The Badger Herald: Opinion: Jack Black rockin’ the vote for idiots

Opinion

Jack Black rockin’ the vote for idiots

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Also by Brett Wisniewski:

The Lucky's image of consumption (November 20, 2008)
Jack Black rockin' the vote for idiots (November 6, 2008)
Coke-snorting and beer-guzzling lead singers killing my buzz (October 23, 2008)
Party etiquette: A freshman disaster (October 3, 2008)

By Brett Wisniewski
Thursday, November 6, 2008 12:00 a.m.

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If Jack Black ran for president, I’d probably vote for him. The wild-child Tenacious D frontman belted sidesplitting lyrics and melodic gibberish that resonated beautifully against his medieval acoustic guitar at Milwaukee’s “Rock the Vote” concert Sunday night, part of a six-day “Swing State Voter Awareness Tour” featuring the Beastie Boys, Ben Harper, Crosby & Nash and of course, The D.

Black’s on-stage mannerisms resembled a mix of a wounded pterodactyl and Kriss Kringle on Ritalin. The Hollywood icon had the arena in a hypnotic trance through his bizarre entertainment style: a blend of storytelling rock and standup comedy that had the audience crapping in their trousers with glee. The great David Crosby lightheartedly proclaimed Tenacious D as “a couple of lunatics” before joining up with Black and bandmate Kyle Gass for a CSNY anti-war classic.

Despite all of the merrymaking, the event had a strong message promoting voting, change, and, subtly, Barack Obama. “We’re not here to tell you who to vote for,” said David Crosby in between sets. “I think you already know.”

Mid-set, Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass halfheartedly proclaimed his vote for campaign veteran Ralph Nader, to which Black reinforced the importance of voting by joking, “If you’re going to vote, don’t vote for fucking Nader.”

Giving these already-icons the spotlight and microphone in front of 10,000 people is a powerful tool. The status and prominence of their careers in entertainment magnifies the amplitude of their voice, giving them tremendous influence to sway independent, undecided or uninformed voters. As absurd as it may sound to reward an artist’s musical ability by accepting his political views, the most dedicated fans are vulnerable to the biases of their rock heroes. So is the event fair? Yes. Is it a little dangerous? Absolutely.

Concert promoters handed out a fact sheet upon arrival, which happened to make John McCain look like Biff Lombardo. With the continual spray of political messages — concrete or abstract, subliminal or direct, interpersonal or mass — it is up to voters to do research on their own. We should require facts from multiple sources and avoid making decisions primarily based on the experience of John McCain or the articulate diction of Barack Obama. I want to look beyond the flashy political messages of Bill Maher, Glenn Beck or the greasy brigade of Baldwin brothers. Celebs are just a sliver — and very often a sadly misled sliver — of the political voice.

Much of political campaigning is based on an array of word twisting and fact nudging through the press, casting candidates as good vs. evil in the limelight. With that, certainly no one can label the overall-reserved “Rock the Vote” concert as unfair, as the brutal political campaigns rake up more muck than a Port-O-John truck the morning after the Wisconsin State Fair.

I do not want to know the number of Americans who subconsciously vote based on a candidate’s speaking ability and swagger, or how many voters are truly swayed by an endorsement from Matt Damon. But I do feel the country’s politically informed are increasing with the “pride in voting” theme being ingrained so firmly into this election season. It might be a good thing to have a brain aneurysm over the 27th door salesman telling (not reminding) you to vote.

So my hat goes off to “Rock the Vote” for appealing to multiple generations and demographics by featuring a blend of old-school rappers, comedic “lunatics” and gray-haired classic-rock gurus all on one bill. The event itself was immaculate and an entirely reasonable PR move amongst this long and unpredictable campaigning mêlée. In the end, onlookers have to take the politically-injected show for what it really is: just another rock concert you paid $47 for.

Brett Wisniewski (bpwisniewski@wisc.edu) is a senior majoring in journalism.

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