John Mellencamp has not only spent most of his adult life R O C K-ing in the USA, but he has also spent most of it smoking, too. His 14-year-old son, Speck, is no great fan of his father’s ridiculously whimsical approach to progency nomenclature smelly, life-choking cigarette habit, but apparently Mr. “Hurt So Good” has made his boy a deal: Mellencamp has agreed to quit the cancer sticks if Speck can get 1 million people to join a Facebook group called “1,000,000 to join, my dad john mellencamp will quit smoking.” The AP reported earlier today that the group had 7000 members; by 9:30 PM EST, it had 33,242 members. (In a somewhat related story, another new Facebook group launched today, called: “1,000,000 to join, my dad John Mellencamp named me Speck and I hate him.” As of 9:30 PM EST, it had 7 members.)
Personally, I have a very complicated reaction. First: what does Speck have against capitalizing his father’s name? He respects him enough to try and save his life but he can’t muster the trouble of pressing shift while hitting the J and the M? What a lazy kid. Second, as the son of a guy who struggled valiantly and ultimately succeeded at kicking cigarettes, I know Speck’s heart is in the right place. But has he thought about the potentially catastrophic cost to his pop’s alluringly smokey singing voice? Sorry, Speck, but I just don’t know if I can put your father’s health before his art. And you know what? I’m wondering if your dad feels the same way. I mean, 1 MILLION members? He set that bar suspiciously high, if you ask me. Look, if suffering a massive heart attack in 1994 wasn’t enough to discoruage the Mellencamp from giving up smoking, I’m not sure ANY number of “Facebook friends” will do the trick. But hey: good luck with all that, Speck Quixote.
What do you think, Popwatchers? Are you motivated enough to save John Mellencamp by joing Speck’s crusade? (And PS: I’m only having fun with Speck. I am a HUGE Mellencamp fan–AND I just joined Speck’s group. So there. I have a heart. A HEART UNCORRUPTED BY SMOKE.)
Um, didn’t he have a heart attack? His doctor couldn’t convince him to stop smoking, and a Facebook group is going to?
From the above story: Look, if suffering a massive heart attack in 1994 wasn’t enough to discoruage the Mellencamp from giving up smoking, I’m not sure ANY number of “Facebook friends” will do the trick.
Did you read it or just want to be the first to comment??
yea this guy’s a big douche, plus he knows he can quit cuz he was caught using this:
electroniccigaretteinformation.org/
smokestiks especially..
Um, didn’t you read the post that clearly says he had a heart attack?
No. He won’t quit for love of his son but he’ll quit for the sake of one million strangers?!!? I’m not enabling that crap.
I saw this pop up on fb tonight. My first thought was that it was odd that his son badly wanting him to stop wouldn’t be as compelling as a legion of fb fans. Ego = Gross.
Oh, and I am a former smoker, quit around the 12 year mark. I’m well aware of how difficult it is – I still feel like I’m struggling. But I think it’s selfish to keep up the habit when you have children to think of. He HAS already had heart problems.
Speck Quixote. Love that.
yeah, what the heck? he’s basically telling his son that he won’t quit smoking for his family and friends. but he will if he gets enough attention for it. really messed up, and i wouldn’t join that group.
If it was my dad, I wouldn’t care *why* he quit…I’d just want him to quit.
You need to quit for you. Smoking causes cancer I know 1st hand Check out my picture on Twitter Check 54sobriety
64 days and going strong against smoking, makes me sick just sitting in the same area my boyfriend smokes in.
His son’s name is Speck? Are we sure it’s tobacco he needs to quit smoking?
His other son’s name is Hud. They live near here and we occasionally see Elaine around. To this day I can’t believe she allowed those names.
sorry, John. I made my facebook account inactive since they wouldn’t let me delete it. I’m a myspace guy (way less annoying)
How is myspace less annoying than facebook? I think I had a seizure last time I was on myspace. Re. Mellancamp’s attempt at attention, this might not be about attention but might have just the first thing that popped in his head that would put off his son from bothering that he did not believe had a snowball’s chance in hell of happening. It sounds like something I’d say when people bug me to stop smoking.
How is a FB Group gonna help John Cougar kick his habit? Health issues didn’t help him kick it but FB will?!?!
Ask Jack & Diane.
I think that Speck is just a fame-ho, getting all the attention to himself while his father never seriously considers it. How about this, John: quit smoking, or donate 1 million dollars to various lung cancer research institutes and hospitals?
My mom says if you get as many as you want then she will stop!! lets get it boys!!!
I will stop if you stop!!
I sure hope you can get your Dad to quit. He should see what it has done to my husband. He can’t even go to the bathroom without getting out of breath, and that is with oxygen on 24/7.
I hear ya priscilla! I watched the same thing with my husband and he died just 6 weeks ago. once the disease has gone that far death isn’t far off, although death was for sure I think we could have had him around for at least the fall or holidays but that damned radiation after only 3 treatments caused all that crap in the lungs to break up and gave him double pneumonia, PEOPLE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FACES AND THE PICTURES OF WHAT DYING FROM LUNG CANCER (SMOKING) DOES.