SALON

Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 7:28 PM UTC

Bill Bennett: America has lost its way because Amy Winehouse got a Grammy three years ago

The former drug czar and high-stakes gambler says non-socially responsible art should not be recognized or rewarded

By

Topics: Drugs, War Room, CNN, Music, Amy Winehouse,

Bill Bennett: America has lost its way because Amy Winehouse got a Grammy three years agoWilliam Bennett

William Bennett, conservative pundit and former Reagan Cabinet member, has written a very serious and important column for CNN, about how the people who give away Grammy Awards should be ashamed of themselves for giving a Grammy to Amy Winehouse, three years before she died. Because her famous song about addiction was not socially responsible, and because she later died, the nominating committee should never have rewarded her considerable musical talent and songwriting ability. The Grammys have blood on their hands!

A good place to start learning the lesson is the Grammy Awards nominating committee. Did they have any problem or pause whatsoever in emptying their cabinet of awards for such a song or such a character?

Did one judge say: “Wait, I think we might be sending the wrong message here”? Or, rather, did they do everything they could to get her to the Grammy Awards even after she was barred from entering the United States? The answer is the latter — and she appeared for her awards by video feed from Great Britain.

This award was given to Winehouse because, as always with Bennett, the nation’s morals are slipping: “There was a time when we took the drug issue more seriously in and from our culture, and it was not that long ago. It is now time to usher it back in.”

The Grammys, in the good old days, would never have rewarded a song that celebrated such a dangerous and debased lifestyle. Right, random historical example?

“The Gambler” is the title of a song written by Don Schlitz and recorded by Kenny Rogers. It was released in November 1978 as the title track from his album The Gambler which won him the Grammy award for best male country vocal performance in 1980.

When people told William Bennett to seek professional treatment for a high-stakes gambling addition that cost him millions of dollars in losses, Bill Bennett said no, no, no.

Did one Grammy Awards judge say, in 1980, “Wait, I think we might be sending the wrong message here”? Probably not. And look what they did to Bill Bennett.

Alex Pareene

Alex Pareene writes about politics for Salon and is the author of "The Rude Guide to Mitt." Email him at apareene@salon.com and follow him on Twitter @pareene More Alex Pareene.

Next Article

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Related Videos

More Related Stories

Comments

 79 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": Growing up primate

Recommendations