The Real "Gaffe" is the Album

From HOPE Member Ryan McMichael:

The first thing that we would like to make clear is that our recent Ashlee Simpson CD exchange was not provoked by or designed as a reaction to her recent SNL lip synching "gaffe." As stated numerous times by various H.O.P.E. members, H.O.P.E. affiliates, H.O.P.E. press secretaries, and H.O.P.E. moms n' dads, this event was in the works long before she ever danced the jig on live TV. Our gripe is not simply with her lip synching, but with her far bigger embarrassment: "Autobiography."

Secondly, to the members of the media who ask "Doesn't everybody lip synch?" The answer is simple: No, that's ridiculous. If you consider all bands and artists in this country right now, not simply the ones on halftime shows and pillowcases, I'd say that less than 1% have ever even considered lip synching. The fact that lip synching has reached a point in our cultural consciousness that its considered "okay" or "allowable" by anyone is just testament to the obnoxious level of watering-down and talentless saturation that our popular culture has endured. It's time to take off our cultural training wheels. There are people with good voices all over the world who can hit notes on cue without the aid of a prerecorded track behind them. If an artist isn't confident and talented enough to get on a stage and rock the mic on their own, then they should crawl off that stage and into whatever IHOP is currently hiring.

And I know, I know, it's so hard to dance and sing at the same time, with the hot lights and the tight pants and the pyrotechnics guy timing your every move, and the acid reflux, and, and, and.... And I for one refuse to suffer any more excuses for lip synching, for terrible corporate art, and for the festering state of American pop music today. My eye is twitching right now just thinking about it.

In short, the Ashlee Simpson exchange was designed to protest her shameful album, not her shameful lip synching, although both are abysmal. Thanks again for all those from around the world who showed great support and an understanding of our cause. Stay tuned; we've got some fun things in the works.