The Fun Times Guide

Whew - I'm glad we cleared that all up. I was beginning to wonder where you were going with all of those accusations...

Herm, unless you were "in" on the whole deal yourself, then you know as well as I do that neither you nor I will ever get to the bottom of this ourselves.

Now, we can all sleep knowing that the world's problems have been solved and Chely's name has been cleared. :>

Hey, do you think she'll include you and me in the liner notes of her next album for keeping this going? After all, there is no such thing as bad publicity. Had this become a bigger issue (than say just you and me caring about it), her fans would have rallied even that much more behind the song.

Remember the Toby Keith/ Dixie Chicks deal? The more the "Chicks" bashed Toby - the more records he sold...

You and I did our part.

Cheers.

Jim,


I’ve just re-read what you’ve said. You acknowledge having read Chely’s letter explaining the history of the song. Then you know she has said IN that letter that neither she NOR anyone from her “camp” would be “working” the song. So sir, with your constant insinuations that she was the “brains behind this ‘operation’” you sir have slandered this young lady.


And I feel that it is only fair to tell you that I have forwarded both the URL and the contents of the page where you have insinuated that she was the “brains behind the ‘operation’” to the webmaster of her site. Hopefully they will be “kind” to you and NOT sue you for slander.


Herman

Jim,


Gee that’s funny, I was able to listen to the song in it’s entirety at Chely’s web site, as well as watch the full video also at her web site.


There is also a MSG board set-up at her web site for the song “Bumper of my S.U.V.”


Part of the problem is that you keep putting your opinion out there as IF it was a verified fact, as well as insinuating that Chely DID have something to do with the actions of her fan club. And just because two people get together on a “daily” basis to talk about “everything” does NOT mean that Chey had anything to do with what was done to get the song more airplay.


And just because the story was first broke in a newspaper does not mean that it is true, as newspapers have been known to get the facts and information wrong. And I still contend that IF you were to do some more research into the matter you’d know that just about everything that is/was reported in that article that you keep referring to is nothing more then hearsay evidence. There is NO admission of guilt on Chely’s part. And I have to agree with Tracy’s opinion that Stephanie Hoffpauir seems to be someone trying to make a grab for the limelight.


IF as she says her conscience was bothering her why didn’t she try to get in touch with Chely to find out IF she did or did not know about what was happening? Why did she violate the trust that was placed in her by the fan club by revealing the password to a private area of the web site???


Given that you are reposting parts of the original article and that you keep insinuating that on some level that Chely “knew” what was being done in her name. I would think that in all fairness that you should do your best to get her side of the story.


Instead you are relying on third-hand accounts of the events that transpired. “Evidence” which by being hearsay evidence in nature, would not be admissible in a court of law.


Also given that you have made it quite clear that you are not a fan of the genre and/or Chely Wright, then doesn’t it stand to reason that you are someone who should not be reviewing her songs?


You may not consider yourself to be a “hard news” site but I would say that most people reading what you have published here that you ARE engaged in reporting.


Herman

OK - can we assume a few things? You're a fan - I'm indifferent.

I'll try and address all of your questions/concerns (and still get some work done today)

1)In her statement to the Tennessean, Chely said these people were released for "unethical behavior". Not The Fun Times Guide - Not Jim or Lynnette. Chely said that. You ask - Is it unlawful pretend to be someone? I'm not a lawyer - don't play one on TV - didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night. But Chely thought it was "unethical". I agree with her.

2)Our opinion is stated in that article - when we said she "may have known". That's my opinion. This is a blog. Opinions are welcome. Hard News can be found at The Tennessean, or USA Today or CNN.

3)There are lots of facts in the above story - you may choose to ignore them - that's OK. The facts are based on our recount of a published news story in the Tennessean and correspondence with one of the volunteers as she commented above. Our story is accurate - my opinion is that she knew. There was a "group of volunteers" as early as March 2004 that worked on things like this. Again I say - That's smart marketing! I just believe that if Chely is good enough to assemble a team - she was smart enough to "mind the store" also. But - that's my opinion - yours may differ.

4)I have not purchased any of Chely's music - It's not my style. Lynnette liked the song. Unfortunately, Chely has removed all of the links from her site which pertain to the SUV song. At one time, she posted the entire letter which you referred to, and a link to the full-length version of the song. Therefore, yes I have read her letter and listened to the song.

Should we argue my taste in music at this point?

I haven't contacted Chely - If I did, should I expect a response? Should I expect an answer different from her statement to the Tennessean?

If Chely needs another fan supporting her cause, then might I recommend that you are the perfect one to do it. Perhaps you would be interested in starting your own PRO Chely/SUV Song blog over at Blogger.com

Again, we're not hard news here - it was just an album review that had an update because of this story.

Jim,


As far as I know there is no law prohibiting a person from pretending to be the wife or husband of a service member. It is however (if I am not mistaken) against the law to pretend to BE a service member.


It also appears that you are expressing your opinion as a fact, and NOT just your opinion. You are aware are you not that there are hundreds IF not thousands of people who volunteer or are paid employees of various politicians who have committed FAR worse crimes in the names of the politician that they support.


IF as you are insinuating that Chely had anything to do with the “conspiracy” to get her song more airplay then she is just as wrong as those who made the phone calls and sent the E-Mails under false pretenses. However unless there is some hard evidence that links her as being the true “mastermind” behind the whole campaign then isn’t it responsible “reporting” to make it clear that ones opinions are just that, opinions NOT currently supported by facts???


Yes, you have the freedom of speech to express your opinions, but with that freedom comes the responsibility to use it in a responsible manner. Just because we have the freedom of speech does not mean that a person can go into a crowded movie theater or restaurant and yell “fire” without facing the consequences of their actions.


IF as it appears that you are trying to act as some of type of reporter then you have a responsibility to report on the facts of a story and NOT to state your opinion as some sort of “fact.”


Again I ask IF you have actually purchased and listened to her CD with the song and her letter on it? IF not you owe it to yourself to do so. Have you actually contacted Chely to get her side of the story? IF not that is irresponsible “reporting” on your part.


As IF you’re going to report on things then you need to do more research then what your “story” shows that you’ve done.


Herman

Hey Herman:

Thanks for commenting. I'm not sure where to start. I'll give it a try.

Let me start with a little background. Lynnette reported on this song back in November 2004. She enjoyed it and thought it was great and the fact that it was climbing the charts, despite little or no backing from a major label. I really didn't care that much for the song - neither did Eric who commented to that article before any "controversy" arose.

So, how does Lynnette's positive review of the song, songwriter and CD turn ugly to the point that we are accused of being anti-military and tabloid journalist?

We didn't break the story, the Tennessean did. Chely admitted that this happened and fired her longtime friend and fan club president (Chuck Walter) when another fan club member went to the paper with the story (before anyone was fired).

The Tennessean reported that in an interview the day before this story, Chely said that she considered Chuck "my best friend. We talk all the time, about everything."

So, is it OK if we feel like the song started up the charts under a false sense of being a "hit" (and now continues to grow!)?

Is it OK if I feel like she "MAY" have known about it?

Is it OK if I think it was a great idea that went wrong?

We live in Music City USA. We have friends that are singers and songwriters and know how hard it is to get around all of the politics and red tape of the industry.

Are we "fanning flames"? I think not. More likely it's Chely fans coming to her rescue for something that HAPPENED and because we had an opinion on it.

I'm just amazed that nothing more came of that news. But, then again, that part of the industry has so much under the table stuff going on that this was just a case of "score one for the artist" in the radio industry's eyes.

So, I guess it's singer/songwriters: 1 - Radio Industry: 1 million.

The songwriters and singers still have a lot of catching up to do. I say more power to Chely, or Chuck or whoever came up with the idea - just don't tell the radio stations that you are a Marine wife that misses her mate.

Jim,



I think that what Tracy is referring to is that apparently without any real evidence that YOU and Lynnette are "fanning the flames" to keep the “conspiracy” that Chely Wright is/was the brains behind some “conspiracy” to get her song as much airplay as possible, alive. And that her firing of her fan club president as well as several other fans is some kind of “cover-up” on her part for her “guilt” in the whole sorted affair. Have you all actually researched the facts to find out what is and isn’t true?



Have either of you even gone out and purchased a copy of her single CD? If so have you listened to her letter that she included on the single?



I can’t speak for Tracy, but in my opinion what she was referring to when she said your continuing the controversy over the song is what disgraces the memory of the soldier who was the “wake-up” call that prompted Chely to finally record the song for “commercial” release. And speaking as someone who IS a Veteran I am offended that you would suggest any self-serving motives behind the release of the song OR it’s climb up the charts, especially without any real evidence to back up your claim. I would also say that her reference to “Even the tabloid style of writing on this page is just trying to perpetuate preconceived notions of guilt that Chely Wright was in on this whole situation without one single shred of evidence.” Is that your article reads like something one would expect to find in the Star or any of the other “bastions of journalistic” integrity that can be found at the check out counter of any supermarket.



Also as she points out don’t you think that IF Chely is/was behind this whole affair that those who have been let go would be running to the press pointing fingers at her as being the brains behind it all???



Herman

Tracy:

Thanks for your spirited and opinionated response. The best thing I can take away from your response is that Freedom of Speech still lives today thanks to the generations of men and women that have fought and died to preserve it. Lynnette and I believe in it - and practice it - thus we posted your view.

However, I must point out a few things about your comments...
You said: "I think that Chely Wright's firing of the fan club president as well as removal of the members that actually are at fault is proof enough that she wasn't in on it".

That proves - what? I'm not saying she knew or didn't know - but innocence can't be proven by firing someone. Ollie North got fired - maybe he was a fall guy?

Also, you accuse us of "tabloid" writing and "slandering a singer". I'd challenge you again to find the slander in our post. Since we said Chely "MAY" have known... That makes it slander?

Of everything that I read on this page - the MOST sensational thing I think that is written is YOUR comments that this site brings "disgrace to the death of a soldier". Which paragraph was that in? I must have glazed over that part.

If you note my comment on 12-30-04 - I thought that the basic idea was brilliant: beating the "big business" of radio at their own game - but that the line got crossed when people misrepresented themselves.

We support our troops - here are a few posts that represent our opinions :
A Soliders Story

Iraq War

Thank you.

I have to say that this whole situation disgusts me. What I see in the Tennesean article is a singer getting blamed for the actions of her fan club president. Fan clubs often are used to help promote songs, but do you really think that these orders came directly from Chely just because of some half-witted remark by a fan who had been led astray? It would be easy for anyone, especially a fan club member, to think that because something came from the club president, then it came from the celebrity that the club lies under. As for Stephanie Hoffpauir... She did the right thing by coming forward about this. Unfortunately she did it in a cowardly way. She should have confronted the fan club president, as well as the other fan club members who were posing a military dependants or personnel. Instead she not only runs to the newspaper, but gives them password coded access to the fan club site. Even how she answered questions and made statements does not sound like a person who is just trying to "clear their conscience". She is screaming "LOOK AT ME" trying to get her 5 minutes of the spotlight. Even the tabloid style of writing on this page is just trying to perpetuate preconcieved notions of guilt that Chely Wright was in on this whole situation without one single shred of evidence. I think that Chely Wright's firing of the fan club president as well as removal of the members that actually are at fault is proof enough that she wasn't in on it ESPECIALLY when not one of the people that she removed is jumping up and down screaming "IT WAS HER IDEA" as any disgruntled fan would.
.
I think that the stirring of the hornets nest, as you are doing, is ridiculous. You make it sound as if Chely herself handed the president of her fan club the CD and ordered him to go on a promotion campaign at all costs. What Chely had told us last night was that one of the soldiers in Iraq had recorded the concert that he was helping run, and sent the song to his mother back in the states, who forwarded it to a radio station. She said that she got a call from the radio station, who wanted to go on the air live with her about her new single, and that she was confused as to what they were talking about since she hadn't released anything for over 4 months. Chely went on to say that she was unsure if she would record the song or not, until she got to spend a couple hours getting to know one of the soldiers on her Iraq tour. Just a few hours after she left that base, the soldier that she had gotten to know was killed in the line of duty. After that she made her mind up to make sure to record the song.
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This is Jim and Lynette's Fun Times Guide. Do you consider slandering a country singer "fun times"? How about trying to add disgrace to the death of a soldier, the one who's death was the sobering call to Chely to record her song that she originally intended to only play for the troops overseas. Chely has brought more "fun times" to troops overseas than you could ever hope to do to all of the people sitting safely here at home out of harms way. Most of our soldiers are going through the hardest times of their lives over there, being separated from their families who never know if mommy or daddy is ever going to come home. Your article is a taint to the memories of all who have died in Iraq, but it is that freedom of speech that our soldiers are defending every day. I hope you continue having your "fun times", just remember that it is the soldiers of the past who have died that give you the right to have them.

I saw Chely at a concert in Oklahoma 2 weeks ago and I love her voice and the SUV song, regardless of how it was promoted. The message was for the troops and from my understanding, she gets no profit (money that is) from this song. However, I was disapointed that she refused to come out and sign autographs. So, I refused to purchase anything. There wasn't a big crowd there so I don't see what the problem was with a little appreciation with an autograph. Maybe her schedule was too hectic. I still like her though. LS Watauga, TX

I have to tell you, I am and have been a military wife for the past 6 years, and I have met Chely Wright in San Diego, CA on Feb. 22, 2005. She was and is the sweetest person, I don't believe that she conspired in something like this. This SJH person just wants attetion and noteriety, so Chely is the target. Get a new hobbie.
RSA

Thanks for pointing that out, SJH!

I appreciate your feedback and validation of the facts in this article.

Lynnette will edit the article to correct the error ASAP.

We are still a bit surprised that nothing much has been said about this issue since the Tennessean Article.

Lynnette and I personally went back and forth about the issue. I often wondered how it was much different that what record labels do to bribe station programmers to play their artists. Heck, half the time CMT and GAC are playing the top 10 video of the week of a song that hasn't received any play time. How can it possibly be a top 10?

I guess the "line was crossed" when some folks misrepresented themselves by posing as military spouses. Other than that... I thought it was brilliant, beating the labels at their own game. But, that's just my opinion.