By Frank Moher
You have to give Jian Ghomeshi credit for the way he handled Billy Boob Thornton’s meltdown on his radio program “Q” on Wednesday morning.
Respeck, too, to his long-suffering bandmates, who have obviously become practised in the fine art of prima-donna handling. At least they understood they were there to try and get an audience out for their No-Name band.
Apparently, Billy had been having a bad time all week, if this CanWest interview from a few days ago is anything to go by. I guess the stress of trying to revive the great “British Invasion/Hillbilly” sound of the ’60s is getting to be too much — after all, who can live up to the memory of . . . erm . . . who exactly were the great British Hillbilly artists of the ’60s?
Booby Bill mentions that Canadian audiences have been “reserved” at performances by his band (which does in fact have a name: The Thighmasters Boxmasters). One look at their itinerary, though, explains all: Kingston, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, London. My god, Jethro, the only place you’re going to escape Upper Canadian repression on a tour like that might be in a sex club on Rue Ste.-Catherine after the show! Tell ya what. Y’all come out west, bud, where we ‘preciate yer kind of music, and we know how to have a good time. Yeah, you come on out an’ play some bars in Hannah and Olds and Merritt, an’ then you sit down in the chairs with the boys an’ explain how yer a “music historian,” an’ how yer “people” and you are gonna be right happy so long as nobody mentions yer acting career, and so long as the waitress follows yer “instructions” fer makin’ a dry martini. Yeah, you try summa that, and see how the boys react.
Bet they won’t be half so polite as that Jian Ghomeshi.
Update: Apparently, Willy Babs has pulled his band from the rest of the tour. Listen, you Canadians were specifically instructed not to boo at his Toronto performance on Thursday night. You didn’t listen, and if you don’t follow the instructions, you don’t get the show. Did you boo Tom Petty? Well, did you?
What is most ironic to me is the fact that his band would never have received recognition if he wasn’t an actor, and because he did not want to discuss his affiliation with acting, he’s alienated himself from his acting fans and his (potential) music fans. Way to go Bob.
You beat me to the punch Frank. Billy Boob’s a nut… or is he?
BOB, on the other hand, is reading more lucid than ever. Kudos. Hope you’re well.