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Ear to the Ground

Metallica Singer’s Beard Spooks Brits

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Posted on Jul 9, 2007
metallica
AP Photo/Anthony Harvey

Rock out with your ... beard out:  Metallica’s James Hetfield (left, with bandmate Kirk Hammett post-skirmish on July 7) sports his finely pruned facial topiary onstage at the Live Earth concert.

Due to his “Taliban-like beard,” rock group Metallica’s frontman, James Hetfield, was detained at the Luton Airport in London on Thursday. On his way to play at the Live Earth concert, the California-born Hetfield was interrogated by officials who suspected he was a terrorist.  Fortunately, he was able to convince authorities that he was actually a rock star rather than a member of al-Qaeda.  Good to see that even celebs aren’t immune from facial hair profiling.

Editor’s Note:  What mayhem would ensue should ZZ Top come to town?  Discuss.

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By sezer, April 30, 2008 at 9:01 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Metallica Fan Blog - Metallica Material - Information web site ...  - - http://metallicafanatic.blogcu.com

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By Fixer, July 11, 2007 at 2:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Then again, maybe Hetfield’s starting his own terrorist cell, called…the METALLIBAN!

I apologize in advance. I couldn’t resist.

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By Joe, July 10, 2007 at 6:01 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

I find it sick how terrorists are picked out on mere looks. It’s racist and wrong. They should, like what James V said, be properly investigated before being unfairly detained for perhaps having a beard or something stupid. Idiots.

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By Fixer, July 10, 2007 at 4:34 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Re: #85437 by RAE on 7/09 at 5:08 pm

Yes, there is something more ridiculous/ infuriating…the functionaries make far more than minimum wage. And, the supervisors they call get paid way more than that. Also, many of the supervisors are equally inept. And the managers above the supervisors are generally far worse than that.

If they were security lights, they wouldn’t even light up when the leaf blew.

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By Louise, July 10, 2007 at 12:23 am #

Metallica Singer’s Beard Spooks Brits

Right now EVERYTHING spooks the Brits!
Most of all their really spooky government.

Remember please ... the “spooked” are paid by the “really” spooky to “act” spooked and “target” the “not really” spooky, for the purpose of making political points for the “real” spooks ... or something like that.

Everyone else just tries to go on. Just as they did during the Blitz and all those years of fighting with the Irish.

All the rest of this crap is being staged for OUR consumption. We haven’t really lived through siege like they have. They handle it much better.

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By DennisD, July 9, 2007 at 11:07 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Keeping the world safer, one singer at a time. I can’t wait until they start rousting GOP talking heads next. That would be true public service.

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By TalkingPocket, July 9, 2007 at 10:45 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

does anyone think this was a bad excuse to keep out the riff-raff? imean if you were holding a big party and metallica showed wouldn’t you manke some excuse to not let them in?

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By farmertx, July 9, 2007 at 10:43 pm #

Yes, it is pitiful. But imagine the outcry if a bearded terrorist was admitted without question.
We have to look at both sides of this.
Homeland Security is basically a joke, true enough. But the odds of probability say that there must be some qualified inspector’s among the whole bunch.
Granted that your average terrorist now will be clean shaven and respectable looking, they can’t close their eyes to anyone, anymore.
A sad commentary on what this world has come to.
If we had semi-competent leadership, maybe this wouldn’t be the problem that it is. But we don’t.

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By Paolo, July 9, 2007 at 10:24 pm #

The Protectors of the Fatherland thought THIS guy looked like a “terrorist?” Too much! Looks more like a Viking raider who took a wrong turn.

Another crime invented by our masters, right up there with “driving while Black”. How about, “thinking while bearded?”

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By RAE, July 9, 2007 at 9:08 pm #

Is there ANYTHING more ridiculous/infuriating than having to suffer the ineptitude of some minimum-wage functionary who clearly is not authorized to use, and likely cannot, reason or use logic but who must rely entirely on mindless profiling to “detect” a terrorist?

I can see their handbook now: “If he/she has a BEARD, or a tattoo or long fingernails, detain him/her. Call your supervisor for further instructions.”

This is as stupid as those silly security lights that turn on whenever the wind blows a leaf in front of them. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. We humans are a complete JOKE.

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By tyler, July 9, 2007 at 6:39 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Unbelievable.  Whose winning the war on terror?

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By HanginJohnny, July 9, 2007 at 6:15 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

This is why ZZ Top doesn’t do international toours.

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By James V, July 9, 2007 at 5:57 pm #

Once again, the effectiveness of profiling is made abundantly clear. Huzzah for profiling we are all much safer now!

Seriously though, if we’d spend a bit more time actually investigating terrorist groups and not tromping around the globe like idiots creating more of them then perhaps we wouldn’t need to lower ourselves to ignorant, insensitive and ineffective racist tactics in a desperate attempt to feel like we’re actually doing something about them.

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