Saturday, August 2, 2014
It was the slap heard by Country Music Fans everywhere.
I am of course talking about Tim McGraw "bitch slapping" fan Jesslyn Taylor at a concert in Atlanta early in July. I'm bringing it up now because video has been released.
If you haven't heard the story yet... basically, Tim was performing at a venue in Atlanta when he went down on a lower level to high five fans in the front row. This is where the details get muddled... but original reports stated that a fan was slapping his butt, grabbing at his groin and eventually ripped his already torn jeans before he turned around and slapped her. The woman was removed by security and Atlanta Police opted not to pursue the matter as they found his reaction "reasonable".
So, who is the douche... Mr. McGraw or Jesslyn Taylor?
What I'm going to say is going to sound pretty Stephen Smith-esque; when I first heard the story the version I heard was that the fan (Jesslyn) had reached up and grabbed him in the crotch and while I did not agree with the fact that he hit her, I felt that Tim McGraw deserves to live free of sexual assault as much as anyone else and so I was on "his side".
When I heard she was pursuing a settlement and legal action based on the ground of being assaulted, I rolled my eyes a little. Then I saw the film of the slap.
I am of course talking about Tim McGraw "bitch slapping" fan Jesslyn Taylor at a concert in Atlanta early in July. I'm bringing it up now because video has been released.
Jesslyn Taylor
If you haven't heard the story yet... basically, Tim was performing at a venue in Atlanta when he went down on a lower level to high five fans in the front row. This is where the details get muddled... but original reports stated that a fan was slapping his butt, grabbing at his groin and eventually ripped his already torn jeans before he turned around and slapped her. The woman was removed by security and Atlanta Police opted not to pursue the matter as they found his reaction "reasonable".
So, who is the douche... Mr. McGraw or Jesslyn Taylor?
What I'm going to say is going to sound pretty Stephen Smith-esque; when I first heard the story the version I heard was that the fan (Jesslyn) had reached up and grabbed him in the crotch and while I did not agree with the fact that he hit her, I felt that Tim McGraw deserves to live free of sexual assault as much as anyone else and so I was on "his side".
When I heard she was pursuing a settlement and legal action based on the ground of being assaulted, I rolled my eyes a little. Then I saw the film of the slap.
Tim McGraw -- Bitch Slaps Female Fan
Which brings me to our first Double Douche of the Week...because both Tim McGraw and Jesslyn Taylor acted douchey.
Performers of any kind deserve to be able to perform, live, and do anything they want without being subject to sexual harassment and assault. Just because they live so much of their life in public does not mean they do not have any rights to their own space, privacy or their own bodies. The way some people act around celebrities is disgusting... celebrities (music stars, actors, atheletes) do not owe fans anything other than gratitude (no celebrity becomes a celebrity without fans) and the same respect that should be given to any human being.
The videos show a woman repeatedly slapping Mr. McGraw on the butt, grabbing at his legs, and then tearing his jeans... that is beyond inappropriate. It's been said that Jesslyn Taylor just wanted to "touch her hero". That's fucking disgusting. If you want to reach out and "touch your hero" you do it with some goddamn respect and don't hinder his performance and assault him in front of thousands of people; Treat him like a "hero" and not a sexual object who should be subjected to your behavior. There is no reason or justification for reaching out and touching someone that way and what Jesslyn Taylor did was sexually harass and assault someone in a crowd of people, damage his property (already ripped or not, she had no fucking right) and create a situation that was uncomfortable for many people. She was a fucking douche in the extreme.
Don't get me wrong though... Tim McGraw isn't any fucking better. He's just as big of a douche in this situation. Even one of People's Sexiest Men Alive deserves to be able to perform without being sexually harassed and assaulted. Had he stopped at swatting away her hand or had he slapped her hand away more forcefully than he did... I would still be in his corner. But watching him turn around, pull back and wallop her... it was a pretty shocking image and seeing how smoothly it happened makes me genuinely wonder if this was the first time he's ever pulled back and slapped a woman like that. We've said it here before, and I'll say it again in this situation, while I realize that celebrities are people too... when you make a choice to live a publicized life as a "hero" and "role-model" you have a responsibility and an obligation of sorts to act worthy of such titles, and McGraw failed in this.
At the end of the day... they both acted inappropriately. And while Jesslyn Taylor was the first to be inappropriate, Tim McGraw reacted in a way that was over the top and inappropriate as well. The whole situation is douchey. Jesslyn Taylor needs to get a fucking clue about how to be a fan and not an aggressive fanatic... and this noise about suing for being humiliated... well, suck it up Buttercup, because you should be embarrassed of your actions. Jesslyn Taylor doesn't deserve a goddamn thing after the way she acted especially not in terms of a settlement. And Tim McGraw... well, Jesslyn Taylor was the inappropriate aggressor, but I don't feel that reacting with such violence was McGraw's only option. There has been a huge argument that if the star involved had been a female, and the aggressor a man... there would be a totally different reaction, possibly even cheering. I'm struggling because I feel that no one should get to hit another person and have it be "ok", but the fact of the matter is... there IS a difference between a woman hitting a man and a man hitting a woman. Both are totally inappropriate on many levels and while both of us here at DoucheArt would like to see men and women as equals, we'd be fools to think that means there are no differences between genders (when talking about cisgender men and women). Men are typically physically stronger and come with a hell of a lot more societal power. The powerful using brute force to keep those under him in line is always going to be more offensive, less acceptable.
It is grossly apparent that something needs to change about attitudes towards performers and celebrities... especially when fans feel it is appropriate and warranted to assault and sexually assault performers. But at the end of the day, both Jesslyn Taylor and Tim McGraw are both guilty of being the douche in this situation. Either way, I see two people who need to learn to keep their hands to themselves.
-- Hot Ash
Which brings me to our first Double Douche of the Week...because both Tim McGraw and Jesslyn Taylor acted douchey.
Performers of any kind deserve to be able to perform, live, and do anything they want without being subject to sexual harassment and assault. Just because they live so much of their life in public does not mean they do not have any rights to their own space, privacy or their own bodies. The way some people act around celebrities is disgusting... celebrities (music stars, actors, atheletes) do not owe fans anything other than gratitude (no celebrity becomes a celebrity without fans) and the same respect that should be given to any human being.
The videos show a woman repeatedly slapping Mr. McGraw on the butt, grabbing at his legs, and then tearing his jeans... that is beyond inappropriate. It's been said that Jesslyn Taylor just wanted to "touch her hero". That's fucking disgusting. If you want to reach out and "touch your hero" you do it with some goddamn respect and don't hinder his performance and assault him in front of thousands of people; Treat him like a "hero" and not a sexual object who should be subjected to your behavior. There is no reason or justification for reaching out and touching someone that way and what Jesslyn Taylor did was sexually harass and assault someone in a crowd of people, damage his property (already ripped or not, she had no fucking right) and create a situation that was uncomfortable for many people. She was a fucking douche in the extreme.
Tim McGraw
Don't get me wrong though... Tim McGraw isn't any fucking better. He's just as big of a douche in this situation. Even one of People's Sexiest Men Alive deserves to be able to perform without being sexually harassed and assaulted. Had he stopped at swatting away her hand or had he slapped her hand away more forcefully than he did... I would still be in his corner. But watching him turn around, pull back and wallop her... it was a pretty shocking image and seeing how smoothly it happened makes me genuinely wonder if this was the first time he's ever pulled back and slapped a woman like that. We've said it here before, and I'll say it again in this situation, while I realize that celebrities are people too... when you make a choice to live a publicized life as a "hero" and "role-model" you have a responsibility and an obligation of sorts to act worthy of such titles, and McGraw failed in this.
At the end of the day... they both acted inappropriately. And while Jesslyn Taylor was the first to be inappropriate, Tim McGraw reacted in a way that was over the top and inappropriate as well. The whole situation is douchey. Jesslyn Taylor needs to get a fucking clue about how to be a fan and not an aggressive fanatic... and this noise about suing for being humiliated... well, suck it up Buttercup, because you should be embarrassed of your actions. Jesslyn Taylor doesn't deserve a goddamn thing after the way she acted especially not in terms of a settlement. And Tim McGraw... well, Jesslyn Taylor was the inappropriate aggressor, but I don't feel that reacting with such violence was McGraw's only option. There has been a huge argument that if the star involved had been a female, and the aggressor a man... there would be a totally different reaction, possibly even cheering. I'm struggling because I feel that no one should get to hit another person and have it be "ok", but the fact of the matter is... there IS a difference between a woman hitting a man and a man hitting a woman. Both are totally inappropriate on many levels and while both of us here at DoucheArt would like to see men and women as equals, we'd be fools to think that means there are no differences between genders (when talking about cisgender men and women). Men are typically physically stronger and come with a hell of a lot more societal power. The powerful using brute force to keep those under him in line is always going to be more offensive, less acceptable.
It is grossly apparent that something needs to change about attitudes towards performers and celebrities... especially when fans feel it is appropriate and warranted to assault and sexually assault performers. But at the end of the day, both Jesslyn Taylor and Tim McGraw are both guilty of being the douche in this situation. Either way, I see two people who need to learn to keep their hands to themselves.
-- Hot Ash
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