Kenny Tries To Unring The Bell

Kenny Chesney's "60 Minutes" segment is finally making air. Was it worth the trouble?

The marriage to Renee Z was an open sore for a while after it happened in the fall of 2005. In 2006, Kenny didn't do a lot of media except for highly controlled "safe" situations.

"60 Minutes" is major-league hard ball, and they can't be told what not to talk about, so it got talked about. Look up and read for yourself what he said. Maybe it's a good thing and will put that story forever to rest!

The whole gay rumor thing came back, too. Kenny says he is not gay. What more can you do when faced with that? There isn't a DNA test or anything, and people are going to think we they are going to think. Looking at last year's concert grosses, none of these distractions seemed to make any difference at all. (See Kenny on www.SI.com?)

Being a celebrity comes with great rewards -- financial and otherwise. It also comes with having to deal publicly with things like divorce. It's not fun, and it's very embarrassing. Just ask Sara Evans. Celebrity does NOT come with an on-and-off switch.

Chesney is a hard-working, loyal, sort-of private guy. He is loyal to a fault to those who work with him -- generous, in fact, to his crew and associates. Who cares if he is gay or not gay, and what does that have to do with his music and whether he is a good/great entertainer? In the words of the great Eagles song, Get Over It?

The only story even more stupid and regrettable is the one concerning The Dixie Chicks. Talk about much ado about nothing. How that story remained alive this long can only be due to the fact that it was handled so poorly by the Chicks.

Would the girls have won all those awards had they not been rebels and victims of mean old Country radio? Someone said, and I agree, they revel in their status as gangsters. Got everyone feeling sorry for them. Again, what does that have to do with their music?

Great music and talented musicians caught up in a cyclone of stupidity.

How did Bob Dylan and any of the flower-power bands make it if people really cared and matched music to politics? Many of us would never go to a movie and watch a TV show. The religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation does affect what we think of someone. It's human nature, but it's nothing to be proud of, that's for sure!

Speaking of politics, there will be a global-warming concert with Tim and Faith and 99 others in July. If you are not a supporter of the cause, does that mean you are against the Earth? See, here we go again, mixing jet fuel and gasoline. It just seems to happen.

"American Idol" has a ratings zinger, we are told, going down in the next two weeks.

And a HUGE salute to George Strait and his 54th #1 song, "It Just Comes Natural." Amazing feat!