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CONTACT US AT P.O. BOX 1027, ATHENS, GA 30603, LETTERS@FUGPdLE.COM
OR VIA THE “TALK BACK TO US" LINK AT FUGPOLE.COM
HOOD CLARIFIES . FOR MENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE
I'd like to thank you, Flagpole, and Chris
[Hassiotis, Music Editor] for the superb cover
age given to our band this week as we release
our new album, play a homecoming show and
do our Nugi's benefit.
[Patterson Hood
interview, Jan. 9]
I'm afraid Chris
caught me on a par
ticularly bad day dur
ing a very stressful
and heated time of
bad relations between
Uj and our label.
While my rant reflected how I felt that
day and some of my anger and frustration
was from issues simmering for several years,
I would like to clarify a couple of points that
were lost in my heated tirade.
1. George Fontaine is a locally known and
respected figure, alumnus and someone who
has helped many worthy causes in this town.
His affiliation with our label is well known, but
he has always been far outside of the issues
I was addressing. George has been a friend
of mine and the Drive-By Truckers since long
before we ever signed a record deal and hope
fully will continue to be for all the years to
come. I have never known a better or sweeter'
human being and hold him and his family in
the highest regard. I regret any embarrassment
or ill feeling my tirade might have caused.
2. When discussing the Black Crowes tour
a couple of years ago, I alluded to the miser
able time we had, but failed to clarify that it
was mostly due to timing and a particularly
bad period in our band's dynamic. The Black
Crowes' organization (band, crew, management
and personnel) ALL were extremely kind to us
on every level. They were supreme gentlemen
and I sincerely hope that my rant didn't imply
otherwise in any way.
This is a messy business and I never
got into all of this to be a businessman. In
the month since my interview, we have all
attempted to move forward in good faith and
for the mutual good of both label and band
and for the benefit of our new album, which I
am fiercely proud of. While my anger that day
still simmers over some issues, we are all mov
ing forward and eager to put those bad times
behind us. I'm feeling somewhat better, and
tonight I get to Rock.
Thank you for your time and support.
Patterson Hood, Drive-By Truckers
Athens
The card in the box wished me glad tidings
and good health in the coming year. Naturally,
it came from my insurance company. Naturally,
they had something to sell.
"D6ar Neighbor,"
the note began,
"Are you aware that
roughly four out of
10 Americans do not
have adequate life
insurance coverage
to protect their loved
ones from financial
hardship?"
Nice. Hit me right square in the holidays.
Harumph. I threw the card into the tinder box
where the junk mail goes and sat down at my
typewriter to hammer out this reply:
Dear Mr. Insurance Man, Thanks for your
letter of Dec. 20. Season's greetings indeed.
While I was not aware that four out of 10
Americans carry inadequate life insurance, I
do happen to know that one out of five will
be diagnosed with a treatable mental illness
during their lifetime. The number that actu
ally seeks treatment is actually much smaller,
due largely to the difficulties associated with
obtaining mental health insurance.
Okay. I lied. I didn't just happen to know
that stuff, but I suspected as much, so I
looked it up (NIMH, 2005). Figured I could
stuff a little something in your stocking.
You see, Mr. Insurance Man, on a sunny,
summer afternoon this year a dear frie nd of
mine dallied a rope around a rafter tail on his
back porch, put his head through the loop and
stepped off a chair. He was still warm when
they came to cut him down. His children were
too young to attend the service. He is sorely
missed.
This very week I learned that his brother
is in the hospital, soon to be headed for the
hoosegow, having gunned down his girlfriend
and then turned the pistol on himself with
somewhat less acumen.
His scars, inside and out, can only be
horrific.
I'm not sure that either of them carried any
life insurance at all, but if they did, it's likely
that their coverage included a compensability
clause, which (good news for guys like you)
limits the payout in cases of suicide. Oh, well.
At the very least, a little therapy might
have gone a long way.
But therapy is expensive, isn't it? I mean,
anti-depressants cost real money, and you
BUMPERSTICKER OF THE WEEK:
Jesus Would Use a Turn Signal
Thanks, Hector. Send your bumpersticker sight
ings to ben@flagpole.com or call 706-549-9523.
can't just quit taking 'em when you're broke,
can you?
Suicide rates do not actually rise during
the holidays (SIEC 1995), but I can’see how
everyone assumes that they do. We're already
stretched so thin, what with the gas bill and
the travel and all. Not to mention junior's
wish list. And flu shots. And cars with busted
heaters. And loss.
And you're right, if I get creamed by a
dumptruck tomorrow, I'll be leaving my loved
ones approximately 80 bucks cash and a sec
ond-hand typewriter. Thanks for the reminder.
I'm like most people. I've got a healthy
little fear of my own sudden, unexpected
death, and the mountain of debt I'll be leav
ing behind me when I go. You just wrapped
all that up in a bow and sent it to me in the
mail. How kind.
Next year, please send along a little infor
mation about your mental health coverage
options. There are times when folks need that
much, much more than anything else you've
got to sell. Happy New Year.
Name Withheld
Athens
by
'RuSEts!
BoluHGc
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In Your Food.
Say what you w ill about the quality of our food,
or the possibility of drug transactions in our
bathrooms. At Waddy McPhlegmster’s. we will
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Have our competitors made that pledge?
“It here should “How about the place
we go to dinner where they don’t spit
tonight? " in your food? ”
“Yay!”
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4 FLAGP0LE.C0M • JANUARY 16, 2008
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