Open Letter to Open Letter to Toni Braxton

This was a twitter rant, but I may as well write it all down here for my Facebook Philistines.

I had no choice but to respond to mass stupidity regarding the upcoming Toni Braxton and Babyface show.

First of all, Victoria Falls.

Nobody is obliged to come to Zimbabwe and visit the “majestic” Victoria Falls.

It’s really just a wall of falling water – don’t assume that Toni Braxton gives a fuck about it.

Let’s be honest, you don’t want Toni Braxton to SEE the Victoria Falls; you want her to BE SEEN at Victoria Falls, and take photos there, and tweet about how majestic they are.

If you love the Falls so much, YOU go there and take photos and market the destination. Nobody else is forced to.

She didn’t make it to “her” press conference, huh? Did she say she would? Or did her promoter say she would?

Have you seen her contract? Did it include any press availability? If it did, and she didn’t bother to show, then surely her promoter can take a legal route with her management and sort that out.

Face it, a press conference is a marketing tool. Does she need to market this show? Does she need to smile at you press monkeys and charm you so you can go write glowing tributes about her forthcoming show?

This is not Paul Two or P Square or whatever they’re called who need to go to every radio station in Harare, touting their show at the Summer Beer Festival and begging fans to turn out in their numbers.

We are too used to seeing artists running around doing all this press and marketing for free because they need numbers. Well, guess what?

This is Toni Fucking Braxton, multi-Grammy winner and Queen of Everything Beautiful For Years and Years.

As for this “Welcome Party” I’m sure the grown men and women who sat around just praying to see Toni Braxton had better things to do with their time, otherwise they’re not really that “grown” are they?

Do you know that big celebs are actually paid to show up at events? Why don’t you ask Uebert Angel, who paid people to mumble birthday messages into cameras for him? They don’t just show up for fuck-all. You got duped. Take it up with whoever promoted that party.

Security concerns is a straw man, so I can’t be arsed to reply to “… I am assuming your non appearance is due to perhaps security concerns?” because that’s just someone’s imagination working overtime.

As for ticket prices and poverty, you don’t see me crying outside ZIMOCO bitching and whining because I can’t afford a Benz. There are financial lanes, and we all should stay in them.

I personally couldn’t afford a ticket to the Toni Braxton show. If you can’t afford one, go see Alicky Macheso at Pamuzinda, or one of the 47 Chimbetu brothers around. It is allowed. Let your wallet be your guide.

Apparently, Steward Bank organised some business dinner for her, with Walter Mzembi and the SA Ambassador. And she “snubbed” it.

Hahahaha.

Again, was she paid? If she wasn’t paid to appear, then there’s no point. She still has choices, right?

If this meeting or dinner was scheduled with her directly, and she was paid for it, then I’m sure her promoter will sue her for it for breaching her contract and whoever paid her for her appearance will sue to get their money back.

Otherwise, remember, she doesn’t owe you shit.

Toni Braxton doesn’t have to walk around the flea market or stand in the sunroof of a Hummer driving down Samora Machel and hooting for her to do what she came here to do.

If you’re holding a ticket to the Toni Braxton and Babyface show, then she owes you a show.

Otherwise, she doesn’t really owe you anything else.

If she chooses to remain holed up on the top floor of a 5-star hotel while preparing for her show, that is her choice.

Next thing you’re gonna be blaming her for job losses in Zimbabwe.

Grow the fuck up.

Source: rustygate.org