Steve Earle used to shoot drugs. Now he mainlines the latest news.
There’s gonna be times when a writer has to be talked out of being clever, like when likening news addiction to heroin addiction. The former is an affectation, the latter destroys lives … you can’t draw this comparison without seeming incredibly insensitive or just plain dumb.
Saddest thing is, this is a rough start to anotherwise fine interview with Steve Earle, who is one of the brightest rock ‘n’ rollers we’ve got.
You think the media is now swinging to the right?
Earle: It’s not that it’s right-wing or left-wing, it’s just that they’re doing the same thing radio is doing — doing market research and pandering to a market they’ve identified. I’m ready to do the Bill O’Reilly show on Fox this month, but equating that with a real political discussion is like believing pro wrestling is real. It’s just pandering to our worst instincts, and it works. They’ve just identified a market and can sell to it. It sells more beer.