The entertainment world was rocked—well, slightly pushed off-balance—when Adam Levine said on May 28’s episode of NBC’s “The Voice”: “I hate this country.”
He says it around the 1:14 mark of the below video.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkMBATwUyYg?feature=player_embedded&w=580&h=360]
He took to Twitter to tell everyone that it was a joke, obviously, and that they are all humorless bastards for getting upset over it. He was simply upset that America has terrible taste in picking the next music superstar. After all, “The Voice” is out to find a singer for the ages/lifespan of almond milk.
But I think everyone, including the people who weren’t offended by the comment, is missing a darker point Levine is making, and it’s not just about the elimination of one of his singers. There’s a reason why he hates the United States. Americans have embraced a lot of crappy music over the years, from William Hung to Kings of Leon. Maroon 5 is not immune to this distinction. In a time when cell phones rule, America somehow made a grating song about a payphone a huge hit. Thus, when he said he hated the United States, he really just hates himself.