Dangit, Avril.

OK, so I don't want to waste more than a couple of minutes on that wretched Hello Kitty video that everyone's talking about. It's just... If you  haven't seen it yet, it really just is as bad as everyone is saying. It offends by sheer virtue of existing. It makes Girlfriend look good. Hell, it makes Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl look good. And I am vehemently against anyone over the age of 24 doing anything having to do with a cheerleader costume. (except for private bedroom moments that remain private.)

I'll even admit, I kind of liked her ten years ago. And we're the same age, and I try to be at least somewhat supportive of people of my generation doing well. But... egh. I've never deserved so much side-eye for my guilty-pleasure pop music addiction.

The racist aspect of it has already been talked to death by people smarter than I. And... through an American lens, I can see why people would say that. The video, though, was supposed to be exclusive to Japan, where she's been more popular than here for oh, at least a good 5 years. This reads to me less as "white girl uses Asian girls as props" and more "white girl tries badly to be Kyary Pamyu Pamyu...while using Asian girls as props." Plus awkward Skrillex hair something something.

And by "tries," I mean... not really trying at all. More like let's do a couple hours of greenscreen and on-location shooting, throw in some random Japanese words (the way Japanese musicians frequently throw in random English words) and put a cupcake on it. And of course, OF COURSE, that guy from Nickelback was involved.

But then, when was the last time someone failed to get rich from underestimating the intelligence of a national population? Even if the single flops in Japan as hard as it's flopping here, Youtube page views still equal revenue.

I can say this, though. I haven't seen such a blatantly lazy, cynical grab at the common folks' money since Eric Turner in the most recent Indiana legislative session.