(Story By Betty Throttles @BettyThrottles)
We love the bombshell bra from Victoria’s Secret but hate the bomb pop sensation Rihanna dropped on us fans when she canceled her performance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. According to Gregory Hicks from MTV.com, there’s a great reason behind the decision.
So what was it? Can you guess?
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No, the reason wasn’t some valiant philanthropic effort. It wasn’t due to illness or even a family emergency. Wouldn’t we all like to call out of work to do something that sounds more appealing than deal with a boss that expects us to come in on a Saturday?
Sources say, she canceled the much-anticipated show to work on her upcoming album entitled Anti. Some fans are calling this reason selfish, leaving a bitter taste to the title. The album name does seem to lend to a growing opinion of Rihanna’s decision to cancel; that of opposition, anti if you will. Ellie Goulding is scheduled to take her place. The fashion show airs on CBS on December 8 at 10 p.m. h/t MTV.com
Before getting your thongs further in a bunch, (fellas that goes for you too) let’s look beneath the surface. Yes, it sucks for the guys and gals out there that enjoy watching Rihanna parade around in her panties, especially after getting “phresh out on the runway” in her 2012 performance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show; but there are two issues that need undressing…*ahem, addressing. First, she hung her fans out to dry. Faux pa RiRi. Then, for all the youngins out there, she put the dirty diaper in the dryer; carelessly spinning our nation’s impressionable minds on high heat in a time we needed a delicate cycle. h/t Perez Hilton
We need a voice. We need to know we matter. We need a role model. A model to follow…and not necessarily that of the Victoria’s Secret Angel persuasion.
With acts like Miley Cyrus twerking her way to the top, the spike in young women aspiring to become strippers should come as no shock. Rihanna’s fans hope she might set the pole a bit higher. It could be that given the standard her fans hold her to, a far greater “great reason” was anticipated.
Maybe the question we should be asking ourselves is should we continue to care? Rihanna, we’d like to see you in more than undergarments.
Whether you believe her to be talented or not, Rihanna has been given the gift of limelight. It’s a privilege to stand on this platform with a microphone. What a pop star has to say is of utmost importance. People revere these iconic figures like demi-gods and with that swarms unjustly power. All artists have a responsibility to their fans. They owe their entire success to them.
Okay sure, the fans are disappointed. They’ll get over it, right? These are the same individuals who’ll stand in line, rain or shine at any venue their favorite artist happens to be performing. Far be it to say, some are die-hard fans that would not only endure, but gladly volunteer for a real-life episode of Sons of Anarchy just for the chance to be near, say Rihanna. Obviously not all fans hold this much zeal, but there is the dedicated bunch worth mentioning. Then there’s the few wild-eyed-er’s. These are those fans willing to wrestle a fairly large woman named Whiskey Jane in a star-struck fan-craze to get that first autograph, alas a picture…a hug.
True fanatics don’t care whether you sing at Nacho Daddy or at Madison Square Garden. They are the ones that are there, no matter what. They supported the last album, bought singles on iTunes diligently, and although some of the female supporters may object to watching Rihanna perform in her panties, fans are doing their damn part! They don’t want to hear excuses about her next album because they won’t be there to buy it. Did someone say free download?
So, what would constitute a great reason for cancelling a concert, show, or performance?
The majority opinion appears to have expected charity work and maintains the belief that this would be a plausible good reason. With over 22 charities including her own Believe Foundation started in 2006 that aims to help terminally ill children, not a one was mentioned as being the reason she cancelled her performance. h/t Look To The Stars
Role models such as Pink and Eminem know it’s about the fans. Eminem has the Marshall Mathers Foundation where his emphasis is on at risk youth programs. He is very active in the community and according to Howard Hertz, the secretary of the Marshall Mathers Foundation, Em spent between $270,ooo-$563,970 from 2011- 2013 alone. He prefers to show his philanthropy privately, which is a testament of a true role model. He owns up to mistakes through his music. He takes responsibility and shows integrity by giving back. What was that about your album? Careful, Rihanna. You don’t want Eminem having to apologize for stating, I’m friends with the monster. h/t Evil Beet Gossip
Moreover, pop rock queen Pink reportedly stopped a performance in Philadelphia to comfort a little girl crying during a concert. The child had begun to cry after two women in the audience started arguing. Fans escorted the little girl up toward the stage where Pink gave her a stuffed animal and a rice crispy treat. A host from abcnews.go.com states, “ I love that there are so many positive role models for my little daughter.” h/t abcnews.go.com
It’s about being apart of something greater than you. In that instant when the music stops, you realize it’s not really the show that you came to see. You came for the artist and what they make you to feel. In that moment, we all matter…every smile, every two-step, every tear. It’s the real artist that pulls us in, doesn’t let us down, and shows us we’re apart of their world. It’s about being down to earth. Our role as fans is to love them for it.
Rihanna has an amazing look, a rich texture to her voice and there’s no doubt that she’d look stunning in the latest collection from Victoria’s Secret till the end of time (in Hollywood years, that is). Just as beautifully as these garments can be worn; classic, tailored, and seductive, they’re still just undergarments. They can’t turn you into Supergirl, sorry. You will not grow wings, regardless of how alluring the Victoria’s Secret angels appear to be. In Rihanna’s case; however, these outfits have been described as barely there. We’d love to see Rihanna bare all and by that, we mean soul, raw music, stripped of gimmicks. Let’s hope her new album, “the great reason” behind ditching the fans proves worth it.
ANTI noun an·ti \ˈan-ˌtī, ˈan-tē\: one that is opposed. h/t Merriam-Webster
Her decision to cancel has been met with discord and disapproval. Lamenting fans disagree with her reasoning and backlash may result in the future. Hopefully, it will not cost her the loyalty of devotees. Perhaps a good measure would be to shelve Anti for awhile. Fans can turn into adversaries quite quickly. Just look at Kanye West. Did someone just mumble douche bag? He dubbed himself a douche after disappointing followers in 2010. It’s been a hole he’s been trying to crawl out of ever since. Rihanna needs to do her job and let the fans do theirs. Without them, not a single record will be sold.
Hopefully, the creation of Anti won’t simultaneously reflect an anti-Rihanna movement. Perhaps this was apart of a master plan. Is it possible that the decision to cancel her performance was actually a tactic to intentionally upset the fan base? How egregious! Some might argue it a stroke of SEO genius: Hashtag #antiRihanna. No matter what, it all still comes back to the album.
Regardless of why the decision was made to cancel her performance, the consensus remains the same. Rihanna enthusiasts expect more. Fans deserve a far better great reason.