* From a commenter…
One of your commenters said something about every time Madigan said something about Rauner and “extreme” he thinks of the 90’s band of “More than Words” fame.
In case you don’t remember the song or the band, click here. Just a warning, though, it’ll give you a nasty case of ear worms.
* The commenter said he was bored last night, so he took the concept “to an illogical Onion level” and created a fake press release…
Surviving members of Extreme seek to distance selves from Rauner agenda
“More than words,” said former lead singer.
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Faced with yet another round of withering political criticism from ranking Democrats regarding Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s agenda, surviving members of the once-popular 90’s band Extreme sought to distance themselves from the first-term governor’s policies.
“This is more than words,” said Extreme frontman Gary Cherone, who, along with bandmate Nuno Bettencourt, climbed the Billboard charts with the band’s 1990 album Pornograffitti.
Cherone said he personally tried to contact Rauner earlier this week to encourage him to drop his Extreme agenda.
“I’ve tried to talk to him and make him understand,” Cherone told reporters who gathered for the band’s hastily assembled press conference.
The plea from the band was ignored, according to numerous sources, and Rauner again called for approval of his agenda during his Wednesday budget speech.
Extreme’s public efforts to distance themelves from Rauner’s agenda come as Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan launched yet another criticism of the governor.
“We’re all better served … if we follow the traditional approach, people become reasonable with each other, move away from Extreme agendas, recognize that the No. 1 problem facing the state of Illinois is the budget deficit,” Madigan said following the governor’s budget speech.
Madigan, an influential Chicago Democrat, over recent months has similarly derided Rauner-backed political ads as “Extreme” and repeatedly encouraged the governor “to stop operating in the Extreme.”
Cherone, who confessed the situation had torn his heart in two, said the band could no longer remain silent in decades-old obscurity and decided to go public in an effort to make it clear that while Donna Arduin did in fact attend a 1991 performance at the Lansing (Mich) Civic Center, there is not now nor has there ever been any formal tie or coordination between Extreme and any member or associate of the Rauner administration.
Contacted Friday, the governor’s office had the following response: “Lad di da da di da. Thanks, ck,” Catherine Kelly said.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:32 am:
Dear Gov. Rauner,
We need more than words to show you feel that your love for IL is real…
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:33 am:
Well done by the commenter.
Extreme also makes me think of the remarkable AFSCME legislation being pushed (again) by some, despite the lack of sufficient votes or popular support, while calling others extreme. “Do what I say, but not what I do”
- Waffle Fries - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:41 am:
This wins February.
- Politix - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:43 am:
Perfection
- Team Sleep - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:44 am:
Glad to see my comments and attempts at humor get some attention!
- Team Sleep - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:44 am:
Rich - please note that not everything Extreme did was as bad as “More Than Words”. Nuno’s solo stuff is actually pretty good.
- thunderspirit - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:46 am:
Nicely done.
- Annonin' - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:47 am:
Wonderin’ if the Kiddy Cabinet will be bannin’ their music. BTW if there will no new employees can the KC give us a list of all the stuff bein’ done now that won’t be done later? How many new consent decrees will tha lead us into?
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:52 am:
Superb. Best of Jan and Feb
- Hoping for Rational Thought - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:53 am:
Well timed moment of levity. Thanks!
- Anon217 - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:56 am:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ISYT6EeUM0
- South of Sherman - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:57 am:
It’s no “Dad’s Home State,” but still pretty darn good.
- Cubs in '16 - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:58 am:
Thought of another Extreme song whose lyrics are apropos–’Kid Ego’
Come down
Hey kid, I’m talkin’ to you
What am I supposed to do
You know that you’re something special
That’s something you already knew
Hey kid, got something to say
But you won’t listen anyway
I am only tryin’ to help you
But you get further every day
We think your head is getting
Bigger and bigger and bigger
Hey kid, some good advice
To bring your britches down to size
Some modesty would suit you better
So why don’t you give it a try
Hey kid ego
With your head above the clouds
Hey kid ego
Come down
Hey kid, you’re Mr. IT
Inch by inch a little bit
Stepping on the little people
Like you don’t even give a sh**
Hey kid, you have it all
Standing proud on top of the world
Don’t you know the bigger they come
The harder they must all fall
We think your head is getting
Bigger and bigger and bigger
We think you should be taught
Some manners, manners, manners
Hey kid, some good advice
To bring your britches down to size
Some modesty would suit you better
So why don’t you give it a try
- Big Joe - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 9:59 am:
Extremely good post. Thanks for the bit of humor in this dark present.
- SAP - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 10:07 am:
Outstanding, but 42 days early.
- GOP Extremist - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 10:08 am:
Public support for the arbitration bill is debatable but it passed in the house easily. You must have meant it doesn’t have the votes to override the extremist gov. How many votes would the turn around get???? Zero, just a bunch of present votes and then a lot of whining about political theater.
- Anon221 - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 10:14 am:
Is the liasion to the Kiddie Cabinet Diana’s COS???
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 10:17 am:
Bonnie Tyler in addition to members of The Little River Band have also come out against Rauner for the use of the word “Turn Around”.
- wordslinger - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 10:20 am:
During his 70-day, $7.3 million drunken sailor run for the presidency, the Great Cheesehead Hope, Scott Walker, used “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” as his intro music.
The Dropkick Murphys responded:
“Please stop using our music in any way. We literally hate you.”
Boston Celtic punk –it’s direct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-64CaD8GXw
- Bonnie Tyler - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 10:25 am:
Statement from Bonnie Tyler regarding Gov. Rauner’s continued use to Turn Around to describe his agenda:
“Every now and then a I fall apart.”
- Whatever - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 11:06 am:
Because - Madigan!
From the presser, it sounds like they really have a complaint against Madigan for copyright or trademark infringement. This is another hit job by the Chicago machine, probably financed by organized labor.
- NATTY BOY - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 12:02 pm:
As the song said in the aforementioned Pornograffittti album, Rauner: “If you don’t like what we’re doing/Get the funk out”. Very good article.
- burbanite - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 12:13 pm:
Clever!
- VH - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
Not sure the worst singer in Van Halen history has much credibility here. Now if David Lee Roth weighs in . . .
- Cheswick - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 1:14 pm:
Good stuff. Very creative “press release.”
- GA Watcher - Friday, Feb 19, 16 @ 1:14 pm:
Does Governor Rauner have an ownership stake in major league baseball? Just saw this headline on Bleacher Report:
MLB wont’ fear going extreme to attract a new generation