Playboy Magazine March 2010

Playboy Magazine March 2010However, part of Mayer's appeal is that he says outlandish things during interviews, on his Twitter and in his sporadic appearances on the stages of stand-up comedy clubs. The size of his Twitter following audience alone (Mayer has over 3 million people tracking him, which ranks him up there with stars like Ashton Kutcher and Britney Spears) suggests that his verbal unpredictability excites fans and leaves them hanging on his every tweetSince an initial round of apologetic tweets about the interview, Mayer's Twitter account had been silent at press time. In the meantime, he has sparked yet another conversation that features fair points on both sides. Is it better to have an honest rock star than an edgeless, overly managed automaton? "I'd say it's better to have a rock star who isn't afraid to open his mouth, but it's a social contract," said Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone, a magazine that has tracked Mayer's growth from minor singer/songwriter to celebrity guitar hero. "We know he's going to say some uncomfortable stuff, and he knows he's going to have to pay the price sometimes. He made a mistake with the racial comments, but in general, I appreciate his unmediated honesty." Spin Deputy Editor Steve Kandell concurs, but with a caveat. "I mean, of course it's more entertaining to watch someone put his foot in his mouth," he said. "Or, better yet, put his foot in his mouth, then set his foot on fire and hop around while shooting himself in his other foot." Kandell said that having no filter certainly makes stars more interesting, but he worries about fatigue. "It's human to be that much of an idiot, and right now, it's still entertaining. But by, I don't know, Monday? To me, all this is a bigger problem for what we do than the music industry's woes or the death of print. There's no one you want to read about."

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