Can somebody please explain the appeal of Jon Batiste?

Never heard of him.

I love when they romanticize ghettos. No one has to work in Candyland!

He has a Marvin Gaye quality to him.

Go back to listening to Connie Francis, you old white queens.

[quote]He has a Marvin Gaye quality to him. Go back to listening to Connie Francis, you old white queens.

You actually compared this man to Marvin Gaye? You seem....stupid. Go back to Beyonce, you old shitty black queens.

I like him very much, but his off-screen laugh during Colbert gets annoying sometimes.

I do find it interesting that with him and Questlove both having Oscars and Grammys, it is sort of the golden age of late night bandleaders.

R4 seems angry.

Reminds me of Bruno Mars - bland, blah music that awards shows seem to love.

I hear Pharrell.

I enjoy his music--what's not to like? It's easy and catchy and he's very nice to look at. The way he moves his body--how dexterous he is--you just know he's quite the hot fuck to his wife. When he bends over and sticks his ass out to the camera, and swings it and sticks it out...very nice. Under those tight pink pants Batiste was presenting hole.

He's a nice young man

Oh that’s who he is!

[quote] you just know he's quite the hot fuck to his wife.

His wife has recurrent leukemia and had a bone marrow transplant in February. Prob. not a lot of “fucking” going on there, R9.

R12, I'm aware of her condition, but they've been together 8 years. There surely was fucking before her recent bout with leukemia, and let's hope they will fuck again in future.

Some confluence of hipster and "open minded" blue haired thembys and some shit. Idk.

Rolling my eyes at R14.

That ass. That hole.

He’s very middle of the road, just trying to please the people.

I guess he's succeeding, R17.

He is a superb musician and composer, and off of his Oscar win he made a sweep at the Grammys.

He is a jazz prodigy all grown up.

He is a national treasure.

I find his music lackluster. Very middle-of-the-road. A lot of people like that, though.

Yes, I believe you've said that before, R20. Or maybe there's an echo.

That was my first post 21. I find him BORING

We've had threads on him before. He's definitely talented, but it's the Nat King Cole effect. I was watching the Grammys the other day with my sis and she called him a 'respectable negro', lol. In short, he's a black guy who goes to great efforts to make himself very palatable to white audiences. I'm not surprised DL (as well as CBS, late night, and the archaic award ceremonies) is eating it up. The oversaturated colors in the music videos, his 'feeling the spirit' facial expressions, the vague 'messages' in his music like 'freedom' 'love' and 'peace'... it's all very corny.

That song posted above sounds like a B-side Pharrell did for the Despicable Me soundtrack 10 years ago. It's hilarious that he is parading around all those black kids sitting on the stoop like in Spike Lee's 'Crooklyn' when he himself mostly associates with white people. I'm sure he's a nice man, and he's a talented musician (he deserved that Album of the Year grammy considering the trash group of nominees, even though nobody will remember this album in 3 years time). But it's just a bit too cringe.

Well I love that song and video. Its joyous and uplifting. Honestly,sometimes you rancid bitches are just too damn negative about everything.

Some would say 'discerning'...

He has a deep man cunt. You just know.

It’s music for white people. Its like what R23 said. It’s safe white family music you listen to in the car with the kids.

It’s like that song “Say Hey”.

You know his pucker has a lovely musky, leathery freshness.

The only thing of his I have seen/heard was the Pixar film Soul -And I immediately ordered the soundtrack CD because I enjoyed the music (and the entire film). Pleased to see that he won a Grammy for that work. I did see an in-depth interview with him recently, and he comes across as a very smart, very likable and talented guy.

If you don't care for jazz music, you're not going to like his stuff. That's okay -different strokes for different folks and all that. But I reject all of the racial shit that people are injecting into this thread. I don't think he changes one note of who he is or the music he creates to "please white audiences" -or any other ethnic group.

He is very queeny and I did not enjoy his dress at the Grammys.

You've described Billy Porter for me, R30.

He's handsome, his music is nice, he seems like a nice person, he's a sidekick, he's playing it safe and being paid very well. He is a smart cookie.

And your opinion, already expressed by at least one other person, is appreciated, R22.

Bland music for basic people. I'm sure white fraus just love him.

Meh. He's OK, I guess. But he's no Johnny Dee!

Bitch bitch bitch.

And not one word about his bussy?

His cooch tastes like Smores.

I love him. He's smart, talented, steeped in musical knowledge, and a genuinely nice person.

I heard him talking on NPR once, not knowing who he was. He was obviously an intelligent person who knew a lot about music. I already liked him from Colbert, but I was especially impressed with that interview.

I've never heard of him (classic snob), but I watched the whole video and the song was fun and the dancing was great!

He's okay and is immensely talented, but R23 hit the bull's eye. He's very good at self-marketing. The composing and late-night gig aren't going to make him a major millionaire, so he churns out bubble-gum soul that's "safe", and puts a lot of Easter egg colors in his videos.. Even his video for that song, which is supposed to be taking place in a poor/working-class black neighborhood, is done with pretty, bright-colored 'shotgun' houses, (that's what we call them in New Orleans) and it looks like it's taking place in a corner of the Garden District, not the ninth ward or the Marigny. The imagery is out of touch, where he rolls up in a big giant 1970's car, jumps out in an iridescent lavender suit, and commences shuckin & 'jivin for the poor but "clean and safe looking" black folks. Even the little street drummers have coordinated buckets to bang on. LOL! It's so insulting really, but I don't think he means it to be. And let's not forget the amount of choreography and practice he's put into the moves, especially that signature swinging his upper torso backward while taking a wide step forward, arms down and out from his sides with hands at 90 degrees. He always pauses a little to make sure you're "getting" it. He's copied that from Good Times but of course won't give credit for it. He's packaged and branded and every word, every move is carefully choreographed. Maybe not quite as earnest and genuine as he projects to be.

Zzzzzzzzzzz...

His early years with Colbert their monologue banter was awkward. After awhile it seemed like Jon got more comfortable in that "role." He hit his stride during the pandemic. I think he was more comfortable with just him and Stephen talking remotely.

It's the same old tokenism from white-dominated business. Color(ed) of the month.

But of course when it's a concern run otherwise, the corruption is more overt, the favoritism for sex and whatever is more blatant, and the emergence of real talent is stifled by envy and special interests among the performing "kingmakers."

And except for a lucky few, the old homophobia/queer-baiting/dl games still are there no matter who is running the show. Pity any attractive young guy or woman having a first big meeting with any of the powers.

Neo soul/jazz just isn't me thing at all.

On Colbert, he comes across awkward. Like he hates the segments where he has to engage with Colbert.

But he's clearly a gifted musician even if what he chooses to write and sing about aren't for me.

That said, I thought his Grammy speech was lovely and made me rethink how I feel about him.

"It's the same old tokenism from white-dominated business. Color(ed) of the month."

How condescending, R43--as if this guy is fine with merely being a "token" and is just a sell-out. Talk about racist.

That Grammy performance of his felt racist. I mean it. Black people shucking and jiving. It ain’t black people listening to this guys’ music.

He dresses up so nice that I thought he was gay. I didn't realize he had a longterm girlfriend who he recently married.

I'm glad for his success but it also seems like a sad time for him too. This is the 2nd or 3rd time her leukemia has returned and it's very aggressive. Lighten up on him.

Wildly talented guy, seems sweet and humble. And I love his cover of "Blackbird."

He comes from a long legacy of talented musicians in Louisiana.

His hag must be really nice and sweet for him to put up with all that leukemia thing. I hope he finds a nice man when she croaks.

He is so awkward when Colbert tries to interact with him, it makes me cringe.

At least he’s not uppity.

He's talented and likable. But - sotto voce - whites and blacks have have a word for his entertainment niche and it's not used anymore. Not in polite mixed race society.

He seems to be a sincere, genuine person which probably is why he has a hard time bullshitting around with Colbert.

R29 His music sounds like white trying to make black music. It’s on the level of Amy Winehouse. And he’s black lol. It’s very white commercial, it’s the type of music they’ll play on shows like “This Is Us” and prime time dramas. He sounds like he won American Idol.

Most of the people talking about it in this thread are black and can see it for what it is lol.

[quote]It’s on the level of Amy Winehouse.

Don't compare Amy Winehouse to this guy. SHE was a genuine talent.

He's a tap dancing Stepin Fetchit house n-----r who makes music for white people.

"He's such a credit to his race, why can't they all be like that?"

One thing about gay white men. They're going to make sure they cut down blk talent. It never fails. This site loves to teardown blk talented people.

It's really sad to see!

He's 'gay', right? That's what his music sounds like and what he looks like.....

R58 Just the overated ones like this dude..

R58 And his critics on this board like me aren’t all white.

Who was that guy that tap danced with Shirley Temple? That’s who he’s like.

He guest hosted on CBS This Morning last year, or the year before, for a whole week. He was horrible. Had no presence, could barely speak, certainly can't read a teleprompter. That was a huge mistake, and has colored everything I see about him now.

Plus is music is so bland and boring.

He’s black.

His 'happy' shtick is unbelievably bland and corny....

He is a talented, joyful person who doesn't spread negativity or harm anyone. Let's get him!

R65, you're an idiot and your assumptions are untrue.

Fuck off.

Candy Flavor of the Week pushed by the international entertainment corporations is not how sensible people determine who is good and who isn't.

R66, you sound like a disgruntled musician.

I find it tiresome how Batiste and Colbert touch tips at the beginning of every Late Show episode.

[quote] He guest hosted on CBS This Morning last year, or the year before, for a whole week. He was horrible. Had no presence, could barely speak, certainly can't read a teleprompter. That was a huge mistake, and has colored everything I see about him now. Plus is music is so bland and boring.

Batiste has a BA (music) and a Masters Degree (music) from Julliard. Hosting a television show does not come naturally to most. It takes practice.

[quote] One thing about gay white men. They're going to make sure they cut down blk talent. It never fails. This site loves to teardown blk talented people. It's really sad to see!

The only thing that Datalounge hates more than black people, is rich successful black people.

No r69 they just know a boring hack when they see one, even if he happens to be black.

Now now, R70.

He's handsome. Still so disappointing that he's with a woman

He's another case of a successful black man who preaches about black pride this and black culture that. Of course he has a white wife as do most celebrity black men. Hell, even Wanda Sykes has a white wife.

I realize "you can't help who you fall in love with" but it seems an odd phenomena. I can't be the only person to notice this. If I were a black woman I would write an op-ed on this subject.

I thought he was gay.

[quote]I thought he was gay.

Finding out Jon Batiste is a straight man: 🤯

I just want to play in his hair

........

R75 R76 OMG at this gayface

[quote] He's another case of a successful black man who preaches about black pride this and black culture that. Of course he has a white wife as do most celebrity black men. Hell, even Wanda Sykes has a white wife. I realize "you can't help who you fall in love with" but it seems an odd phenomena. I can't be the only person to notice this. If I were a black woman I would write an op-ed on this subject.

1. There are generally speaking more interracial marriages among celebs. However, most celebs black or otherwise are not married to someone of a different race (eg. Don Cheadle, Forrest Whitaker, Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Rock, Ving Rhames, Denzell Washington, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Anderson, Jeffery Wright, Morris Chesnut, Kris Tucker, Steve Harvey etc.)

2. Do you also believe that whites don't take pride in themselves and value their culture; when they marry other races?

[quote] No [R69] they just know a boring hack when they see one, even if he happens to be black.

No datalounge hates black people.

Watch this internet-only duet of Jon with Michael Buble singing "Crazy." His artistry and incredible piano playing is undeniable. Really interesting vibes between these too, also.

*are *two.