The New York Times
March 23, 2003
By Warren St. John
For a few days after the Dixie Chicks’ lead singer, Natalie Maines, told a London audience, “Just so you know, we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas,” there was not a ripple about the remark. The American ambassador to Britain, William S. Farish, was at the show on March 10, and made it a point to greet the Texas trio at a reception afterward. Though six critics reviewed the concert, only one mentioned the comment in print.
Four days later, all that had changed. Reports of the remark spread to the United States through Web sites — notably the Drudge Report and a conservative site called Freerepublic.com — and in no time, the Dixie Chicks, who had been riding the top of the charts with their album “Home” after winning Grammy Awards in February, found themselves the subject of radio boycotts and public CD burnings. Ms. Maines apologized for the remark, but by week’s end, the boycotts had contributed to a 20 percent drop in airplay of the band’s music.
For celebrities considering taking a public stance on the Iraq war these days, and in particular using the platform that the Academy Awards presents to address an audience of millions, the Dixie Chicks episode has become a cautionary tale.
