Performers & Their Political Opinions

[PeaceNHarmony]

Though I try to separate the two, there have been times when a performer's political beliefs have impacted my fandom. Two that come to mind are Gladys Knight and Shirley Bassey. I've been long-time fans of both and think they are tremendous talents and [[largely) good 'role models'. However I've read some questionable statements by Bassey regarding her gay fans, and Knight is an active Morman, a religion that aggressively demonizes gay people. So while I don't disparage either woman neither can I any longer be an enthusiastic fan. Anybody have other experiences?

[John G. Stumpf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX6i5Y6t1nI

Anita Bryant comes to mind. LOL

[144man]

Donna Summer made some unfortunate remarks as well.

[sansradio]

Absolutely. The "45" era [[I won't use his name because he's NOT my president) has made me jettison Loretta Lynn, Kanye West, and Sam Moore from my iTunes rotations. And James Woods and Robert Duvall are dead to me because of their vilification of Obama.

Can you provide links about Bassey's homophobia? And has Gladys ever made any public anti-gay pronouncements?

[PeaceNHarmony]

Absolutely. The "45" era [[I won't use his name because he's NOT my president) has made me jettison Loretta Lynn, Kanye West, and Sam Moore from my iTunes rotations.

Can you provide links about Bassey's homophobia? And has Gladys ever made any public anti-gay pronouncements?
I had the same reaction to Loretta Lynn which made me sad because I've really liked her output for the last 5 or so years. In his early years Kanye was pro/positive gay but I didn't care for his style so I was happy to see his remarks but it didn't affect my fandom; after '45' ... Pretty much the same with Sam. Regarding Bassey I'll look this weekend to see if I can find the quotes; they weren't really outright homophobic as much as [[if I remember correctly) "I have no comment" sort of thing. And Gladys never to my knowledge made any comment but if a person, later in life, chooses to join a group with certain beliefs, well, if it walks like a duck ...

[PeaceNHarmony]

Donna Summer made some unfortunate remarks as well.
Unfortunately I remember it well. That was a decades-before-YouTube time so there's no recorded evidence, and Summer later denied it, but I never really felt the same about her after that.

[sansradio]

Eric Clapton's refusal to repudiate some alleged racist/crypto-fascist elements of his history caused me to wash my hands of him as well.

[marv2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlD-5I9zf7E

[phil]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnIShI3i9Rg

[jaybs]

It's a NO! NO! for me, especially at Concerts, never forget Dione Warwick who I love & respect here in the UK at Manchester, she sat on a stool giving a political lecture for nearly 10 minutes, while her band kept playing, well most of the audience did not have a clue what she was talking about and became restless, so sorry No! People pay high prices these days to go the Theatre, not to be lectured about politics.

Same with Twitter in the recent UK election and on stage so many actors as well as artists felt they should go on and on about their political choice, I took no notice and blocked a few lol

[PeaceNHarmony]

It's a NO! NO! for me, especially at Concerts, never forget Dione Warwick who I love & respect here in the UK at Manchester, she sat on a stool giving a political lecture for nearly 10 minutes, while her band kept playing, well most of the audience did not have a clue what she was talking about and became restless, so sorry No! People pay high prices these days to go the Theatre, not to be lectured about politics.

Same with Twitter in the recent UK election and on stage so many actors as well as artists felt they should go on and on about their political choice, I took no notice and blocked a few lol
My goodness! What WAS she talking about?

[splanky]

For the most part I don't care what what my my favorite artists believe. If I thoroughly enjoy their output it doesn't matter to me what ideas,
notions, fantasies, superstitions, illusions or what else they entertain
in the closet of their mind because I know none of us is perfect and though we may call this or that a nation or community we'll never get
all of us to agree on everything. Especially in the world we live in today. I never cared much for Anita Bryant before her scandal and I
wouldn't care for Kanye West if he were The Second Coming so I guess I'm out of the loop...All I care about is the end product...

[marv2]

I never cared for Ted Nugent's music and I hate his racist politics!

[PeaceNHarmony]

For the most part I don't care what what my my favorite artists believe. If I thoroughly enjoy their output it doesn't matter to me what ideas,
notions, fantasies, superstitions, illusions or what else they entertain
in the closet of their mind because I know none of us is perfect and though we may call this or that a nation or community we'll never get
all of us to agree on everything. Especially in the world we live in today. I never cared much for Anita Bryant before her scandal and I
wouldn't care for Kanye West if he were The Second Coming so I guess I'm out of the loop...All I care about is the end product...
But if an artist you like says they are anti-whatever you are ... would you still continue to support them? As much as I love music my rights as a human being are much more important so if a singer I have loved "whatever's" my population's contribution to that singer, or if the singer as an adult joins a group that is discriminatory to me, I'm out. I hesitate to say that the first sentence of your message is what landed the USA with djt. ie: "Well, I like him, so - whateves". For me, at the end of the day, human rights are more important that entertainment.

[PeaceNHarmony]

... as Katie Morosky said to Hubble Gardner, "People are their principles!". As the Black Power students in my high school [[class of '74) said, "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem". As Frederick Douglass said, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress".

[phil]

I never cared for Ted Nugent's music and I hate his racist politics!

Easy marv ! But sometimes we can love an artist's work and hate his/her opinions.

In music I don't think they're many but talking about litterature, what about Celine, for example ? He's one of the most talented French writer but at the same time he hated jews and approved Hitler's politics. But I love his books, though.

[jaybs]

My goodness! What WAS she talking about?

I'm someone who is interested in politics both here in the UK and USA, but she went on that much can't remember what Dione even said, it was about the Presidential Race lol

[splanky]

But if an artist you like says they are anti-whatever you are ... would you still continue to support them? As much as I love music my rights as a human being are much more important so if a singer I have loved "whatever's" my population's contribution to that singer, or if the singer as an adult joins a group that is discriminatory to me, I'm out. I hesitate to say that the first sentence of your message is what landed the USA with djt. ie: "Well, I like him, so - whateves". For me, at the end of the day, human rights are more important that entertainment.

If by support you mean going out to their concerts or endorsing them
to others publicly as a person I like unconditionally, no, of course not.
But I don't need to agree with everything anyone says, does or believes to appreciate whatever skill or talent they may have. I've
been in buildings and structures named for racists. I carry money with
pictures of slave owners on them. And I've voted for government
officials who don't really give a shit for people like me. The only harmony I know exists is in music. There are no perfect fourths in
day to day life...

[Roberta75]

Another one is Nedra Talley Ross the former Ronette. Is another one. She met and married Scott Ross who work for televangelistt and bigott Pat Robertson. She appears regularlly on his show the 700 club and Pat Robertson is an Obama hating homophobic evil old man. Im a Christian woman but I could never go to a church or support a preacher that spews hate. Ive never felt the same about Nedra and her husband ever since they got into the bed of Pat Robertson.

[sansradio]

Isn't Gloria Gaynor alleged to have said in reference to her gay following something to the tune of I-don't-understand-it-I-pray-for-those-poor-unfortunate-people as well?

[Roberta75]

Isn't Gloria Gaynor alleged to have said in reference to her gay following something to the tune of I-don't-understand-it-I-pray-for-those-poor-unfortunate-people as well?

I wonder how Jean Terrell and Katherine Jackson feels about the GLBT comunity given they staunch Jehovah Witness belieffs?

[PeaceNHarmony]

Another one is Nedra Talley Ross the former Ronette. Is another one. She met and married Scott Ross who work for televangelistt and bigott Pat Robertson. She appears regularlly on his show the 700 club and Pat Robertson is an Obama hating homophobic evil old man. Im a Christian woman but I could never go to a church or support a preacher that spews hate. Ive never felt the same about Nedra and her husband ever since they got into the bed of Pat Robertson.
Interesting, and sad to read, Ms. Roberta. Robertson is just what you say :mad: .

[PeaceNHarmony]

I wonder how Jean Terrell and Katherine Jackson feels about the GLBT comunity given they staunch Jehovah Witness belieffs?
... and yes, the JW's are not an accepting group, either.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Isn't Gloria Gaynor alleged to have said in reference to her gay following something to the tune of I-don't-understand-it-I-pray-for-those-poor-unfortunate-people as well?
Not sure; will look into it. GG has had a couple of turn-arounds in her personal life so anything is possible.