Posted on 09/14/2006 8:25:48 PM PDT by kristinn
SNIP
Oscar-winning doc filmmaker Barbara Kopple ("Harlan County USA," "American Dream") teamed up with collaborator Cecilia Peck to co-direct a behind the scenes look at the best-selling female group of all time, "The Dixie Chicks." The film, "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing" was initially envisioned as a much more modest project, according to the band's Natalie Maines who spoke at a press conference this week at the Toronto International Film Festival. "We originally thought of having a filmmaker [to capture footage] for ourselves or as a supplement to some concert DVD release," said Maines. But Maines' now famous off-handed comment during a March, 2003 concert in London not only caused a tidal change for the Dixie Chicks' relationship with many of their fans, it also motivated Kopple to and Peck to expand the scale of the project.
"After the comment, we were really excited to do something more with the Dixie Chicks because they were willing to put everything on the line to stand up for what they believed in," said Kopple in Toronto. Lubbock, TX-raised Maines' remark, which caused an avalanche of criticism by right-wingers in the U.S. on the heels of the Iraq invasion was: "We're embarrassed that the President is from Texas." Perhaps not since John Lennon uttered the infamous remark that the Beatles were more famous then Jesus over three decades earlier had the reaction been so swift and vile. Right-wing groups responded with radio boycotts and CD burnings, and even a death threat against Maines.
"If we had been someone like Merle Haggard, it might have been spun like some kind of [cool] rebellion," said fellow bandmate Emily Robison about the early days of the controversy. "But people just don't like mouthy women in country music."
While the fallout from Maines' London comment is a focus of the film, "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing" also takes viewers into personal arenas of the band, including balancing careers with motherhood, and there's also segments on Maines and fellow Chick Martie Maguire's in-vitro pregnancies in addition to their journey in the studio creating their latest album "Taking the Long Way," which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts this summer.
But it was the controversy and its repercussions that received the biggest attention at Wednesday's press conference. "We were their wet dream," said Maines about the right wing as well as political website The Free Republic in particular for organizing a substantial portion of the backlash. "We've been playing to about half the audiences we used to, but they're great and it feels like they have a purpose for being there... for free speech," added Maguire about their latest tour. "I have sat among the audience and it's been electric," said Kopple. "People have been singing, and holding up signs saying, 'Thank You!'"
Now a few years on, the band is still surprised that a one-off remark could cause such an uproar, and repeatedly referenced that surprise during the conversation in Toronto. "I would've never thought that me saying that would've brought on the reaction it did - with people banning us from the radio and me getting death threats." Yet, when asked by a member of the press about their feelings about Bush, they are steadfast. "A major disappointment... A major disgrace [when seeing] footage of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. [Bush] has been a disaster, and seeing Spike Lee's documentary ("When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts") was awful."
At the world premiere of their film the night before in Toronto, co-director Cecilia Peck paid tribute to Canada on stage ahead of the screening, which the three band members recalled during the hour-long conversation with press the following day. Said Peck, "It's great to have the world premiere in a country where something like that which happened to the Dixie Chicks could never happen." "I think Americans should think about that," added one of the Chicks. [Brian Brooks]
Dixie Chicks? wet dream? eeew that's disgusting.
In their wet dreams. I wouldn't do her with Saddam's weapon of mass destruction.
Oh, by the way.................
Al-Qaeda grew while Monica blew.
If they had quickly apologized all would have been forgiven. As has been mentioned before here, the Chicks are not the only country artists who disagree with the president but instead of saying sorry, Nat had to compound the insult.
She is whacked. She is a nightmare, not a wet dream.
Who are the Dixie Chicks?
We all make mistakes.
The real test of our charactor is how we recover from them.
Some seem to refuse to see that they made a mistake, and try to make a living on that mistake.
I mean, I listen to music from artists whose views I disagree with, whose pasts are questionable, whose mouths (and other body parts) have caused controvery and trouble. At least those artists have the good sense to go to rehab, shut up, and otherwise stop digging their grave (usually).
BAAAAWWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh!
It's enough to give you nightmares.
The Dixie Chicks are a wet dream for Freepers who have a hearty sense of humor and enjoy watching leftists show their true colors.
Canada,
Enjoy. She's all yours.
Texas
They sure have a high opinion about themselves, don't they? Morons...several pics of beautiful women are posted daily on FR (we even have a hot conservative babe ping list) ut I don't recall one of the Dixie Chicks.
Is that true?
Natalie's a legend in her own mind. If I ever dreamed about her I'd shoot myself.
Mmno.
That's what she thought, not what she said.
Hey, thanks for the free publicity girls. Enjoy your future anonymity.
Ick.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.