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John Mayer: Not That Bad?

johnny.jpg Nick Denton to tips@gawker.com, Subject: John Mayer, How about a herogram? The guy's pretty talented musician. Seems to be able to handle fame pretty well. Deals with paps. And still seems normal! Okay, and he's hot too, but that wasn't the reason. Anyone a fan?

No, Nick. I'm not a John Mayer fan. But I will say that John Mayer is unfairly hated on.

He's just a dude who plays guitar. He's not trying to change lives. So often we think about music in absolute terms. Is Wilco better than the Dave Matthew Band? In my opinion, yes. But it's not even fair to compare Wilco to the Dave Matthews Band. They're too different. The real question is, is the Dave Matthews Band good jam band music? And the answer is no. But let us consider the case of John Mayer. He's a pop musician who was mis-categorized early as an indie rocker. But forgetting about his references to going through "quarter-life crisis," John Mayer really is just a hot guy musician. And for a state college student looking for some make-out music, he's not that bad. Also he really is quite hot.

As soon as you give up the idea that John Mayer has indie credibility, all his offenses are less egregious. Advertising for the Gap, dating a dumb blonde and dressing up as Borat are things you'd expect from a sensitive frat guy. Okay, so he jerked Jessica Simpson around, forgetting his own rule, that girls become lovers who turn into mothers. But he stood up for her after the state of Texas blamed her for the Cowboy loss.

In a way, John Mayer is like the Garden State of musicians. The movie could have been good if it not for the last twenty minutes. But a film that's honest about the existential constraints of young adulthood is just not the movie Zach Braff set out to make. Yes, it would be great if John Mayer were someone who could truly to speak to our quarter-life crisis. But that's not the kind of musician he is. He's a pop star. And it could be a lot worse. See Zach Braff.

Day Editor's note: This clip presents the evidence for my counterpoint, John Mayer: Actually That Bad

5:10 PM on Fri Mar 7 2008
By rebecca
4,315 views
41 comments

Comments

  • HE IS NOT HOT!!! god!!!

  • Image of La Cieca La Cieca at 05:22 PM on 03/07/08 *

    Rebecca is obvs Joshua David Stein in a dress.

  • Image of mathnet mathnet at 05:23 PM on 03/07/08 *

    OK, I'm not attempting a joke here. Posts are actually still run by an editor before publication?

  • Game, set, and match to Pareene. Paultardery cannot be permitted under any circumstances, even from the creators of state school make-out ballads.

  • I for one am happy to sit back and wait for the world to change. Just wondering when they will put some different news into my TV...

  • And by the way, "Waiting for the World to Change" is "People Get Ready" with different lyrics. I think he sucks.

  • A valiant and well argued effort, but this guy sucks.

  • @Hamilton Nolan:
    @Nic Fit:
    Look, I agree. We can't just wait for the world to change, we have to make it change for ourselves. That said, he's getting the discussion going.

  • I'm sorry. As a regular Wonkette reader, I find the fake Pautardedness HIlarious. Still won't buy his music.

  • Wait, you guys think it's real? Huh...

  • Image of belltolls belltolls at 05:39 PM on 03/07/08 *

    My stomach gets all icky when he appears on something I watch or when I accidentally hear one of his songs. That is as far as I can think about it.

  • Whatevs. I'd do him. But then again.. I'd do Borat.

  • So to whom does an Ivy League student turn to for make-out music?

  • Image of Helman Helman at 06:06 PM on 03/07/08 *

    Wait -- WTF -- he's a Raul Paul guy??? There is nothing more to be said!! And while I cannot defend Zach Braff, Scrubs doesn't suck as much as John Mayer's music.

  • I was actually going to comment on his being unfairly maligned, but I thought I would be lynched. He's also pretty funny on occasion. Can't stand the breathy singing and don't care one way or another about his music, but he seems decent enough. I keep thinking maybe I've missed him doing something particularly offensive.

  • @Nic Fit: You are SO right.

  • If he is actually a Libertarian, then he's all right by me. Doesn't mean his music doesn't suck, though.

  • No, No, No, No, No. Not hot. Douchetastic. Shitty music. No.

  • Full disclosure: I probably listen to John Mayer on my iPod at work almost everyday. It's a holdover from college...whatever.

    However, I think your "he is that bad" evidence is pretty weak. He's clearly drunk off his ass and prob a bit coked up. If anyone heard the ridiculous, nonsensical screaming matches I get into with my friends right before I started puking in the bushes, it'd be pretty humiliating. Also, its clear he's playing it up a bit for the paparazzi, which he is known for doing.

    Also, I think the first writer hit it on the head. He's pretty good at what he does, but if you like indie rock, he prob will not be your cup of tea. Also, compared to Zach Braff, he is pretty damn hot. Hell, he's pretty hot for a white boy, in general.

  • If you have to hard to be normal, you are most certainly not normal. Because some is followed around by photographers the most expected result is that said person should be a freakshow? I don't think so. Those who are famous, are so because they wanted to be. I don't buy that "I am just in it to make music man" blabber. Why not become a music teacher then.

    Sorry I can't congratulate someone for not being an asshole.

  • @notthatpopular: oops, "if you have to TRY hard...

  • Who cares. whocareswhocareswhocareswhocares

  • Sorry I couldn't come up with a better comment, I was busy reading the Constitution.

  • Image of Helman Helman at 10:08 PM on 03/07/08 *

    @Helman: Uh, Ron. Whoops.

  • Verdict: NOT hot; he looks kinda like an overgrown muppet.

    Sure, he can play good guitar, but I abhor "Your Body is a Wonderland" and "Waiting for the World to Change." I will be a happy camper if I never hear either of those songs again.

  • Image of BalknChain BalknChain at 11:38 PM on 03/07/08 *

    Hmm, he's not hot, unless by hot you mean girly-man hot. Your Body Is a Wonderland? Oh, God. I know we are trimming down cliches, but for that song I will bring back "gag me with a______" or "stick my finger down my throat until I reach elbow"

  • I rode next to him on the subway one morning. His head is the most magnificently large thing I've ever seen. I cannot fathom how someone might see it in person and still find him attractive. Also, he was one of those subway readers that arranged the binding of his book so everyone could see what he's reading. He kept looking to see if people were checking him/his book out. And it was the L train. That's more than 3 strikes.

  • I saw John Mayer return from a liquor store run once at like 10 in the morning at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons. He didn't seem happy.

  • for the last time, there is no such thing as "indie cred". It's a business, like selling door stops. "Indie cred" is as much packaging as is shrink wrap.

  • John Mayer's problem is that he's a mediocre-to-shitty songwriter, but an excellent-to-legendary guitarist. Sadly, no one gives a shit about your musicianship when you record dreck like "Your Body is a Wonderland."

  • as an actual fan since i was 19 [6 years and counting], i can say that he's does not suck. he's just a weirdo. the dorky tech nerd you knew in highschool that had a growth spurt over summer vacay, lost the glasses, and grew a chest hair.

    and he's not hot. just oddly attractive.

    in fact if you knew who he was prior to 'your body is a wonderland' a song that i can't even stand, you'd know how comical his recent turn in the tabloids is. it's really all one big joke.

    what matters is what happens when he's got a fresh electric guitar in his hands...that sounded more sexual than i intended. promise.

  • I guess this is off the real topic, but Rebecca, I love where your post takes this little side-street jaunt before it heads back to the boulevard: "So often we think about music in absolute terms. Is Wilco better than the Dave Matthew Band? In my opinion, yes. But it's not even fair to compare Wilco to the Dave Matthews Band. They're too different. The real question is, is the Dave Matthews Band good jam band music? And the answer is no." Hee!

    On topic: blech.

  • Image of Calraigh Calraigh at 05:32 AM on 03/08/08 *

    ''John Mayer is unfairly hated on.''

    Look at the state of his hair in that picture.
    That is quite enough to hate anyone for thank you very much.

  • Have you heard The Constitution Song by John Brayer...I mean John Mayer?

  • I hated John Mayer until I heard him play blues guitar. Now I just find slight discomfort around his music.

  • I concur with earlier commentater; what's with the hair in that photo?

    His wonderland song killed any potential positives about him for me. Seems to take himself quite seriously. Another dealbreaker. Really wish we'd stop talking about him all the time.

  • Image of BeAgrestic BeAgrestic at 04:38 PM on 03/08/08 *

    @crookedlawyer: Despite the numerous indications that Mayer (I like to call him "Mr Oh Face") is a douche, he is a very talented guitar player. And yes, screaming about Ron Paul and insulting Drew Barrymore's man candy does make you an asshole.

    I'm ready for him to go on a nice long hiatus so I can stop hearing about his shenanigans.

  • Every time I hear a John Mayer song I feel bad for myself in the third person.

  • Think the so-called "jazz" this enfant terrible has brought to us tells a lot of the story.

    No mistake made here comparing him to Dave Matthews, who is a nice and generous person, from my town, who was in my restaurant two Sundays ago.

    Do nice guys get to make special music... no! I do not think so.

    I don't know what to make of Sid Vicious or Johnny Rotten either. At the end of the day -- always -- it's somewhere in the middle?

    It is surely not with Dave or John Mayer though

  • That sculpted hair: does it move in a high wind? Is it firmly rooted in his brain?

  • Image of Calraigh Calraigh at 05:46 PM on 03/11/08 *

    @freeoverunders:
    ''Every time I hear a John Mayer song I feel bad for myself in the third person.''

    Genius.Absolute fucking genius..
    Also pee-inducing.

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