For Some, Britney's Not Welcome At This Mall

[LoneStarLiberal]

For some, Britney's not welcome at this Mall

Huge NFL kickoff at 'America's back yard' draws protests against commercialism

By Bob Dart

WASHINGTON BUREAU

Thursday, September 4, 2003

WASHINGTON -- What? Britney Spears' navel is not a national treasure?

<snip>

"We should not be turning the Mall over to the highest bidder," said Judy Scott Feldman, chairwoman of the National Coalition to Save Our Mall. "This could set a precedent that could open the floodgates to all sorts of commercialization."

The concert, featuring Spears and other top acts leading up to the Washington Redskins-New York Jets game that begins the NFL season, is also being used to launch Pepsi Vanilla. Banners for the new soft drink and other products ranging from America Online to Coors beer will frame the stage and the U.S. Capitol behind it.

<http://www.statesman.com/asection/content/auto/epaper/editions/thursday/news_f3653ed7a4c5317300ed.html>

Anyone who has been paying the even the slightest amount of attention over the last three years should not be surprised in the least. I'm sure privatizing the Mall and letting Clear Channel slap billboards up on the sides of the Smithsonian and the Washington Monument is somewhere in the next round of "economic stimulus" legislation.

[Zech Marquis]

1. on ESPN Radio right now

Tony Kornheiser is just blasting Britney for her "support * no matter what he does" :evilgrin:

[bspence]

2. I live in DC

...and it took me over two and a half hours to get to work today. THANKS NFL!!!

I thought it was funny hearing Britney today. She said that she was probably going to root for the Jets, then she got booed, then she said, "Well, I think I'm going to root for both teams!" Tee hee!!

Stupid bimbo.

[gratuitous]

3. What's the big deal?

For years we've had "Senator X, brought to you by Chevron" and "Representative Y, sponsored by the Koch brothers." Suddenly I'm supposed to get all up in arms because a flippin' banner is put up on the Capitol Mall? At least in this case it's obvious who's buying the space.

[LoneStarLiberal]

7. If Only Senators Had Advertisements On Them

Then our political process would be infintely easier. "Follow the money and you will find your decision."

As wireless networking grows, perhaps we can force our Congress-critters to wear a small wireless front-and-back flat panel that downloads real-time information from an improved



website that shows who is giving them money and how much. That way we can see who is REALLY being represented.

[underpants]

4. Billboards on/around the Capitol?!?!??!

:grr:

You have got to be freakin' kidding me. This is outrageous.

The mall is going to be almost ruined anyway with the WWII monument. Yes there should be one (actually the D-Day memorial in Bedforde Va. is almost broke) but on the side not in the middle. And don't even get me started on a Reagan monument.

This is sad sad sad.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Scaife says...

the Reagan Monument is on hold until they put him on Mt. Rushmore.

[zbdent]

9. Clinton's first!

It's in the Congressional Record, August 1993.

Forget the rep's name right now, but SD was his area, and he was a Repuke at the time.

Said that he wishes Clinton well, but the budget was going to bankrupt the country. If it did what Clinton said it would (start reducing the deficit, etc.), he would be the first to demand Clinton's bust on Mt. Rushmore!

Too bad that "A promise made is a promise kept." (George W. Bush, on the campaign trail, not in the White House)

[Emboldened Chimp]

15. Reagan won't make it to Rushmore

The mountain isn't structurally sound, so if they carve, it all comes down.

[Monte Carlo]

6. Saving a mall from commercialism?

Does that strike anyone else as funny? Not that I don't sympathize with the consequences of the ever-larger onslaughts of commericialism in this country, but how do you save a mall from that? Seems like a lost cause, myself.

EDIT: Ha, just joking. I knew they were talking about the Washington mall all along. Heh, heh, heh.

[donsu]

10. Being Born in DC I too didn't connect Mall with the Wash. Mall

the Washington Mall? a musical advertising event on the Mall?

Oh the degradation!

[regnaD kciN]

17. Yes, but...

...somehow, the words "Britney" and "Mall" seem inseparably linked, don't you think?

[onehandle]

8. She's playing Malls now?

Back to her Tiffany roots....which are black.

[CheshireCat]

11. Not a shopping mall

They are talking about the mall at the Capitol in DC, not a shopping mall.

[Snellius]

12. If Britney performed with the Dixie Chicks, would anybody go?

Or maybe it would be like those soccer games in South America where they have to fence off the fans on opposite sides. Too bad Celebrity Death Match isn't around anymore. What a cat fight: Natalie Maines vs. Britney Spears. Winner gets to pick the prez.

[Robin Hood]

13. Arnold Schwarzenneger owns one million shares of Pepsi.

Explains Britney's freeper comments.

[Michael Daniels]

14. Sponsorship on the Mall

The Smithsonian Folk Life Festival is sponsored by various companies each year and they have banner presence on the Mall so this isn't all that different IMHO.

[LoneStarLiberal]

18. Good Point I Didn't Know

Thanks for sharing. I feel a little bit of a heel for ranting about this as if it were exceptional today, but only a little.

[gratuitous]

16. Wait; who are they paying to rent the Capitol Mall?

And where's my cut of the payment, speaking as a taxpayer?

[disgruntella]

19. that is one of the funniest headlines i've ever read

I realize it's the DC Mall, not the other kind, but still... it's got a forlorn quality to it that is cracking me up!

[kainah]

20. The WorldComm Lincoln Monument

Sounds good to me. :grr:

A big logo/banner right across the pediment. :grr: :grr:

Maybe we could arrange a fountain in the reflecting pool in the shape of the Pepsi logo? The Pepsi Pool!! A little bit of alliteration to make it more palatable. :grr: :grr: :grr:

And, obviously, this is the way to fund the incredibly militaristic WWII monument, just hand it over to a corporate sponsor!! :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: