Welcome to the first in a series of posts in which we highlight a particularly pithy reader comment from the previous day’s news. Today’s message-board MVP comes from Rob Brunner’s Music Mix post about Kanye West’s mea culpa appearance on The Jay Leno Show. Rob asked, “Did Jay go too far?” last night when he asked Kanye what his recently deceased mother would think of his actions:
“I think the question was appropriate. Listen to the tones in Jay’s voice as he questions Kanye. Professional, yet not [confrontational] in delivery, authentic compassion in voice. I’m a professional therapist, trained in listening for subtleties. It was as if Jay became a voice for consciousness. Goosebump moment, and a star for good journalism! Bravo, Jay! (And bravo, too, Kanye for taking the consequences of your actions publicly. Who among us hasn’t made mistakes?)” –LoveVioletFlame
LoveVioletFlame’s post made us think. What about you? Discuss in the comments below.
I could not be more sick of Kanye West, and his “poor me” routine. It’s hard to feel bad for someone who is worth millions.
I absolutely do not think Jay went too far. I think he asked the absolute right question at the right time. To me, at that moment, Kanye seemed about to wiggle away from whatever mea culpa he had been trying to make to find some excuses or just not fully “own” it. Jay had met his mother, the personal connection was already there. It is inappropriate to let these celebrities simply kinda sorta apologize on national TV – if you are letting them come on the day after an incident, they better dang well be prepared to fully own it. Bravo, Jay!
It’s all so much wasted breath. Every time MTV has an awards show, some “spontaneous” outrageousness happens. How do people still believe this crap is genuine?
Couldn’t agree more. So enjoying the crazy moment for what it’s worth (surely, not that much) is one thing…but all the genuine outrage over this is perplexing and gross. From adults!!
These people are just playing characters after all…Kanye=narcissistic douche; Taylor=pretty, innocent damsel-in-distress; Beyonce=magnanimous diva with a heart of gold.
It’s just a showbiz extravaganza…leave it at that and don’t get so invested, geez.
Plus one to Rip City & Lizzie. you hit the nail on the head.
I have to say to Jay, bravo and well done! I would like to have seen Kanye try that crap with someone like Toby Keith!
Let my boy Kanye be, ya just mad u dibt have his money
Do you have an education?
no, he haz chezburger.
I have to say “good job” to Jay as well. When he said that, I was shocked. Not because it was an inappropriate question, but that the softball comedian was asking a question that the NBC morning news journalists (Matt, Meredith and Anne) would never dare ask.
Who is Toby Keith..I barely knew who Taylor Swift was until Sunday. She should thank Kanye for the free press…Bravo Yeezy!!!!! P.S. I totally think that is was a publicity/pr stunt!!!!
Obviously you are lost in the “MTV ” years and only appreciate loud, vulgar ” music “. Where are the Racist comments here ? Oh, I forgot, only white people are Racist !!! Kanye is a typical Rap jerk
I think it was a publicity stunt too.
At this point, any attention this douche gets is more than he deserves. The guy is a piece of crap, I dont care what he says in his songs. He is a lousy self-obsessed POS I just wish people would stop buying his music
It was genius to ask about his mother. For both Kanye and Leno, its all a game to fool the public, or turn the public into fools, either way the fact you are even talking about it means it should have been done. Clowns.
And the fact that you and I are commenting on it make us even bigger clowns.
Maybe we will get lucky and he will just go away.
It would have been great if Taylor would have pushed him right off the stage.
Gee, maybe if Kayne West and other idiots of his ilk who disrupt events such as this were banned from attending future events, their behavior would change. Give this clown a time out and send him to his room. What a tool!!
Why would they ban anybody. MTV loves this kind of thing why would they ban a guy who got there award show and network tons of free publicity.
I thought that more than anything we learned that Jay Leno has the ability to cut through the pretense, pomposity and haughty air of celebrity and ask the human being behind the image, the question that needs to be asked.
Who else can really ask these people a poignant question and be taken seriously? Who is simultaneously respected by both groups of people as celebrity enough to be ‘one of them’ and average enough to be a ‘real Joe’ to be the voice of the people?
In my opinion, Jay managed to evoke real emotion from Kanye and put him in his place with his leveling question, and remind the audience that Kanye is just a kid (really) who made a mistake. While Kanye struggled to compose his answer, I think he ultimately got the sense of what he did to Taylor Swift in his inconsiderate act that essentially robbed Taylor of her moment to enjoy her accomplishment. I think it took real courage for Kanye to go on and perform after the interview as well.
I think both Jay and Kanye showed us what they were made of last night if we paid attention.
Bravo to you Olivier for being spiritually and mentally open enough to feel and see the entire picture as it played out. Kanye West has acted out on many occasions because he is an immature kid that has been thrusted in the spotlight and has received immediate gratification. By no means does this excuse his actions but it “explains” them. Jay’s question was what Kanye’s base self that already had the answer inside him needed to hear, to right the imbalances that Kanye’s has been living with for a longtime. I guarantee the public the Kanye we will see next and hear music from next will be completely different. Different for the better for all who cross his path. That question was his life defining moment. Just watch and listen.
> “Kanye West has acted out on many occasions because he is an immature kid that has been thrusted in the spotlight and has received immediate gratification”
You could say the same about Taylor Swift. So how come she isn’t an inconsiderate scumbag too?
LoveVioletFlame, I’m really happy for you. But Beyoncé had one of the best comments of all time.
Much ado about nothing.
well people are making the situation bigger then it is Kayne been through a lot n he was caught in the moment like anyone of us people make mistakes and he man up took responsibility for his actions what more can u ask for from the guy
Oh bull. Kanye has a history of acting like a prize jackass when it comes to award shows. If he’s not bawwwwwwwwing over losing an award to someone else, he’s acting like a fool. This time is different because no one was amused by his crap, especially not Beyonce.
He needs to “take stock of himself ” and maybe do some growing up.