Jian Ghomeshi versus Billy Bob Boor
Political Decoder
by Linda Diebel
http://thestar.blogs.com/decoder/2009/04/gian-ghomeshi-versus-billie-bob-boor.html
Poor Jian Ghomeshi. Guess he didn't get his instructions straight today from actor/rocker Billy Bob Thornton (at right in AP photo with his band, the Boxmasters) for their interview on Ghomeshi's CBC radio show, Q. As a result, what else was there for Billie Bob to do but sulk? On air.
Ghomeshi had Thornton and his band on this morning to talk about their tour and new album. The first hint Thornton had turned sour came when he stonewalled Ghomeshi's queries about touring with Willie Nelson and went bizarro on another about muscial influences as a kid. Ghomeshi was doing that, "Oo-kaaayyyy," and soldiering on. Was Billy Bob always passionate about music?" And there's where it exploded.
"Would you say that to Tom Petty," demanded Thornton. Ghomeshi said, sure. Ghomeshi probed until Thornton blurted out he was angry "since you're instructed not to talk about shit like that."
Turns out Thornton - or his people - had given Ghomeshi's people his list of forbidden questions, including, it would seem, suggesting he had ever been anything but a musician. An actor, whatever do you mean? Ghomeshi mentioned he was just trying to give his listeners a little context, but Thornton sulked for the rest of the show. His band played an instrumental number without him on drums because, as he explained, he's not lugging around drums at 6 in the morning! Oh, he did take a few minutes to diss Canadian fans for sitting on their hands. Apparently, he's used to fans who throw chairs around.
Bravo to Ghomeshi. And Billy Bob? He gave us an up close and personal look at a real live star. All class.
