I stopped reading this shit after I left my last comment, because I believe that you're being motivated by some really aimless, unnecessary, and shallow compulsions, in this case; but there's a difference between simply making an off hand comment about Santa Clause and specifically addressing kids in the audience intentionally to insert yourself into someone else's parenting decisions. That's what happened. Dude took it upon himself to fuck with something that can actually be a big decision for parents to make about whether or not they want to participate in it. Pickathon is family focused. It's not like most festivals. They have the Trackers kids camp there, a montessori set up, and a ton of other shit specifically for this. The trails is always lined with kids busking and selling wares. The photos of the fest are always full of children and families. They have camping sections. The merch table sells childrens gear. If I took my son to Psych Fest or Desert Daze or just about anything else, it would be a different situation. OR, even if Deacon simply let it unfold casually in his rambling. He didn't though, he actually said it to a ton of kids that were in the audience specifically, like it was a "funny" move. Not really his place to pull that shit, but again, it doesn't affect him personally, so it didn't matter. And it landed like any other inappropriate bullshit that someone might say to be humorous on the spot.
I never really believed in Santa Clause and, before my son was born, really had to weigh that shit out, because I felt like it was a dishonest move. But, in the end, I realized that, if I took that away from him, it wasn't really about my kid at all, it was about my own bullshit and my own hangups and ideas about myself and how progressively I want to view myself, what "type of parent"... blah, blah, blah. It was something that I really had to think about. There's a lot of shit like that, where, if you're not a parent -- or in any specific role or situation -- it doesn't even cross your mind. But, to deal with those kinds of decisions and then have some guy feel like he has the right to make that decision for you, uncomfortably laughing to pull something like that away, fuck up the rest of the weekend, instill distrust in your child, and a number of other things on a whim, because he's a shitty bumbling, comic uncomfortably trying to make other people like him in that moment... he can eat a dick. Meanwhile, he's trying to sell his own version of magic and whimsy back to everyone in that same setting. He was out of touch in that moment.
Like I said, I literally haven't read anything up to this point in the thread -- I came in to see if a different release had been posted yet -- but I saw some random comments and this one still referencing Santa and Deacon and all that shit. I really didn't think my comment would go very far, because I wasn't even really going in on the guy. YOU made this a thing, by feeling the need to dismiss me. God knows what the follow up you posted later said, because I'm guessing that spawned whatever kept it brewing. That being said, if you go to Pickathon, then you understand the context. If you don't, then you can't respond with any authority on the scene or informing people what it's like. ] There's a reason that people bring their families there when they wouldn't bring them anywhere else.
To respond directly to my comment about my own very specific experience and dismissing it by pointing out that it "IS fake" is just that, dismissive. It's also true that all of those kids grandparents are going to die, or that their parents fucked to create them, but choosing to say that to a bunch of kids would still be messed up in that environment. Just because it's true, is irrelevant. Then to state that you've met Deacon and his shows were good as a follow up, as if that negates anything really means nothing other than being a reflection of why you're working overtime on his public relations. Especially, since I framed my own initial comment by stating that I've also met him and that I thought his shows were good, so that I wasn't discounting him from that perspective, but a specific instance rubbed me the wrong way, AS A PARENT. So, when you respond to my statement specifically to dismiss it and I ask if you're a parent, the reason for my question is obvious. Your response that you don't understand the relevance sounds disingenuous at best. My comment and feeling was made in the context of BEING A PARENT. So, your dismissal of it came as someone who didn't sound like they were one. That's actually the entire point.
I say do your show how your do your show. I brought my son to a YOB set this year. I know where I'm taking him. So, if Deacon makes a reference to Santa in his show, or anything else, that's on me if I bring my kid to it and he hears something that I'd rather prefer him not to. But, what Deacon did was choose to make that comment not despite the fact that children were there, but BECAUSE children were there. He directed it TO them. He told a bunch of kids that their parents are lying to them out of the blue. I wasn't even attacking this guy by bringing it up now, just mentioning something that, unfortunately, came to bothers me about an otherwise impressive performer and artist. It's interesting then that you seem to want to defend him, when he's not even being attacked, rushing to his aid unprovoked, because you like him and because, after meeting him, any criticism is a criticism of your perceived connection to him by proxy. Ironically, it feels like you're upset by the impression that someone could potentially besmirch the name of some chubby guy that you love and tarnish the magical impression that you have of him. My comment WAS about being a parent and my son, so your direct response to me dismissing it, by nature, is also about that. For my own feelings about something that I experienced in an environment that you weren't in and have no real understanding of to bother you enough that you need to chime in and offer your non-authority on it in defense of what upset me, kind of wounds anything what you have to say. Parents and kids should suck it up, but other people being mildly irritated by some hero of yours leaves you shook?
I'm truly sorry that I criticized one of your heroes. People deserve to believe in whatever false magic that they need. I never meant to hurt you.
Also, just saw this post. This is actually exactly how he did it and how it was presented. If it wasn't, then I would have never been upset by it.
Thanks. He actually said it TO THE KIDS, so you're right. He addressed it to them. I'm pretty sure that I already specified that in my first post.
You have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, but that never seems to stop you from speaking as an "authority." Have you ever responded to anyone by admitting that you simply didn't realize something at first and were mistaken? What do you win if you "prove" that people who have feelings and perspectives pertaining to things that have no relation to you have no right to them?
Also, I've been to music festivals that don't allow children, such as Project Pabst, but that's irrelevant.
Yes. At least one of us does, because I was actually there. That's the entire point. YOU don't know. But just because you don't know about something, it doesn't mean that nobody else does. So, maybe if YOU don't know about something, you should quit trying to explain it to other people. The fact that you're continuing to attempt to do that is the only reason that this topic went anywhere -- it's also why it will continue to go nowhere, and that's something that I recognized early enough to jump ship.
You claim that no one knows what happens, but you sure to keep asserting that you know what didn't happen, how someone should feel with a different set of circumstances than you who experienced it, and exactly the nature of an environment that you've never been to is set up.
The idea that you can't accept that you might not be the authority on everything is bewildering. Nobody is coming to rip your Dan Deacon Tiger Beat inserts out of your locker. Nobody is telling anyone to buy his albums. Nobody is telling you that you can't still wear your Spiderman Of the Rings pajamas.
I thought he did something kind of shitty in an attempt to act edgy and it missed the mark. Case fucking closed. I'm not telling anyone else how they should feel about him, or that they're wrong if they like him. You're the only one trying to disprove the validity of anyone else's feelings and experiences.
