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

Dumb Things Politicians Have Said (That We Shouldn’t Forget About)

I’ll be the first to admit I have a short memory so I thought it would be a good idea to remind myself (and whoever reads this) what ludicrous things relevant politicians have said in the last few years… things we shouldn’t forget about, especially with each of them having a desire to be elected president of the United States, whether it was in 2020 or upcoming in 2024.

Grammar Nazi. VP hopeful Tim Walz explains away a handful of lies by saying his “grammar’s not always correct.”

Hotness. Joe Biden has less tact than I do. In this video, he jokes about the ground being hot after the Maui fires which killed over 100 people.

Please Stand Up. Vivek Ramaswamy is not the real slim shady. But his memory skills are real. Also a little cringey.

If You Question… Who can forget this one? Joe Biden questioning your blackness.

A Man of the People. Here’s Joe Biden shushing a woman who works for him. So much for breaking down the patriarchy.

Concerned. Mike Pence was running for the Republican nominee bid in 2024, but his answer about caring (or not caring) for American cities while bending over backwards for Ukraine might be the dagger that takes his campaign down. It was fun while it lasted, huh, Mike?

Gun Show. This is an oldie but a goodie coming from Texas man Beto O’Rourke. At the time, he was campaigning for the Democratic nominee spot, but his line about AR-15s was (and still is) hilarious. Later, after he withdrew, he was praised by Joe Biden who said Beto would have an important role in the Biden administration. Hmmm, somehow that never materialized. Shocker.

Covid. Running as a 2024 Democrat hopeful is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who had a bizarre statement about covid recently. What he said baffled Democrats and Republicans alike. Covid might be racist and RFK might be on the way out… already.

Wheels on the Bus. Last, but not least, Kamala Harris who seems to be willing to do anything to gain more power (not even mentioning how she got her California appointments 😉 ), here she is accusing Joe Biden of not being racist, but doing racist things (mmmk?). A few months later, she graciously accepted his invitation to serve as vice president in Biden’s administration.

I guess the swamp still needs more draining.

-Out of the Wilderness

Women’s Soccer and the Anthem Controversy

The U.S. women’s national soccer team is in the news but not because of their play on the field during the 2023 FIFA World Cup. Nope. It was their lack of enthusiasm during the national anthem. I watched it. At first, I didn’t think it was much out of the ordinary. Before a huge game, a huge tournament, athletes might be in a different headspace especially just minutes before the match starts. They might be thinking about strategy, nerves are high. So if a player doesn’t have their hand over their heart or they don’t sing the lyrics, it’s understandable. Here’s a replay of the anthem before the women played against Vietnam.

But then I went back and watched the anthem from previous World Cups (see videos below) and it becomes very clear. Half of the 2023 women’s team is ticked off about something. Most likely it’s Trump, or Republicans, or gay rights, or a baby’s right to live, or any number of things from the list of things liberals hate. For some being defined by the word pride, they sure don’t seem to be showing much.

Open-minded liberals when you disagree with them

In the U.S. women’s first game of the World Cup, they played Vietnam and it was hard for me to root for America. However, for players like Rodman, Smith, Ertz, I will try again when they play their next game Wednesday. Now watch the anthem from previous matches and see if you don’t notice a general ramping down of excitement over the years. In most of the videos, the women and men are pumped up, proud, honored to represent their country. And if any of those things aren’t true, they at least had the maturity to keep it internal as their faces and body language were being broadcast around the world.

And finally, the anthem at the men’s World Cup in 2022…

-Out of the Wilderness

Top 10 Racist Jason Aldean Music Videos

The obnoxious side of the liberal population is declaring without a shadow of a doubt that Jason Aldean’s latest music video is so obviously racist, praising CMT for pulling it from their channel (because so many people would watch it there and definitely not be able to find it online faster and easier). If “Try That In A Small Town” is so clearly racist, I thought the left would appreciate a list of Jason’s top 10 racist videos so they could avoid accidentally watching them. Turns out he’s been making racist videos since 2009! How has he gone this long under the radar? Well, no more. Below you can find the list of his most racist, offensive music videos… but don’t mistakenly watch each of them. That would boost the views and validate all of Jason’s horribly insensitive, racially charged songs.

10. “Why” (2009)

9. “Hicktown” (2009)

8. “Tattoos on This Town” (2011)

7. “Flyover States” (2012)

6. “1994” (2013)

5. “Night Train” (2013)

4. “Burnin’ It Down” (2014)

3. “Rearview Town” (2019)

2. “Got What I Got” (2020)

  1. “Try That In A Small Town” (2023)

The #1 song on this list was an easy choice. How dare put out a song about riots and illegal behavior… that’s so racist!

-Out of the Wilderness

Rapinoe who? A recap of USA vs. Vietnam, Women’s World Cup

This is my second post about the Women’s World Cup. First is here. Soccer isn’t real football but I’ll watch until the NFL starts. So there I am, sitting with family, watching the pre-game segments leading up to the U.S. Women’s game against Vietnam. Some guy is hopping next to a pademelon (some kind of kangaroo?) who won’t do what the host wants. Instead it poops. Interviews. Everyone predicting U.S. will shred Vietnam to pieces. Commercials. Every other clip is Megan Rapinoe. Ok, we get it, she’s retiring. Secretly everyone knows 38 is too old to be playing soccer.

The game starts.

U.S. scores. They score again. Halftime.

With about 30 minutes to go, Rapinoe enters the game. I tell my sister, “If the gay community wants to make any progress at all, Rapinoe needs to score a goal.” I’m only half joking. Did you know Dennis Rodman’s daughter is on the team? Crazy! Dennis is an all-time favorite NBA defender. Trinity Rodman.

The goalie for Vietnam is having an MVP performance.

The minutes are ticking by. Rapinoe with her blue hair (she looks better as a blonde) running around. The ball is passed to her. She proceeds to kick it in the air to no one in particular. Another pass. This one goes directly to a Vietnam player. Two corner kicks in a row from Rapinoe. One sails sky high over everyone. The other is on the ground, short. A third corner, nothing special. More kicks to Vietnam players.

Who decides which players play and which don’t? It’s the coach, right? Someone needs to tell Rapinoe that there are 22 players who will add benefits to the U.S. team (by not passing the ball to the opposing team, for instance), who should be in the game before her. But she’s an icon. Legacy. Gets in the game because of her history of talent.

Rapinoe will not help the American women win the Cup. I want a pademelon.

-Out of the Wilderness