Paul Simon and Edie Brickell: Who Beat Up Who?
REMEMBER Edie Brickell? She was a pop-folkie way back when for Generation Xers. She’s best known for ‘Circle’ (here, with the catchier-than-mumps “I quit, I give up” hook) and ‘What I Am” which was covered by Spice Girl Emma Bunton of all people.
That is, she’s formerly best known for these things: now, she’s going to be known in the press as Paul Simon’s Wife, which of course, is what happens to any woman married to someone more famous. Look at how talented clothes designer and fashion powerhouse L’Wren Scott was referred to as ‘Mick Jagger’s girlfriend’ when she died.
And we know she’s married to Paul Simon because this week, there’s been a fight between them. A fistfight. They got down to it and found themselves arrested.
The headlines were thick and fast. Paul Simon was suddenly a wife beater. He’s always been a dick, but a wife beater?
Well, the couple have come out and spoke about it all, with Paul Simon saying that he and Edie Brickell “had an argument” before they were arrested. Brickell, in a statement sent to CNN by her lawyer, said she started it.
“I got my feelings hurt and I picked a fight with my husband,” Brickell said. “The police called it disorderly. Thank God it’s orderly now” The couple held hands while appearing before a judge in the Norwalk Superior Court Monday. After release, Simon said: “Edie and I are fine. We’re going to see our son’s baseball game this afternoon.”
If this is true, that this was just two brawling adults being thoroughly undignified and messy (you’re allowed, don’t worry), you have to show some concern about how quickly the press were to jump to WIFE BEATER! claims. Naturally, there’s a concurrent worry that there is something awry here and this is all covering something more dastardly, but there’s a propensity to create a narrative that harms men and makes women look weak.
For the record, if it was a proper fight, our money’s on Brickell because Paul Simon looks like the kind of fella who would struggle to open a packet of crisps, while Brickell has more chutzpah.
Posted: 29th, April 2014 | In: Music, Reviews Comment (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
