Rex and the City: Play that Funky Music White Boy

Ever since former Tennessee Republican Party chairman and RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman sent out his Christmas gift of a CD that included the song “Barack the Magic Negro” he has gotten worldwide attention.

Type Chip's name into Google News Search and over 800 entries pop up, articles having been written in papers from London to Los Angeles, and that number doesn't include coverage on blogs and other forms of media.

Rex doesn’t see any let up in the coverage any time soon by the national media, so he thought he’d suggest some other songs that Chip might want to send out to help quell the controversy.

"You're So Vain” by Carly Simon

"Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm” by the Crash Test Dummies

"You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby” by The Smiths

"I Got My Mojo Workin’ and I Thought You'd Like to Know” by The Young Fresh Fellows

We would suggest that Chip stay away from The Moody Blues “Nights in White Satin.”

‘The Kids Are Alright’

A new semester is about to begin at Metro Nashville Public Schools. The public education political scene has grown increasingly complex in recent months, but this semester at MNPS, political movements will be felt most strongly in Metro’s classrooms.

We all know that the school system could move into a legal status this summer in which the state could remove school board members, and place Mayor Karl Dean at the helm of the district. Whether or not this happens rests almost entirely on student test performance in May.

Rex hears Metro educators are working to insulate students from the outside pressures. After all, political drama probably won’t help students improve their math and language arts skills. And though the district’s No Child Left Behind status is determined by test performance, the law is designed to correct administrative failures at least as much as classroom troubles.

‘I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide’

Local conservative talk radio stalwart Steve Gill has a new deal and a bigger audience.

The man local lefties love to hate signed a contract recently with Radio America, the conservative talk radio syndicate that also carries former Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy to stations across the country.

Gill, who has the morning talk show on WLAC 1510-AM, will now see his show re-broadcast during afternoon drive time on at least 30 stations nationally courtesy of Radio America.

Gill is one of the few truly local holdouts on talk radio. However, the new syndication deal will mean a lot less local content on his show. Republican state legislators in Tennessee might breath a sigh of relief given that Gill is one of their harshest public critics.

Rex Noseworthy appears Mondays in The City Paper. He can reached at rnoseworthy@nashvillecitypaper.com