Tom MacDonald “American Flags” – An Almost Perfect Music Video

Is there a more patriotic rapper than Tom MacDonald? Sure, there’s Kendrick Lamar with “XXX.” or Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” but the lyrics of those two are not necessarily pro-America or patriotic in the strict sense of the word. In 2023, it’s in-fashion to criticize the flag and what it represents but Tom MacDonald doesn’t seem to mind going against what’s considered socially acceptable these days. Just check out his new video “American Flags.”

There’s a lot to like in this video. I mean, is there anything more awesome than waving a flag on top of a military tank? I can’t think of a single thing. Tom (and Adam Calhoun) found a great location, too, with the mountainous background along with jets and fighter planes zipping by overhead. Except I kept wondering how they were able to get the military to sign off on that? But after analyzing the video, I’m almost totally sure most were added in the post edit. Maybe video creator Nova Rockafeller can confirm this? 🙂

The only slight mistake I found, because I’m a video editor by trade, is in one of the clips where a formation of jets are flying way off in the background. Check out the still frame below and notice how the jets behind the flag magically fly in front of the flag. The perspective doesn’t add up for the jets to fly in front like that.

Whether you like this video or not isn’t really an issue. Some of you love it. Some of you don’t. It could be that it’s rap music and you’re not a fan. Or maybe you don’t like what the lyrics are about. We all have our likes and dislikes. Nothing wrong with that! But it’ll be nice one day in the future when we can all stand behind the flag, unified even with our differences in lifestyle, politics, and theology. To call upon another new video about patriotism, I don’t think Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” is helping to bridge divides (and in fact it might fan the flames of division), Tom is here promoting America in a less disruptive way.

I’ll wrap this up with a few of my favorite pictures of the Old Glory from camping around the country in my travel trailer. See y’all tomorrow…

-Out of the Wilderness

Tyler Childers “In Your Love” is NOT the gayest country music video ever!

American culture can really be a roller coaster and if you forget to pay attention you run the risk of offending somebody for any number of reasons. Country music is no different, just look at Jason Aldean’s latest video “Try That In A Small Town.” White people everywhere are offended on behalf of other races, so heroic. Well, it’s time for the gays to have a bit of the spotlight since they’re always overlooked and forgotten about. Wait, what month is it? I can’t ever remember if saying “gay” is disrespectful or we’re SUPPOSED to be saying it. But you won’t be able watch a brand new video from Tyler Childers and think about any other word. It’s pretty gay.

But is that the gayest country music video? Of course not. Some of my favorite people are gay so this is in no way a judgement of their lifestyle, think of it as more of a lighthearted look at music videos that could be seen as way gayer than the one we just watched. All in good fun, folks! You probably didn’t think there was a more gay country song, did you? And no, I’m not talking about Brantley Gilbert’s “Bottoms Up” (kinda gay if you think about the title and what gay men like to do behind closed doors… or during pride parades). Or any song from Kenny Chesney (rumors…and just rumors… are that he MIGHT think men’s tractors are sexy, they really turn him on). Let’s get to some real stuff, though.

Florida Georgia Line “Cruise” – Categorizing this one as homosexual might seem like a stretch given the lyrics are about relationships between men and women and how the hotness of the women make the men want to get in their lifted truck and speed through small towns. But the women in the video are so hot. Like, muy caliente hot. When’s the last time you saw a 10 walking around with a 6, ya know? Two men with a group of very hot women can only be one of two things: 1. They don’t know yet that they’re gay. 2. They’re fashion designers (gay). The guys in the video are not fashion designers. You do the math.

Dan + Shay “10,000 Hours” – Another telltale sign is a guy marrying a woman to hide his gayness. After watching this video, the first word that comes to mind: Soft. I get it that the guys love their wives dearly, but not even the straightest of straight guys wants to spend 10,000 hours listening to a woman talk about what she dreamed the night before. That’s the stuff a woman has female friends for. Well, female friends or soft, gay husbands.

Little Big Town “Girl Crush” – Along the same lines but not quite as lesbianish as Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” is Little Big Town singing “Girl Crush,” and the lead singer is NOT one of the two guys. Yep, a woman singing about a crush on a woman is textbook gay. Well, the layered lyrics aren’t exactly about that but on the surface… it’s gayer than a woman protesting Trump while sipping a cold Frothy Monkey coffee from a paper straw.

Of course, this is all written for a laugh. Just chuckle as if you have a crush on me, OK? I want to make clear that in no ways am I suggesting Dan, Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town, Katy Perry, Tyler Childers, Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Kenny Chesney, they, them, we, us, or anyone else is gay. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

-Out of the Wilderness

SKYRIZI commercial is a snapshot of my life

SKYRIZI, you know company behind the “nothing is everything” commercials, has another ad featuring their catching tune. I’d be lying if I said the song doesn’t get stuck in my head often. They have a smorgasbord of styles in almost every genre! It’s everything America didn’t know it always needed. Here’s one of their newer ads and I was shocked by how much it resembles my life.

Everything except for the ukulele and cutting a vegetable perfectly was basically taken right out of my life. Roller skating? Yep, I do that. In fact, here’s a post about it. Mowing the yard? Uh huh, that’s something I do. Hooping with my homies? Of course. I was the star bench player on my high school JV team. Swimming? Dang, don’t get me started on that. I had ONE embarrassing swim (recap here) and I haven’t let myself forget about it. The ad wraps up with a couple of guys playing brass instruments… kind of like me with a trumpet.

I mean, I kind of think SKYRIZI owes me royalties for this commercial. Instead, they’re giving me nothing… which is everything.

I love my Chaya skates!

-Out of the Wilderness

Amazon Back-to-School Commercial – The Actor and More

When back-to-school commercials start airing, you know summer is drawing to a close. Good news is the fall season doesn’t officially start until late in September but companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are rolling out ads for all the school supplies students might need. Gosh, it doesn’t seem like it’s been a year since I wrote about these ads:

The New Publix Back to School Commercial in English and Spanish

Old Navy’s New Back-to-School Commercial – The Music

Amazon’s Back to School Ad – Celebrity, Crayons, and Comparisons

Just like the series of ads last year, Amazon is using a familiar face to promote their back-to-school offerings but this time it’s not Kathryn Hahn. It’s Randall Park. He’s been in quite a few projects from the big screen to the small screen. Check out his resume here.

It feels proper to point out that Amazon isn’t always the best place to get the lowest prices. *ahem* Dollar Tree! But for whatever you need, I’d recommend checking around before making a final decision. Other places like Goodwill, local thrift stores, and the clearance aisle at Walmart might have exactly what you need for low cost. In fact, just the other day they had brand new Florida State hats for $1, normally selling for over $15. I didn’t buy one of course, because I don’t want a dime of my money to go to Florida State. Is it still obvious I’m bitter about what happened nearly 10 years ago?

Do you like the new commercial from Amazon? Chime in below…

-Out of the Wilderness

What will CMT Hot 20 Countdown do this weekend?

I might be creating drama where there is none, but I’m sincerely wondering what CMT’s flagship show is going to do this weekend when their show airs. As the name of the show suggests, it contains the 20 best country music videos across the land. But does it? Does it, really? When I worked at CMT (before I was laid off in dramatic fashion, and that’s not a dig at CMT, I’m grateful for my time there), there was a super secret formula powerful people used in forming the list of 20 and I won’t get into it mostly because I have no idea what the super secret formula was.

Some of my best friends came from my time at CMT so as the drama has unfolded with Jason Aldean, I think about my friends working on Hot 20 Countdown. They’re responsible for putting together an entertaining show with the best country music has to offer, and they’re good at their jobs. I don’t know if it’s the elephant in the production room up there in Nashville, but everywhere else in the country knows that Jason Aldean has the most-watched video in country music. What is a producer supposed to do when the #1 video in the country has been dropped entirely from the channel? Yes, that’s right. CMT pulled the music video so it will not air at all on CMT. Should producers of the show…

Pretend it doesn’t exist?

Put Jelly Roll at #1?

Hold a spot open in memoriam?

Sometimes I run with ludicrous thoughts so what if they left the #1 video open like athletes sometimes do if a teammate passes away? Announce that taking the top spot is Jason Aldean with “Try That In A Small Town” but due to decisions above our pay grade, we will not be showing the video. Kind of like the missing man formation in a military flyover. Football players wear patches on their uniforms. Or this, basketball players paying tribute to Kobe Bryant…

I’ll be the first to say Jason’s music video is inflammatory but not because of anything related to racism. It’s just terrible timing to put a video out that feeds into division that already exists. I dig deeper into my thoughts in this post, but if peace is what we’re after, the music video isn’t helping at all.

So what is a music video countdown show to do when the most-watched video of the week is blackballed? Do producers put together a subtle nod to the fans? No, that would get them fired. These people have families and responsibilities. I guess they just have to “go along to get along.” It’s unfortunate CMT would put them in this situation because the show is going to lose credibility and relevancy if they don’t, in some way, acknowledge what’s going on with Jason Aldean.

-Out of the Wilderness