‘Dixie Chicking’: Post-9/11 Blacklisting in the Entertainment Industry

[Ian David]

‘Dixie Chicking’: Post-9/11 Blacklisting in the Entertainment Industry

<snip>

“Watch What You Say”: The Post-9/11 Dixie Chicked:

* Like truth, comedian Bill Maher was an early casualty of war. Discussing 9/11’s skyjackers on the Sept. 17, 2001, episode of “Politically Incorrect,” Maher stated: “We have been the cowards lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That’s cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it’s not cowardly. Stupid maybe, but not cowardly.” Maher’s remarks prompted Bush’s then-spokesman Ari Fleischer to warn: “Watch what you say.” The Disney-owned ABC network canceled Maher’s show in June 2002.

* Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Phillip Noyce’s adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel “The Quiet American,” starring Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser, was reportedly shelved because it critiqued U.S. foreign policy in 1950s Vietnam. According to the Toronto Sun, Miramax (then part of Disney) “abandoned it because ... Harvey Weinstein did not like the politics.” Caine, a two-time Oscar winner knighted by Queen Elizabeth, was forced to plead for the release of the film, which finally opened in November 2002.

* In February 2003, Sean Penn sued producer Steve Bing for $10 million for allegedly firing the actor from a film because of Penn’s 2002 Washington Post anti-war ad and trip to Baghdad. Bing counter-sued.

* After the Dixie Chicks’ frontwoman Natalie Maines said at a March 2003 concert in London, “{W}e’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas,” the Chicks, who were the top-selling all-girl group, went on to lose airtime on country-western radio stations owned by Clear Channel and other corporations, and CD and concert ticket sales plummeted. Egged on by reactionary bloggers and DJs, anti-"DXC" listeners destroyed Dixie Chicks’ CDs during “Dixie Chicks Destruction” events.



More:
http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/page2/20071025_dixie_chicking_post_9_11_blacklisting_in_the_entertainment_industr/

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Thought police never win...

...try as they will, but they're ultimately defeated.

[mmonk]

12. Let me know when they are.

They have been winning. The truth is staying underground.

[east texas lib]

2. Hmmm...

Hmmm...Funny how Ted Nugent got a free pass, isn't it?

[robcon]

3. Huh? Blacklisting????? Where?

Although Maher took some heat from the audience and ABC affiliates, it seems he has landed on his feet very well with his HBO gig. He hasn't been blacklisted.

"“The Quiet American,” ...was reportedly shelved because it critiqued U.S. foreign policy in 1950s Vietnam." Does ANYONE believe that ANY film was shelved over political disagreements on Vietnam policies from 50 years ago?

Penn's lawsuit (and the counter-suit) over his firing... that's blacklisting? That's everyday Hollywood.

What does blacklisting have to do with radio DJs' publicity stunts (destroying CDs) against the Dixie Chicks?

I think the OP, and the linked article, defines-down blacklisting to "criticizing" or "disagreeing." That definition truly demeans the true long-term suffering of those who were blacklisted in the 1950's witch-hunts.

[riderinthestorm]

4. Agreed that perhaps blacklisting isn't the appropriate word

but what happens to anti-war entertainers goes far beyond some minor industry "spanking". Take a look at the Dixie Chicks' DVD "Shut Up and Sing" for an in-depth look at the coordinated efforts to shut. them. down. Permanently.

It's real and it's ugly and I believe the situation deserves some light.

[Mutineer]

6. But they didn't suceed. Real blacklisting is where they can and they do

shut you down and prevent you from ever working again. I can't think of a single person's career who has stopped dead cold because of their political beliefs over 9/11.

[riderinthestorm]

7. Agreed, I already said that I didn't believe blacklisting was the right word.

Yes, you are right, nobody's career was stopped cold but I honestly believe that in the past, without our current technology, they probably WOULD have been stopped dead. They were systematically shut out by the radio industry - their media outlet of choice, publicly vilified from Bush all the way down to their fellow Country/Western "stars" (cough)m Natalie Maines had death threats against her if she were to perform in public, etc. etc.

Have you watched the Dixie Chick DVD yet? It's interesting though to see how coordinated the attempt was to shut them down for example (I can't speak to what happened behind the scenes to Bill Maher or the others - it's possible that they faced the same kind of extraordinary measures as the DC group).

The Dixie Chick's however had other ways to get themselves out there (internet resources like youtube), the resources to protect themselves (hiring private security and massively screening their live audiences with metal detectors), the tenacity to re-invent themselves as a pop group in a whole different broadcasting venue. They also had the ability to go overseas where technology had spread their appeal globally - they could leave the tainted US market for a few years and still survive.

I would never demean or diminish what happened to those who were brutalized by real blacklisting. Please know that their pain and suffering is fully acknowledged by me and stands alone from what is happening/did happen post 9-11.

[mmonk]

13. In the case of the Dixie Chicks, recording artists depend on air play.

Their air play was taken away. Their advertisements for concerts was taken away. How would you feel if someone led a national effort to take away your living over your politics? Yes, definitely black listed. No, not arrested.

[Mike Daniels]

14. Isn't that what people on DU do re: Limbaugh, Savage, etc...

Seems that there have been recent calls for Limbaugh to be removed from the airwaves because of the phony soldiers comment.

What's the difference between that and a boycott of the Dixie Chicks?

[mmonk]

15. Sorry, but I don't own the radio stations that could shut him down.

Get it yet? RESTRAINT OF TRADE.

[Da Forp]

5. HMMM.......

Tough call, imho,,,,people work their asses off all week long,
fork over an ungodly amount in order to sit and enjoy some
time off. After a week's worth of depressing shit on the tv,
etc, the last thing they want to see or hear is anything about
all that crap. They want to hear the artists songs, see the
movies, etc. After all, it IS the entertainment industry,
right? Sometimes, all I want to do is simply forget all about
the real world. Doesn't mean I disagree with anything anyone
has to say about anything while they are up there enjoying
their hard earned forum, but at the same time, sometimes, I
fear that the true spirit of entertainment may be forgotten in
these dark times.  Sometimes it's just cool to kick back and
forget about all the bullshit and simply smile for a bit:) I
bet it's kinda good for the soul too:)Just my opinion:)

[riderinthestorm]

8. Yeah, your "opinion" that blacklisting people for their political views

is a "tough call" probably means it will be a tough call for the mods as to how long you stick around.

Enjoy your stay. :eyes:

[Da Forp]

9. Ummm

I'm not defending "blacklisting" people for their
political views. I feel that is un-American. I was merely
saying that I feel that alot of people work too hard, and
spend way too much money in order to be entertained, and
perhaps they merely wish to forget about all the crap going on
in the world, if only for awhile. That's all:)

[Da Forp]

10. In fact......

"Yeah, your "opinion" that blacklisting people
for their political views
is a "tough call" probably means it will be a tough
call for the mods as to how long you stick around.
Enjoy your stay."

 That almost sounds like a threat of "blacklisting"
right there. 

[Ian David]

11. I accidentally left out the most important part of the article..

<snip>

* In October 2006, right-winger Florian Sokolowski sent left-leaning talk show host Stephanie Miller a letter declaring: “As with Cindy Sheehan, the best thing that could happen to you would be seeing some wonderful activist sticking an AK-47 up your glory holes and sending you into eternity.”

By early 2007, the Clear Channel-owned radio station WTPG-AM changed its liberal talk show format, dropping programs including the nationally syndicated Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz shows, although the Columbus, Ohio, station had reportedly tripled its ratings. Miller, Schultz and Air America programs were replaced by right-wing shows hosted by Michael Savage and Laura Ingraham. Miller alleges, “There’s a concerted effort to shut down progressive talk. {Conservative} Christians are buying radio stations.” In the April 6, 2007, edition of the Los Angeles Times, Schultz claimed his program’s move to the evening on Clear Channel-owned KTLK-AM in Los Angeles “has nothing to do with ratings or sales.” “Big Eddie”—whom Talkers Magazine called America’s leading “progressive talk” host—alleged that Air America “wrote a check” to put a host with lower Arbitron ratings in Schultz’s afternoon time slot.


More:
http://www.truthdig.com/arts_culture/page2/20071025_dixie_chicking_post_9_11_blacklisting_in_the_entertainment_industr