I should have known it would take only a few hours to generate a video comparing Kanye West to Congressman Joe Wilson. (You know, the guy who collected more than $1 million since his outburst. At the next State of the Union, President Obama won’t be able to get a word in edge-wise.)
I’m sure at this moment, some overwrought columnist is writing up a column on how Obama is like Taylor Swift, and the town hall protesters are like West, or alternatively, the national symbolism of outspoken urban “authenticity” seizing the microphone from Midwestern innocence.
In celebrity-world – and I’ll define it broadly enough to include reality television – you’ll often see the most boorish and obnoxious figure justify his behavior by asserting its authenticity, some variation of ‘I’ve got to be me”, insisting their duty to “keep it real” or “that’s just who I am.” (Often the “no disrespect” disclaimer is thrown in at the end, even though everything that preceded it defined disrespect.)
No, pal. It’s a choice; and you choose to behave like a jerk. Everybody has things they want to blurt out, but most of us developed sufficient impulse control to keep it in for the sake of others’ well-being. Every nominee who hasn’t won at every awards show has wanted to let out some sort of emotional outburst, but they force the smile. That used to be a society-wide standard, and I missed the day it was repealed. But apparently some folks think their ability to control their behavior peaks at toddlerhood.