Scott Mervis on the Boss — funny? amusing? lame? what say you ..

Yesterday, I posted a statement from Bruce Springsteen in support of marriage equality.

“Like many of you who live in New Jersey, I've been following the
progress of the marriage-equality legislation currently being
considered in Trenton. I've long believed in and have always spoken out
for the rights of same sex couples and fully agree with Governor
Corzine when he writes that, 'The marriage-equality issue should be
recognized for what it truly is — a civil rights issue that must be
approved to assure that every citizen is treated equally under the
law.' I couldn't agree more with that statement and urge those who
support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to
let their voices be heard now.”

PG's pop music guru Scott Mervis added a little spin … sort of pops culture instead of pop culture?

A gig with the Indigo Girls can't be far off.

Funny? Lame? Mervis is a tough bird to understand. He comes across as a sort of dated hipster who begrudgingly trudges out to pop concerts with skull cap pulled ironically around his head. Some of his interviews are dripping with either intentional sarcasm or careless disdain. My problem is that his homophobia is sort of that gentle media insensitivity type, not blatant and not easy to pin down. The kind that misses opportunity after opportunity to educate readers and goes for the heterosexist default. Like this interview with somewhat vulgar comedian Lisa Lampanelli.

(Lampanelli) You're not a big homo, are ya? You sound [like one], I gotta tell you the truth.

(Mervis) No, actually, I have four kids. What helped you break through to this size audience?

Huh? Mervis defended the comment to me, but it is part of permanent PG record. WHY? She looks like a vulgar entertainer which is her shtick, but he looks like a dated reactive homophobe which is really what you are looking for from coverage in an increasingly diverse media such as … music! Miss.

Put the Springsteen comment into this context. Mervis comments that Springsteen risks alienating “conservative” fans who already dislike his anti-war stance. That may be true, but skip down to the other end of the spectrum and ponder the response of the millions of young adults who are finding common cause with music that rose from the collapse of the industrial revolution. Springsteen's comments show that the social justice memes which drove Born In the USA are very much part of the discussion on “gay marriage” as well as poverty, healthcare and war.

I personally just don't see that a collaborative project between Springsteen and the Indigo Girls would be very startling at all as they have quite a lot in common if you review their music and activist histories. Maybe that's the joke Mervis is making and I'm just missing it — mocking the people who think Springsteen is apple pie America and the Indigo Girls are out to steal your babies?

Like I said, you just can't tell with him.

What strikes me as ironic is that America could probably handle Springsteen and hugemonic gay icon Lady Gaga before a collaboration with the Indigo Girls.

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