Rick Cummings admitted he knew about and has no plans of stopping this. He attempted to play off the mess as being like "Fear Factor or Celebrity Boxing".
quote:The sickening corporate promotion of violence is reminiscent of the famous first chapter of the novel "Invisible Man" by the late Ralph Ellison. The book's hero describes something called the "battle royal," in which bankers, judges, lawyers, merchants and other respectable types round up 10 black boys and place them, blindfolded, in a makeshift boxing ring set up in a ballroom.
While the city fathers laugh, drink, smoke and curse, the boys blindly pummel each other bloody in a nightmare of degradation. At the end of it all, the men throw a few coins to the "winners" - and in a final spasm of humiliation, the coins are tossed onto an electric rug that delivers paralyzing shocks to the boys as they grab for the money, thrashing and howling in pain.
One assumes the gangster rappers have never read Ellison's classic, and neither know nor care that they're willing clowns providing amusement in a minstrel show.
Vivendi Universal creates and distributes records by 50 Cent and The Game. Reebok proudly uses 50 Cent as a corporate pitchman. These companies, along with Hot 97, promote the modern battle royal. And they ought to be ashamed.
Of course Ken Hamblin let Rick Cummings know that the whole thing is trash and Emmis should not condone such on their stations.
Posts: 1673 | From: Suwanee, GA, USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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quote:In an angry letter to the Manhattan broadcaster, the city's carpenters union, which owns the SoHo building, said artists will be allowed to bring only one person into the radio station with them.
The union also wants to know who is appearing on Hot 97 a week in advance so it can call in the cops, hire extra security or rent a metal detector if necessary.
"We are deeply concerned about the safety of our tenants and their employees," said union lawyer Brian O'Dwyer.
"We've received numerous complaints from other tenants that they fear for their safety."
I say GOOD! Better yet, kick their butts out and let them broadcast from the corner gutter, since that's where they get their material from!Posts: 1673 | From: Suwanee, GA, USA | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I knew something like this was going to come up, it's good thing that landlord is taking action against because this is about the 3rd or 4th shooting that has happened at the studios? Not to mention their sister stations WRKS and WQCD are in the same building with them as well as other businesses, and no one should have to risk their lives coming to work everyday over mess like this. My hat goes off to them for taking action.
Posts: 252 | From: Dallas,Texas USA | Registered: Nov 1999
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