Marilyn Manson and Separating Art from the Artist - Mental Health Jukebox Special
Welcome to a special episode of the Renegade Jukebox, featuring a spotlight on the controversy and abuse allegations surrounding Marilyn Manson. Mike, Keona, and regular Jukebox co-host Nick also touch on the backlash against Buffy creator and fill-in Justice League director Joss Whedon, as well as the idea of separating the art from the artist and if or when it’s appropriate to do so. It’s a different type of episode, and we must warn you that some of the topics we discuss are triggering, such as domestic abuse and sexual assault. We don’t take these topics lightly, and we hope that this episode informs and encourages you to research the subjects we cover. As always, thank you for listening.
We here at RPC always respect and stand with the victims of abuse, whether it be physical, emotional, or mental and psychological.
I won’t be overstaying my welcome with the show notes for this one, as we tackle the controversies surrounding our two main subjects very well in the podcast itself. What I will say is that while I personally am not a huge Marilyn Manson fan, I sympathize with those who were into his music in the past but find it difficult to do so in the wake of the allegations brought against him by Evan Rachel Wood and many others. I believe that my own feelings about Joss Whedon mirror those of former Manson fans, who have enjoyed his music in the same way I enjoyed Whedon’s work. It’s impossible to ignore the damage that both men have allegedly done to the people in their respective spheres of influence, and to do so would be irresponsible, so I’m just going to say this: While they are both obviously talented individuals, that does not exempt them from the consequences they must face for their transgressions and abuse, and that I shall no longer support their careers in the future. I’ll always love Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible, mainly because they’re the collective result of many people’s hard work, not just Joss himself. I do still like a few of Manson’s songs in and of themselves, as well. However, I cannot in good conscience financially support their future work. I believe it’s up to the individual to decide how they will approach separating the art from the artist, or even if they feel it’s okay to do so, but for me, Buffy means more than just the contributions Whedon made to it on his own. Much like Manson’s music was the byproduct of more than just his own talents. Ultimately, whatever the art means to you as an individual will be the measure of its true worth, but we must never fail to hold the people in power accountable for their behavior, and that’s the major lesson to be learned here.
If you or anyone you know is in need of help due to domestic abuse, please visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline.
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, please visit RAINN.org or call 1-800-656-4673.
If you or someone you know has ever contemplated suicide, please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website, or call 1-800-273-8255.
Thank you all for listening, and please know that if you struggle with mental health issues at all, you are not alone. We love you. Please reach out and seek help. We’ll see you later, Renegades. Be well.
Welcome to the latest episode of the Mental Health Checkup, wherein Captain Kaye, Neoplasmic, and the Streamin’ Demon are joined by BioShocker for the first time as they reminisce about past responsibilities and current opportunities! While 2022 has been a stressful year for many reasons, our crew still looks ahead to the future and finds the silver lining in the storm cloud of this life. Remember, if you’re ever dealing with difficulties, you are never alone. That’s the main message we want to send with this podcast.