Muruch

Amanda Palmer is an insensitive idiot. Strange that people used to mock the disabled and use them to draw an audience of oglers. Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley are carrying on with that sad and ugly tradition.

Rick – Thank you for your comment. I’m surprised I haven’t seen more about this controversy in the music blog world, it seems to mostly be contained on the Shadowbox forum.

I’m personally very torn on the issue. Usually when I have difficulty separating art from artist, it’s that I find out something bad about the artist and then I can no longer enjoy the art without thinking about it.

This time it’s the opposite situation – this art that might otherwise repel me is hard to hate, because I like the artist so much. I’ve been a fan of Amanda Palmer’s for nearly a decade, and going by what I little I know of her, I really think she had good (or at least merely thoughtless) intentions in making this album. I get the impression she never really considered that people might be hurt or offended by the characters. She’s always been into the vintage circus style and I think she identifies with the rose-colored glass view so many of us have had of the old “freak shows” because she’s always been treated as an outcast – especially in the music industry. So I think she viewed herself as a champion of those she imitated, because she always has been a supporter of anyone viewed as different.

As I said in the post above, I originally took this project at face value and thought the twins were real, that Amanda was trying to help them be heard as she had with other artists. My initial reaction to finding out it was fake was to be impressed that she fooled me and so many others with this fictional act. It reminded me of Andy Kaufman’s “Tony Clifton” alter ego. And again, I still think the few songs I’ve heard from the album are good (though I haven’t heard the whole CD yet).

But the more I read and think about all of it, the more I understand why so many people are angry. You’re right, the truth about “freak shows” was that they were used to exploit and mock disabled people. And I know how painful it is for those with disabilities (and parents of children with special needs) to see/hear/read horrible terms like the “R” word and other stereotypical insults. I can only imagine how much more hurtful it must be for them to think a disability is being used as a caricature to sell records.

I would never want to enjoy or promote anything that would intentionally hurt or alienate anyone, especially those who are already often treated like they are less than human. But that statement is actually a paraphrase of what Jason Webley wrote about this project after the real story broke. It seems obvious to me that he and Amanda just wanted to have fun and make art, and didn’t think of the consequences it might have for others.

I do wish that they had put more thought into that aspect of it, maybe consulted some actual conjoined twins to better walk the line between fictional tribute and simple bad taste. Or at least I wish Amanda had reacted a little more sensitively to the fans who were offended, it seemed her defiance just added fuel to the fire. But I know it’s difficult to stay calm and sensitive when you’re being hit with anonymous, angry insults – plus her defiant attitude is what had made fans like me love her and her music so much to begin with.

Anyway, I just received a promo of the whole album, so I’m hoping listening to it in its entirety may help me decide one way or the other. For now, I’m still conflicted between love for the artist and disappointment in the art. :/