The Reluctant Whore

Here’s the new music video for Madonna’s “Get Stupid” and look I’m all for all levels of cultural discourse chiming in about the presidential election because the whole thing is three ring circus anyway but this is completely empty.

I mean, the idea is fine but it essentially comes across as trite. Madonna has been outsourcing her soul for such a long time that all this really is is a first year political science/self help essay set against a music video backdrop that languidly references Barbara Kruger and Andy Warhol and makes some mindless comparisons between John McCain, Robert Mugabe, Kiim Jong Il and the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. I suppose if the point is to gear her legions of fans up to vote for Obama then ok but it’s a little mindless. But then, I guess so are the kinds of people who would make up their mind about which candidate to vote for based on what Madonna says in a music video.

I watched it twice and just sat there afterwards, looking at my hands. I just didn’t feel anything. There was an emptiness. Madonna made me feel empty. Now I’m going to have to open that can of frosting I’d been saving for winter. That was my winter stash. Damn you Madonna but keep going, I guess.