S|O: Separating art from the artist

[Anonymous]

This is a spin-off from the thread re: Jerry Lee Lewis’ death.

Background: JLL married his 13 year old cousin in 1950s Mississippi (completely legal at the time FTR). He was however still married to another woman at the time. A poster doesn’t understand why anyone would separate the music from the musician, but I can easily do that. In short: I like the music, and couldn’t care less about the musician—just the music.

Similarly, I can recognize that The Cosby Show was a terrific series that made a big impact by showcasing a successful black family on network tv at a time when that wasn’t “a thing.”

I can agree that Michael Jackson was a talented child performer whose lifetime catalogue of music was fantastic.

Liking art/music/whatever doesn’t mean I like the person or condone whatever awful thing they did. I never put celebrities on pedestals; I don’t idolize celebs.

Agree or disagree?

Other examples?

[Anonymous]

I think it's harder to do in this day and age of the Internet making so much info available. Most people didn't know about JLL and his personal life back then. Same with Michael Jackson. Then gossip site started happening and once people started learning of his strange behavior things started turning south for him.

But this is true whether is is an artist or business executive or president.... It is harder to be anything now due to the personal being tied up to the art.

[Anonymous]

Totally disagree with most of what you mentioned. If an artist does something really ugly, like molesting children, then I'm sorry, I don't wan to listen to their music.

Drug and rape women? Not interested in ever watching your show again.

Going "death con 3 on the Jews"? No longer interested in what you're selling.

Be a b/tch to a waitress over an omelette? I don't care. You're still funny.

[Anonymous]

a classic example of this for me is Rudyard Kipling.

[Anonymous]

I loved some of Tupac's songs. But I believe he raped someone, so I refused to buy his music. I think famous people get away with things by being famous so I don't want to "help" their fame by monetarily contributing to it. Vote with your money and all that, right?

To me, it doesn't matter that it was legal for an adult to marry a 13 yr old. Nobody sane could have thought that was a good idea, or healthy for the girl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally disagree with most of what you mentioned. If an artist does something really ugly, like molesting children, then I'm sorry, I don't wan to listen to their music.

Drug and rape women? Not interested in ever watching your show again.

Going "death con 3 on the Jews"? No longer interested in what you're selling.

Be a b/tch to a waitress over an omelette? I don't care. You're still funny.

Sorry, but I won’t denigrate the importance of the Cosby Show and what the entire cast brought to it. Critics have written about the pivotal role the show had in essentially humanizing black people at a time when most of America really wasn’t fully integrated. Back then, the demographics of most communities simply didn’t have a lot of black people, and you rarely saw black families portrayed well on tv.

Kanye’s shoes are different imho. First, shoes and hoodies aren’t art. I’m not familiar with his music, so I can’t weigh in.

And James Corden was never funny. He’s just a jerk.

[Anonymous]

Agree. I can't stand Neil Young anymore after the way he treated his wife.

[Anonymous]

It’s very easy for me to separate art from the artist and I also fully understand why some people can’t or don’t want to. Kanye West has been my favorite artist since I was about 13 and I’m not going to stop enjoying his catalogue because of recent events. But I fully support those who never want to listen to his music again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved some of Tupac's songs. But I believe he raped someone, so I refused to buy his music. I think famous people get away with things by being famous so I don't want to "help" their fame by monetarily contributing to it. Vote with your money and all that, right?

To me, it doesn't matter that it was legal for an adult to marry a 13 yr old. Nobody sane could have thought that was a good idea, or healthy for the girl.

Tupac is dead and has been for decades. You aren’t monetarily supporting him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally disagree with most of what you mentioned. If an artist does something really ugly, like molesting children, then I'm sorry, I don't wan to listen to their music.

Drug and rape women? Not interested in ever watching your show again.

Going "death con 3 on the Jews"? No longer interested in what you're selling.

Be a b/tch to a waitress over an omelette? I don't care. You're still funny.

Sorry, but I won’t denigrate the importance of the Cosby Show and what the entire cast brought to it. Critics have written about the pivotal role the show had in essentially humanizing black people at a time when most of America really wasn’t fully integrated. Back then, the demographics of most communities simply didn’t have a lot of black people, and you rarely saw black families portrayed well on tv.

Kanye’s shoes are different imho. First, shoes and hoodies aren’t art. I’m not familiar with his music, so I can’t weigh in.

And James Corden was never funny. He’s just a jerk.

The Cosby Show will forever be linked to the image of a woman waking up with Cosby's cum all over her. If he wanted to do all that good work for the black community then he shouldn't have drugged and raped women.

[Anonymous]

I suspect we could dig up dirt or questionable behavior on literally everyone. Everyone.

Did you know about the scandals surrounding Mother Theresa?

[Anonymous]

I agree with you OP. I love most of Michael Jackson’s music even though he was clearly a sick b*stard. I’m going to keep listening because not listening accomplishes…absolutely nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally disagree with most of what you mentioned. If an artist does something really ugly, like molesting children, then I'm sorry, I don't wan to listen to their music.

Drug and rape women? Not interested in ever watching your show again.

Going "death con 3 on the Jews"? No longer interested in what you're selling.

Be a b/tch to a waitress over an omelette? I don't care. You're still funny.

Sorry, but I won’t denigrate the importance of the Cosby Show and what the entire cast brought to it. Critics have written about the pivotal role the show had in essentially humanizing black people at a time when most of America really wasn’t fully integrated. Back then, the demographics of most communities simply didn’t have a lot of black people, and you rarely saw black families portrayed well on tv.

Kanye’s shoes are different imho. First, shoes and hoodies aren’t art. I’m not familiar with his music, so I can’t weigh in.

And James Corden was never funny. He’s just a jerk.

The Cosby Show will forever be linked to the image of a woman waking up with Cosby's cum all over her. If he wanted to do all that good work for the black community then he shouldn't have drugged and raped women.

One thing has nothing to do with the other. If all you can think about when you watch the Cosby Show is his cum, that’s a YOU problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally disagree with most of what you mentioned. If an artist does something really ugly, like molesting children, then I'm sorry, I don't wan to listen to their music.

Drug and rape women? Not interested in ever watching your show again.

Going "death con 3 on the Jews"? No longer interested in what you're selling.

Be a b/tch to a waitress over an omelette? I don't care. You're still funny.

Sorry, but I won’t denigrate the importance of the Cosby Show and what the entire cast brought to it. Critics have written about the pivotal role the show had in essentially humanizing black people at a time when most of America really wasn’t fully integrated. Back then, the demographics of most communities simply didn’t have a lot of black people, and you rarely saw black families portrayed well on tv.

Kanye’s shoes are different imho. First, shoes and hoodies aren’t art. I’m not familiar with his music, so I can’t weigh in.

And James Corden was never funny. He’s just a jerk.

The Cosby Show will forever be linked to the image of a woman waking up with Cosby's cum all over her. If he wanted to do all that good work for the black community then he shouldn't have drugged and raped women.

Bill Cosby drugged and raped women. He’s a monster.

But the Cosby Show didn’t do anything wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Totally disagree with most of what you mentioned. If an artist does something really ugly, like molesting children, then I'm sorry, I don't wan to listen to their music.

Drug and rape women? Not interested in ever watching your show again.

Going "death con 3 on the Jews"? No longer interested in what you're selling.

Be a b/tch to a waitress over an omelette? I don't care. You're still funny.

Sorry, but I won’t denigrate the importance of the Cosby Show and what the entire cast brought to it. Critics have written about the pivotal role the show had in essentially humanizing black people at a time when most of America really wasn’t fully integrated. Back then, the demographics of most communities simply didn’t have a lot of black people, and you rarely saw black families portrayed well on tv.

Kanye’s shoes are different imho. First, shoes and hoodies aren’t art. I’m not familiar with his music, so I can’t weigh in.

And James Corden was never funny. He’s just a jerk.

The Cosby Show will forever be linked to the image of a woman waking up with Cosby's cum all over her. If he wanted to do all that good work for the black community then he shouldn't have drugged and raped women.

One thing has nothing to do with the other. If all you can think about when you watch the Cosby Show is his cum, that’s a YOU problem.

If you can watch The Cosby Show without thinking of a witness saying under oath that she came to consciousness covered in his cum, then that's a YOU problem.