"I'm Gumby, DAMMIT!"
What kind of crazy fucked-up world do we live in where SNL has its best show in decades?
One in which Eddie Murphy comes back to Rockefeller Center to exhibit his talent and blow the rest of the cast away.
Of course I wasn't gonna watch this. I was convincing Felice to watch either "El Marginal" or "Gomorrah" on Netflix. But she said she had to see the opening of SNL first.
Well...
Rather than fire up the Roku downstairs, I decided to watch the opening. Which featured stars galore, and fell flat as it usually does, I didn't laugh out loud once, and neither did Felice. Sure, the studio audience was howling, but they were just thrilled to be there.
But then Chris Rock showed up. And Chappelle.
Seems like a long time ago, but our comedy heroes have come back to roost. Watching Rock one remembered all his A-level specials, he was the new Carlin on HBO.
But Chappelle had even more stage presence, today he's a bigger star than all of them, walking away from his TV show, going into hibernation and then coming back on Netflix and angering the same people who can't seem to understand why Trump is President. What did that famous African-American seer once sing...DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS? I'm not gonna say I agree with everything Chappelle says, but he's got a right to say it, and when people utter the politically incorrect, conversation flows, we get to figure it out for ourselves instead of being told how to think, or that we can't think. Yup, what kind of crazy fucked-up world do we live in where you need trigger warnings, where colleges are so out of touch that the Republicans gain a talking point. I went to college, we protested, but we did not Facetime our mommies multiple times a day, going away to school meant you were an adult, you had to figure it out for yourself, you even had to do your own laundry!
But as the white nationalists rage, watching tonight's program illustrated that it is black culture that rules the world, that is cool. Come on, Chappelle smoking a cigarette? And Lizzo! I hate that she sang to track, and the dancers in the first number were superfluous, but she evidenced talent and she was having so much FUN! I'm not saying it was dangerous, not Elvis Costello or Sinead O'Connor back in the day, then again, isn't it illegal to be fat? I'm down with anybody questioning precepts. Isn't that what rock and roll used to be, before it became about conformity and selling out to the man?
But in "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood"... Eddie inhabited the character without chewing the scenery, he took a formula and jetted it into the stratosphere!
And how about that holiday cake sketch? He was the only one who evidenced any star power.
Yup, stars. That's what we're interested in. And we know it when we see it, just like pornography.
So back in '73, I went to see "Lemmings" at the Village Gate. And it took only one performance to be closed by John Belushi and Chevy Chase. Their performances were embedded in my brain. Such that when they appeared on SNL...not only was I ready, but they became instant stars. Yup, it was a smaller world, easier to make it, but since Eddie Murphy, no one's become an overnight, instant star on SNL. Well, Tina Fey came close, but otherwise we were exposed to nobodies going nowhere or people on their way to making hackneyed movies, unlike "Animal House."
And Will Ferrell... He was too safe, he was warm and cuddly, you could take him home to mom.
But Eddie Murphy?
The closing segment, the one with the reputation for being way out there, that usually sucks, with Eddie hogging the camera at the North Pole? Come on, that's local news to a T! If I say anything more, I'm gonna appear racist, but Eddie nailed it.
And even though Velvet Jones is not a new character, Eddie blew away the rest of the cast on "Black Jeopardy."
We're looking for excellence. In the everybody can be a star world of the internet, we give credit to those who do not deserve it. We're looking for transcendent performances, ones we can never forget, where someone fully-formed comes out and knocks us dead.
Come on, did you ever see Prince?
Some people just have it in them.
And some people had it and lost it.
And to tell you the truth, I thought Eddie Murphy was lost, that he jumped the shark, with too much money and...
But when he talked about being the American Dad Cosby is not, staying at home with his kids, joking about having to go back to work to feed his progeny...
It reminded me of Richard Pryor at the Comedy Store, not long after he burned himself up, when he took the stage and started telling Richard Pryor jokes. You know, like lighting a match and bouncing it up and down and asking the audience what it was...
I wanna be taken to the limit, I don't want to settle.
And our whole world is about settling these days. Everybody has the right to become President, everybody has the right to do everything, and what most people are best at is self-promotion, other than the work.
But most of us are just the audience, admit it. And when we're lying in bed, or on the couch, and someone comes along and lifts us up, takes us away from our humdrum lives, makes us feel it's great to be alive...
We're all eyes and ears.
And tonight that was Eddie Murphy.
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Saturday, 21 December 2019
Retribution
https://www.netflix.com/title/80141960
It will make you want to go to Scotland.
And speaking of traveling, you might have caught the story about Norway refraining from drilling for oil off the Loften Islands. That's important news, but even more staggering is the picture that accompanied said news, see it here: https://bit.ly/34IJGcb Now if that does not make you want to go there...
So I've run out of sure bets on Netflix and Amazon.
Oh, let me throw down some criteria. I don't watch movies. Well, I don't watch non-fiction movies, just like I do my best not to read non-fiction books. If it's based on a true story...well, I'd rather just read the story. I'm looking for a series, something I can dig my teeth into. And after finishing "Mrs. Maisel," we pulled up "The Kominsky Method," and after three episodes turned it off. There was some good word of mouth, but could anything by Chuck Lorre be worth watching? You know, the guy who did "Two and a Half Men"? Hopefully this kind of entertainment will die with network television. You know, lowbrow trying to appeal to the masses. It's kinda like music, that which is unique, that takes itself seriously, is usually the most appealing. I'm not a big fan of Radiohead, but it fits this paradigm.
Now I'm not lacking for recommendations. My inbox is full. But it's kinda like music recommendations, people don't understand the concept, it's not what YOU like, but what you think I will like. Believe me, when I'm recommending music I don't start off with Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, even though I love that initial LP.
Then again, there's the issue of having the light shined upon you. ("Shone"? Who knows!) Like the NYT Sunday "Book Review." They ask people what they read and they proffer the most obscure stuff, in order to make themselves look cool. Or maybe you should check out the WSJ's best albums of the year (https://on.wsj.com/2ZciH81). Oh, they mention Billie Eilish, Brittany Howard, Lana Del Rey and even Justin Howard/Bon Iver. You've probably heard of all those. But how about the first LP mentioned...the Brooklyn band 75 Dollar Bill, with their big hit album "I Was Real." You'll be glad to know none of the cuts on the LP reach six digits on Spotify, one doesn't even reach five! Then there's the famous Angel Olsen, and her album "All Mirrors." Five of the tracks actually reach seven figures on Spotify, but with all this talk of hip-hop/pop concentration at the majors, the label is...Jagjaguwar, same as Justin Vernon/Bon Iver. Or how about Big Thief's "U.F.O.F."? A bunch of tracks in low seven figures, but have you even heard of the band? Oh, there is a rapper, Polo G. And at this point, most people have heard of FKA Twigs, at least those paying attention to the scene, but how about Jessica Pratt and her LP "Quiet Signs"? Actually, one cut does have four million streams, but the rest don't break six digits.
And the point is not that the music featured in the WSJ list is bad. Who knows, I haven't heard a bunch. But it certainly isn't what you're seeing on the "Billboard" chart. Used to be a limited number of projects were released per year, now it's virtually endless. And almost nothing worth listening to is on a major label, and all the hype is only about what's on major labels, and if this doesn't make you feel overwhelmed and want to check out, you're a better person than me, and one with more time.
That's the problem with TV shows, they take a lot of time. You could click through a playlist of the above, but watching a number of TV shows? And as for playlists, we're inundated with them, and after you skip through a bunch of bum tracks you beg off. Yup, music distribution has been figured out, but not music marketing. Used to be you could rely on the deejay, when the deejay could choose what to play, now you're on your own, good luck!
As for short form video... Did you read the story in the WSJ about creators being burned out? (https://on.wsj.com/2Sn1fMJ) How many articles have we read about the YouTube stars being the future? The same wankers writing this are the same ones pontificating about the election and swaying it. Now even PewDiePie is taking a break. Want some good advice? Go to college, get an education, preferably one in the humanities, then you'll be able to navigate the future.
Which brings us back to...
"Retribution." A four part miniseries shot in Scotland and released by the BBC in 2016.
That's what I love about today, art is a time bomb, just waiting to be discovered. You don't have to be first, you don't have to be hip, you can wend your way and find the good stuff eventually, it's like a glorified board game and you're the only one playing it.
So...
At first "Retribution" seems a bit hokey.
No, not at first, at the end of the first episode, when the construct is revealed, you think you've seen it before, you might even wince.
But as you power on...
Everyone's got complications. No one is pure. And that reflects real life. Go under the surface and everybody's got issues, even if they don't reveal them to you. And life isn't fair even though you want it to be and do you go along with the group or your own way and end up ostracized?
You'll recognize John Lynch from "The Fall" (watch that before this) and "In The Name Of The Father."
Lynch is calm, and then he's intense. And just when you think he's gonna hit someone, when he's in their face, he doesn't. And that's a big issue... Could you ever hit your wife or husband? Don't immediately say no. It may be you've never been put in certain situations, you might not know about certain situations, and if you do...
As for Laura Fraser, the DI...you'll recognize her from "Breaking Bad" (which you should binge, you get hooked, but I'd say to binge "The Americans" first).
And you've seen Gary Lewis (not the one with the Playboys) and Juliet Stevenson and Joe Dempsie but the star is Joanna Vanderham, who is constantly confronted with crises of conscience.
So who did it?
That's one of the things I hate about mysteries, there's always a twist at the end, to a great degree it's why I don't read them. But unlike mystery books, the miniseries made from them are often fleshed out to the point where the conclusion is not the most important part.
So the two families are living in the middle of nowhere, what happens when you know everybody and everybody knows you?
And are you a weak person, can you endure the twists and turns of life?
And can you trust anybody but yourself. I know, I know, that sounds extreme, but you'd be surprised how the most loyal are not.
And are you listening, or are you alone together?
We watched the first hour and I wasn't so sure about going back. But last night we marathoned the final three episodes, we couldn't turn "Retribution" off.
Now I don't like how they explain things. I prefer when you can infer, from what happens, what is said. Then again, is everything true?
Now "Retribution" is not light. It'll change your mood. And that's a change from so much of today's disposable art.
And it'll make you wonder about your own choices, your own life, it'll set the wheels turning, and isn't that what we want art to do?
It will make you want to go to Scotland.
And speaking of traveling, you might have caught the story about Norway refraining from drilling for oil off the Loften Islands. That's important news, but even more staggering is the picture that accompanied said news, see it here: https://bit.ly/34IJGcb Now if that does not make you want to go there...
So I've run out of sure bets on Netflix and Amazon.
Oh, let me throw down some criteria. I don't watch movies. Well, I don't watch non-fiction movies, just like I do my best not to read non-fiction books. If it's based on a true story...well, I'd rather just read the story. I'm looking for a series, something I can dig my teeth into. And after finishing "Mrs. Maisel," we pulled up "The Kominsky Method," and after three episodes turned it off. There was some good word of mouth, but could anything by Chuck Lorre be worth watching? You know, the guy who did "Two and a Half Men"? Hopefully this kind of entertainment will die with network television. You know, lowbrow trying to appeal to the masses. It's kinda like music, that which is unique, that takes itself seriously, is usually the most appealing. I'm not a big fan of Radiohead, but it fits this paradigm.
Now I'm not lacking for recommendations. My inbox is full. But it's kinda like music recommendations, people don't understand the concept, it's not what YOU like, but what you think I will like. Believe me, when I'm recommending music I don't start off with Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, even though I love that initial LP.
Then again, there's the issue of having the light shined upon you. ("Shone"? Who knows!) Like the NYT Sunday "Book Review." They ask people what they read and they proffer the most obscure stuff, in order to make themselves look cool. Or maybe you should check out the WSJ's best albums of the year (https://on.wsj.com/2ZciH81). Oh, they mention Billie Eilish, Brittany Howard, Lana Del Rey and even Justin Howard/Bon Iver. You've probably heard of all those. But how about the first LP mentioned...the Brooklyn band 75 Dollar Bill, with their big hit album "I Was Real." You'll be glad to know none of the cuts on the LP reach six digits on Spotify, one doesn't even reach five! Then there's the famous Angel Olsen, and her album "All Mirrors." Five of the tracks actually reach seven figures on Spotify, but with all this talk of hip-hop/pop concentration at the majors, the label is...Jagjaguwar, same as Justin Vernon/Bon Iver. Or how about Big Thief's "U.F.O.F."? A bunch of tracks in low seven figures, but have you even heard of the band? Oh, there is a rapper, Polo G. And at this point, most people have heard of FKA Twigs, at least those paying attention to the scene, but how about Jessica Pratt and her LP "Quiet Signs"? Actually, one cut does have four million streams, but the rest don't break six digits.
And the point is not that the music featured in the WSJ list is bad. Who knows, I haven't heard a bunch. But it certainly isn't what you're seeing on the "Billboard" chart. Used to be a limited number of projects were released per year, now it's virtually endless. And almost nothing worth listening to is on a major label, and all the hype is only about what's on major labels, and if this doesn't make you feel overwhelmed and want to check out, you're a better person than me, and one with more time.
That's the problem with TV shows, they take a lot of time. You could click through a playlist of the above, but watching a number of TV shows? And as for playlists, we're inundated with them, and after you skip through a bunch of bum tracks you beg off. Yup, music distribution has been figured out, but not music marketing. Used to be you could rely on the deejay, when the deejay could choose what to play, now you're on your own, good luck!
As for short form video... Did you read the story in the WSJ about creators being burned out? (https://on.wsj.com/2Sn1fMJ) How many articles have we read about the YouTube stars being the future? The same wankers writing this are the same ones pontificating about the election and swaying it. Now even PewDiePie is taking a break. Want some good advice? Go to college, get an education, preferably one in the humanities, then you'll be able to navigate the future.
Which brings us back to...
"Retribution." A four part miniseries shot in Scotland and released by the BBC in 2016.
That's what I love about today, art is a time bomb, just waiting to be discovered. You don't have to be first, you don't have to be hip, you can wend your way and find the good stuff eventually, it's like a glorified board game and you're the only one playing it.
So...
At first "Retribution" seems a bit hokey.
No, not at first, at the end of the first episode, when the construct is revealed, you think you've seen it before, you might even wince.
But as you power on...
Everyone's got complications. No one is pure. And that reflects real life. Go under the surface and everybody's got issues, even if they don't reveal them to you. And life isn't fair even though you want it to be and do you go along with the group or your own way and end up ostracized?
You'll recognize John Lynch from "The Fall" (watch that before this) and "In The Name Of The Father."
Lynch is calm, and then he's intense. And just when you think he's gonna hit someone, when he's in their face, he doesn't. And that's a big issue... Could you ever hit your wife or husband? Don't immediately say no. It may be you've never been put in certain situations, you might not know about certain situations, and if you do...
As for Laura Fraser, the DI...you'll recognize her from "Breaking Bad" (which you should binge, you get hooked, but I'd say to binge "The Americans" first).
And you've seen Gary Lewis (not the one with the Playboys) and Juliet Stevenson and Joe Dempsie but the star is Joanna Vanderham, who is constantly confronted with crises of conscience.
So who did it?
That's one of the things I hate about mysteries, there's always a twist at the end, to a great degree it's why I don't read them. But unlike mystery books, the miniseries made from them are often fleshed out to the point where the conclusion is not the most important part.
So the two families are living in the middle of nowhere, what happens when you know everybody and everybody knows you?
And are you a weak person, can you endure the twists and turns of life?
And can you trust anybody but yourself. I know, I know, that sounds extreme, but you'd be surprised how the most loyal are not.
And are you listening, or are you alone together?
We watched the first hour and I wasn't so sure about going back. But last night we marathoned the final three episodes, we couldn't turn "Retribution" off.
Now I don't like how they explain things. I prefer when you can infer, from what happens, what is said. Then again, is everything true?
Now "Retribution" is not light. It'll change your mood. And that's a change from so much of today's disposable art.
And it'll make you wonder about your own choices, your own life, it'll set the wheels turning, and isn't that what we want art to do?
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
To change your email address http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=preferences&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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Thursday, 19 December 2019
Tonight's Debate
Most voters did not watch it.
Politics is show business for ugly people. Donald Trump knows this.
The RNC and DNC do not.
Come on, Trump was promoting himself using a fake name. That's what Trump knows, fame. And his image was cemented by the Mark Burnett produced "Apprentice."
At this point, we all know that reality TV is a creature of editing. You can look good or bad, depending upon the storyline the producers want to convey.
Donald Trump was depicted as a brilliant businessman, a hands-on billionaire who made quick decisions, who was all about the Benjamins.
And that message was conveyed week after week on network television, before it was eclipsed by Netflix and YouTube.
The issues don't matter!
The people watching tonight already know who they're going to vote for.
It's just the non-watchers who don't.
News trickles down to those not paying direct attention. Oftentimes it's inaccurate, but they don't want to take the time to watch, to read, to research...they have other priorities.
And that's fine.
But what they're looking for is a star. Someone to believe in. Someone to follow. Someone to dedicate their life to.
Like musical artists.
Not actors, they play roles.
But musical artists? Their message is embedded in their songs. You believe they are these people.
But if you're privileged enough to get up close and personal with these artists, in most cases you're disappointed. They're narcissistic, nonverbal and usually they are not interested in you.
But the image prevails.
Talk to any macher in the music business, one who signs talent, and they'll tell you they're looking for stars. I'm not a huge fan of the self-congratulatory Clive Davis, but he got this right.
Doesn't matter who is the best player, it's all about image. If you can write your own material, fine, but if you can't, we'll tailor some for you.
Want to talk about a star?
Harry Styles. His dates sell out immediately. He's got rabid fans. He's good-looking, generous and doesn't self-promote, at least not compared to most people. Hit records are irrelevant, Harry's fans believe in him.
Kind of like Oprah. She's not the most beautiful person on television, but she's one of the most honest, who radiates intelligence, who refuses to get in the gutter just for ratings. Hell, Oprah lifted her program up and became an icon! Yes, it's those who break the mold who lead us into the future, they are stars.
Want to talk stars? How about John Lennon. He said what he thought, and it had gravitas because of his talent and success. He poured his passion into efforts like peace, and was willing to say the uncomfortable.
Now I could go through the history of show business and point out more stars, but one thing's for sure, the Democrats will only win if they run one.
Tom Steyer?
I wouldn't even want to have breakfast with him, I'd be fearful of being bored to tears.
Andrew Yang? A nerd who struck it rich whose heart is in the right place but seems out of touch with reality, at least that which is involved with running for President.
Amy Klobuchar? Like the girl running the bake sale. You know, like Paige Hardaway on "Atypical," she's always involved, always doing the right thing, but clueless as to how others perceive her.
So write those three off.
Let's go to Pete Buttigieg.
He started off with star power, but somehow he's lost it.
A star appears not to play the game. A star tests the limits, doesn't shy away from them. A star, at least in the old days, is not a member of the club, but singularly in their own club. Pete hanging with billionaires, raising money from the fat cats? Who can get behind that except for those donating?
Biden?
Now listen people, we've been through the movie before. John Kerry? Supremely qualified. And was Swiftboated to defeat. That's right, a war veteran was beaten by someone who didn't go.
Same deal with Hillary Clinton. A wonk's wonk. Who doesn't even know how to read society, and no one around her did either. Big stars have instinct, and lesser ones have managers who tell them what to do. Neither Hillary nor her handlers had a clue as to how she came across.
Biden is no star. He's the uncle you avoid at parties. Who tries to be hip and ends up looking clueless.
So none of the above-listed candidates can win. IMPOSSIBLE! They lack the magnetism of a star. Once again, Buttigieg had it, but he squandered it, like a hit act that puts out an album contradictory to their image.
So that leaves us with Bernie and Elizabeth.
Now I'm not saying they are the biggest stars, I'm just saying they're the only stars presently running, at least those with any traction.
Michael Bloomberg? Anybody who knows him knows he's brilliant, but boring. Steve Jobs was a star. Bill Gates never was. You might be interested in what Bill Gates reads, but you don't want to take personal advice from him, he seems out of touch. Rich, but clueless.
Bill Clinton was a star.
Barack Obama too.
Clinton was like Trump, the slings and arrows kept coming but he kept ducking and soldiering on. You see every star is subject to blowback. The key is not to cave.
Kind of like elite athletes. Skill is one thing, performance under pressure, when the trophy is on the line...that's a separate quality that is developed with experience.
So I'm not against the Democrats putting up a star not presently in the race. A superstar, hopefully. Someone who may not be perfect, but can lead. Kinda like musicians. There's a good chance there will be a brokered convention, we may not have seen the last candidate.
Elizabeth Warren is a star. Because she switched parties, because she pulled herself up by her bootstraps, because she stands up to the man. But she's only learning now how to stand up to pressure. You double-down, you don't re-evaluate, that's what they're looking for, the gotcha moment.
Which brings us to Bernie Sanders. He's Kurt Cobain. Deep into democratic socialism when no one was paying attention, just like Kurt was into punk. You have no doubt where Bernie is coming from, he's got credibility, as in he walks the walk and talks the talk, he sticks to his guns (and lives in Vermont and can't be too against firearms).
You react to Bernie. You either love him or hate him.
And Bernie's message is loud and clear... The working man got screwed and I'm going to level the playing field.
Come on, give me one sentence about everybody above other than Warren. Joe...I've been there and will bring back normalcy? Who can get excited about that? That would be like David Bowie saying he was going to remake "Let's Dance." I'll give you a more recent example... U2 went on tour playing the entire "Joshua Tree," and they instantly became an oldies act. Sure, their fans loved it, but the rest of us put them permanently in the rearview mirror. Come on, an artist doesn't kowtow to his fans, and never does it solely for the money, who can believe in that?
Now Bernie Sanders is not Michael Dukakis and it's not 1988 anymore.
Tell me exactly what Dukakis was promising, boil his message down to one sentence. Utterly impossible! As for 1988... Many people thought things were going pretty well, a lot of people don't think things are going so well today.
So there it is Democrats. Your only choice is Sanders or Warren. They're the only ones who have the star power. I'm not saying they have the best star power, the most star power, but of those running, they're the only ones who can compete with Trump.
Trump was his own man during the whole election cycle. He didn't care about the pundits, the news, your perception of him, he was playing to a base that existed in his mind, but no one in the Beltway's...and he won!
So let's boil it down.
Only a star can win. Trump is definitely a star. Who is the Democrats' star?
Think about that.
--
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Politics is show business for ugly people. Donald Trump knows this.
The RNC and DNC do not.
Come on, Trump was promoting himself using a fake name. That's what Trump knows, fame. And his image was cemented by the Mark Burnett produced "Apprentice."
At this point, we all know that reality TV is a creature of editing. You can look good or bad, depending upon the storyline the producers want to convey.
Donald Trump was depicted as a brilliant businessman, a hands-on billionaire who made quick decisions, who was all about the Benjamins.
And that message was conveyed week after week on network television, before it was eclipsed by Netflix and YouTube.
The issues don't matter!
The people watching tonight already know who they're going to vote for.
It's just the non-watchers who don't.
News trickles down to those not paying direct attention. Oftentimes it's inaccurate, but they don't want to take the time to watch, to read, to research...they have other priorities.
And that's fine.
But what they're looking for is a star. Someone to believe in. Someone to follow. Someone to dedicate their life to.
Like musical artists.
Not actors, they play roles.
But musical artists? Their message is embedded in their songs. You believe they are these people.
But if you're privileged enough to get up close and personal with these artists, in most cases you're disappointed. They're narcissistic, nonverbal and usually they are not interested in you.
But the image prevails.
Talk to any macher in the music business, one who signs talent, and they'll tell you they're looking for stars. I'm not a huge fan of the self-congratulatory Clive Davis, but he got this right.
Doesn't matter who is the best player, it's all about image. If you can write your own material, fine, but if you can't, we'll tailor some for you.
Want to talk about a star?
Harry Styles. His dates sell out immediately. He's got rabid fans. He's good-looking, generous and doesn't self-promote, at least not compared to most people. Hit records are irrelevant, Harry's fans believe in him.
Kind of like Oprah. She's not the most beautiful person on television, but she's one of the most honest, who radiates intelligence, who refuses to get in the gutter just for ratings. Hell, Oprah lifted her program up and became an icon! Yes, it's those who break the mold who lead us into the future, they are stars.
Want to talk stars? How about John Lennon. He said what he thought, and it had gravitas because of his talent and success. He poured his passion into efforts like peace, and was willing to say the uncomfortable.
Now I could go through the history of show business and point out more stars, but one thing's for sure, the Democrats will only win if they run one.
Tom Steyer?
I wouldn't even want to have breakfast with him, I'd be fearful of being bored to tears.
Andrew Yang? A nerd who struck it rich whose heart is in the right place but seems out of touch with reality, at least that which is involved with running for President.
Amy Klobuchar? Like the girl running the bake sale. You know, like Paige Hardaway on "Atypical," she's always involved, always doing the right thing, but clueless as to how others perceive her.
So write those three off.
Let's go to Pete Buttigieg.
He started off with star power, but somehow he's lost it.
A star appears not to play the game. A star tests the limits, doesn't shy away from them. A star, at least in the old days, is not a member of the club, but singularly in their own club. Pete hanging with billionaires, raising money from the fat cats? Who can get behind that except for those donating?
Biden?
Now listen people, we've been through the movie before. John Kerry? Supremely qualified. And was Swiftboated to defeat. That's right, a war veteran was beaten by someone who didn't go.
Same deal with Hillary Clinton. A wonk's wonk. Who doesn't even know how to read society, and no one around her did either. Big stars have instinct, and lesser ones have managers who tell them what to do. Neither Hillary nor her handlers had a clue as to how she came across.
Biden is no star. He's the uncle you avoid at parties. Who tries to be hip and ends up looking clueless.
So none of the above-listed candidates can win. IMPOSSIBLE! They lack the magnetism of a star. Once again, Buttigieg had it, but he squandered it, like a hit act that puts out an album contradictory to their image.
So that leaves us with Bernie and Elizabeth.
Now I'm not saying they are the biggest stars, I'm just saying they're the only stars presently running, at least those with any traction.
Michael Bloomberg? Anybody who knows him knows he's brilliant, but boring. Steve Jobs was a star. Bill Gates never was. You might be interested in what Bill Gates reads, but you don't want to take personal advice from him, he seems out of touch. Rich, but clueless.
Bill Clinton was a star.
Barack Obama too.
Clinton was like Trump, the slings and arrows kept coming but he kept ducking and soldiering on. You see every star is subject to blowback. The key is not to cave.
Kind of like elite athletes. Skill is one thing, performance under pressure, when the trophy is on the line...that's a separate quality that is developed with experience.
So I'm not against the Democrats putting up a star not presently in the race. A superstar, hopefully. Someone who may not be perfect, but can lead. Kinda like musicians. There's a good chance there will be a brokered convention, we may not have seen the last candidate.
Elizabeth Warren is a star. Because she switched parties, because she pulled herself up by her bootstraps, because she stands up to the man. But she's only learning now how to stand up to pressure. You double-down, you don't re-evaluate, that's what they're looking for, the gotcha moment.
Which brings us to Bernie Sanders. He's Kurt Cobain. Deep into democratic socialism when no one was paying attention, just like Kurt was into punk. You have no doubt where Bernie is coming from, he's got credibility, as in he walks the walk and talks the talk, he sticks to his guns (and lives in Vermont and can't be too against firearms).
You react to Bernie. You either love him or hate him.
And Bernie's message is loud and clear... The working man got screwed and I'm going to level the playing field.
Come on, give me one sentence about everybody above other than Warren. Joe...I've been there and will bring back normalcy? Who can get excited about that? That would be like David Bowie saying he was going to remake "Let's Dance." I'll give you a more recent example... U2 went on tour playing the entire "Joshua Tree," and they instantly became an oldies act. Sure, their fans loved it, but the rest of us put them permanently in the rearview mirror. Come on, an artist doesn't kowtow to his fans, and never does it solely for the money, who can believe in that?
Now Bernie Sanders is not Michael Dukakis and it's not 1988 anymore.
Tell me exactly what Dukakis was promising, boil his message down to one sentence. Utterly impossible! As for 1988... Many people thought things were going pretty well, a lot of people don't think things are going so well today.
So there it is Democrats. Your only choice is Sanders or Warren. They're the only ones who have the star power. I'm not saying they have the best star power, the most star power, but of those running, they're the only ones who can compete with Trump.
Trump was his own man during the whole election cycle. He didn't care about the pundits, the news, your perception of him, he was playing to a base that existed in his mind, but no one in the Beltway's...and he won!
So let's boil it down.
Only a star can win. Trump is definitely a star. Who is the Democrats' star?
Think about that.
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Lee Abrams-This Week's Podcast
He created AOR, the album-oriented rock radio format. He designed the original XM channels. Legendary radio programmer Lee Abrams is just not another consultant, listen to glean his insights.
Howard Stern talks to Hillary Clinton about Lee Abrams (start at 15:20): https://bit.ly/2Q9D8OT
You can also read some of Lee's musings here: https://bit.ly/2RZxBN2
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lee-abrams/id1316200737?i=1000460062118
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6BE7blJIQe25AY6wSm69CL?si=MtRGsi1yQs-eR4nXLYhN7Q
https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=158928
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Howard Stern talks to Hillary Clinton about Lee Abrams (start at 15:20): https://bit.ly/2Q9D8OT
You can also read some of Lee's musings here: https://bit.ly/2RZxBN2
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-30806836/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lee-abrams/id1316200737?i=1000460062118
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6BE7blJIQe25AY6wSm69CL?si=MtRGsi1yQs-eR4nXLYhN7Q
https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=158928
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Impeachment
At what point does America break?
There's this canard that the Constitution will keep us together.
Ironically, it's the Constitution that's keeping us apart.
I thought it would be the unavailability of abortion. But despite one clinic in states, despite all the anti-abortion laws, the left has been strangely silent.
I guess that's because you can still easily get an abortion in elite, blue states.
And there you have it right there, the elite.
When the hoi polloi start denigrating education, you know we've lost.
Not that the elite are blameless. They embraced the inevitable globalization but left those negatively affected by it without a safety net.
Ironically, those who lost their jobs are anti-safety net. If you can explain that to me...
Up is down and down is up.
I was for impeachment. How many times can Trump break the law and disregard the Constitution.
But I know the right doesn't see it that way. I know that primarily because of what comes into my inbox.
So, where's hope?
Why obey the law?
Then again, with cameras everywhere, it's the poor who get nailed while the rich go scot-free with their white collar crimes.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Wall was supposed to fall and harmony and democracy were supposed to reign. But now Trump can't stop lauding Putin and for those of us who grew up in the fifties and sixties, when Russia was our mortal enemy, we're left scratching our heads at best.
So...
Let's say Trump loses in 2020. Bill Maher keeps positing that he won't leave office. Sounds ridiculous until you look at that governor in Kentucky who refused to accept the vote, and when he did pardoned the unpardonable, in volume.
As for the election process itself...every day sees a new article questioning the integrity of voting machines. So, if you lose, and you have power, and control the military...
The right has defined the debate and circled the wagons while the left has been nearly asleep. Raising their hands and shaking their fists while doing next to nothing.
Yup, the right wing used the Federalist Society to groom right wing judges and right wing administrations installed them.
As for McConnell refusing Obama a Supreme Court pick...there you go, the black man afraid of looking angry didn't go bonkers, unlike the white man Trump.
Then the right wing politically assassinated Hillary Clinton. And now Joe Biden. Biden's the loser in this whole Ukrainian kerfuffle. Trump will go free and Biden, if nominated, starts with one foot already in the grave, and I'm not talking about his age.
But let's say a Democrat wins the Presidency, then what? Do you think Trump, Fox News and Redville are going to accept this? NO!
If you think the big issue is Newsom standing up to Trump, as BTO said, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
But BTO is from Canada, which is dealing with its own right wing insurgence, but it was fought off and there's national health care and more freedom than in the U.S. and...
Down here we must be free. Free to starve, free to go broke from medical bills, free not to help our neighbor, free to live the American Dream even though statistically it exists more in Canada and Europe than it does in the U.S.
So, tribalism rules.
Contrary news has been neutered. Talk to someone on the right, if it's in the "New York Times" or the "Washington Post" it must be disregarded.
So if you can't agree on the facts...
And we haven't been able to agree on those facts for a long time.
So how did we get here?
Well, income inequality, which was a result of Ronald Reagan's policies and the right wing anti-tax strategy. Trickle down my ass.
But Reagan is a national hero! Yup, the Republicans went on a campaign to name every edifice and highway in his name. Talk about disinformation.
And then you have the increase in anti-Semitism, all that white nationalism...they love Trump, he's one of them and he speaks for them. At what point does the left crack and stand up?
Not after they shoot up a pizza parlor.
Not after they kill a woman in Charlottesville.
The left stands by as if the rule of law will save them, ain't that a laugh.
The right has circled the wagons, gotten behind Trump even though he doesn't represent traditional Republican values. Meanwhile, the left is busy arguing amongst itself, while the Electoral College allows those with a smaller share of the popular vote to become President.
I think the crack will come from the right. As it did during the Civil War.
And it took the south's defense of slavery for Lincoln to act.
As for the announcement of the Lincoln Project...read the comments, they're not swaying those on the right.
We keep on hearing that it can't happen here.
But it will.
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There's this canard that the Constitution will keep us together.
Ironically, it's the Constitution that's keeping us apart.
I thought it would be the unavailability of abortion. But despite one clinic in states, despite all the anti-abortion laws, the left has been strangely silent.
I guess that's because you can still easily get an abortion in elite, blue states.
And there you have it right there, the elite.
When the hoi polloi start denigrating education, you know we've lost.
Not that the elite are blameless. They embraced the inevitable globalization but left those negatively affected by it without a safety net.
Ironically, those who lost their jobs are anti-safety net. If you can explain that to me...
Up is down and down is up.
I was for impeachment. How many times can Trump break the law and disregard the Constitution.
But I know the right doesn't see it that way. I know that primarily because of what comes into my inbox.
So, where's hope?
Why obey the law?
Then again, with cameras everywhere, it's the poor who get nailed while the rich go scot-free with their white collar crimes.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Wall was supposed to fall and harmony and democracy were supposed to reign. But now Trump can't stop lauding Putin and for those of us who grew up in the fifties and sixties, when Russia was our mortal enemy, we're left scratching our heads at best.
So...
Let's say Trump loses in 2020. Bill Maher keeps positing that he won't leave office. Sounds ridiculous until you look at that governor in Kentucky who refused to accept the vote, and when he did pardoned the unpardonable, in volume.
As for the election process itself...every day sees a new article questioning the integrity of voting machines. So, if you lose, and you have power, and control the military...
The right has defined the debate and circled the wagons while the left has been nearly asleep. Raising their hands and shaking their fists while doing next to nothing.
Yup, the right wing used the Federalist Society to groom right wing judges and right wing administrations installed them.
As for McConnell refusing Obama a Supreme Court pick...there you go, the black man afraid of looking angry didn't go bonkers, unlike the white man Trump.
Then the right wing politically assassinated Hillary Clinton. And now Joe Biden. Biden's the loser in this whole Ukrainian kerfuffle. Trump will go free and Biden, if nominated, starts with one foot already in the grave, and I'm not talking about his age.
But let's say a Democrat wins the Presidency, then what? Do you think Trump, Fox News and Redville are going to accept this? NO!
If you think the big issue is Newsom standing up to Trump, as BTO said, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
But BTO is from Canada, which is dealing with its own right wing insurgence, but it was fought off and there's national health care and more freedom than in the U.S. and...
Down here we must be free. Free to starve, free to go broke from medical bills, free not to help our neighbor, free to live the American Dream even though statistically it exists more in Canada and Europe than it does in the U.S.
So, tribalism rules.
Contrary news has been neutered. Talk to someone on the right, if it's in the "New York Times" or the "Washington Post" it must be disregarded.
So if you can't agree on the facts...
And we haven't been able to agree on those facts for a long time.
So how did we get here?
Well, income inequality, which was a result of Ronald Reagan's policies and the right wing anti-tax strategy. Trickle down my ass.
But Reagan is a national hero! Yup, the Republicans went on a campaign to name every edifice and highway in his name. Talk about disinformation.
And then you have the increase in anti-Semitism, all that white nationalism...they love Trump, he's one of them and he speaks for them. At what point does the left crack and stand up?
Not after they shoot up a pizza parlor.
Not after they kill a woman in Charlottesville.
The left stands by as if the rule of law will save them, ain't that a laugh.
The right has circled the wagons, gotten behind Trump even though he doesn't represent traditional Republican values. Meanwhile, the left is busy arguing amongst itself, while the Electoral College allows those with a smaller share of the popular vote to become President.
I think the crack will come from the right. As it did during the Civil War.
And it took the south's defense of slavery for Lincoln to act.
As for the announcement of the Lincoln Project...read the comments, they're not swaying those on the right.
We keep on hearing that it can't happen here.
But it will.
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Monday, 16 December 2019
History Of The Modern Music Business-SiriusXM This Week
Tune in tomorrow, Tuesday December 17th, to Volume 106, 7 PM East, 4 PM West.
Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
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Hear the episode live on SiriusXM VOLUME: siriusxm.us/HearLefsetzLive
If you miss the episode, you can hear it on demand on the SiriusXM app: siriusxm.us/LefsetzLive
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Sunday, 15 December 2019
Mrs. Maisel-Season Three
You're always worried about going too far.
Athlete, musician, writer, performer...you strive to be in the zone. When you're not even thinking about the work, you're just riding the wave of inspiration and then...
It's over.
It's not like working for the man. It's not like business. The first rule of business is "get along." Come on, you've seen that person who does a worse job get the promotion when you don't. They knew how to schmooze, take the boss out to lunch, butter them up. This is not what an artist does. An artist prepares their whole life for that one moment, when they have to shine.
But they don't always. You're always trying to climb that mountain. You get kicked in the teeth, you fail, the audience doesn't get you, you keep striving and striving to be in the zone. But when you're in the zone, when you're channeling God, when you're speaking your truth, some people are always offended, because they cannot handle the truth, they don't want you to speak the truth, they don't want their inner life revealed.
But an artist...always has to surf the zeitgeist, always has to take their work seriously, is inherently tortured, is constantly trying to push that rock up the hill.
And no one needs you, no one depends on you, the audience can always find somebody new, your manager, your agent, they can get another client, but if you blow up your career, just by doing your act, doing it well...well, good luck!
I could complain about "Mrs. Maisel" all day long. It's not realistic, as good as Rachel Brosnahan is, I don't see her as a comedian, but somehow the series touches your guts. Just when you think it's flying off the rails, it zings into your heart.
Kinda like Abe, Midge's father. He followed his heart, got caught up in the moment, and not only did his job go away, but his apartment too.
The business titans don't experience this. What they do best is plan ahead, keep order, let everybody know who is boss. They may run on instinct, but they don't run willy-nilly, they're calm and collected, it's all about keeping the prize.
But the rest of us, sometimes we don't even know what the prize is.
So what was it like in 1960?
Hell if I know, I was seven.
But I do remember the Patterson/Johansson fight. I do remember the cars. The few television stations. The war being still visible in the rearview mirror, the threat of Communism on everybody's mind. But I did not have access, no one had access. And this was in the pre-cellphone days, when there were no cameras, when what happened behind closed doors stayed behind closed doors. And if you were privileged to be an insider, you felt like a million bucks.
The depiction of Vegas makes you want to jet back there. A private party place. Where the acts interacted with the Mob and everybody had a good time. Before bottle service, before the rich made it rain, when the clubs were small and the audience was up close and personal.
Like at the Fontainebleau.
Jackie Gleason moved to Miami. It was incomprehensible, all the action was in New York, maybe L.A. But if you watch "Mrs. Maisel," you get it. Sure, the production design may be a little over the top, but it's the colors and sets that set your mind free, allow you to suspend disbelief.
And Sophie Lennon....
Midge said that bullies only respect bullies. Ain't that the truth. If someone is picking on you, don't cower, don't try to make peace, don't try to make them love you, stand up and fight, dish it back, it's the only thing they respect.
And talent is mercurial. They'll ping-pong you all over the map. Take all the credit for success and none of the blame for failure. It's never their fault. Management is a service business, never forget it.
And fear... We all think we want to be the star, but when we get our chance...
We choke.
That's the dirty little secret, just about everybody chokes. Especially in athletics. You need experience under the lights to get it right. The pros are even better when the lights come on. They can be half-dead in the dressing room, but when they hit that stage...YOWZA!
And sure, the hats and dresses are over the top, but not the matchmaking and marriage and vacations and schools.
If you don't get into a good school, your entire life is ruined. Not only do parents in New York believe this, it's true. It's not so much what you learn in class, but who you surround yourself with. The goal is to get to the center, and you've got to peel back a ton of onion skins to get there. It's such a learning process.
That's what they don't teach you in school, how to be a star. You learn through experience, and most people can't handle the failure, never mind the lack of cash.
And are you entitled to get what you want?
That's what the baby boomers believed. Their parents worked hard so they could experience their dreams, although the parents' dreams were different from their children's. The parents wanted their progeny to be a doctor, marry a doctor, if you're bad at science be a lawyer, or an accountant, you've got to be a professional, to ensure that you won't be short of cash, that you will have status in society.
Then Watergate ruined the reputation of attorneys, bankers made more than doctors, techies made more than bankers, old money was nowhere near as much as new, and we still haven't figure it out, as many people were left behind and unaware of the race.
Now the thing about "Mrs. Maisel" is you forget about your regular life. That's what movies are supposed to do, but how many flicks keep you from checking your watch, never mind your smartphone?
And we're all looking, 24/7, for entertainment that does this. We're addicted to story, we want to believe, we want you to shoot for the moon, on the rare chance that you might actually get there.
This is the ethos of streaming, this is not the ethos of network.
In other words, the creators get the money and they get no notes.
Can they handle the freedom, can they deliver on the promise?
And any artist will tell you when they know it's going wrong. You're in the groove, and then suddenly you're not, and there's no way you can get back there. You can finish the book, finish the song, finish the movie, make it as professional as you can, but you know it's a stinker, because you were shooting for a ten, and it's a few numbers below that. And today, with a plethora of entertainment, the audience only has time for tens, maybe nines.
And the amateurs, the journeymen, don't understand this. They think if you pay your dues, you should get the reward. They feel if they put in the hours, they should get paid. They don't know you might have to watch TV all day to catch lightning. You might have to take a shower, you might even have to masturbate to get into the zone, to clear your mind of the crap so you can deliver greatness.
But sometimes the audience isn't prepared for greatness. It's too far out there, the performer is too far ahead of them.
And then there are those who play it safe, for laughs. Just like Sophie Lennon they're coasting on what once was, they know what titillates the audience, what makes people roar.
But that's not art, that's manipulation.
That's why artists shouldn't read business books. Business books tell you to give the audience what it wants, artists give the audience what it needs, even if it might take a while for those on the other side of the stage to catch up with the message.
The greats just know. Steve Jobs did no market research. He knew where he was going. And what happened? He got fired!
Luckily, Jobs wormed himself back into Apple, to become the legend we now know, who changed society, at least for now.
You can't get away with rough edges at the corporation, Jobs is the exception. But in art...if you don't have rough edges, if you don't offend, if you don't need it to be your way, if you're willing to compromise...
You're never going to make it.
Or if you do, you'll never be remembered. You'll be an entertainer.
And we've got enough entertainers, we're looking for artists.
Artists riff on life, react to situations, try to parse truth, try to surf the zeitgeist.
But not everybody can handle that.
So too many people are afraid to take the risk.
But that's what being an artist is.
If you can fall asleep right after doing your act, you're not an artist.
If you think everything you do is great, you're not an artist.
If you think if the audience likes it it's great, you're not an artist.
Being an artist is hard.
It's easier to be a doctor, lawyer or banker.
Abe and Rose don't want Midge to be a comedian. She almost gives up and marries a doctor when things go wrong. Her husband steps out on her because she's better at it than he is.
No one wants their kid to be an artist. The odds are too long.
And no one has to be an artist, it's your choice. And if you're complaining about your path, no one cares.
And even if you make it, are lauded and rich, you still won't be satisfied, because you're still looking to push the envelope, whether anybody's watching or not.
But you're hoping they do.
Like I watched "Mrs. Maisel."
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Athlete, musician, writer, performer...you strive to be in the zone. When you're not even thinking about the work, you're just riding the wave of inspiration and then...
It's over.
It's not like working for the man. It's not like business. The first rule of business is "get along." Come on, you've seen that person who does a worse job get the promotion when you don't. They knew how to schmooze, take the boss out to lunch, butter them up. This is not what an artist does. An artist prepares their whole life for that one moment, when they have to shine.
But they don't always. You're always trying to climb that mountain. You get kicked in the teeth, you fail, the audience doesn't get you, you keep striving and striving to be in the zone. But when you're in the zone, when you're channeling God, when you're speaking your truth, some people are always offended, because they cannot handle the truth, they don't want you to speak the truth, they don't want their inner life revealed.
But an artist...always has to surf the zeitgeist, always has to take their work seriously, is inherently tortured, is constantly trying to push that rock up the hill.
And no one needs you, no one depends on you, the audience can always find somebody new, your manager, your agent, they can get another client, but if you blow up your career, just by doing your act, doing it well...well, good luck!
I could complain about "Mrs. Maisel" all day long. It's not realistic, as good as Rachel Brosnahan is, I don't see her as a comedian, but somehow the series touches your guts. Just when you think it's flying off the rails, it zings into your heart.
Kinda like Abe, Midge's father. He followed his heart, got caught up in the moment, and not only did his job go away, but his apartment too.
The business titans don't experience this. What they do best is plan ahead, keep order, let everybody know who is boss. They may run on instinct, but they don't run willy-nilly, they're calm and collected, it's all about keeping the prize.
But the rest of us, sometimes we don't even know what the prize is.
So what was it like in 1960?
Hell if I know, I was seven.
But I do remember the Patterson/Johansson fight. I do remember the cars. The few television stations. The war being still visible in the rearview mirror, the threat of Communism on everybody's mind. But I did not have access, no one had access. And this was in the pre-cellphone days, when there were no cameras, when what happened behind closed doors stayed behind closed doors. And if you were privileged to be an insider, you felt like a million bucks.
The depiction of Vegas makes you want to jet back there. A private party place. Where the acts interacted with the Mob and everybody had a good time. Before bottle service, before the rich made it rain, when the clubs were small and the audience was up close and personal.
Like at the Fontainebleau.
Jackie Gleason moved to Miami. It was incomprehensible, all the action was in New York, maybe L.A. But if you watch "Mrs. Maisel," you get it. Sure, the production design may be a little over the top, but it's the colors and sets that set your mind free, allow you to suspend disbelief.
And Sophie Lennon....
Midge said that bullies only respect bullies. Ain't that the truth. If someone is picking on you, don't cower, don't try to make peace, don't try to make them love you, stand up and fight, dish it back, it's the only thing they respect.
And talent is mercurial. They'll ping-pong you all over the map. Take all the credit for success and none of the blame for failure. It's never their fault. Management is a service business, never forget it.
And fear... We all think we want to be the star, but when we get our chance...
We choke.
That's the dirty little secret, just about everybody chokes. Especially in athletics. You need experience under the lights to get it right. The pros are even better when the lights come on. They can be half-dead in the dressing room, but when they hit that stage...YOWZA!
And sure, the hats and dresses are over the top, but not the matchmaking and marriage and vacations and schools.
If you don't get into a good school, your entire life is ruined. Not only do parents in New York believe this, it's true. It's not so much what you learn in class, but who you surround yourself with. The goal is to get to the center, and you've got to peel back a ton of onion skins to get there. It's such a learning process.
That's what they don't teach you in school, how to be a star. You learn through experience, and most people can't handle the failure, never mind the lack of cash.
And are you entitled to get what you want?
That's what the baby boomers believed. Their parents worked hard so they could experience their dreams, although the parents' dreams were different from their children's. The parents wanted their progeny to be a doctor, marry a doctor, if you're bad at science be a lawyer, or an accountant, you've got to be a professional, to ensure that you won't be short of cash, that you will have status in society.
Then Watergate ruined the reputation of attorneys, bankers made more than doctors, techies made more than bankers, old money was nowhere near as much as new, and we still haven't figure it out, as many people were left behind and unaware of the race.
Now the thing about "Mrs. Maisel" is you forget about your regular life. That's what movies are supposed to do, but how many flicks keep you from checking your watch, never mind your smartphone?
And we're all looking, 24/7, for entertainment that does this. We're addicted to story, we want to believe, we want you to shoot for the moon, on the rare chance that you might actually get there.
This is the ethos of streaming, this is not the ethos of network.
In other words, the creators get the money and they get no notes.
Can they handle the freedom, can they deliver on the promise?
And any artist will tell you when they know it's going wrong. You're in the groove, and then suddenly you're not, and there's no way you can get back there. You can finish the book, finish the song, finish the movie, make it as professional as you can, but you know it's a stinker, because you were shooting for a ten, and it's a few numbers below that. And today, with a plethora of entertainment, the audience only has time for tens, maybe nines.
And the amateurs, the journeymen, don't understand this. They think if you pay your dues, you should get the reward. They feel if they put in the hours, they should get paid. They don't know you might have to watch TV all day to catch lightning. You might have to take a shower, you might even have to masturbate to get into the zone, to clear your mind of the crap so you can deliver greatness.
But sometimes the audience isn't prepared for greatness. It's too far out there, the performer is too far ahead of them.
And then there are those who play it safe, for laughs. Just like Sophie Lennon they're coasting on what once was, they know what titillates the audience, what makes people roar.
But that's not art, that's manipulation.
That's why artists shouldn't read business books. Business books tell you to give the audience what it wants, artists give the audience what it needs, even if it might take a while for those on the other side of the stage to catch up with the message.
The greats just know. Steve Jobs did no market research. He knew where he was going. And what happened? He got fired!
Luckily, Jobs wormed himself back into Apple, to become the legend we now know, who changed society, at least for now.
You can't get away with rough edges at the corporation, Jobs is the exception. But in art...if you don't have rough edges, if you don't offend, if you don't need it to be your way, if you're willing to compromise...
You're never going to make it.
Or if you do, you'll never be remembered. You'll be an entertainer.
And we've got enough entertainers, we're looking for artists.
Artists riff on life, react to situations, try to parse truth, try to surf the zeitgeist.
But not everybody can handle that.
So too many people are afraid to take the risk.
But that's what being an artist is.
If you can fall asleep right after doing your act, you're not an artist.
If you think everything you do is great, you're not an artist.
If you think if the audience likes it it's great, you're not an artist.
Being an artist is hard.
It's easier to be a doctor, lawyer or banker.
Abe and Rose don't want Midge to be a comedian. She almost gives up and marries a doctor when things go wrong. Her husband steps out on her because she's better at it than he is.
No one wants their kid to be an artist. The odds are too long.
And no one has to be an artist, it's your choice. And if you're complaining about your path, no one cares.
And even if you make it, are lauded and rich, you still won't be satisfied, because you're still looking to push the envelope, whether anybody's watching or not.
But you're hoping they do.
Like I watched "Mrs. Maisel."
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
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Aaron Neville On The Kennedy Center Honors
People have no idea how big Linda Ronstadt was in the seventies.
Unless they were alive in that era.
Unlike Carrie Underwood, who stunk up the joint on this show. She's a star with no soul. This is what TV competition shows wrought, back when they still counted. This is why so many Berklee graduates don't top the charts. They can play, but that inner mounting flame...it's not there.
Stars are born, not made. Oh, of course you need someone championing your cause, but to leave home at eighteen to make it in L.A...takes chutzpah and drive and a sense of destiny, that success is in your future.
And Linda Ronstadt had success very soon, with the Stone Poneys. Back in the era when FM was just starting to burgeon, when those on AM were seen as one hit wonders. As for Linda's "Long, Long Time"...it charted in 1970, when the screw had already turned, when those in the know were all listening to albums on FM, and AM was an afterthought. Linda Ronstadt was on Capitol, the worst major, she was seen as just another singer, kicking around the scene.
And then came Peter Asher and Andrew Gold.
We've got to start with Kenny Edwards. You see Linda Ronstadt needed songs and players to make it. She had the voice, but that was not enough.
But despite languishing in the wilderness, David Geffen believed. He extracted Linda from Capitol and released an Asylum album where she and her boyfriend J.D. Souther could do what they wanted and...she was lambasted by the cognoscenti for singing Randy Newman's "Sail Away" straight.
But then came "Heart Like A Wheel."
"You're No Good" wove a web on the radio, captured you and then exploded with Andrew Gold's solo and...
You couldn't wait to hear it on the radio.
So the album became a hit. And everybody who had a song on it suddenly gained attention.
I don't think most people had heard Lowell George's "Willin'" until "Heart Like A Wheel."
And speaking of the title track, I didn't even know who the McGarrigle sisters were, but I immediately had to go buy their album.
"Some say a heart is just like a wheel
When you bend it, you can't mend it
And my love for you is like a sinking ship
And my heart is like that ship out in mid-ocean"
You can't get back together. Usually they don't want to get back together, but you still pine for them. The greatest truth is embedded in songs, and Linda Ronstadt popularized the work of so many. J.D. Souther may have failed behind the board, but his "Faithless Love" became a standard after inclusion on "Heart Like A Wheel."
Which was on Capitol. The label had an option for an album of their choice as part of the Geffen deal.
But then Ronstadt reverted to Geffen and...
Became only bigger.
I'm not a fan of that documentary released in theatres recently. Because it was a survey, it didn't contain the essence. Yes, it got Linda's formative years right, that was insightful work, but it equated her later work with that of the seventies, and that's just plain wrong.
So she was in "Pirates of Penzance." So she sang Mexican songs. Even did albums of standards. They were all successful, based on her talent and brand, but the peak was...
The seventies.
She was the one everybody wanted. She was the girl who could hang with the boys. She was the one who dated Jerry Brown. She may not have written the songs, but she certainly lived them. She was the biggest female star on the planet.
They don't make 'em like that anymore. Because there's no secrecy, no privacy, no magic.
And it's not coming back.
We could not reach out and touch these stars, they were far removed, and when we went to the show...if you weren't there, you missed it, but if you were there...you never forgot.
So now Linda Ronstadt is on a victory lap. Too late. The Rock Hall snubbed her for years, because if a girl rejects you, boys disdain you, if you're the biggest, you cannot be the best, but that is untrue.
And now we've gotten a peek into her personality. Have learned that Linda is both very intelligent and ornery. That's right, the biggest stars have to have it their way, they can see the essence, they can't be compromised, just like Don Henley, who introduced Linda's segment tonight.
And another change is that we have contempt for today's overexposed stars. There's nothing wrong with Dave Grohl, but we see him everywhere we go. Same deal with Tom Hanks. As for his wife, tell me what she's done again?
Are you getting the attitude?
This is what those who made it in the past can't understand about the present. The public has torn down all the pedestals, the hoi polloi believes it is in charge. And if you're fake, or look like you're working it too hard, you're gonna be excoriated. Being a star in today's world...no one's really figured it out yet. How much should you interact with your fans, how much should you reveal, should you air your dirty laundry?
And then Aaron Neville comes on stage and knocks it out of the park.
No, this is not an Aretha moment. "Don't Know Much" is subtle. And it was released in 1990, as part of Linda's album "Cry Like A Rainstorm," a return to her prior paradigm after her hejiras elsewhere.
And the album was not a gigantic hit. Sure, it went triple platinum, but in that era albums could go diamond.
Still... You knew "Don't Know Much." Maybe because of airplay on VH1.
So that brings us to Aaron Neville.
Fats Domino lived in obscurity in New Orleans for nearly half a century. Allen Toussaint, a certified genius, was touring when most people didn't know they knew his work, and ignored him. Yup, Toussaint did the horns on the Band's classic live album, "Rock of Ages," and wrote classics like "Mother-in-Law" and "What Do You Want the Girl to Do," never mind "On Your Way Down," which Lowell George and Little Feat hit way over the fence on "Dixie Chicken." People remember the title track, but the dark Toussaint cover is the essence of the album.
Which brings us to tonight.
What does LL Cool J have over CBS? Or maybe it's vice versa, CBS wants to play it safe. That's what's wrong with this show, the youngsters, trying to drive ratings, everything's about popularity these days, but it's usually that which is not initially popular that lasts.
I mean can't you give somebody else a chance?
That's the nature of the pop chart, as Paul Simon sings, and is now so often quoted: "Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts".
So, seventy eight year old Aaron Neville comes out on stage, to duet with Trisha Yearwood, who unlike Carrie Underwood knows that you can exhibit power with nuance, that you just can't blast, that you've got to feel the song and then sell it.
And Aaron Neville has been around forever.
But tonight you found out why.
He's still got that sweet voice! His body has aged, he moves slower, but when he opens his mouth...
Your soul is touched, you're stunned there's such beauty on this earth.
But Aaron Neville has never been honored by the Kennedy Center, never mind the Neville Brothers.
And there you have the modern paradigm. If you're not selling yourself, most people don't know, you're not top of mind, but when you appear...WHEW!
Believe me, if the Neville Brothers had a better manager, they'd be honored, and in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That's how it works, you need a champion, to work the room.
But what if you're just a singer?
Despite what you see today, most artists are not good at selling themselves, maybe that's why most of today's "stars" do not qualify as artists.
But you know it when you see it.
And tonight we saw genius honoring genius.
I don't know much, but I know that Aaron Neville killed on the Kennedy Center Honors tonight.
--
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Unless they were alive in that era.
Unlike Carrie Underwood, who stunk up the joint on this show. She's a star with no soul. This is what TV competition shows wrought, back when they still counted. This is why so many Berklee graduates don't top the charts. They can play, but that inner mounting flame...it's not there.
Stars are born, not made. Oh, of course you need someone championing your cause, but to leave home at eighteen to make it in L.A...takes chutzpah and drive and a sense of destiny, that success is in your future.
And Linda Ronstadt had success very soon, with the Stone Poneys. Back in the era when FM was just starting to burgeon, when those on AM were seen as one hit wonders. As for Linda's "Long, Long Time"...it charted in 1970, when the screw had already turned, when those in the know were all listening to albums on FM, and AM was an afterthought. Linda Ronstadt was on Capitol, the worst major, she was seen as just another singer, kicking around the scene.
And then came Peter Asher and Andrew Gold.
We've got to start with Kenny Edwards. You see Linda Ronstadt needed songs and players to make it. She had the voice, but that was not enough.
But despite languishing in the wilderness, David Geffen believed. He extracted Linda from Capitol and released an Asylum album where she and her boyfriend J.D. Souther could do what they wanted and...she was lambasted by the cognoscenti for singing Randy Newman's "Sail Away" straight.
But then came "Heart Like A Wheel."
"You're No Good" wove a web on the radio, captured you and then exploded with Andrew Gold's solo and...
You couldn't wait to hear it on the radio.
So the album became a hit. And everybody who had a song on it suddenly gained attention.
I don't think most people had heard Lowell George's "Willin'" until "Heart Like A Wheel."
And speaking of the title track, I didn't even know who the McGarrigle sisters were, but I immediately had to go buy their album.
"Some say a heart is just like a wheel
When you bend it, you can't mend it
And my love for you is like a sinking ship
And my heart is like that ship out in mid-ocean"
You can't get back together. Usually they don't want to get back together, but you still pine for them. The greatest truth is embedded in songs, and Linda Ronstadt popularized the work of so many. J.D. Souther may have failed behind the board, but his "Faithless Love" became a standard after inclusion on "Heart Like A Wheel."
Which was on Capitol. The label had an option for an album of their choice as part of the Geffen deal.
But then Ronstadt reverted to Geffen and...
Became only bigger.
I'm not a fan of that documentary released in theatres recently. Because it was a survey, it didn't contain the essence. Yes, it got Linda's formative years right, that was insightful work, but it equated her later work with that of the seventies, and that's just plain wrong.
So she was in "Pirates of Penzance." So she sang Mexican songs. Even did albums of standards. They were all successful, based on her talent and brand, but the peak was...
The seventies.
She was the one everybody wanted. She was the girl who could hang with the boys. She was the one who dated Jerry Brown. She may not have written the songs, but she certainly lived them. She was the biggest female star on the planet.
They don't make 'em like that anymore. Because there's no secrecy, no privacy, no magic.
And it's not coming back.
We could not reach out and touch these stars, they were far removed, and when we went to the show...if you weren't there, you missed it, but if you were there...you never forgot.
So now Linda Ronstadt is on a victory lap. Too late. The Rock Hall snubbed her for years, because if a girl rejects you, boys disdain you, if you're the biggest, you cannot be the best, but that is untrue.
And now we've gotten a peek into her personality. Have learned that Linda is both very intelligent and ornery. That's right, the biggest stars have to have it their way, they can see the essence, they can't be compromised, just like Don Henley, who introduced Linda's segment tonight.
And another change is that we have contempt for today's overexposed stars. There's nothing wrong with Dave Grohl, but we see him everywhere we go. Same deal with Tom Hanks. As for his wife, tell me what she's done again?
Are you getting the attitude?
This is what those who made it in the past can't understand about the present. The public has torn down all the pedestals, the hoi polloi believes it is in charge. And if you're fake, or look like you're working it too hard, you're gonna be excoriated. Being a star in today's world...no one's really figured it out yet. How much should you interact with your fans, how much should you reveal, should you air your dirty laundry?
And then Aaron Neville comes on stage and knocks it out of the park.
No, this is not an Aretha moment. "Don't Know Much" is subtle. And it was released in 1990, as part of Linda's album "Cry Like A Rainstorm," a return to her prior paradigm after her hejiras elsewhere.
And the album was not a gigantic hit. Sure, it went triple platinum, but in that era albums could go diamond.
Still... You knew "Don't Know Much." Maybe because of airplay on VH1.
So that brings us to Aaron Neville.
Fats Domino lived in obscurity in New Orleans for nearly half a century. Allen Toussaint, a certified genius, was touring when most people didn't know they knew his work, and ignored him. Yup, Toussaint did the horns on the Band's classic live album, "Rock of Ages," and wrote classics like "Mother-in-Law" and "What Do You Want the Girl to Do," never mind "On Your Way Down," which Lowell George and Little Feat hit way over the fence on "Dixie Chicken." People remember the title track, but the dark Toussaint cover is the essence of the album.
Which brings us to tonight.
What does LL Cool J have over CBS? Or maybe it's vice versa, CBS wants to play it safe. That's what's wrong with this show, the youngsters, trying to drive ratings, everything's about popularity these days, but it's usually that which is not initially popular that lasts.
I mean can't you give somebody else a chance?
That's the nature of the pop chart, as Paul Simon sings, and is now so often quoted: "Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts".
So, seventy eight year old Aaron Neville comes out on stage, to duet with Trisha Yearwood, who unlike Carrie Underwood knows that you can exhibit power with nuance, that you just can't blast, that you've got to feel the song and then sell it.
And Aaron Neville has been around forever.
But tonight you found out why.
He's still got that sweet voice! His body has aged, he moves slower, but when he opens his mouth...
Your soul is touched, you're stunned there's such beauty on this earth.
But Aaron Neville has never been honored by the Kennedy Center, never mind the Neville Brothers.
And there you have the modern paradigm. If you're not selling yourself, most people don't know, you're not top of mind, but when you appear...WHEW!
Believe me, if the Neville Brothers had a better manager, they'd be honored, and in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That's how it works, you need a champion, to work the room.
But what if you're just a singer?
Despite what you see today, most artists are not good at selling themselves, maybe that's why most of today's "stars" do not qualify as artists.
But you know it when you see it.
And tonight we saw genius honoring genius.
I don't know much, but I know that Aaron Neville killed on the Kennedy Center Honors tonight.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
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Bloomberg
He doesn't have enough name recognition.
Welcome to the twenty first century, where you think your niche is national, but it's not.
My favorite example is SNL... Funny or not, who exactly watches that show anymore? Same deal with prime time network television. Advertisers go for the largest share of a shrinking market, but this decline in numbers evidences the spread of attention over many more genres/influences/ideas.
Kind of like record companies and radio. Terrestrial radio has the largest share of ears, but that no longer means it dominates, and by focusing on these outlets, record companies are dooming their futures.
That's the story of the twenty first century, the inability of the usual suspects to pivot. They always wait too long, they are supplanted by more nimble newcomers.
The monied-class and New Yorkers think everybody is familiar with Mike Bloomberg, after all, doesn't he run Wall Street's information pipeline, wasn't he mayor of New York?
All true, but most people are not paying attention, they're not actively investing in stocks and they don't care about New York, they may even resent New York, which is why Bloomberg is polling at 5%.
Klobuchar, Yang...they had the privilege of being in the debates, which garnered ratings superior to network prime time. So, now more people know about them.
So, if you're running a national campaign...
But should you be running a national campaign?
Musicians keep lamenting they can't break through. Maybe they don't have to break through, maybe they should be satisfied they've got an audience at all, and try to grow and superserve this audience.
That's right, there is no Music League. Despite the Grammys, there is no kumbaya, no coming together, no overall scene, you're on your own, and it's not so much that you're competing with everyone, but yourself...which path do you want to choose?
Kinda like Mike Bloomberg himself. He was laid off by Salomon Brothers. Rather than look for another gig at a bank, he started a whole new business, he thought he knew better.
That's the twenty first century in a nutshell...do you think you know better? If you do, you can have an impact. If your goal is to compete with others on their terms...good luck
And the funny thing is as tech closes ranks, art has become ever broader.
You can't compete with Facebook or Google or Amazon...they'll just buy you or put you out of business. But in art... With the distribution pipelines free, you've got a chance.
And this is the time for art. When the world is focused on money, when leaders spin untruths, now is the time to speak truth to power, assuming you know you aren't about money but message, that if your fans won't keep you alive you don't deserve a career to begin with.
Bloomberg could run in New York, but he can't run nationally, not because of his positions, but because people DON'T KNOW HIM! And unless he's up front on the debates, on TV, good luck!
That's the story of Trump, the public thought it knew him, from his residence on television and in the news. He was his own publicity machine, over decades. Hillary could not compete, she was victimized by others' perception of her. Today you blaze your own trail, if you're worried about what others say about you you're missing the point, most people are not paying attention to the haters until you call attention to them, boosting their image and cause.
So, you just ignore everybody not on your team. If you're having trouble getting traction for your works/image, what are the odds those criticizing you are gaining any traction for their opinions...NIL!
This is the essence of Twitter... All the haters? Check their number of followers. Almost all are de minimis, they're living for you to call attention to them.
So what we have is a media and government believing the old paradigm still holds, when it doesn't. They print lists, charts, when no one sees the world that way. Chances are you don't care about the rest of the Top Ten, if you care about the Top Ten AT ALL!
And publicity?
Good luck! Go on that TV show, do that interview... Your fans convert new fans. You're best off giving your fans more, they won't stop talking about you....what are the odds someone's gonna read some puff piece in the paper and check you out? ALMOST ZERO!
And if you rise above the fray, you turn into a cartoon character. There is no time for nuance, everything's a drive-by while people dig down deeper into their own lives. People don't have time to dig down deep into yours.
So everything worth anything in this world grows slowly. And that which grows quickly is usually a fad, despite all the hoopla.
If you're in it for the long haul, you've got to build on your base. Who is Mike Bloomberg's base? Rich people? People of color will never get over stop and frisk.
That's another thing the media doesn't understand. When it comes to elections, it's one person, one vote. The rich don't get to vote more than once, despite believing they're masters of the universe.
The election of Trump is just evidence of this disarray. And the media who missed this believe he's just an anomaly, they don't understand the underlying problem, which is constituents don't believe anybody's in it for them!
Who is on your team? Who are you aligned with?
That's another problem with the Democrats...the circular firing squad. What is the message, can they stick to it?
No! The DNC says the center must hold when the center doesn't exist and criticizes the left and is out of touch with the public entirely.
It's kind of like that old John Lennon song.
You can't believe in government.
You can't believe in Grammys.
You can't believe in movies.
You can only believe in yourself...that's the lesson of influencer culture, you've got to use the modern tools to make your own little dent in the universe. Talk to Generation Z, it understands this. But all boomers and Gen-X'ers can do is criticize these young 'uns, along with their elders the millennials.
But the millennials know no job is forever, that you've got to look out for yourself, because no one else is.
So Trump is evidence of dissatisfaction. The question is what comes next? The lesson of the twenty first century is we are never going backward, only forward, and those who understand this triumph.
And the public adapts. The same way it purchased computers to play on AOL and then bought iPods and smartphones and subscribed to Spotify. The public is willing to move forward, but early adopters have to pave the way and spread the word and the hoi polloi must feel safe and excited.
The average citizen is so afraid of losing what they've got that they're risk averse. But they will change, seemingly overnight, from Kodak to digital, from BlackBerry to iPhone.
But few playing the game seem to understand the populace.
To win the Presidency you must be famous. You must have fans. They must believe in you, they must be willing to go wherever you take them.
Same deal with artists.
You're nothing without your fan base today. And the truth is many supposedly huge fan bases are just an illusion, not that many people believe.
Which is why we are in the era of authenticity and credibility.
But the public is gun-shy, because it's been lied to too many times.
What else did John Lennon say?
Gimme some truth?
Don't lie, don't triangulate, be yourself...
Everybody's got rough edges, everybody knows this. Smooth yourself down at your peril. Be unique, be a leader, be someone people want to cling to.
Or get out of the way and go back to the bench, fame is not for everybody, and fame is just another career choice...and if it's your game, learn how to play it well.
P.S. I e-mailed Mark Cuban to run. He's on TV every day, he's seen as the sane panelist on "Shark Tank," he's perceived as understanding economics, and he's a billionaire! Mark responded he's not a Democrat, and that he promised his family he would not run.
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Welcome to the twenty first century, where you think your niche is national, but it's not.
My favorite example is SNL... Funny or not, who exactly watches that show anymore? Same deal with prime time network television. Advertisers go for the largest share of a shrinking market, but this decline in numbers evidences the spread of attention over many more genres/influences/ideas.
Kind of like record companies and radio. Terrestrial radio has the largest share of ears, but that no longer means it dominates, and by focusing on these outlets, record companies are dooming their futures.
That's the story of the twenty first century, the inability of the usual suspects to pivot. They always wait too long, they are supplanted by more nimble newcomers.
The monied-class and New Yorkers think everybody is familiar with Mike Bloomberg, after all, doesn't he run Wall Street's information pipeline, wasn't he mayor of New York?
All true, but most people are not paying attention, they're not actively investing in stocks and they don't care about New York, they may even resent New York, which is why Bloomberg is polling at 5%.
Klobuchar, Yang...they had the privilege of being in the debates, which garnered ratings superior to network prime time. So, now more people know about them.
So, if you're running a national campaign...
But should you be running a national campaign?
Musicians keep lamenting they can't break through. Maybe they don't have to break through, maybe they should be satisfied they've got an audience at all, and try to grow and superserve this audience.
That's right, there is no Music League. Despite the Grammys, there is no kumbaya, no coming together, no overall scene, you're on your own, and it's not so much that you're competing with everyone, but yourself...which path do you want to choose?
Kinda like Mike Bloomberg himself. He was laid off by Salomon Brothers. Rather than look for another gig at a bank, he started a whole new business, he thought he knew better.
That's the twenty first century in a nutshell...do you think you know better? If you do, you can have an impact. If your goal is to compete with others on their terms...good luck
And the funny thing is as tech closes ranks, art has become ever broader.
You can't compete with Facebook or Google or Amazon...they'll just buy you or put you out of business. But in art... With the distribution pipelines free, you've got a chance.
And this is the time for art. When the world is focused on money, when leaders spin untruths, now is the time to speak truth to power, assuming you know you aren't about money but message, that if your fans won't keep you alive you don't deserve a career to begin with.
Bloomberg could run in New York, but he can't run nationally, not because of his positions, but because people DON'T KNOW HIM! And unless he's up front on the debates, on TV, good luck!
That's the story of Trump, the public thought it knew him, from his residence on television and in the news. He was his own publicity machine, over decades. Hillary could not compete, she was victimized by others' perception of her. Today you blaze your own trail, if you're worried about what others say about you you're missing the point, most people are not paying attention to the haters until you call attention to them, boosting their image and cause.
So, you just ignore everybody not on your team. If you're having trouble getting traction for your works/image, what are the odds those criticizing you are gaining any traction for their opinions...NIL!
This is the essence of Twitter... All the haters? Check their number of followers. Almost all are de minimis, they're living for you to call attention to them.
So what we have is a media and government believing the old paradigm still holds, when it doesn't. They print lists, charts, when no one sees the world that way. Chances are you don't care about the rest of the Top Ten, if you care about the Top Ten AT ALL!
And publicity?
Good luck! Go on that TV show, do that interview... Your fans convert new fans. You're best off giving your fans more, they won't stop talking about you....what are the odds someone's gonna read some puff piece in the paper and check you out? ALMOST ZERO!
And if you rise above the fray, you turn into a cartoon character. There is no time for nuance, everything's a drive-by while people dig down deeper into their own lives. People don't have time to dig down deep into yours.
So everything worth anything in this world grows slowly. And that which grows quickly is usually a fad, despite all the hoopla.
If you're in it for the long haul, you've got to build on your base. Who is Mike Bloomberg's base? Rich people? People of color will never get over stop and frisk.
That's another thing the media doesn't understand. When it comes to elections, it's one person, one vote. The rich don't get to vote more than once, despite believing they're masters of the universe.
The election of Trump is just evidence of this disarray. And the media who missed this believe he's just an anomaly, they don't understand the underlying problem, which is constituents don't believe anybody's in it for them!
Who is on your team? Who are you aligned with?
That's another problem with the Democrats...the circular firing squad. What is the message, can they stick to it?
No! The DNC says the center must hold when the center doesn't exist and criticizes the left and is out of touch with the public entirely.
It's kind of like that old John Lennon song.
You can't believe in government.
You can't believe in Grammys.
You can't believe in movies.
You can only believe in yourself...that's the lesson of influencer culture, you've got to use the modern tools to make your own little dent in the universe. Talk to Generation Z, it understands this. But all boomers and Gen-X'ers can do is criticize these young 'uns, along with their elders the millennials.
But the millennials know no job is forever, that you've got to look out for yourself, because no one else is.
So Trump is evidence of dissatisfaction. The question is what comes next? The lesson of the twenty first century is we are never going backward, only forward, and those who understand this triumph.
And the public adapts. The same way it purchased computers to play on AOL and then bought iPods and smartphones and subscribed to Spotify. The public is willing to move forward, but early adopters have to pave the way and spread the word and the hoi polloi must feel safe and excited.
The average citizen is so afraid of losing what they've got that they're risk averse. But they will change, seemingly overnight, from Kodak to digital, from BlackBerry to iPhone.
But few playing the game seem to understand the populace.
To win the Presidency you must be famous. You must have fans. They must believe in you, they must be willing to go wherever you take them.
Same deal with artists.
You're nothing without your fan base today. And the truth is many supposedly huge fan bases are just an illusion, not that many people believe.
Which is why we are in the era of authenticity and credibility.
But the public is gun-shy, because it's been lied to too many times.
What else did John Lennon say?
Gimme some truth?
Don't lie, don't triangulate, be yourself...
Everybody's got rough edges, everybody knows this. Smooth yourself down at your peril. Be unique, be a leader, be someone people want to cling to.
Or get out of the way and go back to the bench, fame is not for everybody, and fame is just another career choice...and if it's your game, learn how to play it well.
P.S. I e-mailed Mark Cuban to run. He's on TV every day, he's seen as the sane panelist on "Shark Tank," he's perceived as understanding economics, and he's a billionaire! Mark responded he's not a Democrat, and that he promised his family he would not run.
--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
Listen to the podcast:
-iHeart: https://ihr.fm/2Gi5PFj
-Apple: https://apple.co/2ndmpvp
--
http://www.twitter.com/lefsetz
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1
If you do not want to receive any more LefsetzLetters, http://lefsetz.com/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=0eecea7b60b461717065cbde887c8e25
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