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Monday, March 18, 2013
Homo / ??!! / Politics Michelle Shocked: "God Hates Fags"
Posted by Kelly O on Mon, Mar 18, 2013 at 2:32 PM
Last night in San Francisco, Michelle Shocked, onstage to her audience:
Michelle Shocked, known for living up to her surname, cleared out San Francisco club Yoshi’s last night, and shut down the venue, after she went on an anti-gay tirade, which she summed up by saying, ”You can go on Twitter and say ‘Michelle Shocked says God hates fags.’
“She said she lives in fear that the world will be destroyed if gays are allowed to marry,” tweeted one audience member.
Read more on Dangerous Minds. If you have tickets to see Shocked, here in Seattle, on Friday April 26th, at Meanders Kitchen, for the price tag of $23 adv/ $25 at the door, I THINK YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER ATTENDING.
UPDATE: Meander's Kitchen, via FB, has canceled the Seattle show.
Hiya, folks. Meander's Kitchen will not be hosting Michelle Shocked for her April 26th performance in Seattle due to her homophobic performance in San Francisco last night, during which she actually said "God Hates Fags". I'll post more about this later. But no. Just, no.
3
Girlfriend spent most of the 80s and 90s as an out and proud dyke. I'm thinking someone forgot to take her meds.
4
Weird. I always assumed she was a lesbian. Is she a born-again heterosexual or is she just trolling so someone will notice she's still alive?
6
I thought she was out as "L" too. But it appears she married a guy, divorced him, and somewhere in there went Church of Christ. Which is a red flag if you're white (at least if you're from my [red] neck of the woods.) But not necessarily if you're not. So I'm still not sure she wan't joking. I'd like to believe she was.
7
You know you've stepped in it when your fans are hoping it's "just" a mental breakdown. Good luck rebuilding your career, lady.
11
I would have guessed she was a Lilith Fair artist, but nope, I guess not. Certainly the people I remember liking her back in college would not be pleased to find her aligned with the Westboro Baptist Church or whatever.
12
Good on' ya Meander's Kitchen. From FB:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meanders-…
Meander's Kitchen:
Hiya, folks. Meander's Kitchen will not be hosting Michelle Shocked for her April 26th performance in Seattle due to her homophobic performance in San Francisco last night, during which she actually said "God Hates Fags". I'll post more about this later. But no. Just, no.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Meanders-…
16
I might add that Denzel Washington, Magic Johnson, and Stevie Wonder go to her church. Westboro Baptist it ain't.
17
Poking around on Facebook, it looks like the bulk of her upcoming shows have been canceled by the venues already. Good on them, even though I'd never heard of her prior to today. Here's hoping whatever "career" she still had going is left in the dust if she's going to spew hateful bile from a stage.
19
I went to her first show in Seattle, at the Moore. Her opening band, The Cowboy Junkies, sorta upstaged her (w/ the entire stage lit w/ candles & every musician except Margot sitting on a couch, it was kinda easy), but it was still a good show. She was on Letterman a lot, you could tell he really liked her. She was a hoot at a 90's Bumbershoot and then.... not much of anything. It was disappointing, you'd think the Bush years would be a fertile ground for her.
I predict she'll soon have NOM, FRC, Focus on the Family & Fox "News" hounding her, desperate to crown her Queen of All That Is Moral & Good. Then she'll get to see who her allies are. I don't envy her, but this is what she bargained for.
I predict she'll soon have NOM, FRC, Focus on the Family & Fox "News" hounding her, desperate to crown her Queen of All That Is Moral & Good. Then she'll get to see who her allies are. I don't envy her, but this is what she bargained for.
20
The sad life of a mentally ill, self-hating closet case. Which is too bad, because her (early) music is pretty good.
23
Not a bit surprised. We went to see her in Cincinnati about 10 years ago, and she was already clearly in the sway of some evangelical church. No overt gay-bashing then, but it was apparent then that she'd been zombified beyond all recognition. My friends and I vowed that "Arkansas Traveler" would be our last MS purchase.
24
@18: Riz, in terms of the lasting damage done to Art.
It was also worse when Elvis C. said Ray Charles was an "ignorant nigger" to piss off Bonnie Bramlett in a drunken argument.
This, however, is worse than Michael Richard's fuckup.
And way worse than Anne Heche's desert meltdown or anything Sinead O'Connor's crazybrain has done.
Shocked is a comparatively minor artist who's going to feel the wrath of her (former) fans for her apparent mental illness/sincere religious belief. I hope she gets a lot better, and soon.
It was also worse when Elvis C. said Ray Charles was an "ignorant nigger" to piss off Bonnie Bramlett in a drunken argument.
This, however, is worse than Michael Richard's fuckup.
And way worse than Anne Heche's desert meltdown or anything Sinead O'Connor's crazybrain has done.
Shocked is a comparatively minor artist who's going to feel the wrath of her (former) fans for her apparent mental illness/sincere religious belief. I hope she gets a lot better, and soon.
25
Wasn't there some talk about Chaos UK suing her over the cover/title of Short Sharp Shocked a while back?. I always thought they had a pretty good case.
27
Don't drag Dylan into this. Slow Train is a fine rekkid even if the inspiration was a load of bullshit.
28
Totally barely fun fact I know from being an avid MRR reader in the late 80's: she ripped off the cover of Choas UK's record and called it her own inspiration. Crusties nationwide had it in for her. And also I guess she lied about having been committed to a mental hospital, or something. Compared to all that, though, this is pretty next-level yahooism.
29
Here's a great run-down of the concert. A vision into an entertainer about to commit career suicide.
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-pr…
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-pr…
30
@24.. i'm not a dylan apologist but his conversion has had no lasting effect on his art or career. he made one album of questionable merit during his dalliance with religion and recovered from this period with conversion registering a blip in the universe. elvis c managed to apologize again, and again, and again for that comment and has managed to create art that still deserves attention.
i maintain it's a bit of a stretch to compare the two ( shocked vs dylan ) particularly in the terms of artistic merit . to paraphrase another kerfuffle from rock's past, as elvis p may have said , michelle shocked isn't fit to shine dylan's shoes.
i maintain it's a bit of a stretch to compare the two ( shocked vs dylan ) particularly in the terms of artistic merit . to paraphrase another kerfuffle from rock's past, as elvis p may have said , michelle shocked isn't fit to shine dylan's shoes.
31
I'm putting my vote in for a nutty and shitty musician attempting to be controversial and it back-firing.
32
@25 - Missed your comment... and yep. Shocked's sleeve a near-verbatim recreation of their photograph, though she said some nutty shit about getting her idea from A Clockwork Orange, when that expression (short, sharp shock) is a total Thatcherism.
But then she goes and does something that makes this look all very trite.
But then she goes and does something that makes this look all very trite.
33
This is from her church's website.:
http://www.cogic.org/news/page/2/
"We believe that the homosexual practices of same-sex couples are in violation of religious and social norms and are aberrant and deviant behavior. We believe that these unions are sinful and in direct violation of the law of God in that they are a deviation from the natural use and purpose of the body. "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which is due." (Romans 1:26-27 NKJV). We believe that to legalize such unions will signal ecclesiastical and social approval of homosexuality and sexual deviancy as legitimate lifestyles.
"Therefore, in spite of the progressive normalization of alternative lifestyles and the growing legal acceptance of same-sex unions; we declare our opposition to any deviation from traditional marriages of male and female. Notwithstanding the rulings of the court systems of the land in support of same-sex unions; we resolve that the Church of God in Christ stand resolutely firm and never allow the sanctioning of same-sex marriages by its clergy nor recognize the legitimacy of such unions.
http://www.cogic.org/news/page/2/
"We believe that the homosexual practices of same-sex couples are in violation of religious and social norms and are aberrant and deviant behavior. We believe that these unions are sinful and in direct violation of the law of God in that they are a deviation from the natural use and purpose of the body. "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which is due." (Romans 1:26-27 NKJV). We believe that to legalize such unions will signal ecclesiastical and social approval of homosexuality and sexual deviancy as legitimate lifestyles.
"Therefore, in spite of the progressive normalization of alternative lifestyles and the growing legal acceptance of same-sex unions; we declare our opposition to any deviation from traditional marriages of male and female. Notwithstanding the rulings of the court systems of the land in support of same-sex unions; we resolve that the Church of God in Christ stand resolutely firm and never allow the sanctioning of same-sex marriages by its clergy nor recognize the legitimacy of such unions.
34
Lurleen, Lurleen, wouldya mind if i write a country song bout you Lurleen. Lurleen, Lurleen, ur name lights up the sky Lurleen. Lurleeeeeeen, Lurleeeeeeen, so happy to read your comment Lurleen.
35
She'll be a regular on the CPAC circuit; adored as a victim of "the persecution of Christians". Sort of a musical Victoria Jackson.
Not the soundest business plan, but hey, it's a living ...
Not the soundest business plan, but hey, it's a living ...
36
Arrgh, this is painful to read about. It's so sad to see people self-destruct like this.
On the other hand, maybe she can work on a project with Orson Scott Card.
I think the girl has some mental illness. It has to be that. I'm really hoping it's that.
On the other hand, maybe she can work on a project with Orson Scott Card.
I think the girl has some mental illness. It has to be that. I'm really hoping it's that.
37
Soooo... as a seasoned newsreader this thing has a load of holes in it. The most direct account I can read of this states that she was commenting on the fact some folks in her prayer group felt this way about homosexuality. Then after the uproar in the crowd, which I'm imagining as "I'm against that!"-style laughing-at-a-shitty-joke-in-a-foreign-movie communal impulse, she said the line about how they should all go on twitter and say the god hates fags line. Now, to me, that reads as Shocked possibly stating that if people are going to have an uproar about her merely relaying that people she knows, at a church, having those beliefs, then they may as well just tell the world that she said God Hates Fags (which at this point if you've been conscious for the past few years is essentially a punch-line about wackos). Now theres dozens of news stories that just say "Michelle Shocked Said God Hates Fags" without any explanation of context or otherwise. Which is probably exactly the point she was getting at in the first place. Until we get some sort of recording of this "anti-gay tirade", and can see what the intent actually was, I really think people should stop saying "anti-gay tirade." At a fucking Michelle Shocked show? In fucking San Francisco? There were some bible verses and the word she was allowed to use before tonight too close to each other, and here we are. That said, I wouldn't be surprised either way this turns out, people are messy.
38
@37: did you read the interviews in @29's music.yahoo.com link? The situation seems tragically unambiguous.
39
@26, she goes to the West Angeles Church of God in Christ. @6 is wrong, @16 is right.
@37, you're an idiot. There are many first-hand accounts that trump your imaginary one.
@37, you're an idiot. There are many first-hand accounts that trump your imaginary one.
40
About Dylan: I wish I could find a source for this, but I distinctly remember reading about Dylan making anti-gay statements on stage around 1980. Of course since I don't believe he even considers himself a Christian anymore, I'd be shocked if he didn't change his views here. (Agree with others that Slow Train Coming is a great album, but the next two are some of his worst. He got really good again with Infidels.)
41
She was clearly mentally unstable decades ago, as anyone who saw her shows can attest. I remember that crazy energy being kind of entertaining.
Born again is definitely a path to turn the crazy up to 11.
Born again is definitely a path to turn the crazy up to 11.
42
@38 the Yahoo! article is pretty much the only one with a lot of detail, but even then its fairly thin on direct unadorned descriptions. Every piece of info is immediately clarified by the concertgoer to tell you exactly how you should interpret it. Even in the case of the concert-goer who took the comments in jest. Which we hear nothing from.
@39 there are three first-hand accounts. one of them appears to be a conspiracy theory that she was going to let off a mental homosexuality-crushing timebomb of words IF ONLY YOU LOOK AT THE CLUES!!!1
@39 there are three first-hand accounts. one of them appears to be a conspiracy theory that she was going to let off a mental homosexuality-crushing timebomb of words IF ONLY YOU LOOK AT THE CLUES!!!1
43
Also, if I'm an idiot for thinking publishing dozens of articles with the title "Michelle Shocked Hates Fags" instead of "Michelle Shocked Has Possible Onstage Mental Breakdown", then I'm an idiot.
45
@41 If this was a Big Bang Theory episode, the title would be The Crazy/Artistic Conflation.
Who's next down this road, Kathleen Hanna?
Who's next down this road, Kathleen Hanna?
46
@43.. if i was an artist that said something that was misconstrued as inflammatory, such that it threatened my livelihood ( at least 4 venues cancelled her dates and are offering refunds to anyone who bought tickets ) and alienated my fan base ( pissing off lesbians by the thousands ) i'd clear that up with no uncertain swiftness, at least by the next nightfall.
instead....*crickets*
instead....*crickets*
47
@32, I don't think a 'verbatim' re-creation of a photo can be covered by copyright, fortunately. Here, I'll give it a try and see if I get sued: "The cover has a photo of some guy getting choked by some Bobbies".
49
42, it's actually entertaining to read people torturing logic and contorting reason in such extreme effort to conclude that she's not a hateful bigot and those who turn their backs on her are all big meanies. "Oh, it was all a big misunderstanding!" that's comedy gold, right there.
50
42, She has a pretty well-documented history of saying anti-gay things in interviews that are coming to light now that she has decided to make such statements in front of a live, paying audience. I think it's safe to say the myriad first-hand accounts of Sunday's drama are not imaginary and that she is mentally competent enough to be held accountable for it.
51
@47 - Ok, ok, verbatim (my word) was a little bit of a stretch. I'd almost think her cover was paying homage and say big whoop, but she apparently claims otherwise.
52
I quite enjoyed her first three albums, but she went all born-again in the mid-90's or so and came across as a bit unhinged to boot. I thought she'd already done the homophobic ranting way back then, so the uproar on this incident surprises me.
53
http://www.michelleshocked.com/bio2.htm
"Raised in a large, extremely poor, strict fun damentalist Mormon household, her escape consisted of summers spent with her hippie-atheist father."
Looks like she never escaped being a strict LDS.
"Raised in a large, extremely poor, strict fun damentalist Mormon household, her escape consisted of summers spent with her hippie-atheist father."
Looks like she never escaped being a strict LDS.
54
@49, I never said the people who thought she was a bigot were "big meanies" , my entire point was, either way this turns out the way its being reported is incredibly sloppy and nobody seems to be coming to their own conclusions based on the actual information available, they're just reading the headlines and reposting them. You know, like how you read my comment where I said I wanted to wait until we had conclusive evidence on Shocked's intentions on this and you assumed I was in incredible denial.
Look everyone, Michelle Shocked read my comment on this Stranger article and copied my words verbatim. In conclusion, Michelle Shocked cheats on term papers.
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/garc…
""I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals (or anyone else). I said that some of His followers believe that. ... When I said, 'Twitter that Michelle Shocked says, "God hates faggots," ' I was predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted. ... And to those fans who are disappointed ... I'm very sorry: I don't always express myself as clearly as I should. ... And my statement equating repeal of Prop. 8 with the coming of the End Times was neither literal nor ironic: It was a description of how some folks - not me - feel about gay marriage."
Look everyone, Michelle Shocked read my comment on this Stranger article and copied my words verbatim. In conclusion, Michelle Shocked cheats on term papers.
http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/garc…
""I do not, nor have I ever, said or believed that God hates homosexuals (or anyone else). I said that some of His followers believe that. ... When I said, 'Twitter that Michelle Shocked says, "God hates faggots," ' I was predicting the absurd way my description of, my apology for, the intolerant would no doubt be misinterpreted. ... And to those fans who are disappointed ... I'm very sorry: I don't always express myself as clearly as I should. ... And my statement equating repeal of Prop. 8 with the coming of the End Times was neither literal nor ironic: It was a description of how some folks - not me - feel about gay marriage."
56
I liked that first album. I didn't follow her much after that except to assume she continued to be a sweet sincere person and thinking the world was a better place for it. I could put on that song about Alaska right now and cry, just like I always do. Think I will.
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