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]
I stand corrected. Yeah, Billy Boy would like the view of the top of her head. A Roy Orbison classic will be posted soon.
London? Toronto?
They are cowards too.
Thanks. That "official thread" is a great resource.
Why doesn't she just go away. But no---- she's just has to dig herself in deeper.
Oh, yeah?
Memorialized in song ---- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1701847/posts
If this post is okay, I think the song should be.
Earl can have the Ditsy Chicks.
A wet dream is an involuntary unsatisfactory biological release of bodily fluids while unconcious. The object of the triggering fantasy gets even less satisfaction from the act. Take it from there gang.
Those three fat, ugly, America-hating broads? Ick. One might as well have wet dreams about Krazy Kristen Breitweiser (BTW, Ann was right about her.) Thanks, but I'll take Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, or Michelle Malkin over these bags any day.
One of my favorite movies.
The only conclusion I can draw is that she's so deluded (probably with chemical assistance) that she thinks that we're all just jealous of her. I'd rather be a cockroach on a New York sidewalk.
I see that the Admin Mods nor JR have come on line to confirm the Dummy Clucks claim that they were Freepers.
So in the abscence of the Admin Mods or JR's confirmation the Dummy Clucks are no better that TROLLS.
There.... that's more like it.
Pig out on this truth, Nat & Co.
BTW, when the music media and fan websites say that concert dates are being canceled due to "scheduling conflicts", that's code for "nobody except 50 gutter liberals bought tickets".
LOL, and if they had said they were closet skinheads or disciples of Chairman Mao, or maybe simply that they loved and admired Osama bin Laden, the audiences would have been smaller still but even more intensely passionate. Yes, smaller audiences usually are more passionate, the narrower the niche you aim at, the more intense the response. If they were just playing for their families in their backyard with all the tricks of a large-scale venue, I bet everyone there would have been overcome with sheer pleasure. But one thing is for certain - it sure ain't as lucrative.
Please tell me when you're free speech rights were infringed. TIA. Oh, BTW, FOAD.
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