Thursday, November 13, 2003
First Dixie Chicks, now Jethro Tull
(Via Atrios) The atmosphere in America (as opposed to NYC) is pretty surreal today. First, there was that flap about the Natalie Maines comment about GWB. Apparently, Jethro Tull have got banned on a New Jersey classic rock station after Ian Anderson made some supposedly disparaging statements about the flag. Whatever happened to the first amendment and freedom of speech?
Jethro Tull is off the playlist of one classic rock station after the band's front man criticized displays of the Stars and Stripes. Ian Anderson made the remarks in an interview published Sunday in the Asbury Park Press. "I hate to see the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house in some residential area," Anderson was quoted as saying. "It's easy to confuse patriotism with nationalism. Flag waving ain't gonna do it."
The verdict from listeners of WCHR-FM's "Free Beer and Hot Wings" morning show was swift. "The reaction of our audience has been 99 percent in favor of the ban and 99 percent incredulous that he would say such stupid things," said Phil LoCascio, WCHR program director and on-air personality. "He is a smart guy. As far as we're concerned, this ban is forever."
Personally, I am not sure being thrown off a program called "free beer and hot wings" is such a bad thing. But, it gets better with the radio station not being content with merely banning Tull.
When the "Rubbing Elbows With Ian Anderson" tour makes a stop in Red Bank on Friday, the radio station plans to be there. "We found somebody who will supply us with flags," LoCascio said, "and we'll be handing them out to anybody who wants one."
I guess that will REALLY disprove Ian Anderson's point. Talk about being thick as a brick!
Jethro Tull is off the playlist of one classic rock station after the band's front man criticized displays of the Stars and Stripes. Ian Anderson made the remarks in an interview published Sunday in the Asbury Park Press. "I hate to see the American flag hanging out of every bloody station wagon, out of every SUV, every little Midwestern house in some residential area," Anderson was quoted as saying. "It's easy to confuse patriotism with nationalism. Flag waving ain't gonna do it."
The verdict from listeners of WCHR-FM's "Free Beer and Hot Wings" morning show was swift. "The reaction of our audience has been 99 percent in favor of the ban and 99 percent incredulous that he would say such stupid things," said Phil LoCascio, WCHR program director and on-air personality. "He is a smart guy. As far as we're concerned, this ban is forever."
Personally, I am not sure being thrown off a program called "free beer and hot wings" is such a bad thing. But, it gets better with the radio station not being content with merely banning Tull.
When the "Rubbing Elbows With Ian Anderson" tour makes a stop in Red Bank on Friday, the radio station plans to be there. "We found somebody who will supply us with flags," LoCascio said, "and we'll be handing them out to anybody who wants one."
I guess that will REALLY disprove Ian Anderson's point. Talk about being thick as a brick!
