Weekend roundup is here.
First up, 43+ million Americans have now seen Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond.” Including myself.
Here it is.
There’s a post from the past rolling around the interwebs…
For more on how some think this tune’s meteoric rise wasn’t just a random happening, check this out.
Including this:
There was nothing authentic about this song’s rise to popularity.
Jason Howerton seems to be the key player involved in the astroturfing campaign. He’s the CEO of Reach Digital, which helps “media companies and political influencers grow their social media footprint exponentially.”
Jason was one of the first accounts heavily promoting this song as he provided a background on Oliver Anthony and his faith. Jason indicates that Oliver Anthony had been contacted to record the song. Jason also admits he even covered the cost to produce the record.
So who wrote the song? And how did so many big right wing-accounts have the video ready to post simultaneously?
You can like the song, and like its message without gaslighting us into believing this was an authentic viral hit by a simple country man with a mic and a guitar.
“Launch a product, get over 1.3 million hits” overnight was the article Mr. Howerton shared on Linkedln. This was another Conservative Inc AstroTurf campaign
We report. You decide.
Meanwhile, over at government-funded media, NPR has this…
Next up: Our pals over at the New York Times let the mask slip more than a little, for at least a few hours earlier this week.
They renamed the story after a few hours.
As for the “believe what they say,” check out this video by Mark Smith over at Four Boxes Diner.
A bunch of amicus briefs to the US Supreme Court from a host of sources claiming, rather boldly and publicly, that “we have no right to keep and bear arms” and no right to protect ourselves, this is what they really think and really mean.
And lastly, from Chicago (CWB Chicago):
#17: Drive-by shooter killed 1, injured 4, and accidentally shot an accomplice while on bail for machine gun possession, prosecutors say
CHICAGO — Prosecutors say a man on bail for illegally possessing a machine gun shot five people and accidentally shot one of his accomplices during a drive-by on Chicago’s West Side last month.
The early morning shooting killed Ashley Griggs, the 41-year-old mother of Carnell Tate, a standout freshman in Ohio State’s football program.
Manuel Bahamon, 22, and Ismael Lozada, 23, are each charged with one count of first-degree murder and four counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Judge Charles Beach held both men without bail during a court hearing on Friday afternoon.
Bahamon is the 17th person accused of shooting, killing, or trying to shoot or kill someone in Chicago this year while awaiting trial for a felony. The cases involve at least 28 victims, nine of whom died.
The events began early on July 16 when Bahamon, Lozada, and a third person who remains at large saw the victims shooting dice in the 4000 block of West Washington, prosecutors explained in a written proffer provided by the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
At about 2:24 a.m., the person still at large drove both men and three witnesses back to the same block to look for the victims, the proffer said. Prosecutors did not explain why they went back to look for the group.
As they rolled down the block in a silver Infiniti, Bahamon and Lozada allegedly opened fire on the crowd from the car’s passenger windows.
Griggs was shot ten times in the head and died, according to prosecutors. Suffering non-fatal gunshot wounds were a 40-year-old woman and men ages 38, 39, and 42.
Shot in the head 10 times? Even if it was a switched Glock, that’s personal.
Speaking of parasites…. This Oliver Anthony seems to be trying to COPY and FREELOAD off the Jason Aldean idea but adding a twist to NOT his idea. If he really thinks Biden is all that I say he should grab a Bud Lite and be the cuck he always dreamed of. When it comes to scum that thinks we have no 2A rights and no right to self defense it’s obvious they have some serious mental illness going on. Hopefully they personally meet up with some of the thugs they coddle and get a little lesson. Maybe the drive by problem is something the ISP can tackle, rather than going after law abiding gun owners who don’t like unconstitutional laws. They can task force the Glock switch problem rather than shit up all the support law abiding gun owners give them.
Well now. Oliver Anthony likes Biden? Okay.
I fail to understand all the hubbub about this bub. I didn’t like him when I heard the song cause, A. He can’t sing for SHIT, and B. His guitar strumming is RUDIMENTARY and boring, at best.
Then he said something about not wanting it played as a repuklican “anthem.” Well, why make a song that sure sounds like a conservative talking point if you don’t want it adopted?
Now that it turns out you were all hoodwinked, I’m just chucking !
This was GOING TO BE the summer of the redheaded redneck guitar singer, but thankfully, in a week he’ll be GONE!
This “bub” may be gone, but the “deep state apparachiks” that runs the corridor north of Richmond all the way to New York City will remain…..democrats, republicans are nothing more than puppets of the deep state ….might as well be the uni-party….Mr Trump….the buffoon that he is ….was right about one thing…..”They are not coming after me, they are coming after you….I am just in the way”……stat safe out there and as always….keep your powder dry.
Amen, brother. I’ll admit to being hoodwinked. I read that story Boch mentioned. Here’s some of it.
They Want to Believe
No matter how many times they get burned, it’s child’s play to fool conservatives again and again. Even more than liberals, they see only what they want to see. It’s not a mystery how conservatives managed to have their country stolen right out from under them, as they don’t have the self-preservation skills of the average baby rabbit.
The reaction of a number of SGers to the observation that nothing goes viral that is not fake, manufactured, and unauthorized. Remember, these are SGers, not Gab users. They’re not stupid. But they’re susceptible to the right kind of rhetoric, which is to say, emotional manipulation.
I place the odds that he’s “fake and gay” about the same as Owen being “fake and gay.” (Near 0)
Many of the comments here lay bare how out of touch most people..left & right are with blue collar stiffs in rural America. Ive lived and worked around these types my whole life. I watched him sing, do the interviews. Hes real.
I’m not much of a country music fan, but the song touched my soul and many, many others. He reminds me of Johnny Cash. A deeply flawed man, with a good voice, and an ability to reach the working class. They’re men. Not demons or saints.
Pulling one quote out of context and condemning a man and decrying others on SG is dumb. On the whole he’s helpful, and over his head
We have yet another decent, unaware person humiliated for pointing out even a small amount of truth. How does that help?
Sounds very much like he wrote them. The great general “anthem” feel everyone can related, then the very specific reference to 5’3” 300 pounds and buying specific junkfood on EBT card comes across as a person “this ticks me off” experience.
At least far fewer people are falling for the Red-Bearded Bard of Appalachia than fell for the Sobbing Sage of Toronto a few years ago. Of course, it won’t be long before the anons figure out everything from who actually wrote the song to who paid for its recording and who funded the viral marketing campaign. This sort of thing isn’t new, by the way. I remember the WaxTrax executives talking about how seriously they were annoyed by Warner Bros. very successful, but deceptive launch of Guns ‘n Roses as an indy rock band on a fake independent label called Uzi Suicide.
That’s another reason to turn down a record deal that most people don’t appear to have considered. You can’t sign one if you’ve already got one.
The initial conclusion appears to be that this is a Conservative Inc. campaign. If so, then my guess is that it’s ultimately intended as an anti-Trump play. So, watch to see whose presidential campaign the Bard of Appalachia appears at for potential confirmation.
Seems plausible.
Well, the guy did say he was mentally ill. The explains plenty right good and there.
NOTHING in traditional media is REAL. Technology makes all of the information too easy to manipulate, create, or fake. Believe in Conservatism and Originalism. This extends to blindly following ANY politician including Trump. No doubt economically we were in better shape, and geopolitically. Be wary his 2A record is not good, and all he ‘accomplished’ was fleeting. RINO’s had much to do with that; my point is to be critical of EVERYTHING.
Our country is in a dark place. We had a war for independence. The tree of liberty needs watering. Perhaps with the blood of Patriots. As well as the tears of traitorous ideologues.
The red-headed crooner is right about one thing: Joe Biden’s not taking handouts. He’s taking bribes. Or a cut of the bribes his son is bagging for him. As mentioned earlier, he’s admitted to mental illness. That explains his support of Joe Biden. That or low-information ignorance.