Y’all, I swear to god, I thought that, if any musician in town used to be a woman, it was John Rich. It’s not just that he’s small and so obviously would make a relatively attractive woman, it’s that he also seems to go to such lengths to hide his chest–the guitar or overalls or jackets over shirts–and to read as “male” with the facial hair and the overly perfect scowl.
So, imagine my surprise to learn that he hates women and gay people is anti-abortion and anti-gay-marriage.
But there you go.
Still, I don’t want y’all to miss this bit from the Tennessean.
The pro-lifer is against gay marriage.
[…]
John also is known as a woman-loving party animal. “I’m probably somewhat of a walking dichotomy, I guess. Some of my favorite singers were that too, like Johnny Cash.”
Yes, he did, America. He admitted to being a flaming (oops, wrong word choice) unrepentant hypocrite and then hid behind Johnny Cash!
Is this the new standard? If Johnny Cash did it, it’s okay? Well, slap me full of amphetamines and bring on the pretty girls!
Seriously, he’s anti-abortion, but he also wants to be able to just fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck whoever he can get his hands on. If that’s not pretty much the patriarchy in a nut-shell, I don’t know what is.
Hee, patriarchy in a nut-shell. Tee hee.
Edited to add: John Rich has decided to clarify his comments. He doesn’t hate gay people. No, he loves them. He loves everybody! People should be judged on their merits. Hmm.
Well, Mr. Rich, see, it’s like this. You can say today, “My earlier comments on same-sex marriage don’t reflect my full views on the broader issues regarding tolerance and the treatment of gays and lesbians in our society,” but yesterday, you felt it was fine to say that gay people wanted to get married was “unsavory” and “unnatural” and joked that two consenting adults who aren’t related wanting to make a legally recognized commitment to each other was on par with incest. So, explain to me again how those two things jibe?
How in the world do you think promoting the idea that gay marriage is “unsavory” and “unnatural” and on par with incest is not intolerant, bigoted, and hateful?
If we judged you on your merits, I’m afraid we’d find one fucked-up dude.
Edited some more to add this: You know what really irritates me? Take a look at this:
Shall we count the ways in which Big & Rich are horsing around in ways that owe a great debt to gay culture (yes, I know, it’s a problematic term) in this video?
1. Big Kenny’s “Love Pirate” shirt
2. Cowboy Troy in his satin shirt
3. Big & Rich marching around with their umbrellas and walking arm in arm
4. The fur coat
5. All the fringe
6. The two beauty queens
7. The fact that the “girl” in the car with Big & Rich is supposed to be a mannequin, as if it’s just a fake barrier in the way of them being together.
8. The dancing women–the ones in the business suits and the cowgirls–are all interchangeable (which, I guess, the beauty queens and the band members are as well) and the unique folk, the ones who have meaningful interactions with each other, are just the guys.
9 (kind of). In the cut of this video I used to see on my TV, Gretchen Wilson, looking just about as butch as a girl can look is riding a tractor. I don’t see her in this cut, though.
My point is that they want to horse around with gender expectations and flaunt conventional modes of how men in country music are supposed to look and act and yet, they don’t see their debt to the very folks Rich is calling “unnatural.” That bothers the shit out of me.
If you’re willing to steal from folks, you should be willing to acknowledge their value to you and go to bat for them, even if it makes you personally uncomfortable.
Tiny Cat Pants 
Is it just me or does ‘nut-shell’ sound like the remnants of a particularly unsatisfactory surgery?
I think the wife has me watching too much Grey’s Anatomy.
Is he REALLY against abortion and gay marriage or is he more FOR pleasing his fan base?
Who gives a fuck what he thinks? I mean, serious-like, now. He’s a fair songwriter (derivative, but I like the source material and I don’t crucify a guy for lack of originality in an industry that thrives on same-ity). He and his ego might be fun to shoot pool with, though I’m more of a Big Kenny sort of a girl myself. But does anyone really give a shit about celebrity policy statements — especially from a guy whose idea of a good career move is a reality TV show on CMT?
I used to be acquainted with one of his ex-conquests. He would have changed his tune if one of his boys could have made the trek to Mt. Ovum.
Me thinks he doth protest too much.
does anyone really give a shit about celebrity policy statements — especially from a guy whose idea of a good career move is a reality TV show on CMT?
I can’t vouch for anyone else but I know that I, personally, hold all major decisions in abeyance until I have Danny Bonaduce and Limahl’s input at hand.
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Well, Perez Hilton strongly implied that John Rich is a closet case. As much as it pains me to say it, Perez usually knows what he’s talking about.
John Rich suffers from Short Guy Syndrome and from the fact that on-camera Big Kenny is much hotter than he is (in person, both of them look about 50 and have coke-face.)
::coughs::
Perez Hilton labels nearly everybody a “closet case” so that when the inevitable 10% or so come out he can look wise by having “called it”.
It’s his schtick. One of them anyway.
As for Big and Rich, Rich is making more money than Big as he has written a ton of hit songs. Standing on stage, looking dirty, drunk and disoriented, isn’t that big of a money maker. (BK has written one song, I think).
Perez Hilton also announced FIdel Castro’s death not so long ago… I don’t put too much stock in a man who makes his living drawing white penises on photographs (stolen ones) of celebrity faces while sitting in a coffee shop.
I find the dichotomy of “Music without Prejudice” rather hollow when the artist doesn’t follow his own tag-line.
Elizabeth, exactly. If this were the dudes from Montgomery Gentry, it wouldn’t surprise or alarm me. But here’s a dude who seems to be speaking out of both sides of his mouth and that bothers me.
Whos big and rich? Is this a musical group? I swear, I’m going to have move my radio dial away from 96.3 once in a while….
Nah.
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Well, he didn’t say that he’s against using condoms himself, did he? I mean, with all the women he chases.
I doubt he’s trying to please his fan base by saying this. I think he’s just trying to imitate Kix Brooks in spouting off about political issues he knows nothinig about. In order to please the CMA voters.
It would never be the dudes from Montgomery Gentry… they’re too busy shooting caged bears.
Entertainers being political always gets under my skin.
When I go to the dentist, he doesn’t proclaim, mid-cleaning,
his political stance and which candidate he supports. Why
do entertainers think that I give a shit one way or the other
as to what their opinion is on the matter.
I bumped into Mr Rich on a Monday afternoon in the Village about a year ago. (FYI, very quiet polite guy — his manners astounded me) If it happens again, I may just stop him and say “by the way, just so you know, I’m undecided about who to back for President, but I thought i was important for you to know, that I will not be voting for Mr Thompson.”
I like Fred Thompson and will probably vote for him if it comes down to him and Hillary. But I cant stand Rich,Cowboy Troy and their partner. They act like some “rasslin” gimmick.
Heh, did you see the Rich quote in The Tennessean this morning? He says, “Country music in general is behind Fred Thompson for president of the United States.” So, really, you know, you just have to pity the guy — he has no powers of observation.
Now, I was kind of struck by the accompanying analysis (by the Tennesseean, not by Rich), which considered the political donations of such country acts as Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Folds, and Linda Ronstadt. But that’s just the rockism problem again, and not John Rich’s fault.
does it matter? can’t anyone just listen to the music and not care what the artist says beyond that?
the music is what matters. John Rich is a wonderful writer and musician and Big Kenny is a lifelong friend, so who cares if he hasn’t written as much? Big is in it with Rich, and they don’t care about your opinions about them.
why do people stop listening to artists based on political views? that has NOTHING to do with what their music sounds like. if the music is horrible then you have a right. but if its fairly good, RESPECT IT.
Well, I’m always glad myself to take the music on its own terms, but this is a case of an artist insisting on my taking his opinions into account. It’s not like anyone went hunting to find out what John Rich’s ideas are; he was happy to take the opportunity to make them known. That suggests to me that he wants me to think about his ideas. Now, his ideas don’t change my opinion of him as a songwriter (he’s a master) or as a performer (mneh). But they do convince me that he’s a fool.
john rich’s point about the aunt/nephew ‘in love’ and sharing bills was an excellent point. you all have the same opinion here. say what you mean:
“SOMEBODY’S GOT TO BE UNAFRAID
TO LEAD THE FREAK PARADE!” ~ JOHN RICH
“IT’S BETTER TO BE HATED FOR WHO YOU ARE
THAN BE LOVED FOR WHO YOU’RE NOT”
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