Elton John: Artists Who Boycott Arizona Are ‘(Expletive) Twits’
by John NolteOpposes same-sex marriage, plays Rush Limbaugh’s wedding, refuses to boycott Israel, and now this. Does Elton John’s free-thinking apostasy know no bounds?
Today’s Arizona Daily Star:
Elton John didn’t mince words in slamming his fellow musicians for boycotting Arizona over the controversial SB 1070 immigration law. From the stage at his sold-out Tucson Arena concert Thursday night, John savored a few choice, not-so-family-friendly words:
“We are all very pleased to be playing in Arizona. I have read that some of the artists won’t come here. They are (expletive)wits! Let’s face it: I still play in California, and as a gay man I have no legal rights whatsoever. So what’s the (expletive) with these people?”
Full story is here.
If Elton were to ever club a baby seal while smoking a cigarette and twirling an unregistered handgun, I might just marry him.
What’s more rock and roll? Bono, Bruce and Sting’s sanctimony or the Rocket Man’s rebellious middle finger to liberal lock-step conformity?
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
173 Comments
This merits a golf clap…
I'm beginning to develop a whole new sense of respect for Sir Elton John. I may disagree with his personal sexual choices, but his grasp of capitalism – he's figured out that he's paid to put butts in the seat, thereby making him $$$$s – and for flinging the middle finger salute to the no-so-enlightened entertainers.
I am very impressed. You go John. I have always liked him (even though I am a consevative christian and follow the tea party,) His music is the best, He is a great entertainer, who cares about his life style? that is between himself and God.
While I am enjoying the continued outburst of Elton John against a stagnant and repugnant Hollywood, this little tidbit deserves explication:
"and as a gay man I have no legal rights whatsoever. So what’s the (expletive) with these people?”"
Uhh…yes you do have rights. You have the same rights as anyone else. You are able to state with confidence and without fear of persecution (vigilante or otherwise) that you are a gay man. Do gays in Iran have that right?
You have the right to amass a massive fortune and buy whatever you want. Did peasants and denizens have that right in the U.S.S.R.?
You have the right to identify yourself with whatever religious group you please. Do you think they have that right in Saudi Arabia or Palestine? Hardly (if at all).
Marriage is not a right, it is a social contract. Even in heterosexual marriages why do you think they ask "if there is anyone here that objects to this marriage speak now or stay silent forever." It's because even heterosexual marriages are not recognized as a "RIGHT."
It is a social CONTRACT witnessed and approved by society. How dare these do-good'ers and social revisionist so-called progressives try to tell US, western society, our rights?
That is in part why I am opposed to this gay marriage shenanigans. The people perpetrating it aren't interested in rights, they're only interested in themselves.
I think I may be becoming an Elton John fan!!
Elton's always been cool. He and Freddie. God I miss Freddie.
Elton. You're were a hero before you arrived in AZ. Rock on, dude.
Bono, for cryin out loud, write music or run for office in your pathetic socialist backwater country. Quit comin over here tryin to "fix" America. When we want your help we'll beat it outta you. And take Sting with you when you go.
Better yet both of you move to the rain forest you're always on about, commune with the trees and scratch yurass with a leaf. Just shut up about America and leave us the hell alone if you don't like the way we do things. Our country, our call, K?
What the–? Why am I suddenly starting to like Elton John again?
Every so often one gets a good surprise from an unlikely source. This would be one of those surprises.
"The Bitch is Back" and it has balls of steel. If only the legion of PC male & female rock stars spoke as Elton does, not caring who or what group he offends. Rock 'n Roll as we now know it, might be worth saving.
Elton would have those rights in CA if the gay lobby didn't have their hearts set on calling it gay marriage rather than settling for civil unions with equal legal benefits to married couples. Even those of us in poor old, red-state Missoui have acknowledged that where we might have gone all-out against gay marriage.
I am glad to see that the spirit of capitalism is alive and well in good old Sir Elton.
Wow, if Sir Elton keeps this up he might start finding himself (and David) left off the "A-List" party circuit and intimate cocktail (no pun intended) swarays from Santa Barbara to South Beach. The bold and beautiful set might start shunning the "Rocket Man" and his "ono-sideboard".
They might cancel his "Castro District Carte Blanche`" card. Ohhh the horrors!
Seriously though – Good for Reginald "Elton John" Dwight for standing up for himself, I'm pleasently surprised at several of his decisions lately – very independent and fearless (playing Rush's wedding? WOW!).
Never forget though, he was a fundraiser for Okenyan, if memory serves.
Wow! I didn't realize until this moment just how badly I'd been brainwashed by gay propaganda. Which is why I'm surprised to hear a gay icon not only tolerate people different than him but actively support them.
You ROCK, Elton!
Go Elton!
I've always been an Elton John fan, (sad but true) so as you can imagine, it's rather refreshing when a person whose works I admire isn't as big of a liberal twit as I thought.
Who would have guessed Elton John would be the voice of reason?
I guess Elton John sees what's happening in the UK with the muslim population.
Definitely a good sign. As he sang many years ago, "The Bitch Is BACK!"
Why would anyone apologize for being an Elton John fan? He's one of the greatest pop songwriters and performers ever. I LOVE John's music. Always have.
In 3… 2… 1… Spencer Ackerman will accuse Elton John of being homophobic.
Never liked his music, but I'll probably go buy some now anyway. Just because.
Same here. Had a chance to see him in concert about 13 years ago (got the tickets for free from a family friend). Seats were amazing. What I couldn't see being played on the piano directly was seen in the reflection off of the fingerboard.
Man definitely knows how to put on a show. Definitely the right thing to let people know what's on his mind and not give a crap about what others think. We need more of that.
Yet "the Beatles suck." Yeesh.
I agree, John. I began respecting him so much more when he wondered why gays wanted to "marry," when they already had "civil unions." He said (paraphrasing) "why do gays have to push for marriage? that's not for us.. we have civil unions."
Too bad Whoopie never pointed that out when bashing Prop8.
Character is measured by understanding of law and nature. Sir Elton has hit the hypocrites where they live. It isn't how you choose to live, it is how you choose to behave.
If he keeps this up, I'm actually going to have to start liking him.
who knows, perhaps rush got to him, next thing you know, he might campaign for sarah palin? i did see him a while back, always liked his music, his lifestyle is definately not for me. i said in the 80's he would take over as most flamboyant once liberace passed on. he loved wild costumes, i think he wore ten or fifteen different costumes during his show. but he was, and still is a great performer. plays the piano, and sings pretty good. we might need to ask rush if he is a subscriber to the limbaugh letter?
Sir Elton is going to soon discover that it is a lot safer to be a homosexual among convervatives than a conservative among homosexuals.
Never been a fan myself. I still wake up screaming and in cold sweats from hearing "Sad Songs", which my sister played over and over on her dinky record player, in my sleep. But I'm starting to like the guy personally.
I agree with your post, but I am also willing to consider the possibility that Elton John's statement:
"and as a gay man I have no legal rights whatsoever. So what’s the (expletive) with these people?”"
was possibly an incomplete statement made in the heat of the moment during his statement to the crowd. Considering his other evidences of enlightenment, I'd be willing to bet that he agrees that he has rights, if he were to speak in a less spontaneous manner.
Thanks Elton, you just called these people what everyone else calls them, A**HOLES!!!!!
Burn Down the Mission, Elton. Always a rebel. Thanks for thinking, EJ, rather than simply 'feeling'.
What's next, a 'Ted Nuggent / Elton John Sanity Tour'?
May I recommend: Elton John – Greatest Hits 1970-2002? The remastered originals. It includes Nancy Pelosi's theme song, The Bitch is Back.
No doubt, but I hear that phrase so often amongst my peers I find it more than a little irritating.
I'm not sure what context EJ was speaking in, as you say, which is why I qualified my post more as an explication as opposed to an attack.
I actually thought he was being facetious as he doesn't support gay marriage.
He also does not seem to feel the need to push his politics on others – hence his utter lack of support in condemning California's prop 8 drama. Oh yeah, and gotta love him since he doesn't seem to rate an invite to the White House to tell us minions how we should be happy to pay for our government……
That's amazing. I'm amazed. It's not easy to amaze me.
Like Mike, I think a golf clap is appropriate.
Remember when "liberal" meant open-minded, tolerant, respectful of opposition?
Remember when an "artist" was someone who would uplift and bring people together based on love of his/her art instead of dividing them over political issues and talking down to them?
Elton John does. Good for him.
And Elton does realize this, and feels no need to force "gay marriage" for all. And stated so publicly.
That would be enough to turn anyone around.
Always loved his tune's, always avoid entertainers political opinions. Grew up in SF so learned not to pay any attention to what the "IN" crowd thought politically it's usually way to feeel good with no idea what would actually happen! Check it out it's happening now.
I'd buy tickets to an Elton/Ted Reality/Sanity fest.
Believe it or not, being a homosexual doesn't make you an activist for the cause or a brain dead liberal.
Sir Elton still remembers what defying the establishment is all about. He knows that the left ARE the establishment. And I'm not surprised about his traditionalism either. After all, he had a wonderful Mother who raised him right. Thank You Elton – you are truly a free speech warrior.
Big fan of ol' Reg here, too. I think that EJ along w/ Bernie Taupin rank up w/ any song writing duo of all time.
A gentleman well deserving of his Knighthood.
Elton, you never stop confusing and surprising me, but bravo on this one, man. One needn't be straight, conservative, or even an American to see that uncontrolled immigration from Mexico and Central/South America is ruining us, or that Arizona is completely right in what they're doing.
Absolutely
A real artist, not a fake pop copycat, I put him up there with Meatloaf in Artistic creativity. That's the top for me.
First he has to write secret emails to get everyone to write somehting about Elton's homophobia.
No, he'd have those rights in CA if the Catholic and Mormon churches, and religious fanatics across the country, hadn't poured time and money in the Yes on 8 campaign, spreading all sorts of misinformation and scaring the average str8 voter into thinking that their kids would all turn gay and get AIDS if they didn't vote 'yes'.
And even then married gay couples would still be "separate and unequal", as they'd only have state benefits and tax breaks, not he federal ones afforded to "traditional" couples.
That would give a whole new conotation to the Wango Tango
I think the Yanomamo would tire quickly of Sting and Bono and any of the other mononomic frontmen who feel like they are more enlightened than the rest of us. Irritate a Yanomamo and you get a poison-dart frog in your shorts.
McCain wasn't such a hot choice either. Let's give him a Mulligan and hope he's started to figure things out.
On the up side….they'd have meals handled for at least a week. Bono jerky? Sting soup?
))
If Elton were to ever club a baby seal while smoking a cigarette and twirling an unregistered handgun, I might just marry him.
You owe me a new keyboard, Mr. Nolte! Hot tea all over the place…
I've always liked Elton John's music, but after all this I gotta respect him as a decent, all-around common sense kinda guy.
Check out this article to hear what John thinks of gay marriage: http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-11-12-el.... He's in a civil partnership and says he's opposed to using the word marriage.
I was never a fan of his music, thou Pin ball Wizard was pretty good. As for Rush's wedding, The New Mrs Rush wanted it and well end of story, Seem to me that he just may have a bit of common sense. After all he knows the more fans there are them more he dose at the box office and there for a better return for the effort. In other word do flip off half the fan base for stupid junk. Like so many entertainers do.
For his next act of defiance he'll declare himself straight!
Thankfully, I had just swallowed the bite of Bluebell Vanilla Ice Cream topped with dark chocolate M&M's and carmel sauce a split second before I reached that line, or Mr. Nolte would owe me a whole new laptop.
Elton John is my new hero.
He's never cared what anyone thought. It's refreshing.
I had just posted this article to my Facebook page when I saw your comment here. I hope you don't mind, but I posted your comment in the comment section of my post, duly quoted and credit given, of course.
Elton John: Closet Conservative
Oh gee. Next thing you're gonna tell me a vegan can be conservative.
never mind….
http://www.theveganrepublican.com/
Normally I'd say shut up and sing. But this time he is correct. They are (blanking) twits.
I'd like him, if he didn't think religious people should be put in prison.
Imagine that, a performer who performs.
Professional and want's to push his craft, and not prove some nonsensical point(and loose out on making a few bucks).
Thanks Elton, we in AZ appreciate it.
"…and he shall be Levon…" . Sometimes, when it's least expected, a celebrity/artist talks straight.
I think this is more about Elton John needing a few bucks than a lifelong screeching liberal suddenly becoming a conservative.
It may be my earlier ignorance or Sir Elton may have changed for the better in his aging process, but I respect this man for some of his beliefs. He sounds more like a libertarian than anything else. Most of us don't care what people do in their bedrooms or what peculiar way they pleasure themselves – we just don't like proselytizing.
Rush did the right thing having Sir Elton play at his wedding. He caused many of the progressives blood Anacin levels to be depleted.
Apparently he is a thinker. And there is always room for thinkers in this world.
OMG Ted might shoot Elton's toupee…. LOL!!
Elton was one of my heartthrobs when I was a teenybopper in the 70s. Loooved his music then! I can't say I like much of the newer stuff, but I admire his desire to perform as often as possible.
Elton, you rock! He knows more than a little about fighting for freedom to be himself and follow his dreams–and I'm not talking about his homosexuality, either. Everyone who knows the background behind his hits "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" knows what I'm talking about. So I'm not totally surprised by his reaction, but surprised (and pleased) that he's reacted so publicly.
Bono's an idiot. I'm ashamed that he's an Irishman.
I miss Freddie, too. What a talent!!!!
I guess I'll pay for an Elton download today.
Good for Elton John! Right on.
I have never understood why business (show or otherwise) people would deliberately turn away roughly half of their market for no ostensible benefit. It's stupid. Elton John is not stupid. You could merge Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen together and still not get into triple digits.
that's true. McCain Is an actual American though. I never thought that would ever be an issue in our country. How sad…
I saw Elton years ago in concert and it was a great time. That he doesn't walk in leftist lock-step with the majority of his fellow artists is fabulous.
It's about the rights, eh? Quit calling it marriage and you'll get your precious rights. How dense are you people?
We won't be seeing him at the White House anytime soon!
I don't have a refined appreciation for Sir John simply because he says what I believe, but it's his courage to not let the industry speak for him that I respect. Standing freely in the truth of his heart will send him great blessings.
"What’s more rock and roll? Bono, Bruce and Sting’s sanctimony or the Rocket Man’s rebellious middle finger to liberal lock-step conformity?"
EXACTLY!!! While I enjoy some of Greenday's music, I make fun of friends who call them punk or even rock. Being in lockstep with democrats and turning your music into a broadway musical ain't punk!
Good for Elton John for being his own man.
I never liked Elton John and I'm still pretty sure I wouldn't agree with him on much, but he has earned some respect lately. I'm starting to think of him the same way I think of Joe Lieberman – a man I will totally disagree with 99% of the time, but whose actions have earned him a esteem which I cannot ignore.
A better analogy lies in the sports world: I'm a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers. I absolutely detest the San Francisco Giants. But I still respect the heck out of Willie Mays no matter how much I hate the guy (I would have used Barry Bonds, me being 28 years old and all, but I have no respect for that jerk…)
"If Elton were to ever club a baby seal while smoking a cigarette and twirling an unregistered handgun, I might just marry him."
I'm glad I wasn't eating or drinking while reading that! ROTFLMAO! I'd fight you for him, but I'm not his type.
"What’s more rock and roll? Bono, Bruce and Sting’s sanctimony or the Rocket Man’s rebellious middle finger to liberal lock-step conformity?"
This is not only funny, but very poignant. Remember when all the rockers way back when were "fighting the Man", were rebelling against the "conformity of the 50s (is that even based on any truth anyway?). Now they ARE the Man, helping the Man keep the rest of us down.
Which just proves that they are hypocrits. I was never here nor there about Elton John. I was not very often "married" to one group or singer or another. I just like good music. I may just have to go out and buy some of his music though.
He may be a Brit, but he sounds like a real American! And a true capitalist!
Thank you Elton John! Keep up the good work. We may not agree on everything, and that's okay. You have shown yourself to have integrity and a mind of your own and those are more important than agreement to me.
"He is a great entertainer, who cares about his life style? that is between himself and God."
Precisely. In the end, only God can judge what is in that man's heart.
Ahhh, might there be a few liberals out there that can actually put being an American above their ideology? And a Hollywood lib no less?
Seriously though……we will find strange bed fellows in the coming years. I have practically nothing in common with a sister of mine who lives the hippie life style. However, she doesn't like being told what to eat & where her food can come from any more that I like that. We are starting to find common ground on areas in our lives where we do not want government to tread.
That would definitely be different!
Ah, very good point. He certainly is a real gentleman.
LOL!
Since I don't know anything about his background, is there enough room to share the background of those hits.
Thanks!
Where's this "Palestine" of which you speak?
a LOUD golf clap
Did Rush replace him with a pod????
No need to bring Bono into this, honestly. Sting…I have no idea. But Bono loves America – please read some interviews when he discusses our great nation. I've never heard or read him mentioning the rainforests either.
He's one of the few superstars out there who actually invests ample time & money into causes he believes in. He works with conservative politicians and praised George W. Bush a number of times. Not to mention he's a very outspoken Christian who is still married to his childhood sweetheart.
As a conservative (and a Christian)…Bono is hardly who we should be focusing on.
When Elton was trying to break into the biz, he didn't get a lot of support from those around him. He was engaged to a girl who was from a middle-class family that expected Reginald to get a normal job, live a normal life, etc. Of course his head nearly exploded from the idea of not pursuing his dream, so he told them all to take a hike, and he went on his way. "Someone Saved" was about the turning point where he realized he HAD to pursue his music; and he actually thanks his ex-fiance (in the song) for bringing him to that point. "Goodbye YBR" is a song about his leaving his old life behind.
Hope that helps!
The remark might have been a shot at other gay performers who continue to play in CA but now refuse to play in AZ.
Sting's so skinny there's not enough there to make a decent sandwich. So, it would have to be soup.
He's one of the few superstars out there who actually invests ample time & money into causes he believes in.
And never lets us forget it, either.
I doubt Elton John cares.
Same here. In fact, the very first album I bought was Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. Some thing's never change: Elton-baby's always been cool and I've always had good taste.
Yes, Taupin was the better songwriter of the two.
You must be logged in to post a comment.