'Chick' learned nothing

“It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and confirm it.”

Quote NOT FROM Natalie Maines

Natalie Maines , lead singer of The Dixie Chicks, apparently didn’t get the memo. Maines, whose outburst deriding President Bush at one of the Chicks’ overseas concerts derailed the group’s meteoric rise, is back at it again in the upcoming film, “Shut Up And Sing.” You’d think she would have learned the first time…you’d think crappy US ticket sales for Chicks’ recent tour would have been an indicator…you’d think country stations’ rejection of their music would make an impression…you’d think her cohorts would be ticked off about her big mouth pissing away super-ultra-mega-stardom for the group.

You might be wrong.

Maines, who contrary to the title of the film, apparently can’t just shut her yap and sing, apparently takes time in the new movie to say of Bush: “You dumb f***!” Repeatedly.

Miss Kettle, please meet President Pot.

Now I realize Miss Maines probably thinks she’s fighting the good fight against whatever evil Bush apparently embodies for her, but a person of intelligence would realize that the only people she’s hurting through her vituperation are herself and her band-mates. Bush isn’t hurt by the fact she’s sacrificed possible megastardom for the chance to use the stage as a bully-pulpit to feed her Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS.) And, of course, she’s depriving the country world of some first-class tunes – I love “Goodbye Earl” and other songs on the “Fly” album, but confess I haven’t bought a Chicks CD since she opened her yap.

Maybe her BDS is more important to her than success and universal acclaim…or maybe she’s just a spoiled and stupid woman, able to feel passion but not think logically.

I understand now she’s trying to persuade her band-mates to ditch country and move to some genre more receptive to her shtick. Maybe it’s the right move…maybe they can slide into the Indigo Girls track on the folk circuit…singing and preaching to like-minded flower children.

Because as long as she keeps spewing her unasked-for opinions and invective instead of singing, her music will be absent from my CD player.