Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?

Subject: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 10:05 AM

From this Morning's Washington Post:

Letterman Show Axes DiFranco Performance

By John Maynard Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, July 19, 2001; Page C07

Producers of CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman" canceled musician Ani DiFranco's scheduled appearance tonight after the folk singer refused to substitute a more "upbeat" song for one about racism.

DiFranco's manager, Scot Fisher, told The Post that the singer planned to perform "Subdivision" in the show's final segment. The song begins, "White people are so scared of black people, they bulldoze out to the country."

Fisher said "Late Show" producers told DiFranco last Thursday that the song was not "up-tempo" enough and asked that she perform the more "upbeat" "Heartbreak Even."

When DiFranco refused, "Late Show" on Monday replaced her with the Holmes Brothers.

"Late Show" spokesman Steven Rubenstein said yesterday in a statement: "We did not reject the song on the basis of its lyrical content. Rather, we felt the option originally suggested by her representatives was preferable musically."

Three songs were submitted to the show's producers in March. It wasn't until last week, according to Fisher, that the show demanded she perform "Heartbreak Even."

Fisher, however, said, "It's absolutely not [about] the tempo. The Letterman people took it upon themselves to cancel a booking because . . . Ani DiFranco wanted to sing a song about racism in America."

According to a statement by DiFranco's band label, Righteous Babe Records, the song examines "the prevalence of racism in urban America and its devastating impact on the landscape of cities nationwide."

© 2001 The Washington Post Company

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 10:18 AM

Television networks always defend their broadcasts because of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. What I want to know is, who is it that has that freedom? It certainly isn't the artist, the writer, or the creative person, who must submit their work for the approval of non-creative executives--and don't say that they are simply trying to make sure it is legally within the bounds of "protected speech" because our courts, for all of their failings, at least allow the artist to express themselves first, before deciding whether it violates a law or not--

My feeling, perhaps a little extreme, is that there is no such thing as freedom of the press in the US, simply because the creative people are "edited" before publication, broadcast, or whatever, by editors, producers, lawyers, programming executives--

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 10:32 AM

It's possible the producers are lying through their teeth. It's also possible they just don't like the song. It's not like the Letterman show has never had its controversial moments.

I used to work for a newspaper and it dawned on me one day that freedom of the press means not only can people print whatever they want, but they also have the freedom not to print something, for whatever reason. Except political ads.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Dan Keding
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 10:48 AM

Neighbors, It often seems that main stream media tries to avoid "hot" topics such as racism. But even if the real reason was having the artist do a more "uptempo" number it still is pandering to a society that wants happy, fast, mindless music to fill the void between cell phone calls and computer games. I say good for Ani - she showed the courage to stand up for her art. Dan

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Dan Keding
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 10:50 AM

I meant what I said so strongly I said it three times. Sorry Dan

---

...and I deleted two of 'em...
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST,UB Dan
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 11:00 AM

M Ted, to say that there is no freedom of the press in the US because artists can be edited is a bit myopic. There is a difference between freedom of expression and fredom of the press. Freedom of expression grants Ani DiFranco the right to write and perform a song about an injustice in the US...freedom of the press allows producers to include her song if they like it. If the government dictated that she could not sing the song, that would abuse her freedom of speech, if the government dictated either that the media must or must not play it, that would abuse the freedom of the press. This country does have some faults and people are imperfect, but I am personally grateful for the freedoms that we can enjoy so much and can take for granted so often that we can claim that a the refusal of an entertainment show to play a song from a pop singer can be viewed as a great infringement on rights.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 11:03 AM

Excuse me, but this was more than a little bit manipulative, IMO.

Ani is asked to submit three songs for "approval" by network censors.

She submits at least one song that has controversial content, and at least one that doesn't have controversial content.

The network censors make the obvious choice.

Ani gets to claim she is being censored by CBS, garnering much more publicity that will last longer than actually appearing on the show and singing the controversial song would have generated.

Yawn.

Cynical and manipulative publicity stunt by Ani's side, I say.

And I like Ani a lot. But it still looks like a manipulative publicity stunt to me.

I suppose there are people out there who believe the networks are great defenders of the First Amendment rights of all people, rather than just themselves.

They may even be SO SHOCKED! by all this.

But Ani knew the score going into this. Just more Ani, playing her usual game.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 11:41 AM

Sounds like exerybody won this one. Letterman has a right not to be a soapbox. Ani has a right to refuse. They both got a little free press. What is the harm?

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 11:42 AM

Brings to mind some other "celebrated situations". A very young Bobby Dylan was told not to sing "Talkin' John Birch Society Blues" on Ed Sullivan. He refused to appear. The Country Gentlemen (one of my favourite bands) decided NOT to "kick back" their fee to The Carson Show, and didn't appear. Both Jim Morrison and Mick Jagger had "lyric issues" with Sullivan. Both had the offending phrases "bleeped" I seem to recall. Bet there have been dozens of others we simply haven't heard of.

It would have been interesting to see just WHAT the reaction (if any) to DiFranco's song would have been.

Rick

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 11:50 AM

UB Dan,

Freedom of the Press doesn't have anything to do with producers, or editors at all. I have actually read the decision relating to the John Peter Zenger which established the principle of freedom of the Press(and incidentally, this decision was passed down back when we were colonies, based on the principles of English Common Law, and was reinforced in the Bill of Rights, but not established by them). It affirms the individual's freedom to express themselves and says that this freedom extends to printed materials that are publically distributed.

My point is a simple one, and that is, when anyone in a position of authority, for any reason restricts your work, it is not free speech(not just the government)--that is to say, it is not really an honest expression of your own views and feelings--you are saying what someone else wants you to say--

When you speak on television, when you write for a newspaper, when you write for a movie,--that is to say, in any situation where you have access to mass media, which is the only way you can communicate with your fellow citizens, someone else decides what you can say and what you cannot say--so you have no freedom of the press, and you have no freedom of speech--

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 11:58 AM

MTed, The the government gives you the right to speak freely. It doesn't give you the right to use somebody else's property as a medium. DiFranco, Jagger, Dylan et al. Were to be GUESTS on someone else's stage. If they didn't want to play by the rules of their hosts. They have the option NOT to participate.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 12:24 PM

RobDale says "They have the option NOT to participate."

Washington Post article said:

"Producers of CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman" canceled musician Ani DiFranco's scheduled appearance tonight after he folk singer refused to substitute a more "upbeat" song for one about racism."

Having your confirmed booking cancelled at the last minute by network censors isn't the same as "exercising an option not to participate" in free speech terms.

MBWAGI, if Ani submitted the three songs *prior* to being offered a confirmed booking on the show, and she subsequently was given confirmation based upon the three songs she did submit, CBS censors may well have gotten cold feet, and backed out at the last minute.

And that is censorship.

Now, if there is some confusion over whether or not the offer extended to Ani was tenative based upon network censor approval, the censorship/free speech argument isn't as strong, because then Ani would have had the ability to choose whether to appear or not.

I find it hard to believe CBS wouldn't have already confirmed Ani on the basis of the 3 songs she submitted. Standard bookings have to be confirmed far enough in advance for scheduling purposes, for tech arrangements to be made for the musician's appearance on the show, etc.

So I believe there may well have been last minute jitters which resulted in CBS censoring Ani.

I also believe Ani is savvy enough to have calculated all that in advance, and accepted the booking arrangement knowing she wouldn't really lose anything whether she appeared and did the song, or wasn't allowed to appear and got to claim censorship.

Either way, more people will now want to hear the song. And will buy Ani's CDs, go looking for the MP3 to download, etc.

The song will likely also get a much more favorable airing now in the court of public opinion, than if she had just appeared on the show and sang the song. If she had done the latter, I think the reaction against both her and the song would have been extremely negative in the court of public opinion, because her song is as "in yer face" as Ani is, and is intended to provoke strong reactions, especially among people who watch Letterman.

Ani is *not* stupid, and she has demonstrated before how she can effectively manipulate both the political spin and the music buzz around her to her own advantage. It's pretty much been the strategy she has used to sell her records without major label support, and it is still working quite well, if this circumstance is anything to go by.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 12:26 PM

Two other situations come to mind. When Morrison and the Doors were set to appear on Ed Sullivan, their hit was Light my Fire and of course this is what Sullivan wanted them to perform. The stipulation was that Morrison not sing "you know we couldn't get much higher" because it was seen as a drug reference. He was supposed to sing "you know I couldn't be much shyer" or some such thing. The show was done live in those days, and of course Morrison not only sang the "higher" lyric but grinned at the camera as he did it. The crap hit the fan afterwards, and Sullivan banned the boys from his show.

When Rickie Lee Jones had a hit with Chucky's in Love, Saturday Night Live asked her on the show, specifically to do that song. She told them it was the weakest song on the album (good for her!) and she wanted to do Last Chance Texaco instead. Lorne Michaels was flexible enough to let the artist dictate her own performance.

The bottom line is that Ani Difranco has the right to say or sing any song she wants, but she has no guaranteed right to a coast to coast tv show as a medium. She might have taken the devious Morrison route, or she might have used her powers of persuasion on Dave Letterman to schedule the song she wanted, or she can do what she did....bow out and complain about it. Whichever she picks, it sure as hell ain't a civil rights issue.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 12:27 PM

Have to agree with UB Dan and RobDale on this one, and disagree with MTed. Mass media are NOT "the only way you can communicate with your fellow citizens". There are any number of ways we can communicate. Now, a major television network like CBS may offer certain advantages, but if you want what they're offering, you have to play by their rules. I don't see anything wrong with that, unless they start using their success to create a monoploy, thereby stifling other means of communication. As of this point, I can't see that CBS has a monopoly on anything.

Ironically, I think Ani DiFranco understands this better than most. She is rightfully celebrated for her creative independence, and has quite successfully started her own record company so that she could play by her own rules. She knows the deal -- you call the shots on your label, I call the shots on mine -- and I'm sure she can figure out that this applies to broadcast networks just as it applies to record companies. All I see here is that two parties tried to reach an agreement, failed, and went their separate ways. What's the problem?

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:09 PM

Ah, say Whistle Stop...you can't see how the networks are media monopolies?

Why not ring us back when you get off the prozac and out of denial?

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST,UB Dan
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:17 PM

There is also a big difference between Dave Letterman censoring the content of his own show and the infringement on freedom of speech\press. I understand the use of hyperbole to make a point, but if we repeatedly call a molehill a mountain, how are we going to recognize a mountain when it really exists...ummm, okay that doesn't make great sense, what I'm trying to say is that calling the Ani-Dave situation censorship and a violation of the freedom of speech and of the press belittles situations such as the Tianamen Square massacre where people were killed for speaking out and the media was banned from reporting it. It also is too dismissive of some important rights and privileges we have in the U.S. Part of what makes this country great is the right to complain about what's wrong with it.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:19 PM

Hey, GUEST, if you don't know anything about a subject, keep quiet on it, will you?

Prozac doesn't make a person in denial, nor does it make people happy.

There's enough ignorance and inanity about mental illness in this country without assholes like you muddying the waters.

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:23 PM

GUEST.. 1. Please purchase a dictionary and look up Monopoly. 2. Have you heard of cable? there are lost of places on T.V. that have nothing to do with the 3, no 4, no 6, current networks.

Bottom line. CBS owns the airtime they can do as they please. Ani knows this business a lot better than you and me. She knew what she was doing.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:24 PM

And look at the publicity she got! Very shrewd, if you ask me!

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:25 PM

Since you seem so eager to draw attention to yourself by hijacking the thread Mousethief...

...why don't we simply dispense with the bullshit smokescreen about "insensitivity to mental health issues" and just talk about you, shall we?

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:26 PM

And like I already said, maybe it doesn't have anything to do with racism or censorship and they just didn't like the dang song. If it wasn't a song about a political issue there wouldn't even be a peep about it.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:33 PM

Don't bite Alex.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:43 PM

I suggest y'all get your noses out of the dictionary, and find out who owns CBS, ABC, and NBC...

And all the major newspapers...

And all the major record companies...

And all the major film studios...

And all the major web sites...

And then, once you have finally learned who owns all those media outlets (hint, hint: there are less than 10 conglomerates who own all of the above)...

...c'mon back in here and tell us the major 3 aren't part of a media monopoly.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:47 PM

Sure, it's the Trilateral Commission with their black helicopters.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:48 PM

Don't bite Alex.

Actually it's okay. Bite me.

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: LR Mole
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:48 PM

I think Ani should have done her song about the sun coming out tomorrow, instead.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:50 PM

Oh get off it KimC. This isn't about conspiracy theories by paranoid sociopaths.

It is about who owns and controls the media we hear, see, and read.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:51 PM

It is about who owns and controls the media we hear, see, and read.

Big business? I've always contended that. Over and against those who fool themselves about "liberal media" and such.

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:54 PM

Sure, you'll think that when that helicopter lands in your back yard. ;-)

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 01:56 PM

Kim, was that directed at me or guest?

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:00 PM

Oh sorry Mouse. GUEST of course, who has managed to be a complete jerk to everyone today.

GUEST, I wish you lots of sunshine and happiness, and hope that whatever is up your bum at the moment dislodges itself, bringing you some much-deserved relief.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:01 PM

I think CBS should have let Ani sing any damn song she wanted to sing.

Not to do so will only end up making them look like big bullies.

Which they are, of course.

But the net execs and censors are so out of touch, and so needlessly paranoid about so-called "controversy" they don't even know that they come off looking that way.

I mean c'mon--a young, middle class white girl strummin' her guitar and singing about racism--just how radical is that in today's world?

Not too terribly, IMO.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:11 PM

As if any television network really gave a rat's ass about avoiding controversy? (And as if there isn't far more controversy about their decision to clip the song than there would have been had they just let her sing it?)

It's like when ASCAP tried to sue the girl scouts for copyrighted works in their campfire songbook. Some things make you look like such a creep, you're just better off letting them slide.

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:13 PM

This reminds me of the time Sinead O'Connor tore up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live...

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:32 PM

Interesting comparison of the two networks--Michaels knew what here song was about in advance, as well..of course, after the fact, the picturing tearing video has never been shown again(though they got close in the VH-1 "Rock'n'Roll's 100 Most Shocking Events"--

Meanwhile, I wish you would identify yourself with a made-up name or something, GUEST. because, contrary to KimC, I think that you're right on the money--Fact of the matter is, the media giants do not own the airwaves, but they have been granted pretty much exclusive control and use over them and they are in the process of grabbing up control of Cable and the Internet, as well. And, sorry Kim, it isn't paranoia, I if you'd think back a bit, you'll remember that Time-Warner, now AOL/Time-Warner, has been the driving force behind shutting down many of the perfectly legal Websites that have posted song lyrics and chords, and in fact, tried to shut Mudcat and the DT down--

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Don Firth
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:38 PM

(It's ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ack)..............

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:44 PM

I don't think this is close to the Sinead/SNL thing. It just isn't.

Sinead attacked a sacred Western icon--brilliantly IMO--I love Sinead.

In the short term, she paid a heavy price in the court of public opinion. I'm thinking of the negative audience response to her appearance at the Dylan Birthday Bash? about a week or so later at the Garden. She nearly lost her cool there, but with Kristofferson's help, she pulled herself together and did an even more brilliant performance than the SNL one the week before.

And never did seem to have any effect on her career. I mean, her fan base remained behind her all the way. Not only weren't alienated by her performance, but celebrated it.

The Letterman audience never would have been accepting about Ani, because they aren't her kind of audience. But I doubt that her singing the song would have resulted in near the media firestorm as the one Sinead caused on SNL.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 02:58 PM

Just reread the thing about Rickie Lee on SNL.

I don't see the correlation.

Neither "Chuckys in Love" or "Last Chance Texaco" had political content, so how would that instance be comparable to producers deciding which song?

Producers always want the current "hit" to be performed--after all, that is why they have those particular musical guests on--to attract the musician's audience.

That clearly isn't the case with Ani. And I think it would be pretty hard to make a case against this being a political thing, considering the circumstances.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:14 PM

You're right Alex. GUEST doesn't seem to know nearly as much about Psyciatric drugs as he should. It is strange how these anon guests all sound the same. He obviously did not use his dictionary as I advised because he thinks the dictionary contains the shareholders reports of all of the major media. He also still thinks a monopoly can consist of dozens of companies. It reminds me of those comedy skits where the guy thinks he is invisible so he acts like an ass.

Yes. GUEST, there is obviously a huge conspiracy in the media to keep Ani DiFranco from getting her message out! All media is a monopoly run by big business to control our little paranoid minds. "Letterman" is obviously a bastion of right wing, rascist opinion and not the light entertaiment it intends to be.

Hey wait a minute! How did the story get out? Do you think the Washington Post may be on our side?

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:19 PM

GUEST: It is only political on one side, Ani's. Letterman producers were making a judgement call on what their audience would like. That is their job and their right. Believe me, If they thought having her on the show and doing the song would draw a lager audience, they would do it in a heartbeat!

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:24 PM

Well, it may have been politically motivated. That doesn't change my argument that the producers of the show have no obligation to provide a platform for it.

The Smothers Brothers Show in the late 60s consistently ran up against political censorship, and that eventually led to so much conflict that the show was dropped. The Brothers handled the censorship by pushing the content up to the allowable barrier, or making mocking jokes and skits about the censors. I still contend that the network had no obligation to let the Brothers have free reign. The Bros might have taken the stance that the censors were too restrictive and quit, as well. But the fact that they continued pushing, accomplishing what they could, and compromising when NBC stood firm, led to a real relaxation of TV guidelines. I even remember that the Brothers received a lot of guff for having Pete Seeger on the show, since Pete was still considered a Commie by the general public.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:30 PM

RobDale

I suggest you go back to the top of the thread, and read the Washington Post article more closely. I am quoting from it here:

"Late Show" spokesman Steven Rubenstein said yesterday in a statement: "We did not reject the song on the basis of its lyrical content. Rather, we felt the option originally suggested by her representatives was preferable musically."

Three songs were submitted to the show's producers in March. It wasn't until last week, according to Fisher, that the show demanded she perform "Heartbreak Even."

End of quote

Like I said, it looks like cold feet at the last minute about the political content of the song.

I mean, considering the circumstances, I can't imagine that CBS would come out and say:

Hey! We don't want Ani to sing a political song on Letterman, so we cancelled her booking.

C'mon, let's get real here. That is censorship. That isn't giving Ani the choice to sing any one of the three songs they had previously agreed to let her sing.

THAT is the problem here. Is it surprising that CBS acted as it did? Not to me it isn't.

But I also believe in picking battles wisely. This isn't that big of a deal in terms of some much more important free speech issues and First Amendment rights being challenged and ignored.

I would, however, wonder about the contractual liabilities CBS has for possibly violating the terms of the agreement they did have.

One issue remains unclear, though. Did the contract signed with Ani state that she would appear and sing one of the 3 songs she submitted? If the song in question was on such a list, and included in her contract, CBS could well have shot itself in the foot with this one.

Sometimes the censors get a little overzealous, and don't always talk to the lawyers first, like they should!

Personally, I think this is great. Its a lose/lose proposition for CBS, and a win/win situation for Ani.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:35 PM

I used to get disgusted; now I try to be amused.

There are some good points being made on this thread, along with some of the usual garbage we've all had to learn to tolerate. UB Dan's point about hyperbole is well taken -- I really don't see a huge threat to my freedom of speech here. Frankly, nothing that occurs on the Letterman show is really very important; it's light entertainment for people who have trouble sleeping, nothing more.

If the enormous media conglomerate that controls all our lives is really trying to censor Ani DiFranco, they're doing a pretty poor job of it. I hear her on the radio, see her CDs in the stores, read interviews with her in magazines, and have grown familiar with her outspokenness in many forums. She's a smart lady and an effective communicator, and she seems to be getting her message across pretty well, despite the vast media conspiracy that trembles at the thought of letting her opinions out in the open where they might radicalize the rest of us.

Of course, that's not what I really think; it's just the Prozac talking.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:35 PM

RobDale,

I've been reading what GUEST has to say, and it seems to me he knows a lot more about the music/media business than you do--As to someone going over the edge, it is you who is engaging in mockery and name calling, not GUEST--Guess there must be sunspots, or something, since a number of people seem to want to pull this discussion, which is about fairly normal music/performances issue, into the the name calling arena--

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:39 PM

Well, M.Ted, Guest's little thing about getting off Prozac wasn't exactly the most polite thing. Perhaps the sunspots blinded you from reading that post?

Alex

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:45 PM

Ted, let's be fair. This was a fairly civilized thread until our nameless guest responded to my post by asking me "Why not ring us back when you get off the prozac and out of denial?" Perhaps this was the same guest who showed such insight into the music business (you give our guest more credit for insight than I do, but that's another matter), perhaps not. But it wasn't Rob who started the nastiness.

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:51 PM

Lonesome EJ,

I'm curious about the argument you are making about an "obligation" to provide artists with a forum on network television broadcasts.

Do you mean a moral obligation? A legal obligation? An obligation to the shareholders? The audience? The artist? The producers of the program (nowadays, they often aren't employees of the network, but are outside contractors)? The advertisers?

There are many parties with legal/contractual obligations associated with broadcasts of any programming on PUBLIC airwaves. And like it or not, there are still strict rule regarding what political content is "allowable" in public broadcasts, which are much more stringent than what is allowed for language, sexual content, etc.

The airwaves are in the public domain, not a privately owned domain. Networks are private corporate bodies, which contract with and pay the governments who regulate use of their PUBLIC airwaves, for the right to broadcast their programming on those PUBLIC airwaves.

So just what do you mean when you say producers are under no obligation to provide a platform for Ani?

Remember, it appears that CBS in fact entered freely into a contract with Ani for her to appear on the show. Presumably they didn't do that for humantiarian reasons.

Now, if Ani did in fact submit three songs last March, well in advance (as I'm sure the contract requires all artists who are scheduled to appear to do) of the appearance date, and CBS approved that contract with the song in question already agreed to, just how is that "providing a platform"?

Sounds to me like they reneged on the deal. If they didn't violate the letter of the contract to do it (which is possible, maybe even likely), they certainly violated the spirit of it.

I mean really, how could anyone NOT know about the political content of many Ani songs when they book her on a national broadcast? They agreed to let her appear (and for all we know, may even have approached her first), and then pulled the plug at the last minute, claiming "artistic differences over song choice"?

A bit fishy, don't you think?

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:57 PM

I don't doubt that there's monopolization and heavy-handedness going on in the media business but I really don't think they are all in cahoots with one another to stifle anyone's free speech.

Of course, my judgment could be skewed from the prescription antihistamine I take...

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST,UB Dan
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 03:57 PM

Kim C, Don't tell Guest, but the Trilateral commission has just begun monitoring this site...they own almost all the major websites and they are also somehow connected with the toaster industry.

Mousethief, How are you. Its good to cyber-see you again.

GUEST, I'm not sure what point your making, you seem torn betwen saying its an Ani publicity stunt and that it is also proof of the power wielded by the media monopoly that is controlled by a plurality ...I guess making it a multi-opoly? or an oligarchy?

Ummmm...a Zen Buddhist walks up to a hot-dog vendor, the vendor says "what can I do for you" the Zen Buddhist says "make me one with everything"

Subject: RE: Ani DiFranco Song Censored on Letterman?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Jul 01 - 04:00 PM

I think people missed the joke...

Yes, the prozac joke...

I stole it. Heard it this morning on ABC's Good Morning America, on one of the stand up comedy segments they are airing this week as part of a promotion for a new comedy show.

And a damn funny schtick it was, too! Something about how to get a sense of humor...

Not being in the habit of apologizing to the easily mortified "Why sir! I take the greatest offense!" types, I won't.

Clearly, not much potential for the crack among this lot...