I just came back from the Jerusalem peace concert, headlined by the Black Eyed Peas, whose lead singer Will.i.Am offered repeated and ringing “I love Israel” endorsements during the show. He even suggested he might convert to Judaism and move to Israel because it has the most beautiful girls in the world. It looks like the Foreign Ministry’s Maxim campaign is paying dividends. Once known for his socially conscious and politically charged lyrics, the Black Eyed Peas most bold message tonight was a daring stance in favor of peace in the Middle East.
The Black Eyed Peas’ politics tonight are all the more surprising because it seems that playing in Israel is becoming an increasingly delicate matter for a lot of bands. The Rolling Stones were supposed to play here this month, but cancelled their tour recently, apparently when they caught whiff of the brewing controversey. Other rockers have ignored calls for boycott and played in Israel, but have still had to alter their plans to take into account political sensitivities. Last summer, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters decided at the last minute not to play in Tel Aviv as a show of protest against Israeli policies. He instead played in the mixed Arab-Jewish village of Neveh Shalom in central Israel. Before the concert, he spray painted “No thought control” on the West Bank separation barrier.
Despite the Black Eyed Peas’ support for Israel, not all Israelis were too pleased with the band’s visit. Fergie, the blonde sex kitten that dominates their act, was cut out of all the promotional posters around town because Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox were reportedly offended by her skimpy get up.
28 responses so far ↓
1 lisoosh // Sep 10, 2007 at 4:21 am
Is there any actual news?
2 Bully // Sep 10, 2007 at 6:32 pm
“cut out of all the promotional posters around town because Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox were reportedly offended by her skimpy get up.”
The “religious” are all the same, no matter how they call their divine being.
3 Shual // Sep 11, 2007 at 4:17 am
“Haaretz learned Tuesday that the Prime Minister’s Office requested a copy of a 1995 paper formulated during secret meetings between Yossi Beilin and Mahmoud Abbas.”
A copy? Here, Mr. PM Olmert: http://www.mideastweb.org/beilinabumazen1.htm [I think they cut him from the Internet, cause his wife caugth him exploring the fineness of the new Maxim-ODF-girls-strategy.]
4 tsedek // Sep 13, 2007 at 7:52 pm
It looks like the Foreign Ministry’s Maxim campaign is paying dividends
Huh??? Foreign Ministry’s?
5 tsedek // Sep 13, 2007 at 7:58 pm
btw: although i always loved the rolling stones i am from now on boycotting their music. i don’t even want to hear it anymore. suckers.
6 Fred Beloit // Sep 14, 2007 at 12:06 pm
“Before the concert, he spray painted “No thought control” on the West Bank separation barrier.” Was he then arrested and expelled for defacing public property? No? Why not?
7 JWeaver // Sep 14, 2007 at 1:15 pm
This is great news. There needs to be more celebrity groups that would publicly support Israel.
8 plutosdad // Sep 14, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Personally I think Lebanese women are the hottest. It’s like a whole country of supermodels!
On another note, isn’t the boycotts and pressure applied to anyone who plays in Israel actually thought control? Not the other way around?
9 M. Simon // Sep 14, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Just the thought of those Israeli girls handling heavy weapons……
10 GW Crawford // Sep 14, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Very sad.
Boycott the one democratic country in the region and say nothing about the theocratic and socialist dictatorships around it
I am joining the Ban the Rolling Stones group. Waters preaches high and mighty but conveniently ignores evil. Maybe it is because in Israel you can speak out whereas those who are actually evil are dangerous to piss off.
I guess Iosif Stalin’s turn of phrase of ‘useful idiots’ is most appropriate here
11 David Ross // Sep 14, 2007 at 2:00 pm
This is a good first step, but the real test will be what they do with “Where Is The Love”.
“Where Is The Love” was the first song with major airplay to take a stance against the military side of WW4. Iraq was the focus of the song, but the same lyrics would apply for Afghanistan. Protecting the world against al-Qaeda and their like isn’t cool anymore among the 18-30 set, and some of that blame belongs with whoever writes the songs for this band.
12 Shawn Levasseur // Sep 14, 2007 at 2:03 pm
I’m sure the main concern for the Peas was that the money was good.
Not saying that their love of Israel isn’t legit. Just that they’ve sold themselves so many times over, it’s their defining characteristic in my mind.
I normally think no less of bands appearing in commercials (being a free-market advocate myself), but the Peas appeared in multiple commercials for different companies in roughly the same marketplace:
The iPod ads, XM Radio, and Best Buy electronics stores, all had the Peas. Such over-exposure with products in overlapping markets, caused them to gain a “Anything for a Buck” image with me.
I also found it amusing at the last Democratic Party convention, they played “Let’s Get Retarded” to my amusement. (Okay, it was the sanitized “Let’s Get It Started” version, but still it felt like they were treating it like just another payday and not thinking much about the choice of songs)
13 Greg // Sep 14, 2007 at 2:53 pm
I’m probably just feeding a troll here, but I thought I’d spare a word on Bully’s comment.
“The “religious” are all the same, no matter how they call their divine being.”
Yes, they’re all the same.
Because murdering a woman for being raped is exactly the same as arming a woman to defend herself.
Because beating a woman who doesn’t wear a black sheet from head to toe is exactly the same as not wanting her to run around in her underwear.
Because locking a woman in her home unless accompanied by a man is exactly the same as… er… not doing it.
Yeah, those wacky religious types– all the same. Let’s all be atheists so we can be all sanctimonious and smug and judgemental while still being able to sleep in on Sundays.
14 David Ross // Sep 14, 2007 at 2:53 pm
You know, I’d forgotten “Let’s Get It Started”. The Peas wrote the stoner anthem of the year and then hastily cleaned it up, to the extent it only exists among bootleggers and fans of “Howard & Kumar”.
Peas porridge hot - Peas porridge cold - Peas porridge in the pot, four years old…
15 Wince and Nod // Sep 14, 2007 at 6:02 pm
“The “religious” are all the same, no matter how they call their divine being.”
The atheists are all… oh, wait, no they aren’t. I know atheists who appreciate religious belief, appreciate religious people and appreciate the good religious people do, all without sharing that belief.
Yours,
Wince
16 Bully // Sep 14, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Well,
they are all the same as the imposse their beliefs and morals to anybody else, regardless if he wishes to or not.
The means they use are quite different, though, so point taken on this one.
17 laura // Sep 14, 2007 at 11:30 pm
charles, i just came across your blog…it’s awesome. thanks for having the integrity to get the truth out there. people deserve to know what is really going on in the middle east. an accurate understanding will bring us one step closer to peace. thank you!!
18 tsedek // Sep 15, 2007 at 11:22 am
GW Crawford // Sep 14, 2007 at 1:43 pm
“I am joining the Ban the Rolling Stones group.”
Yeahhhh!!! Let’s get it started
—————————————-
Uhhh laura ‘what is really going on’??
20 people, 20 different interpretaties, dear.
19 Tennwriter // Sep 15, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Well, even if the Peas are doing it just for money, its a good cause. I accept mercs.
20 john // Sep 15, 2007 at 10:34 pm
“cut out of all the promotional posters around town because Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox were reportedly offended by her skimpy get up.”
Pardon me sticking my two cents in here, the relgious communities in Jerusalem are allowed to object to scantily clad people being posted up around town.
Rembracing diversity? Multiculturalism? They aren’t saying she can’t flaunt her body to advertise the band - they are simply asking that you respect their beliefs and not do it in their neighborhoods.
If someone started putting up billboards in SanFran declaring that Gay was Evil - what would you say?
The fact that you have the right to express youself and do or say what you want is no excuse for disrepecting other people. That’s a phase most folks get over by the time they hit the early twenties….
Get a life
21 Shual // Sep 16, 2007 at 1:37 pm
My favorite still is Shlomo Amars: „Homosexuals hurt their parents! And even in democracies that is not allowed!„ [30.03.2005 - joint anti-Soddom and Gomorra press conference]
But are the Ultras REALLY responsible for cutting out No10 Maxim-girl Fergie? Colette Avital [June 2007 IDF-Maxim-girl-affaire]: “Israel’s image has been tainted by sex scandals involving high-ranking officials as it is. I wonder if the best way to encourage tourism is by advertising sex.”
So, correction: “Fergie, the blonde sex kitten that dominates their act, was cut out of all the promotional posters around town because Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox were reportedly offended by her skimpy get up and the Avitals and Yachimovitchs and Livnis ….”
Hey! This is fascinating! I can remember the alliance of Shas and Yahimovitch in the case of the fiscal figth for a directorate for labor-rigths… Great! The “anti-boob-coalition”.
22 hope // Mar 15, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I love the black eyed peas
23 hope // Mar 15, 2008 at 3:22 pm
i love music and i love the black eyed peas
24 kellee // Apr 16, 2008 at 4:14 pm
u guys r the best singers ever……..
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26 rodrigo // Sep 24, 2008 at 12:36 am
a musica di voceis fasen o maior suseso aqui no Brazil é muito boua inventen novas musicas
27 mescoarma // Oct 21, 2008 at 11:54 am
Good day! endep
28 mescoarma // Oct 21, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Good day! poppy z brite
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