Kevin Marshall's America
“A joke is a very serious thing.” – Winston Churchill
As a writer and a satirist, I often employ the use of exaggeration, irony, and sarcasm in what are sometimes trivial circumstances to highlight the absurdities we often encounter in day to day life and conversation.
Unfortunately, people don’t always take blog posts like my previous post regarding the confusion over Fran Cosmo’s role in the band Boston in the manner and spirit in which they are intended.
In last Monday’s print edition of the Times Union, I was asked if I had advice for bloggers. Part of my advice was that one should always be mindful of how what you write affects other people. Although I meant more in the sense of personal ad hominem attacks and character assassination (both directly and through anonymous “allusions” to a person), it also applies to things that one may take delight or humor in that can have a very real impact on someone.
Such was the case with Bostongate.
My goals in writing my previous post were three-fold: to continue my campaign of self-promotion (in which I am openly and admittedly shameless), to highlight the absurdities of the ongoing Alive at Five controversy on this blog, and to examine the the conflicts and confusion caused when one markets a performer as “former lead singer” when, in fact, their tenure was brief and the association is more commonly made with a more famous counter-part.
Unfortunately, a very nice woman who carries a very real passion for her work took this to mean that I somehow thought less of her as a publicist and a human being. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The person in question has, in my brief correspondence with them, come across as a very sincere and earnest individual. I maintain it was a mis-step to phrase the subject of the message in the manner which shedid, but her intent was the furthest thing from malicious. I just hope she fully understands that mine wasn’t either.
We all make mistakes, both personally and professionally, and we can all take solace in making light of them. A miscommunication can become Kevin Marshall embroiled in a brief feud with the construct of a classic rock band, and we can take some humor in what we all view as a silly misunderstanding. Unfortunately, that solace often only comes in hindsight to the targets and participants. In the interim, feelings can get hurt and intentions can be mistaken.
So to the individual who contacted me, I apologize if you felt your confidence was violated or that I meant in any way to devalue your worth as a human being or a professional.
Let’s just hope Eddie Money’s people are as agreeable.
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20 Responses to When Fun Stops Being Fun
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STALK ME
Can we get back to the posts about dating chicks who drink too much?
-gen
If there’s one thing I took away from doing stand-up it was ownership of my words.
Two movie quotes come to mind for some of the folks you’re dealing with here: “Why so serious?” And “Does anyone remember laughter?” Robert Plant said one of those.
Do you always have so many problems? You’re like a friggin’ train wreck. Must be the name “Kevin” – my son Kevin is an accident waiting to happen.
I am the Charlie Brown of bloggers.
Having been alternately bullied and buttered up by many a musician’s publicist, Kevin, I can sympathize.
Bottom line to me, though…”former lead singer” is a generic term that any journalist can use in good faith to describe any person who once filled that role for any band (yes, length of tenure may be considered, but it’s a red herring when all is said and done). It’s not a brand name or trademark.
You did absolutely nothing wrong at any stage of this brouhaha.
Whoops. I second HockeyJoeGM… “Why so serious?”
People need to relax and take things less seriously.
Not to appear to oppose w Hockey Joe and Cute~Ella, but there is a certain amount of negative attention you have to learn to deal with as a blogger. I was actually developing a pretty good following a few years ago, and had alot of what I was writing taken the wrong way, and even though I thought I did enough to “right the wrongs,” a lot of people out there still don’t take well to jokes. That’s part of the reason why I don’t contribute regularly any more.
I don’t justify that behavior (duh, if anybody knows me, they know I don’t take anything seriously), I’m just saying that I sympathize with what Kevin is dealing with regarding this topic.
I am new to this blog thing….I’m writing some stuff over in the East greenbush blog. After writing my 1st post, and publishing it, my wife read it and said…”do you really want to say that? That family still lives here.” I went back and took out the questionable line. I was trying to be clever and funny too. We can walk a fine line sometimes. Someone will always be offended I guess. We could say ” save the planet” andsomeone would complian how the earth killed their dog in a flood. I v’e only been reading your stuff recently, but you don’t seem at all malicious. Hipefully this person will accept your appology.
Personally I think we should be allowed to say literaly anything, however we may have to deal with the consequences. I wrote a letter to the editor for the TU once and my wife got a nasty phone call about it.
I do need to clarify that at no point was there a mandate or suggestion given from the Times Union that I should modify or post anything. Every action I’ve taken has been voluntary and entirely of my own doing.
Also, it’s not so much me taking back what was written or going against my word, but simply acknowledging when it may have been taken the wrong way or perceived as going too far. I’m no more cautious now than I was before: I always try to maintain awareness of how my actions may impact and influence others, whether it’s in a blog or walking down the street. I see nothing wrong with occasionally acknowledging these sort of things. It keeps the lines of communication open and intentions clear.
And she did accept the apology quite graciously, offering a bit of her own for the misunderstanding. We’re all friends here, youse guys.
Hey, I have an idea, instead of Kevin Marshall we should call you Sarah Marshall and just forget about you since you whine and have absolutely no point. Can you deal with rejection, sarcasm and irony when it is turned back on you?
You are so clever! I think YOU should have your own blog.
People are so touchy lately. It’s not just the people you have to deal with on the internet.
(Although people tend to be all the more touchy on the ‘net.)
Nah, I have too much fun here with everyone! No disrespect!
#13 little confused how someone can be “touchy” on the internet? They must have the worlds longest arms???
I have maligned my ex-husband on my blog several times now, but luckily he doesn’t know how to read so I’m safe.
With no disrespect to my brother (bc im sure he agrees) anybody that takes blogging as a serious media outlet and source of news has to re evaluate everything theyve learned. Or at least get themselves a sense of humor and move forward from there.
Does anyone even give a flying crap about Boston (the band) anymore? I’m still sick of hearing their music after hearing it over and over again for over 30 years.
Kevin – I LOVE Charlie Brown. ‘Tis an interesting place, this blogging world. Been at the T.U. for over two years now and I consider myself quite benign as far as blogs go. Still, I somehow managed to get someone riled up and much as I’d like to have a go, I’m sucking it up and biting my tongue. In the past, I have apologized when necessary because sometimes that ‘tone’ just doesn’t fly through the wires.
Keep up the great work!
Teri
@Jack #17,
I get more news from news and political blogs than I do “news” media.
Televised news is pathetic and uninformative, and newspapers just rehash AP stories I heard about yesterday.