This past Saturday, I ventured out to downtown Washington DC. The streets were crowed with thousands of teenyboppers dressed in short skirts, leggings, and 3 inch stiletto boots holding signs that read "We love you John Mayer!" Those same streets were also crowded with "baby boomers" draped in thick scarfs and pea coats as they tried to make their way into the 20,000 seated capacity Verizon Center along with the overly zealous teens. All ages...young and old in the freezing cold to see John Mayer in Concert: Battle Studies.
As I made my way into the arena, I scoped the scene for any African-Americans that I could find. There were few. I had already purchased my ticket to see him in November of 2009, and I'm guessing a lot of others had done so as well. But I wondered how many African-Americans had changed their minds or refused to attend due to his recent remarks in a Playboy Magazine Interview regarding his feelings towards African-American women.
"I don't think I open myself to it," Mayer said of dating black women. "My d--- is sort of like a white supremacist. I've got a Benetton heart and a f-----' David Duke c---. I'm going to start dating separately from my d---."
"Someone asked me the other day, 'What does it feel like now to have a 'hood pass?' " he told Playboy. "And by the way, it's sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a 'hood pass, you could call it a n---a pass. Why are you pulling a punch and calling it a 'hood pass if you really have a 'hood pass? But I said, 'I can't really have a 'hood pass.' I've never walked into a restaurant, asked for a table and been told, 'We're full.' "
As I read his quotes, none of it really offended me. In my mind, I thought, "What's the big deal?" Until....I researched David Duke. Oh how bliss ignorance can be!!!
For those of you who don't know, David Duke is probably America's most famous unapologetic racist and anti-Semite. "Our clear goal," he has said, "must be the advancement of the white race and separation of the white and black races. This goal must include freeing of the American media and government from subservient Jewish interests." He opposes integration, calls himself a "white nationalist", and his political perspectives are colored almost entirely by race. He was elected Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) from 1974-1978. http://www.nndb.com/people/210/000024138/
I have to admit I was shocked as I read, but somewhere deep inside me, I still couldn't bring myself to be offended. I think the David Duke dude is hilarious. Who would ever take someone with that much hate for people seriously? I laugh at stupidity. *kanye shrug* I didn't really care.
As the show started, I analyzed. I was waiting to find some sort of flaw or sign of racism so that I could back my African-American brothers and sisters and join them in their anger. The music was so emotional. The blues...with it's early 19th century African-American origin. The blues...derived from slaves in the deep south who sang spirituals and "field hollers" as they worked. And today, this "white boy" from Connecticut who claims to not be attracted to African-American women is on a stage getting paid and performing for thousands of screaming, adoring "Caucasian" fans the very music created by those who he claims to not be attracted.
Ok, now I get it...I think.:-/ And I waited...waited...and waited for the insult to set it. It never found me. So I gave up. As I watched and listened to this "white boy" perform, I became engulfed. I lost myself. And all I did was feel. That is what his music did to me. And that is what the blues is all about...a feeling. An escape from all the sadness and pain in the form of a functional musical expression. Anybody can have the blues. And all of a sudden race was not an issue. This "white boy" sure did know what he was doing. And I was in love...with the blues!
Mr. Mayer closed the show after returning for an encore while playing a guitar solo. I watched as his hands fingered the instrument...how they glided up and down it as if it were a woman's body. He explored the instrument like a man would explore a lady's body parts during a very intimate, very erotic sexual encounter. As I realized that I was beginning to become slightly turned on I changed positions in my chair. Awkwardness came to me...I looked around as if to check to see if anyone else had figured out my thoughts. Everyone else was just as entranced as I was. I was safe to let go. He laid the instrument on the stage as he bended down on his knees. It had his undivided attention and he begin to pluck it, string it, and play it. I felt like I was watching something I wasn't supposed to be watching. When he was done...I was in awe. I wanted more. Then a big light bulb went off in my head.
Now I see why so many African-American women were pissed off. After watching how he plays his instrument, I could see why women would look at him sexually. As he performs, he oozes it. It seeps from his pores. They probably had thoughts of wanting to have sex with this man. And when he stated that he wasn't attracted to black women. He crushed their dreams. I had figured it out!! This was a simple matter of hurt feelings and rejection.
Attention! Attention! Ladies and gentleman please realize that there are many people in this world from all walks of life. Everybody will not like you or be attracted to you. Point blank! Period. If John Mayer is not attracted to African-American women, then that is his preference. And we all have them. At least he was consistent. He equally offended gays, African-American women, and Jews. The man's father is Jewish. Come on people! It clearly was a joke. The man is human and has his likes and dislikes. And so do you. I know plenty of African American women whose vaginas are "Black Panthers from the early Malcolm X Civil Rights Era" and will never ever allow entry from a "Blue Eyed White Devil" penis. Now is that racist??? The only difference is they don't live their lives in front of millions to be condemned because of it.
Bottom Line: Stop judging people. We all have different tastes. Some people like fat, skinny, brunette, blonde, light skinned, dark skinned, tall, short, White, Black, Latino, Asian, Palestinian, Bangladesh, whatever, whatever, whatever! Get over it! I don't think John Mayer is a racist though I do not condone his use of the N---a word. That is the biggest no-no. But as I look at the context of what was said, I honestly don't think he meant any harm. I think he just told some really bad, really corny, really lame jokes. In his attempt to try to seem cool, he bombed...really badly.
His band was made up of predominately African-American musicians. Two African American female background singers, the drummer was black, keyboardist was black, guy on 2nd guitar was black. It would be kind of hard to work with that many African-Americans, be a racist and no one figure it out until you make a statement in Playboy. If he were a racist, I'm quite sure the world would have been found out long before now. He just isn't attracted to black women and that is all there is to it. I don't care and I'm a black women. So I don't really see why anybody else cares. He gets the job done. He delivers. My consensus is...he is a DAMN GOOD MUSICIAN! He preserves a music genre created by African Americans that many African Americans don't even play anymore. I say: Keep Rockin' Mayer!
Care to comment: Please do or email your thoughts, ideas, suggestions to PSAcomments@gmail.com
I took some pics and posted a video...hope you enjoy because I sure did!! :-)
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