Was strolling outside the TRL studios today, when I was stopped by an awkward little girl with braces. She tugged on my Hanes Beefy-T and asked, “Why aren’t you out saving the pennies like Kevin Federline?” Now don’t get me wrong. I am very very interested in preserving our American heritage of spare change (some of you might remember my telethon for the Indian head nickel), but I have been devoting the majority of my energies to a potentially endangered art form. I would have preferred an endangered animal or houseplant, but other celebrities beat me to all those causes...and I didn’t want to appear to be jumping on the proverbial bandwagon (Go Red Sox!!!). I’m sure many of you have heard of EMO music. It is very popular with the kids, and I enjoy it as well. Though EMO is in abundant supply now, I worry about the children. And the children’s children. Will EMO be there for them? I fear we may see a day...in the future...where this great American sound is displaced by something less wonderful...something like jazz or bluegrass. A day when my great-grandchild will reach for a Get Up Kids cassette to play in his or her war-canoe stereo (the earth will probably be flooded by glacial melt by then)...but the Get Up Kids will not be there. Not even Yellowcard will be anywhere to be found, my friends...not even Yellowcard. But we can all do our part to make sure that EMO stands the test of space and time. Take a moment to teach your kids to dress EMO, eat, drink and sleep EMO and yes...breathe EMO. It may be the only thing that saves them when our planet runs out of oxygen. Thank you.
Ben Affleck
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
