified some of the negative comments made by the author of this article.
It was enough to make me curious. He is an interesting guy, this Jimmy Buffett, quite a mixed bag. It seems to me that he is involved heavily in charitable giving, and free enterprise. His charity work is well-known and widely established and he inspires others (Parrothead Charities).
However, he is far from perfect. I would not hold him to some impossible standard. I would use his “Island Chill” mentality –the standard for living that he chooses himself– to compare his words and actions. Because if he fails to meet what he espouses, then hypocrisy is the conclusion.
He used his fame for revenge by writing a song that borders on slander (“The Lawyer and the Asshole”, calling someone greedy who won a court case on a Buffett song’s copyright infringement).
The source of my info is wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Buffett . I read about his drug smuggling (got off the hook with a $300 fine for carrying over 100 pills of ecstasy in his luggage). On one occaision, his plane got shot at by the Jamaican military. The Jamaican govt later apologized. I am ~sure~ this was (as he portrays) just a big mix up. Hmph.
Its no easy task to get thrown out of a stadium for cursing during a basketball game. I am sure the woman and her little boy sitting near Jimmy Buffett (who had no idea who he was) appreciate being demonized for objecting to his foul language. I doubt we are talking about using the F-word once or twice….
Anyway, I imagine a surfer dude who makes it big. At least that is what I perceive. He seems like a great big boy who –in spite of a college degree in history– does not much appreciate the free enterprise system beyond his ability to use it to his advantage. Landshark Stadium along with Margaritaville records, liquors, hotels and casinos must be a terrible burden of stress due to having to manage all that business. (Oh, wait he has someone else doing that. It must just be the stress of the money).
Nonetheless, like I said before, he is definitely a “mixed bag”, so to speak.
tfhr:
Thanks for your comments. I can’t help but copy-and-paste:
Given Buffets new role as a beard for the Obama administration on matters close to Floridas heart — NASA and sand — he should be a perfect useful fool for the whole NASA-Islam overture. Maybe they can cobble together another shuttle mission with Buffet on board as a passenger with the first Islamic astronaut at the helm. One problem right from the start will be finding a helmet to fit Buffet and the next will be finding a Muslim pilot that includes landing in his repertoire.
CLASSIC
So much for Jimmy. I hope Jimmy and Obama like it in 2012 when they are out of office.
@ Mata
Thanks Mata, I was about to make the same points. I have everything Jimmy has ever put out. I would still go see him today. I will still get a Cheeseburger in Paradise when I’m in the Keys or where ever a Margaritaville may be. I listen to his music because I like it, not because I value his keen political opinions.
I have met Tom Cruise. I used to work on his G-4, and the Westwind before he got the G-4. The man is a complete ass. But he makes some damn good movies.
I think Jessica Alba is one of the sexiest women I have ever seen in my life. I don’t watch her movies to get a look at her awesome political insight.
So, next time I’m at the beach, with my toes in the sand and an icy Bud Lite in my hand, Jimmy Buffett’s music will undoubtedly be playing in the background and I will be very happy. I just don’t agree with his politics. And that is how we do it in America, or at least we used to.
@Aqua
It used to be that they stayed away from politics and didn’t alienate half the audience. I guess it’s a great thing to be wealthy enough not give a damn.
@ drjohn
All true drjohn. You made some great points in your post.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Barack Obama opened new areas to offshore drilling.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Barack Obama gave a safety award to the very oil rig that sank.
And Barack Obama has been the single biggest beneficiary of BP monetary largesse.
We live in a new day and age. Information flows like oil from the ruptured BP well. I urge you to follow Jimmy on Twitter. Reply and slap him with the facts. Go to the YouTube video
and comment there to.
That is actually how people shut Jessica Alba up. She said something stupid and Twitter people let her have it.
Buffett sued the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant on Maui in 1997. They’ve been open since 1989, long before Buffett opened his own chain of a similar name. They got to keep the name.
Buffett does appear to a lawsuit-happy pr*ck.
http://www.wsvn.com/features/articles/helpmehoward/MI90642/
I’ll no doubt continue to listen to the music, but probably not ever without being reminded of all of this.
Another reason for Buffett to be angry:
http://www.examiner.com/x-8310-Trendy-Living-Examiner~y2010m7d2-Jimmy-Buffett-opens-Margaritaville-Hotel-on-Pensacola-Beach
I wonder how much money Buffett made during the Bush years.
@Douglas Coleman
It is ironic that someone who sues everyone and anyone at the merest hint of infringement of something Buffett turns around and writes such a bitter song consequent to his own being caught infringing.
“To me” that’s hypocrisy.
“To me” Buffett is a jerk.
I am growing to enjoy that “to me” premise. To me, it’s liberating.
I could care less-it’s more diversions from the left dominated media-he’s a fart in the wind, there’s some really bad things happening now and it’s scandalous that I’m even aware that some basketball player is being serenaded by the Gov of his state to remain there. Are you effing kidding?
When TSHTF and I’m living under a bridge, I’ll have fond memories and where to make a beeline to. I’m old, I’ve had a good life and if it comes to that, I’m not going out whimpering
Well, another older fan who’s lost that ear for Buffet,.. that’s me. I’ve happily been to a couple of his concerts and I’ve enjoyed his branded Tequila and had drinks in his branded bar in Vegas. All fun times. But his commercialism is at odds with his easy-going persona and his appeal.
He does appear to be a savvy businessman and I wish him well with that. I was disappointed but not surprised when he went off on GWB regarding the gulf. Political criticism is one thing and I’m ok with that… but not lying and slander. Not misrepresentation of facts, though he evidently knows few of those.
I hope he gets heckled at his concert. I’m counting on the South to let him know he needs to keep his mouth shut and sing. To the extent he didn’t in this case, ruined his music for me. There are too many other artists out there who stick to their craft and don’t yap about their politics so I can enjoy their music superficially… based on lyrics and melody.
For some unknown reason personalities who have captured the public attention think that, despite the fact that they are living in a fantasy world, they are now qualified to be powerful opinion leaders. This is true throughout the entire entertainment industry. Most of these people don’t even have high school educations yet want to foist their misguided, uninformed values on the rest of us. Boycott them! Perhaps once their financial position is equal to the rest of us they will realize the stupidity of their positions. Probalby not – but we can always hope!
Gerry Do you know the cumulative years of college completed by Rush,Glenn and Sean? ZERO and it hasn’t slowed them one bit.
Mata All the best to you. We haven’t always agreed but I respect the way you presented your Conservative beliefs. Semper Fi
I think celebrities are entitled to voice their opinions (hell – you wouldn’t of had Reagan as President if he just kept to his day job) but also you can seperate their art (be it music/acting etc) and their political stance/personality. What’s the point in boycotting their work if you like it? John Lennon wrote great music in the Beatles and as a solo artist – but what I read – he doesn’t come across as such the peace-loving hippie as he was made out to be.
Numerous celebrities have captured the attention of the public. As such they have the ear of the people. The vast majority of these celebrities are living in a world of fantasy. Because of certain appeal they are being paid vast sums of money – most often from movies, the stage, television or professional sports. The citizenry dotes on these individuals and often accepts the jargon the celebrities spout concerniing various aspect of daily life – a life that they do not share with the rest of us! I frankly could not care less which team Lebron James played for. Neither do I feel that Mel Gibson or Barbra Streisand etc. have the correct view of which direction the nation should be taking merely because the media gives them a venue to express their opinions and , as I am not in the public eye, are denied. I dont believe that some over-paid, spoiled diva/actor/sports figure has any more right to their opinion than I, Dr. John or anyone here on the Internet does. The celebrities are simple more visible. The “stars” are in front of the public and believe that because they are rich and famous they are more qualified to tell the rest of the world what is right and wrong. Unlike the student required to attend college classes and being forced to listen to the instructors biased views I am not so handicapped. I simple choose not to add to the wealth of these celebrities whether they be from the left or from the right.
GERRY: hi, you make so much sense in your comment,that every young peoples students or other
at work, should read and take into account that their views of thoses stars are just a projection of who they represent in their act or sport or other,not to be taken litteraly,they express only who they represent, and sadly they are picking the votes for only acting, like some falses politiciens do
bye 🙄
David Allen Coe had his number years ago. Jimmy Buffet, he don’t live in Key West anymore.
“So don’t lay all that Key West Jimmy Buffett shit on me.”
I love Jimmy and his music…I have only recently come to hate his politics…He needs to keep his mouth shut about who is to blame (other than BP)…Just like almost everything with ANY celebrity. They are normal people and finally seeing the true person really takes away from the ‘persona’ that I want to like.
@retire05:
While I can’t agree with Buffett’s polotics, I can’t agree with ignorate statements like “Retire05” above.
Like: “Jimmy Buffet is just another example of a has-been musician that is still trying to capture the moment.
Yeah, he had a couple of good tunes, but most people under 25 never heard them.”
And: “So what does a has-been, not very desirable music act do when they see they have lost the sparkle?”
“A” Buffett further away from being anything close to a has been, than Barry Obama is from being a decent President. This person is simply showing how dumb they really are. Then some of the other remarks show why the Left hates those on the Right. You’re as ignornate as the Liberal Left.
Our world will be better if both ends just go away.