I totally dissed Gwen Stefani.
So last month I wrote a snarky letter to the editors of BUST magazine to complain about them putting dumb-ass Gwen Stefani on the cover....and this month they printed it in their "International issue".
Those of you who know me and my crazy-complaint-letterwriting crusades, realise that I just couldn't stop myself from properly scolding my favorite magazine for featuring such a cheeseball.
My original letter:
As you can see, they edited it down, but even so I think the diss is equally as effective. At any rate it made my day. Hell, anyday when I get to diss Gwen Stefani is a good day.Dear BUST peoples~
I’m an ex-pat living in France and I gladly pay big bucks to have BUST
magazine delivered here because it’s just so good that I can’t live without
it. But I just finished reading the BUST interview with Gwen Stefani
and it absolutely made my skin crawl.
Let's face it; Margaret Cho isn't the only one seeing red over Stefani's use of Japanese girls as cute and stylish human props. I love Tokyo street culture as much as the next gal, but that doesn't give a privileged White American pop-star from Orange County California the right to exploit it and then to tell an Asian woman that she needs to do some "research" before she can recognize blatant exoticism and objectification.
As a fan of No Doubt’s music I've tolerated Gwen's bindis, and then the
chola make-up. I was even supportive when they suddenly went dancehall,
but Stefani should stop believing her own hype, and start listening to her fans
when they tell her she's gone too far. Her little fantasy “art project”
has officially stepped out of bounds.
Frankly it doesn’t surprise me that Gwen just doesn’t quite get it, but
for her to suggest that people of color need to do "research" to prove they’re
being oppressed is down right despicable.
Someone needs to tell Stefani to do some "research" on the definition
of the term: “Cultural Appropriation”, then Holla back with an apology,
because with many of her fans of color, she’s about one geisha away from wearing out her welcome.
Grilled Cheese anyone?
18 comments:
Holy crap! I have this issue! I, too, love BUST.
I don't know why, but I think it's hilarious that you write complaint letters. It's cracking me up.
Are you in New York?
Oh, and while I obviously prefer the unedited version (referring to the bindi and chola phases was PERFECT), the edits they made weren't horrific. Congrats on the publication!
I leave for NYC 2marow and I'm totally freaked out. Packing for a 6 week stay is brutal.
p.s. on average I write one letter of complaint a week.
What a great way to let off steam. And when they publish it... oooooh tooo delicious.
Sniff - very hip/artistic tear lingering, trembling slightly at the edge of lower eyelid... give NYC a vicarious hug destined the rest of us.
Just pack a few old things to throw away and spend a day OR TWO at Century 21. And don't tell me you can't afford to do that... I saw those photos of that great big apartment going up with big terrace. :))) Sell a painting.
Bon Voyage.
I seriously *love* you right now.
I found you through M. Cho's blog. Good for you! Privledged white people need to be kept in check! Keep up the good work! Gwen should be listening to people of color, not ignoring them when they have something to say.
- Tomek
Nicely done! :) I too, found you via Margaret Cho's blog. Btw, I write a blog called Racialicious, all about the intersection of race and pop culture (click my name for link). Thought it might be of interest to you. :) Naturally we've been all over Gwen for this cultural appropriation bullshit.
you should see the complaint letter i wrote to blue sky sodas about their "cola". it's an addiction of mine as well - writing complaint letters i mean - but you have me beat hands down.
Good call on the cultural appropriation comment. It always burns me up when people just adopt things without thinking about the meaning for culture & people that created it.
Excuse me, but explain again how you are honouring [insert cultural group] by tattooing their sacred symbol on your lardy bum?
great job!
Thank you SO much for writing this. I got your link from Margaret Cho's blog, and was thrilled to see your letter in BUST. That interview annoyed the piss out of me too, not only for her clueless comments about how much she was "celebrating" Japanese women but for her generally vacuous attitude. Why the hell did BUST think she was cover-worthy?
I'm inspired...I think it's awesome that you write complaint letters. Go you!
Très bien!
aaah! i bought that issue GRUDGINGLY because i, too, love bust, but gwen? not a bust girl by any stetch of the imagination. eeeeeew. i remember your letter! i loved your letter! and now through the magic of the internet i've stumbled upon its author and am writing my own letter! you are so awesome. also, fyi (you know, statistical purposes!) i'm a whitey. fyi, i'm reading your blog forever now.
Quite well put:) Found this through M.Cho's blog also, btw.
what a fantastic writer you are. I think you captured everything that needed to be said perfectly in that letter. who's next?
Thats awesome.
I love BUST, but really didn't love seeing Gwen on the cover. I loved her "do research" comment even less. I thought maybe it's just me who was tired of her mess. Glad to know I'm not alone.
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