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And Finally Artist News Beef Of The Week
CMU Beef Of The Week #262: Courtney Love v François Hollande
By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 26 June 2015
I think we all know what old-school taxi drivers think about Uber. If you don’t, flag one down this lunchtime, and as you pull away say to the driver in a nice clear voice “so, this Uber thing’s good, isn’t it?” I think you’ll get his or her opinion in no uncertain terms. Though if you’re in Paris, maybe not. French taxi drivers might tell you in slightly too uncertain terms.
There have been protests over Uber in various cities, as the taxi app undercuts classic car services, and amidst claims that in some countries Uber drivers aren’t complying with taxi licensing rules. But these protests have turned violent in France this week, with angry taxi drivers blocking access to airports and train stations in a bid to stop Uber drives picking anyone up.
This all became music news when Courtney Love arrived at Charles De Gaulle airport yesterday and tried to get into a taxi. Chaos ensued and the tweets followed. Addressing Kanye West, who was presumably also at the Paris airport on his way to Glastonbury, she tweeted “Dude @kanyewest we may turn back to the airport and hide out with u. Picketers just attacked our car #ParisUberStrike”.
Embellishing on her trauma, and providing both a photo and video for those tuning in, Love continued: “They’ve ambushed our car and are holding our driver hostage. They’re beating the cars with metal bats. This is France?? I’m safer in Baghdad”.
To be fair to Love, the whole experience did look partly scary and majorly annoying. Which was obviously all the fault of François Hollande. Which is why Love started addressing the French President directly. “François Hollande, where are the fucking police??? Is it legal for your people to attack visitors? Get your ass to the airport. WTF??”
Alas, Hollande did not get his ass to the airport, so Love took to Instagram and continued: “How on earth are these people allowed to do this? The first car was destroyed, all tires slashed and beat with bats, these guys trying to open the doors and the cops are doing nothing?? French Taliban? Civil reform needed in France?? I want to go home”.
But worry not, Hollande may not have intervened, but fate did and Love did not have to go home. Two friendly motorcyclists speeded Love out of the airport into Paris. “Love French people but your government blows”, she concluded, on reaching her destination. The French government’s opinion on Love is currently unknown.
