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When an entertainment celebrity gives a political speech while accepting an award, it’s so common that it no longer surprises anyone. However, singer Lizzo takes home El American’s Idiocy of the Week award for complaining about oppression in her speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Lizzo took home MTV’s “Music Video for Good” award, which seems like a category that’s just a catch-all for someone who they know will give a political speech but isn’t good enough to be given an award in a regular category without coming off as suspicious. Kind of like the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rapper Lizzo thanked the award, acknowledging that she was not sure what the category meant, and then talked about how important it is to vote to change the laws that “are oppressing us.” In other words, she actually understood perfectly well what the award category was all about. The funniest thing is that she blurted out all this talk of oppression after she had won the award. I don’t even want to imagine her speech if she had lost.
Lizzo while accepting the Video for Good award at the #VMAs:
“Your vote means everything to me, it means everything to making a change in this country … When you’re voting for your favorite artist, vote to change some of these laws that are oppressing us.” pic.twitter.com/19UpJv3rkD
— The Recount (@therecount) August 29, 2022
The first thought that comes to mind when you see a multimillionaire singer complaining about oppression while receiving one of the most internationally acclaimed music awards is that Lizzo is totally out of her depth. But while it may not seem like it, I think Lizzo is aware —or at least senses it— why she’s gotten where she has, and she’s exploiting i A curious side note: although it may not seem like it, Lizzo has been a vegan for the past two years.
The left and Lizzo know that there are hundreds of things more oppressed than her —starting with the seams of her dress— but no matter what, wherever there is a characteristic that can arouse envy, the left will be there to talk about oppression and exploit victimhood. No matter the origin of this inequality, progressive magical thinking will always say that it is society’s fault and never the responsibility of the individual in question.
Deep down, Lizzo must know that if the progressive press has made an effort to propel her to success and fame, it is because she accumulates “oppression woke points” for being a woman, African-American and obese.
Lizzo, the umpteenth leftist artist/activist
Lizzo’s political discourse on oppression is ambiguous enough that we don’t know why exactly she feels oppressed, but it’s sobering enough that we know that, as usual, it’s pro-left.
Two interventions come to mind for every celebrity who gives such a speech. One was Ricky Gervais‘ unforgettable slap at celebrities during the Golden Globes when he asked them just to accept the award and stop the politicking.
“If you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent and your God and f— off.” Host @rickygervais calls for no politics at the #GoldenGlobes https://t.co/tNUhIo4NNJ pic.twitter.com/2RmnuCh1QX
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 6, 2020
The other is a forgotten statement by Elvis Presley refusing to answer political questions, reminding us that he is just an artist.
We need more celebrities with the humility and reasonableness of Ricky Gervais and Elvis Presley, and fewer victimhood-ridden activists who think they have the right to lecture like Lizzo.
Ignacio Manuel García Medina, Business Management teacher. Artist and lecturer specialized in Popular Culture for various platforms. Presenter of the program "Pop Libertario" for the Juan de Mariana Institute. Lives in the Canary Islands, Spain // Ignacio M. García Medina es profesor de Gestión de Empresas. Es miembro del Instituto Juan de Mariana y conferenciante especializado en Cultura Popular e ideas de la Libertad.
Social Networks: @ignaciomgm