MAD AS HELL! #1

"All this INDIGNATION..."

--Simon Reynolds

My politics advisor in college always used to start his freshman lecture courses, which I took myself and also T.A.'ed a few times, by making everyone yell, "I'm mad as hell! And I'm not going to take it...any...mooooooooooore!" with a great rumbling bit at the end. (Large gruff gay Jewish guy from the Bronx who I assumed must be a biker or something when I first saw him! Does a dead-ringer Cheney impression.)

Then all of the OUTRAGED MASSES got a chance to stand up and one by one to articulate (usually in smug, self-righteous fashion) why they were so MAD. Presumably stemming from an article in that day's NY Times, which was required reading.

I'd like to try to start a semi-regular feature here that lets readers air their grievances concerning all articles, essays, conversations, and even just plain bad ideas (their own or someone else's) that have been circulating in the cultcha. Feel free to use the comments or, if you prefer, email them to me and I'll include them in the body of the post: dmoore1 at gmail dot com. Tell yr friends.

So: WHAT MAKES YOU MAD AS HELL today?

I'll start with mine: I'm on episode four of "The Ashlee Simpson Show" and it's obvious, even from the brief glimpses I'm getting, that she is an excellent songwriter and passionate singer who wants to make her record her way (and wants to sound like Hole!). A&R guy: "He said it sounds like Garbage. No, no, not "garbage," the band Garbage." Later, Ashlee: "Ryan [Cabrera] said he was freaked out because Courtney Love tried to kiss him at a show...I was like, why didn't you?? I so would have done it!"

SO WHY THE BUM RAP WHEN SHE HAS DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF HER AUTHENTICITY?

GLAD AS HELL EDIT: Feel free to talk about stuff ya like, too, I just want reading ideas. I'll link to Tom Ewing's ABBA piece I mentioned the other day on the INDIGNITY thread. Might need a longer post later.