Losing the media game

If you haven’t heard by now, John Mayer is sorry.

Turns out when you compare your ‘nether-regions’ to a racist politician or call ex-girlfriend Jessica Simpson, “sexual napalm,” people will actually read the articles in Playboy Magazine for said quotes.

Now, Mayer just wants to be a man with his guitar, playing music.

“I quit the media game,” Mayer said shortly after the backlash in Nashville, with tears in his eyes and the metaphoric foot placed tightly in
his mouth.

As it seems, most musicians always get tired of playing the media game when they’re losing it.

Mayer’s comments are not his first attempt at wit. He’s known for throwing one-liners when he runs into paparazzi or on Twitter. Mayer even pops up at open mic night at comedy clubs from time to time.

But this time, his wit crossed over to the insensitive, which is a lot to say about the guy who gave us “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Daughters.”

I don’t think Mayer is racist; he just let the media get bigger than his talent. In his numerous apologies, he mentions that he uses humor as a defense against the media because he is recognized more for who he was dating and where he was going, rather than what he was playing.

But he’s not the first.

It’s been three years since Amy Winehouse has released anything besides a front-page tabloid. Between her public antics and her convict of a boyfriend, people have forgotten she brought soul, reggae and Motown together in one album and swept the Grammys with one blow — drug pun intended.

Or how about Kanye West? People have been saying his ego has been out of whack for years, and then the backlash of interrupting Taylor Swift rolls in and he goes M.I.A.
West turned down a chance to make a bigger scene performing at the Grammys with Drake, Lil’ Wayne and Eminem. He didn’t even get a solo spot on the new “We are the World” song for Haiti relief.

This is not Kanye-like behavior.

It has been well over a year since the release of his artsy-yet-emo album, “808s and Heartbreaks,” which wasn’t even the same West most fans were accustomed to hearing.

Public attention is always going to go hand-in-hand with being a talented musician, but the grip shouldn’t so be so tight that musicians are dangled above their own demise.
Mayer is just the most recent one to realize people liked his music first, not his reputation.

I bet the same goofy guy with the rustic, gravelly voice on “Room for Squares” was not the same man in the room talking to Playboy.