Post your unpopular opinions

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Apr 26, 2017 7:42 pm

I just don't see anything special about Jennifer Lawrence. People seemed to think she was a big deal for a while, but...

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:42 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:I just don't see anything special about Jennifer Lawrence. People seemed to think she was a big deal for a while, but...

JMarkJohns · Post by **JMarkJohns** » Wed Apr 26, 2017 9:02 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:I just don't see anything special about Jennifer Lawrence. People seemed to think she was a big deal for a while, but...

This will be a fun game.

But... "Then we saw her boobs!"

But... "Then she became the female Jude Law and starred in everything."

But... "Then she stopped being cool chick and became annoying chick."

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:54 am

JMarkJohns wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:I just don't see anything special about Jennifer Lawrence. People seemed to think she was a big deal for a while, but...
This will be a fun game.

But... "Then we saw her boobs!"

But... "Then she became the female Jude Law and starred in everything."

But... "Then she stopped being cool chick and became annoying chick."

Actually, I haven't seen her boobs and never really viewed her as either cool or annoying. I've seen some of her movies, but not many. I just find her really unremarkable across the board. Not in a really good or bad way, just really unremarkable.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:59 am

She was good in Winter's Bone and Silver Linings Playbook, but just very generic in everything else I have seen her in.

She was the least interesting person in Passengers, even less so than the bartender. And that's hard to do when there are only 4 actors in the whole movie.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:26 am

She's boring

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:18 am

Taylor Swift is a musical genius.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:58 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:Taylor Swift is a mass marketing machine.

FYP

EVCat · Post by **EVCat** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:07 am

I still love U2. I love Bono's rants. I love the earnest, world-saving overreach of the band. I love the One Foundation. I even love Pop, which was a highly underrated album. I am like a 15 year old kid in the countdown to the Joshua Tree 30 show at Rose Bowl. I think the hate lobbed toward U2 is far too deeply based in people being mad that they try. And that is stupid. And the music...every album was different. It is unimpeachable in integrity, and sometimes, like with Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, they settled on mass greatness. But every album they released has moments of perfection. Screw you neckbeards who have made U2 into your High Fidelity-wannabe pincushion...

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:18 am

CalStateTempe wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:Taylor Swift is a mass marketing machine.
FYP

Maybe. My opinion is based in the idea that she is incredibly good at making pop music. People get snooty about it, but if it was easy to sell millions, I would be doing it. It takes talent, and she has an unparalleled talent in the area.

People used to criticize boy bands as sellouts, but if I could make millions with the Ghetto Avenue Boys, I'd have sold out in a heartbeat.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:41 am

I rooted for the Pats in the Super Bowl.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:43 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:Taylor Swift is a musical genius.

Ray Kroc was a food genius.

Lando05 · Post by **Lando05** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:07 am

I love Boston, one of my favorite cities I've ever been to. Been a huge Redsox, Patriot, and Celtics fan since I was a child.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:12 am

The only good looking girls in Boston are tourists/out of towners

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:42 am

Lando05 wrote:I love Boston, one of my favorite cities I've ever been to. Been a huge Redsox, Patriot, and Celtics fan since I was a child.

I dislike Boston. One of America's most segregated cities.

http://247wallst.com/special-report/201 ... -cities/2/" target="_blank

Yeah, there's history, but if I had to rank cities, Boston is way towards the bottom.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 12:08 pm

Lando05 wrote:I love Boston, one of my favorite cities I've ever been to. Been a huge Redsox, Patriot, and Celtics fan since I was a child.

Bands with only one surviving member should not be able to use the name of that band, ie Boston.

How many original Beach Boys left? One?

JMarkJohns · Post by **JMarkJohns** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 12:30 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:Taylor Swift is a mass marketing machine.
FYP
Maybe. My opinion is based in the idea that she is incredibly good at making pop music. People get snooty about it, but if it was easy to sell millions, I would be doing it. It takes talent, and she has an unparalleled talent in the area.

People used to criticize boy bands as sellouts, but if I could make millions with the Ghetto Avenue Boys, I'd have sold out in a heartbeat.

I have nothing against pop music. And Swift certainly strikes that empowered female for the exploiting chord true to her fans. But because people like something doesn't make it quality. I don't think Swift is good at making pop music so much as she's good at convincing us she's good at making pop music.

Her songs are not good and are utterly forgettable. But she sorta plays/writes/sings her own stuff, so she's tricked people into thinking she's an artist when she's truly a performer.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 12:32 pm

If Taylor Swift looked like Janis Joplin she would still be singing at church.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 12:45 pm

JMarkJohns wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:Taylor Swift is a mass marketing machine.
FYP
Maybe. My opinion is based in the idea that she is incredibly good at making pop music. People get snooty about it, but if it was easy to sell millions, I would be doing it. It takes talent, and she has an unparalleled talent in the area.

People used to criticize boy bands as sellouts, but if I could make millions with the Ghetto Avenue Boys, I'd have sold out in a heartbeat.
I have nothing against pop music. And Swift certainly strikes that empowered female for the exploiting chord true to her fans. But because people like something doesn't make it quality. I don't think Swift is good at making pop music so much as she's good at convincing us she's good at making pop music.

Her songs are not good and are utterly forgettable. But she sorta plays/writes/sings her own stuff, so she's tricked people into thinking she's an artist when she's truly a performer.

I disagree (which is great for the thread topic) because she is aiming to do exactly what she is doing. There are plenty of other people who want to do what she does. She is just doing it exponentially better than anyone else is.

If that's not genius, I don't know what is. I'm not a huge fan of her sound, but getting outside personal taste, she is producing pop music in an utterly exceptional way. I think her current pop dominance rivals any musician's dominance over the pop scene in history.

JMarkJohns · Post by **JMarkJohns** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:21 pm

I get what you're saying. But a real artist, a genius, as you put it, would write music that lasts, and that can be appreciated by more than a strikingly specific gender, age, and race demographic.

To me, an actual pop genius would be someone like Elton John or Cyndi Lauper. Both are still celebrated, heralded, and both still write and perform meaningful music, but are dominantly remembered for their early work. Their songs have unique sounds, distinctive to an era, but not bound to it, and defined by many types of buyers/consumers/fans.

I'm a 34 year old White Male with mixed Hispanic heritage, and I listen to both a lot.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:37 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
JMarkJohns wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:Taylor Swift is a mass marketing machine.
FYP
Maybe. My opinion is based in the idea that she is incredibly good at making pop music. People get snooty about it, but if it was easy to sell millions, I would be doing it. It takes talent, and she has an unparalleled talent in the area.

People used to criticize boy bands as sellouts, but if I could make millions with the Ghetto Avenue Boys, I'd have sold out in a heartbeat.
I have nothing against pop music. And Swift certainly strikes that empowered female for the exploiting chord true to her fans. But because people like something doesn't make it quality. I don't think Swift is good at making pop music so much as she's good at convincing us she's good at making pop music.

Her songs are not good and are utterly forgettable. But she sorta plays/writes/sings her own stuff, so she's tricked people into thinking she's an artist when she's truly a performer.
I disagree (which is great for the thread topic) because she is aiming to do exactly what she is doing. There are plenty of other people who want to do what she does. She is just doing it exponentially better than anyone else is.

If that's not genius, I don't know what is. I'm not a huge fan of her sound, but getting outside personal taste, she is producing pop music in an utterly exceptional way. I think her current pop dominance rivals any musician's dominance over the pop scene in history.

I agree she is goal-oriented and coldly calculating and disciplined in reaching them. No current peer in that regard.

Merkin's comment about appearance is also a factor that strengthens the brand. Or, perhaps, it raised the odds she'd get noticed in the first place.

Not like I have to listen. Not like I can't find what I prefer. So it's no big deal to me. I can imagine it being quite annoying to artists shooting higher. But it's not her fault. It's the general public that makes these decisions.

And, sure enough, people crowd into Starbucks when something just as good or better has no lines.

catgrad97 · Post by **catgrad97** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:04 pm

Appearance? But I thought the popular notion was that Swift is a horse face.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:14 pm

Her bolt on's are alright. Kudos to the best surgeon money can buy.

scumdevils86 · Post by **scumdevils86** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:19 pm

didn't realize she had plus 2's

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:20 pm

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:48 pm

JMarkJohns wrote:I get what you're saying. But a real artist, a genius, as you put it, would write music that lasts, and that can be appreciated by more than a strikingly specific gender, age, and race demographic.

To me, an actual pop genius would be someone like Elton John or Cyndi Lauper. Both are still celebrated, heralded, and both still write and perform meaningful music, but are dominantly remembered for their early work. Their songs have unique sounds, distinctive to an era, but not bound to it, and defined by many types of buyers/consumers/fans.

I'm a 34 year old White Male with mixed Hispanic heritage, and I listen to both a lot.

The ability to produce incredibly successful pop music is a talent. Lasting impact is always hard to judge down the line. I will say, when people look back at this era of pop music, I think Swift will be regarded in the same vein as Michael Jackson in the 80's. She will have that same level of dominance over an era.

I totally get the argument that she isn't really doing any more than providing people what they want, and lacks innovation and is not shaping taste but instead just appealing to it. It takes real genius to do that over a consistent basis. Look at Bieber and other contenders who fall short.

It is also bizarre to me that I just spent some time passionately defending Taylor Swift, who i don't really like that much. What a time to be alive.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 2:52 pm

Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:01 pm

gumby wrote: And, sure enough, people crowd into Starbucks when something just as good or better has no lines.

Campus I work at had no lines at the coffee shops, which used Seattle's Best.

They put a Starbuck's in, huge lines. Put another one in, still huge lines at both.

Bought a Starbuck's truck. Walked by it this morning, still long lines at it.

I'm just a black coffee guy.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:06 pm

But you're not a big black coffee guy.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:13 pm

CalStateTempe wrote:Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.

She's into older men than MJ. I'll give you that.

I think her impact in the pop world 2007-17 is in the same sphere as MJ's 1980-90. Hey, that's a big reason I'm pushing my unpopular opinion.

Heck, I'll triple down: remove personal taste and Swift>Nirvana.

dovecanyoncat · Post by **dovecanyoncat** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:29 pm

Sid wrote: Dove,
Wife wants to get over the hill to Temecula for a day of wine tasting. I think it's been over 5 years since I've been out that way. Curious if you have any recommendations? My favorite on that stretch has always been Hart. Apologies in advance if the Dove Canyon is not the Dove here in the OC.

Thanks!

My apologies, Sid, I used to live in Dove Canyon, Marana, part of greater Tucson, and my only foray into Cali wine travel was the Paso Robles region so I don't have any suggestions.

Merkin wrote:I love alcohol and caffeine.

Would not make a good Mormon.

The advantage of not having a good palate is that I can really enjoy cheap wine. I do buy a lot of boxed wine, not the huge Peter Vella ones, but the smaller 1.5L-3L ones.

Corbett Canyon is probably my favorite. 3L box of Cabernet for $8.95 at Walmart. Believe it was given a 93 at one time.

That's the perfect relationship to have with wine: enjoying what you drink. Every year since retirement we travel for a month to wine producing regions of the world and swill our way across new countries. Australia. New Zealand. On May 1 we're off to South Africa. Don't let the snobs tell you what to enjoy; your mouth and nose is all you need. Well, a passport helps.

In vino veritas!

EVCat · Post by **EVCat** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:30 pm

CalStateTempe wrote:Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.

But there is a LOT of space in the "successful" side of that ledger. There are a very few successful pop song writers. And she is one of them. She writes quality pop songs. They may not be someone's cup o' tea, but the talent is there.

Like, for me, I recognize the talent of the group YES. But I would rather roll around on razor blades than listen to them. Talent...yes. My interest...no.

Taylor Swift has proven herself with staying power in a fickle industry.

CalStateTempe · Post by **CalStateTempe** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:36 pm

Swift is a great musical appropriator.

She sells records and fills stadiums, but jacksons stuff was way more revolutionary for the time.

And I'll admit, I do like some swift songs even if I find her insufferable as a person.

JMarkJohns · Post by **JMarkJohns** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:37 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.
She's into older men than MJ. I'll give you that.

I think her impact in the pop world 2007-17 is in the same sphere as MJ's 1980-90. Hey, that's a big reason I'm pushing my unpopular opinion.

Heck, I'll triple down: remove personal taste and Swift>Nirvana.

You're trolling us, aren't you?!

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 4:59 pm

JMarkJohns wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.
She's into older men than MJ. I'll give you that.

I think her impact in the pop world 2007-17 is in the same sphere as MJ's 1980-90. Hey, that's a big reason I'm pushing my unpopular opinion.

Heck, I'll triple down: remove personal taste and Swift>Nirvana.
You're trolling us, aren't you?!

No. I do feel like I'm nailing the spirit of this thread, though.

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:36 pm

I can't say that I'd be able to identify more than 1 Taylor Swift song. In that 1980-1990 Michael Jackson era I was -6 to 4 years old and I know dozens of his songs. Taylor Swift is not very important, memorable or overly talented in my opinion. She's just like dozens of girl pop singers before and after her.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:17 pm

I don't listen to pop radio after my daughter grew up and moved out, so could not identify a Taylor Swift song on the radio.

Grew up with Michael Jackson since we were both the same age. Loved watching him with the Jackson 5, and even his early solo work with that killer rat song Ben.

However, Off the Wall was a great frickin' MJ album just on it's own, and of course Thriller is just about the most popular album of the 1980s.

Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson should never be mentioned in the same sentence outside of plastic surgery.

dovecanyoncat · Post by **dovecanyoncat** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:20 pm

The Greek Freak plays too much GyroBall.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:17 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
JMarkJohns wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.
She's into older men than MJ. I'll give you that.

I think her impact in the pop world 2007-17 is in the same sphere as MJ's 1980-90. Hey, that's a big reason I'm pushing my unpopular opinion.

Heck, I'll triple down: remove personal taste and Swift>Nirvana.
You're trolling us, aren't you?!
No. I do feel like I'm nailing the spirit of this thread, though.

Michael Jackson is the King of Pop. To compare Taylor Swift's impact to his isn't so much an unpopular opinion as it is a completely shit-for-bonkers exaggeration. What's next? Captain and Tennile surpassing Sinatra?

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:35 pm

I'm thinking I may have won this one.

Here's another. Black Dynamite is the best comedy of the last decade. There's no I in revolutio...in team."

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:39 pm

Is it just me, or is Dodgeball a one of the greatest classics of cinema?

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:02 pm

Longhorned wrote:Is it just me, or is Dodgeball a one of the greatest classics of cinema?

There are certain comedies that I can rewatch constantly. Dodgeball is on that list, along with Dumb and Dumber and Talladega Nights. It's never a bad time to watch those movies.

dovecanyoncat · Post by **dovecanyoncat** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:40 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
Longhorned wrote:Is it just me, or is Dodgeball a one of the greatest classics of cinema?
There are certain comedies that I can rewatch constantly. Dodgeball is on that list, along with Dumb and Dumber and Talladega Nights. It's never a bad time to watch those movies.

+ No Country For Old Men

ASUHATER! · Post by **ASUHATER!** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:14 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
Longhorned wrote:Is it just me, or is Dodgeball a one of the greatest classics of cinema?
There are certain comedies that I can rewatch constantly. Dodgeball is on that list, along with Dumb and Dumber and Talladega Nights. It's never a bad time to watch those movies.

I own Dumb and Dumber for that reason. And Office Space. And Step Brothers.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:25 pm

I hate the NFL and it's draft. I hate ESPN and it should die a horrible death

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:02 am

catgrad97 wrote:Appearance? But I thought the popular notion was that Swift is a horse face.

Hot or Not does not reflect reality.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:06 am

Merkin wrote:
gumby wrote: And, sure enough, people crowd into Starbucks when something just as good or better has no lines.
Campus I work at had no lines at the coffee shops, which used Seattle's Best.

They put a Starbuck's in, huge lines. Put another one in, still huge lines at both.

Bought a Starbuck's truck. Walked by it this morning, still long lines at it.

I'm just a black coffee guy.

Same. I get the Kirkland's Bold (Costco) from the office Keurig. Then I walked over to Starbuck's and hang out. I mean, I do want to be SEEN.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:12 am

Merkin wrote:I don't listen to pop radio after my daughter grew up and moved out, so could not identify a Taylor Swift song on the radio.

Grew up with Michael Jackson since we were both the same age. Loved watching him with the Jackson 5, and even his early solo work with that killer rat song Ben.

However, Off the Wall was a great frickin' MJ album just on it's own, and of course Thriller is just about the most popular album of the 1980s.

Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson should never be mentioned in the same sentence outside of plastic surgery.

Plus, MJ had no peer as an entertainer. Spectacular.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:13 am

azcat49 wrote:I hate the NFL and it's draft. I hate ESPN and it should die a horrible death

Must be a generational thing. I hate it, too. Can't believe it's a live show.

gumby · Post by **gumby** » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:20 am

EVCat wrote:
CalStateTempe wrote:Swift is no micheal Jackson in any sphere.

Come on man you're smarter than that.
But there is a LOT of space in the "successful" side of that ledger. There are a very few successful pop song writers. And she is one of them. She writes quality pop songs. They may not be someone's cup o' tea, but the talent is there.

Like, for me, I recognize the talent of the group YES. But I would rather roll around on razor blades than listen to them. Talent...yes. My interest...no.

Taylor Swift has proven herself with staying power in a fickle industry.

I only cop to liking Fragile and Close to The Edge, after that Yes went in search of pop hits and became grocery store Muzak ... and rich.

Long distance runaround ...

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