daniel's been portraying elements of nazism in his artwork for years. i really don't think he's anti-semetic in the slightest. most of the time in his artwork it holds the current state we live in, in comparison to a nazi regime. i can't really stick up for the joke, but the nazi salute, if in relation to his art at all, is more of a political statement against our current powers and not at all anti-semetic.

i really think daniel has to be read from all angles in order to be interpreted correctly so i could definitely see the confusion.

The guy is a schizo retard. Stop building context around the ravings of a mental case

http://ruthlessreviews.com/reviews.cfm/id/1132/page/the_devil_and_daniel_johnston.html

Hmmmmm

During the early punk years, you could at least establish some point of context that explained why Nazi imagery was chic for a few years.

Is there any reason, right now, why anyone should be parading doing what Daniel's doing?

And just because a man is mentally ill does not mean he's not cognizant of the standards of society. You don't know if he's actually trying to provoke his audience. No one is a mind reader.He may not be as helpless as you paint him out to be.

Always extreme. Always Mountain Dew.

He also ended his song, "Die Die Satan!" by saying "Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Heil Hitler."

Awk-ward...

is this the nick faber that went to jmu? no? okay.

daniel ist ein nazi

cranky - should you really have a go at german if you have no idea about the language?

Even if he is using nazi references and anti-semetism as a vehicle in his artwork...ummm...that's really not too cool.

Give me a break pal, you can come up with something better than that.

Oh and by the way...who the F is this guy again?

to you people who are giving the nazi a benefit of a doubt that it's all an act for contraversy, DON'T. Spreading hatred should not be tolerated, and you people who are all "Well it's probably to be contraversial" are the same people who let fascists come to power. It's not ok just because you like his music.

how awkward that must be for his accompaniment.

But what about Lily Allen?

Rant on - try "controversy" and "controversial." While I agree that using Nazi imagery to create some sory of controversy and sell records is deplorable (and it was just as dumb in the '70s as it is now), I highly doubt any of the people on this board (or any Daniel Johnston fans in general) are the "same people who let fascists come to power." Try to breathe a little before writing.

Ha. I slam someone's spelling and then spell sort wrong. Oh, well.

nazis SUCK

Great, now all the mentally ill outsider artists (is there any other kind?) are going to start biting on fascist dictators. I don't know about you, but I've had all the Mussolini I can take.

hey
i was at the convention center show and here is how i saw it.

daniel johnston and his band are setting up in front of a pretty big convention center crowd. he takes the stage too early - his drummer not being ready to play yet by at least 10 minutes. he looks at the crowd awkwardly and seems to be getting nervous. he tries talking to the crowd but he doesn't really seem happy with anything he is saying. he tells the two jokes you mentioned. bad jokes, perhaps going too far but mainly just told out of some type of nervous reflex. he punctuated the second with saying 'hiel hitler' more in an ironic way.. but he could tell it didn't go over too well. and then he plays a wonderfully chaotic set that, shaking uncontrollably, unconfident in his stage manner yet it was pretty beautiful. i'm not even that big of a fan, only knowing a little bit of his catalogue and sparsely knowing his history, but i thought the set was great.

maybe it went differently for others. i was sitting cross-legged about two feet away from the man.

Aha. Thanks for the context, Mike. That sheds some light on things - the man was feeling awkward because his band was not quite ready to roll so he made an anti-semetic joke. Entirely understandable now.
Say, maybe since you were sitting two feet away from him, you could've taken the opportunity to whisper in his ear that along with the Jews and gays and Roma, the mentally ill were also ushered off to the very same concentration camps for "pajama parties".

Mike, I envy you. Two feet away?

Listen people, I doubt his band mates would tolerate being in a band with him if he was a Nazi. Use your heads here. Daniel most likely did it as a bad stupid joke (we all have made bad, stupid jokes). The dude is obsessed with Evil because of his upbringing; he doesn’t agree with it he just exploits it.

Americans.

Hipsters.

This is a lose-lose situation.

Daniel Johnston said some pretty bad (and, yes, racist) things, you'd almost think they came out of the mouth of someone who isn't quite right in the head....oh, wait.

If someone was to pick a side, it's so easy for the other side to attack--either you're not being sensitive to the Jewish community or you aren't being sensitive to those who suffer from a mental illness.

this post is just one more in a series of stupid blog pieces about intolerance written by brooklyn vegan, our irrepressible anti-hate watchdog. he or she should think before he or she writes under-reported posts like this. if DJohnston is guilty of trying to get attention by making a shocking joke, is not this blog as guilty of the same thing by posting about it? what would have been a tree falling in a forest turns into a comments thread of under-informed BV readers projecting their assumptions about the context of his remarks to say one of two things: (1) that Johnston is an anti-semite, or (2) that anyone who thinks such a thing has no sense of humor.

Daniel Johnston is an intensely introspective and intelligent person. However, he is also mentally ill and exists without a mental filter. I have no doubt that his jokes and asinine comments were intended to be purposefully awkward and politically relevant. Nevertheless, he is too culturally isolated and mentally ill to understand that in our knee-jerk culture, you just can't make politically-tinged Holocaust jokes to just anyone. Political speech, as provocative as his was, should be reserved for an audience equipped to understand and digest it, and acknowledge its intended message. Not teenagers at a rock show. I defend his right to say what he said, but I criticize the forum chosen.

hey Anonymous,

Tough Shit. Such is the blog-internet age. For a performer in any circumstance, given Johnston's illness or not, we live in a time where a blunder of this magnitude will be known to the world instantly.

Daniel's people are also known to be very protective, and at this point should be in serious damage-control mode if they hope to fend off show cancellations.

BV's speculation on Bowie is no joke ; do you think he, or any less prominent promoter for that matter, wants their name attached to this kind of garbage?

in a way i feel that this is sort of genius he is getting us talking about it. who cares i bet they were having a panjama party anyway

in a way i feel that this is sort of genius he is getting us talking about it. who cares i bet they were having a panjama party anyway

Wow, J, I had no idea you hated mentally ill people so much.

Wha?
What hate?
All i'm saying is that BV is right to report this, and that it's the sort of thing that commands attention and immediate debate.
No hate at all, just saying that regardless of Daniel's illeness, he's in a public forum and the results of his comments will reflect that.
If that means that people distance themselves from him, or that the situation necessitates some damage-control on his part (or his people), well, that's more than reasonable.
I respect Johnston and his story immensely, and think he's a fine songwriter. But he doesn't just get a free pass on comments like these.

Daniel Johnston's music has always been unlistenable crap. None of the redeeming qualities of other "special" artists like the Kids of Whitney High, Wesley Willis or proto-punk savants The Shaggs. While I think his mental problems make this incident unexplainable as a publicity stunt, I definitely think a guy like him might have the presence of mind to realize the attention being given to him at an event like SXSW is more of a "laughing at him, not with him" freak show kind of thing - no matter how veiled and portrayed as "outsider art." So maybe he just wanted to say fuck you to a group of people assembled to watch him be disturbed but not TOO disturbed? I always kinda thought that was the case with Sid Vicious penning the lyrics to "Belsen Was A Gas," substitute Johnston manic depression for Sid's suicidal dope habit and self abuse...

he's a f*&cking retard. So is his music. He should have been taken off the stage for saying a stupid thing like that.

Didn't realize that Nazi's where "politically relevant" in 2007. I would love an explanation on that one.

First, with respect to Nazis being "politically relevant," I hope they always are. The Holocaust was a horrific display of the power of social deferral. It should never be forgotten and always maintains political relevance. After all, it was arguably the most horrific period in the history of the modern world. Second, the political relevance of "Nazis" transcends its traditionally definition involving the Nazi political party and the Holocaust. In our culture, it has come to symbolize fascism and evoking such an image is the pinnacle of political criticism (albeit overused and poorly placed most of the time). The symbolic use of Nazism is, without a doubt, politically relevant considering our country's treatment of non-Americans. Arguably, how we treat non-Americans - for example, our prisoners in Gitmo - as sub-human is akin to the Nazi treatment of its prisoners. Again, I don't use Nazi imagery because it's drastic, somewhat insulting to Holocaust survivors, and overused by political neophytes. However, it certainly is politically relevant. Sebastien, do you agree?

1st ammendment people

what "redeeming qualities" did Wesley Willis' music have? It was garbage. I felt so uncomfortable watching him play a show, I swore I never would again. It was classic exploitation.

The whole Wesley Willis phenomenon was totally exploitative, but I friggin loved seeing him, and can still make it more than halfway through his songs when they pop up in the shuffle (more than I can say for Johnston). He had no talent, maybe less than Daniel Johnston (although Willis's visual artwork is superior), but he truly enjoyed doing what he did and wanted the audience to enjoy it to. He's the kind of guy who was so out of it that he totally couldn't grasp the concept of being exploited, but I'm sure wouldn't have given a fuck if he could.

Wheaties. The Breakfast Of Champions.

it's improtant to remember he is mentally ill, and it is the fans that want him on stage performing. so, if he says or does things that offend us, remember, he is a mentally ill person and does not operate by the same mental logic we do. so we should cut him some slack.

I always thought that people thought Wesley Willis was "better" because there will always be an audience of white people willing to pay top dollar to see and laugh at a black guy being taken advantage of and acting like a fool.

why are you bringing me into this? suck a male camel's stinky ass, all of you.

Ach du lieber! Why is it always the retards that support me these days?!

P.S. Go vegetarian!

I just got tickets for his show in chicago before i heard this and this sort of upsets me. As a jewish man who can take a joke there really is no humor in that "joke". Fuck im confused. Also, regarding Wesley Willis. WW was funny but has no substance. its pretty much taking advantage of this guy. But daniel johnston is COMPLETELY different. There is something unexpanitoribly (not a real word) beautiful about his music. But the joke is really turning me off. Also i am suprised that hitler posts on the Brooklyn Vegan site. I alwats pictured hitler as a meet eater but thats just me.

Brooklyn vegan,
I've enjoyed reading you, but this Daniel post is stupid. The writer sounds like a real asshole. He/she "wanted" to see Daniel but "couldn't make it." ... Does "david Bowie know about Daniel's interest in WW II"
it's awful writing. Fire that person now, or just don;t let them talk on a subject they know nothing about.

Brooklyn vegan,
I've enjoyed reading you, but this Daniel post is stupid. The writer sounds like a real asshole. He/she "wanted" to see Daniel but "couldn't make it." ... Does "david Bowie know about Daniel's interest in WW II"
it's awful writing. Fire that person now, or just don;t let them talk on a subject they know nothing about.

Bowie also heiled Hitler back in the day during a show in germany.

man i bet tv on the radio feel like a bunch of chumps for making that brilliant cover of daniel johnston's walking the cow on the late great daniel johnston tribute cd.

"i can't really stick up for the joke, but the nazi salute, if in relation to his art at all, is more of a political statement against our current powers and not at all anti-semetic."

That is awesome, I love how everything is to blame on the 'current powers' even though the racist gesture was in no type of context with what you relate.

Congrats on trying to make things sound more acceptable because you don't want people hating on this nutjob.

anon...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_of_Adolf_Hitler

I have worked with Daniel in the past and know people who are close to the situation. I can tell you that those who work with Dan are very upset by the comment at the convention center.

Daniel is not anti-semetic. He is however obsessed with good vs. evil which finds its way into his music and his art.

When put in the awkward situation of being on the stage and waiting for his band to get ready...Daniel went for shock value and made a very inappropriate statement.

It was very offensive and, mental illness, or not...Daniel should know better.

Andrea Yates was totally into the Good Vs. Evil thing as well.

Good show.

Daniel johnston should address this issue with some kind of explanation....it certainly does not make sense and perhaps he can explain

People exploit his beautiful lyrics and his indie cred but they cringe at the true breadth of his madness.

Personally I don't think he owes anyone an apology. If you don't like what he says don't go to his show next time.

i like this colored girl

not just to be radical

no, i'm not trying to be radical

it's just that i like her a lot

i was quite a fan of daniel's music until i heard those disgusting jokes he said. I am Jewish and have family members who survived the holocaust, and many family members who were not so fortunate, and were slaughtered like animals by hitler and the nazis. i dont care that he is bipolar or any other reasons or apologies that he may have to his, so called "jokes". I am unable to forgive Mr. Johnston, and i will never be able to look at him in the same light, or enjoy his music in the same way. There is no excuse for saying Heil Hitler, or making holocaust jokes. I am also thoroughly appalled that his reason as to why he said the comments were because 'he likes to watch WW2 movies and it didn't seem real to him, he wasn't cracking a joke about something real.' That is no excuse, mentally challenged or not.

Geoff, ladies and gentlemen. Daniel Johnston has the right to say what he wants. You have the right to agree or disagree. To say you are no longer a fan of his music after hearing that he uttered some anti-semitic stuff makes you either a liar or proves that you weren't much of a fan to begin with. That's not the first anti-semitic thing he's said, but he said it as a joke. So I don't think he really hates Jews, in fact, his manager was a Jewish guy. Also, racism, bigotry and prejudice is usually instilled in children by adults. And at such a young and impressionable age, it is easy to get caught up and never be able to get out of that cycle. So it would probably be better to show those people compassion so that they can realize the error of their ways, and that's only if you're some idiot that takes it to be more than a joke. I don't know why being anti-semitic or anti-black is worse than any other form of racism or prejudice...but guess what folks, it's not like Jewish people and African-Americans don't have their prejudices as well. The way I see it is that I'm no better than anyone else and nobody is better than me. Let's just coexist peacefully dudes...even if we disagree.

haha, that joke is pretty funny. I have some good Jew jokes. But I save that for work.

Have you any concept of IRONY - you little twit?

Daniel has been brought up to believe that all Jews and anyone else who doesn't buy into his family's brand of religion will go to hell. Because we're going to hell Daniel probably views us as being hapless and therefore a good source for "humor". His intentions are no more malicious than a person who tells "redneck" jokes or a University of Texas grad who likes to tell Aggie jokes.

Concentration camp jokes are about as funny as 9/11 jokes or va. tech jokes.

I saw Daniel in Manchester, UK last night. He said the top joke again but differently, that it was a dream, and the guy being killed was him. The crowd liked it. Maybe he's confusing jokes. As mentioned before, people want to see him perform; this forces him on stage and his is visably nervous. He's said it now; leave him alone. Can no one make mistakes?

That first joke "I heard they just sentenced a man to the death penalty… for trying to commit suicide.” is from onme of his really old songs about 20 years ago! and in the context of that song had no connection with anti-semitism. Also on the 'Why Me' album recorded live in Germany Daniel says a whole bunch of anti Hitler stuff. He just says crazy shit

>

No he doesn't. There's a line in the song Kool-Aid with a reference to Hitler but that's hardly "a whole bunch of anti Hitler stuff".

Just relax guys. Heil Hitler.

There's a line in the song Kool-Aid with a reference to Hitler but that's hardly "a whole bunch of anti Hitler stuff".