My Irrational Dislike of John Mayer
“Don’t you just love John Mayer?”
I hear that a lot, and my answer is usually a smirky, snobby no. However, my reasons are entirely suspect for disliking the shaggy-haired musician, a 29-year-old guitar man who gives James Taylor a run for his touchy-feely sensitive-guy, let's-just-get-naked-and-talk crown. I'm fairly certain my Mayer malaise is steeped in deep, furious jealousy. Because, after all, it’s always cute girls who repeatedly ask, “Don’t you just love John Mayer?” These same girls spend very little time asking, “Don’t you just love Sean Daly?” I'm vaingloriously shallow like that.
Mayer also has the world on a string: smash singles (Your Body Is a Wonderland), hit albums (including 2006’s Continuum), myriad Grammys, weekend trysts with Jessica Simpson (c'mon, she's dumb but she's hot -- again, shallow). And, most importantly, a right hand that very often does a decent Eric Clapton impression. When Mayer plugs in his Strat, and abandons such wispy sap as dumb hit Daughters, he's pretty darn good.
Recently, 46 fans at a Mayer concert in Hershey, Pa., were busted for underage drinking. And Mayer handled that brouhaha with wry wit, saying, “First, to the 46 people accused of underage drinking; what were you thinking? You have your whole life to engage in underage drinking. What’s the hurry? I didn’t start underage drinking until I was 26. Underage drinking is not a function of age, but of style. And you kids are way too young to truly appreciate the nuances of true underage drinking.”
That’s kinda funny. And despite me laughing aloud, I now dislike John Mayer even more. So really, stop asking me.
John Mayer, with Ben Folds, performs at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa. $29.50-$52.50. (813) 740-2446.
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
Aww, don't be jealous Sean. John Mayer is cute, but I'd take a cardboard cut-out of you rather than of him any day.
Posted by: MarieElaine | August 01, 2007 at 10:45 AM
You're in luck! I have a devastatingly handsome cardboard cutout of me waiting for just the right loving owner. You will feed it and talk to it, right?
Posted by: Sean Daly | August 01, 2007 at 11:07 AM
you're too cute!...great blog!...& to ur surprise alot of john mayer fans r now askin' "don't u just love sean daly" ;.)
Posted by: Bianca | August 01, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Hey, Daly, you aren't too shabby a funny-man yourself. From the keyboard of a "cute girl": I laughed GENEROUSLY at this article. Lovely wit you've got there. Love a man who can write!
Posted by: Miss King | August 01, 2007 at 02:56 PM
No but I'm totally serious. Do you ship to Canada?
Posted by: MarieElaine | August 01, 2007 at 04:19 PM
Does this mean you're not attending the John Mayer concert?
Posted by: DG | August 03, 2007 at 03:34 AM
Actually, I'd like to write about Mayer, so I'll probably go.
Plus I have a feeling the crowd is gonna be really cute.
Posted by: Sean Daly | August 03, 2007 at 07:22 AM
Damm, you don't like him either?
Posted by: Mike Alstott | August 10, 2007 at 09:41 PM