By Ryan Parsons | Image property of The Weinstein Company.
If there is two things I hate, it is hypocrites and those who point a finger. It now looks like the Dixie Chicks fall into both these categories. When we were first told of the upcoming docu Shut Up & Sing, I figured that the female band had learned their lesson of what happens when you piss off your fanbase and wanted to give an inside look at what cool girls they really are. Sounds good, improve upon your dinged public image. I am all for it strictly because a couple of you are damn cute, but I still don't dig country; maybe "Shut Up" would have been my choice of title.
Maybe I am just being too sensitive, and I don't know how that can be because it is Friday, but the official one-sheet for the film seems to have it all wrong.
Shut Up & Sing Poster
Shut Up & Sing travels with the Dixie Chicks, from the peak of their popularity as the national-anthem-singing darlings of country music and top-selling female recording artists of all time, through the now infamous anti-Bush comment made by the group's lead singer Natalie Maines in 2003. The film follows the lives and careers of the Dixie Chicks over a period of three years during which they were under political attack and received death threats, while continuing to live their lives, have children, and of course make music. The film ultimately presents who the Dixie Chicks are as women, public figures, and musicians.
The first poster for Shut Up & Sing ranks right up there with the poster for Death of a President. Was it necessary to put a double of George 'DubYa' Bush at the bottom? What does that suggest? Did Bush tell the public and Dixie Chick supporters to turn on them? I am not getting it.
Shut Up & Sing Poster
Instead of showing the insults they went through after their public (insult) announcement against Bush, it seems like they are still crying about Bush. Take a lesson from the title and just shut up.
Better yet, remember this formula:
Majority of people who listen to country are RED. When you sing country, you don't bash your own listeners. Angry listeners stop listening.
Here is the conundrum of this film: The Dixie Chicks are mad that the public and fans turned on them after their use of freedom of speech. Their new record was supposedly hurt by the backlash, though I can't confirm how true that is. So, what they are really mad at is the consumers' freedom of choice to NOT listen to the Dixie Chicks or buy their merchandise. Hypocrites!
Don't get me wrong, the poster looks good; but they should have left out Bush with the sharpee.
Again, so lucky they are cute.
Shut Up & Sing has a limited release on October 27th.
If the film doesn't do well at the box office, expect an announcement from the Dixie Chicks blaming Bush for poor ticket sales due to bad economy; or some other excuse.
Add to Heffee!
