Friday, March 28, 2008

Rock the Baby

In an age when celebrity breeds celebrity — unfairly, paying more for mom curves than dad breeding — it is no surprise that baby rockers get a show based on daddy's success.

But what are we supposed to learn about the dads from MTV's "Rock the Cradle," 10 offspring rocking off against each other, debuting April 3? For WD purposes (and maybe others) we'll ignore the chances of rockette Chloe Lattanzi, daughter of Olivia Newton-John (a rock star?) as she is the only mother's child competing.

The focus will be on what we can learn about the daddy by watching scions

  • A'Keiba Burrell, daughter of rapper MC Hammer
  • Landon Brown, son of the troubled and troubling Bobby B
  • Lara Johnston, daughter of Doobie Tom Johnston
  • Crosby Loggins, highly pitched son of Kenny Loggins
  • Jesse Money, daughter of frat head Eddie M
  • Jesse Blaze Snider, son of Twisted Sisters Dee Snider
  • Lil B Sure, actually Albert J. Brown IV and son of Al B (actually AJB III)
  • Lucy Walsh, pianist to her daddy Eagle Joe Walsh's guitarist
Does this define music celebrity for today and music for tomorrow? Or, should the show also have included all the children of Conway Twitty, currently searching for a walking replica of dad for their planned touring musical tribute, "It's Only Make Believe." Or, maybe the Osbourne kids, Jack and Kelly, recently ABC newsed so they could complain about the pressures of being Ozzie's kids that left them no choice BUT TO DO DRUGS AND ABUSE THEMSELVES.

What do we learn about Ozzie from his kids admitting they screwed up? What do we learn about music dads when their kids aren't as talented, although one will win? Because surely at least at this point, we don't care about the kid, even if we don't really care that much about the dad any more, either.

** If he makes it hip enough, with or without talent his children will gravitate to a dad's world. **

2 comments:

mtvcradlerocker said...

I'm actually working with MTV to promote the show and I think one differentiation between this show and others like it is at some level or another, most of the contestants actually have performance experience and talent. It's always going to be difficult for children of famous muscians to get out from under their parent's shadow, but I think the show is a starting point for that.

Rock the Cradle Premieres on Thursday, April 3rd 10/9c
Rockthecradle.mtv.com

kent oswald said...

It's not difficult to escape a father's shadow. It's impossible, whether the father is famous or not, just ask MTV's other children yearning to breathe free on My Super Sweet Sixteen.