Item: Dixie Chicks banned from the airwaves in many markets because of anti-war statements.

When lead singer Natalie Maines, told a London audience that she was ashamed to come from President Bush's home state of Texas, the group was banned from airplay on many American radio stations. One radio chain, Cumulus Media, even arranged for a tractor to crush Dixie Chicks CDs, tapes and videos.

Item: CBS faces fines after Janet Jackson's titty escapes at the Super Bowl.

CBS has said it will fight a possible $550,000 fine against its television stations after Janet Jackson exposed her nipple to 90 million people during her Super Bowl performance in February. CBS, which owns 20 TV stations, could face a Federal Communications Commission fine of $550,000 , or $27,500 for each of its channels.

Item: Howard Stern is removed from radio markets for criticizing Bush.

The ribald radio host has repeatedly accused Clear Channel of strong ties to the Bush administration, saying the company previously defended him against past indecency allegations until he became critical of President Bush. Ten million dollar lawsuits are in the works. Somebody wants Howard to keep his big mouth shut.

Item: Whoopi Goldburg is canned by Unilever (Slim-Fast) for remarks at the recent New York Demo rally comparing Bush to, well....her bush.

"I only wish that the Republican re-election committee would spend as much time working on the economy as they seem to be spending trying to harm my pocketbook," said Whoopi.

Item: Linda Ronstadt is evicted from the Aladdin Hotel for dedicating the Eagles song "Desperados" to filmmaker Michael Moore.

Ms Ronstadt, 58, a 10-time Grammy Award-winner and an icon of the politically-agitated 1970s, praised Mr Moore as a "great American patriot" who "is spreading the truth."

After some of the paying customers at the Aladdin tipped over their glasses, hotel president Bill Timmins ordered security guards to escort Ms Ronstadt off the premises.
The connection between commercial products and famous personalities is not new. And the history of celebrities falling from grace with their sponsors goes from Anita Bryant to Kobe Bryant. You can include O.J. Simpson Martha Stewart and even Tonya Harding.

But the current wave of censure is on a different level. It's one thing for a commercial personality to be dumped by a sponsor for indiscreet homophobic remarks or little breeches like insider trading, assault murder or rape, but it's quite another thing when performers are financially penalized for stating their political beliefs.
Sir Elton John said recently that stars are scared to speak out against war in Iraq because of "bullying tactics" used by the US government to hinder free speech.

"There's an atmosphere of fear in America right now that is deadly. Everyone is too career-conscious," he told New York magazine, Interview.

Edmund White, head of Princeton University creative writing program says," do think Bush is against all social progress, the sanctity of the environment, the arts, education, and culture in general -- so it's no surprise that thinking people are against him."

I suppose it's not surprising either that fanatic Republicans would try to exert financial and professional pressure to achieve their political ends. Hit em where they live--in the pocketbook. We can be thankful that Whoopi or Linda or Howard were not spirited away in the middle of the night in black shiny FBI cars with whip antennae. At least not yet. But this kind of economic intimidation of prominent figures sends a distinctly chilling message. It was the same message that was read by the Congress and other public figures after 9/11--that if you spoke out against the policies of this government you would be labeled as "unpatriotic."

To get in the mood for writing this edition of The Poet's Eye, I downloaded (at absolutely no cost) Linda Ronstadt's version of Skylark arranged by the great Nelson Riddle. This woman is a national treasure. Tears are tears streaming from The Poet's Eye at the thought of her being removed from any stage. But she was removed from the stage at the Aladdin for dedicating a song to Michael Moore.

As the plot thickens we find that the Aladdin Hotel is owned by Planet Hollywood. This is the same Planet Hollywood that was promoted and endorsed and partly owned by Governor Arnold of California and, strangely enough, also by Whoopi Goldburg. But that was several bankruptcies ago.

Planet Hollywood's capital was provided by Robert Earl (Hard Rock Cafe), and by Singapore billionaire Ong Beng Seng. It is a company that was based on the concept that celebs generated free publicity. By giving Arnold and Sylvester and Whoopi stock in exchange for their appearances and endorsements, the company garnered the kind of advertising that money can't buy. When Arnold and Demi and Whoopi show up at an opening, Planet Hollywood gets free ads on Access Hollywood, Inside Edition and all the other tabloid entertainment shows. A company like this is very conscious of what "unpatriotic" public speech can do. So, the Aladdin management gave Linda Ronstadt the hook and never listened to her voice which is the clarion call of conscience.

The Poet's Eye has never seen such a shoulder to shoulder rank of opinion makers lining up against a sitting government, even during the Vietnam War. This government, like Planet Hollywood, knows that image ranks above substance, and since their substance is rank their image better be slick. Whether it is orchestrated or impromptu, the message that is being broadcast is that if you talk bad about Big Brother, then Big Brother will talk bad about you and Big Brother has powerful friends (and they may pay your salary.)

 

"Yes, and I ain't saying you ain't pretty
All I'm saying is I'm not ready
For any person place or thing
To try and pull the reins in on me
So good-bye I'll be leaving
I see no sense in this crying and grieving
We'll both live a lot longer
If you live without me"

words by Mike Nesmith
as sung by Linda Ronstadt

"I've got ten Grammies. I need the Aladdin Hotel, why?"