Posted on 01/24/2026 9:21:32 AM PST by simpson96
The wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine. In this case, it's been forty years since British establishment-pop workhorse Phil Collins incurred a young Athena's wrath with his band Genesis's mockery of the greatest president (up until then, anyway) of modern times.
f you're Gen X like me, your adolescence was happily enhanced by the heyday of old-school MTV. The concept was brand-new then: music videos by the hottest pop stars, 24/7, hosted by the original veejays — Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, Martha Quinn, Mark Goodman, and of course, "Triple J" J.J. Jackson. It was innovation, novelty, hormonal giddiness, and rock-n-roll!
I was not really keyed into politics at that age — I still loved America in a general way, including every president, but back then, we all still had basic values in common. Nevertheless, I could still tell that Ronald Reagan was an exceptional president, head and shoulders above the others I had known in my short life.
So when a British loudmouth, who was obviously a bit too high on his own supply, thought he somehow had standing to come on the brilliant American invention, MTV, and mock one of the greatest Americans I'd ever seen, it didn't sit too well with me. Who the hell is this guy who thinks he's so great that he can belittle the Gipper? I fumed.
In case you're not sure what I'm referring to, it was the music video for the single "Land of Confusion" by Collins's band Genesis that triggered me:
As you can see, the video is wildly disrespectful of the most effectual, momentous president I'd ever seen (at least, back then). It portrays him as a senile buffoon, overreacting to world events that he is utterly impotent at handling. It also mocked his beloved wife
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
Oh hell, just another one of his sins. Let it go that you might get to heaven, or would you prefer the current satisfaction, before the one who wad crucified for your own failings?
I pray he gets/got right with God and that I have duch an opportunity, now and at the hour of my death.
Challenge sin to protect the youngins, certainly!
Correct. This is mucha doo about nothing.
OTOH, the video does feature a pretty unflattering puppet of Collins himself, so he’s not just dishing it but also taking it to some degree. I’ll give him some credit for that.
The writer should get some therapy, maybe she can salvage some of what is left of her life.
+ 1
Funny how folks here can Pop off with their opinions,however entertainers aren’t allowed to.
Funny that.
Well, it’s a good point and I’m sure true but the entertainment industry, like the arts, is like an iceberg.
Most of the ones in those industries don’t make it but are mostly all left wingers.
They don’t get the big bucks but still believe the left wing garbage.
My thoughts; they’re not very bright people who follow the pack to ‘fit in’, follow trends without much thought, conformists, not deep thinkers, clique joiners, not interested in the truth...
I don't know if it's still true but Phil has been listed as the wealthiest pop star on Earth - which means nothing without the health to enjoy it.
Did not know about the Alamo collection. Does he have Pee Wee's bicycle from the basement? (Just kidding)
One other British music icon has a very American hobby:
+1 Good post.
SMH. This is all made up, because of some puppet group. Phil Collins has nothing to do with that video, and he never made another comment about Ronald Reagan.
It was the puppet people, Spitting Image, they made the video.
Thanks.
Theoria, I am with you.
I appreciate your post.
That was mild. I remember “when two tribes go to war” by F*gg*ts go to Hollywood which depicted Reagan and whatever Soviet General Secretary of the day it was (before he soon croaked) wrestling. As was typical of British Leftists they acted like the two sides were morally equivalent.
Uhh no. Wrong.
Totalitarian communism was worse in every possible way. Which is why they lost the cold war a few years after that idiotic video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO1HC8pHZw0&list=RDpO1HC8pHZw0&start_radio=1
Exactly. That show aired for 18 seasons, and made fun of just about everyone. She is nuts, and to hold that self-induced grudge for 40 years? Bizarre.
Why do people “worship” others who have unique, contemporary marketable skills? Like cinema actors, musicians, athletes,movie directors? Why are they given unchallenged license to spout off on issues they have no demonstrable skills in?
Pity Phil Collins, the curse of death is swallowing him. But he is(was) basically irrelevant.
This writer did not do her research.
First of all, the words to this song were written by Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford, although I think it’s a stretch to read any criticism of Reagan into it.
Spitting Image was a British satirical puppet show. After seeing their puppet of the band, they hired them to make the video, but there was no input, other than maybe what Spitting Image read into the song. It’s not like Phil Collins asked them to portray Reagan. And as Freeper Yardstick pointed out, the puppet of Phil Collins wasn’t very flattering.
There is no evidence that Phil Collins was some kind of lefty. I can find no evidence he made any comment about Ronald Reagan, or anything else for that matter. Surely, if he were the virtue signaling rock star, he would have said something.
In the U.K. he is often bashed for being a Tory/conservative. A lot of that is because he threatened to leave the U.K. if Tony Blair was elected in 1997. But for the most part, it seems like Phil Collins is not that political, and never made statements on politics.
Also, his main hobby is the Alamo. He amassed the largest private collection of Alamo material in the world, then donated it to a museum in 2014. What kind of rockstar, let alone a British one, is into the Alamo? I don’t think that’s a hobby that leftists, or anti-Americans would sanction.
This author does not provide a shred of evidence that the video was based on what Phil Collins actually felt.
I can see why people admire the super talented creatives in the art & entertainment world. What gets me is the near total ideological capture of that world by the Left. It’s amazing this country isn’t in worse shape than it is given how many of our institutions the left has taken over.
Because too many people on the Right openly disparage the Arts and people who engage in them.
I must have confused Collin's with Lemmy Kilmister as Alamo aficionados.
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