I know Billy Joel was meant to be unknown to Petrovsky as a means to show how he only knew classic music, and Steve was more into pop-rock. But they also established that Petrovsky went to Studio 54 and dated models. Billy Joel was already famous in the late '70s, he went to Studio 54, and he later was married to Christie Brinkley, a supermodel. So it makes no sense that Petrovsky didn't know any of his music.
----------
Still shopoholic, just wearing a new T-shirt
Hearing a few famous songs and knowing that it was a certain singer's work are two separate things. He might've heard all of Phil Collins songs but still say 'no', when asked 'do you know any Phil Collins songs?'.
Besides which Petrovsky is a Russian artist who travelled a lot, so its very possible he just wasn't around when Uptown Girl or Billy Joel's other hits were big in America. The world wasn't that much of a global village that it is impossible for Petrovsky to have missed those songs' time in the limelight. Things changed in the decades after Billy Joel's highpoint: now if someone says they lived through the 90s and don't know who Ricky Martin is, you think 'ok but you sure as hell heard La Vida Loca, you just don't know that that's his song'.
I think the point was Petrosky was an elitist. He might have heard the songs here and there, but maybe didn't know it was Billy Joel. I've come across several people who never knew "For the Longest Time" is a Billy Joel song.
Also, Billy Joel is from a famously working class background. (I don't think he graduated high school....?) He even pokes fun at this himself with the song "Uptown Girl." He admits that if it wasn't for the money, Christie Brinkley was out of his league beyond belief.
So I always figured that SATC was trying to show that Petrovsky thought that sort of thing was beneath him. It's why Miranda was so offended (and Steve had to remind her that for a long time, she didn't think he was good enough either).
I think the point was Petrosky was an elitist.
Good point. If the writers thought of this inconsistency at all, it may be that they were trying to portray Petrovsky as someone pretentious, who did know Billy Joel (and perhaps had once known him personally) but didn't want to let on, because it was important to him to appear as a serious high-brow artist.
Another inconsistency in that scene was how he seemed to dislike it when Samantha talked about her "maid" using her dildo. Only a few episodes earlier, he had defended Carrie's sex column (and in particular a remark about the position 69) to a few of his friends, pretty much calling them snobs for looking down their noses at what she does for a living.
Another inconsistency in that scene was how he seemed to dislike it when Samantha talked about her "maid" using her dildo. Only a few episodes earlier, he had defended Carrie's sex column (and in particular a remark about the position 69) to a few of his friends, pretty much calling them snobs for looking down their noses at what she does for a living.
Petrovsky is to good for billy Joel
share