John Mayer has recently stirred up controversy due to his over-the-top comments in an interview with Playboy magazine.
Although he has always been known as being outspoken during interviews, what Mayer described as his “quest to be clever” has gotten him into some trouble and people are accusing him of being racist.
Many people felt that Mayer’s use of a racial slur and other racially insensitive comments were over the edge.
“He should never have said that. Period. But, it also wasn’t good for him as a singer to say things like that because he’s gonna lose a lot of his fan base,” Troy Allen, junior business administration major, said.
Mayer maintains that his words were simply taken out of context. He also apologized on his Twitter account and at his concert in Nashville following the incident.
However, these apologies were not taken to heart by members of the organization Racial Unity USA, who protested outside of the Wachovia Center at Mayer’s recent concert in Philadelphia. Activists in the Oakland area also decided to protest at Mayer’s concert at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Speaking openly about his ex girlfriends, Mayer discussed his sex life with Jessica Simpson, describing her as his own brand of crack cocaine and “sexual napalm.”
“It doesn’t really surprise me. He’s always kind of said whatever he wants,” Kate Riddle, sophomore exercise science major, said.
According to an MTV poll, many were appalled at more shocking things that he said in the interview, while others found it to be nothing out of the ordinary for Mayer.
When asked if black women throw themselves at him, he confesses that he has no desire to sleep with black women and describes his manhood as a “white supremacist.” Earlier in the interview, before the racial comments began, he had stated that black people love him. He has in fact has performed with Jay-Z and recorded with artists such as Common and Kanye West. Mayer also took the initiative to describe to readers what it means to be black, comparing his struggle to that of African American men.
“He is a role model to many young people and for them to be exposed to that vulgar language is unacceptable,” Samantha Bokoski, junior English and communication major, said.
In the Playboy interview, Mayer was asked if he did not know himself, if he would think of himself as a douche bag. He then proceeded to describe himself as “very,” meaning that he always comes on very strongly.
“If you can’t handle very, then I’m a douche bag,” Mayer said.
Throughout the interview he talked also of love, masturbation and heartache. He was also very thorough in explaining why he needs to be liked.
When asked why he cares if people do not like his character, Mayer said, “I do. I just do. I consider myself a good guy, with the best of intentions.”
