MovieChat Forums > Edgeplay (2004) Discussion > Does Joan Jett have a serious mental pro...

Does Joan Jett have a serious mental problem???


Let's see now: Joan Jett

(1) Refused to take an active part in this production

(2) Refused to allow any Runaways' music to be used (except archival material which is public domain)

(3) Insulted both Lita Ford and Jackie Fox by offering them paltry sums for their life rights for her and Cherie Currie's movie, "The Runaways" (You could interpret this as Joan saying, "I don't want either of you in MY movie! The Runaways Band was really about me and Cherie)

(4) Has always adamantly refused to take part in any Runaways reunion concert and/or tour

(5) Has refused any sort of rekindling of her friendship with Lita Ford, with whom she shared so much during the five-year life span of the Runaways band (1975-1980)

(6) Apparently is an EXTREME right-wing conservative in her political thinking, based on her own quotes (There are three well-known crypto-fascists in rock music: Ted Nugent, Johnny Ramone (RIP), and, yes, Joan Jett)

If we put this all together and take a good, close look at it, I think we might surmise that our Joanie has some serious mental/emotional issues. She might even qualify as a real fruitcake, in more ways than one! At any rate, she's obviously harboring a whole lot of hatred and mistrust, and has a real deep-seated need for revenge. Sad... Or, maybe she's the female version of Kim Fowley. Maybe it's no accident that Joan suffered no apparent abuse from the man. Maybe she didn't want to be interviewed in "Edgeplay" because she was complicit in the overall subjugation and demeaning of the band. Just saying...

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Specifically, what 'extreme right-wing' sentiments has she expressed? The only thing I've ever heard about her politically is when she supported some Democratic candidate for President back in '04 (Kucinich, maybe?), and was actually physcially attacked by some young Republican thugs. I remember a picture of her with Ani DiFranco at the event, so if she's gone right-wing, that was a hell of a transformation!

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She supported democratic candidate Howard Dean (BYY-AHH!!) in that campaign because of his stance on the war in Iraq.

Source: Interview on The Henry Rollins Show, June 1, 2007.

Needless to say Joan seems pretty liberal to me, supporting Dean and being a vegetarian and all.

My DVD Collection: http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=8504358

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Let's take your "analysis" point by point:


(1) Refused to take an active part in this production-

I would have liked to see her in the documentary, too, but failure to participate is not sign of a mental illness or else you could say the same about Lita Ford and Jackie Fox when approached about "The Runaways."

(2) Refused to allow any Runaways' music to be used (except archival material which is public domain)

She co-wrote most of the material and it's her right to protect her songs. Still not a sign of a mental problem.

(3) Insulted both Lita Ford and Jackie Fox by offering them paltry sums for their life rights for her and Cherie Currie's movie, "The Runaways" (You could interpret this as Joan saying, "I don't want either of you in MY movie! The Runaways Band was really about me and Cherie)

Or you could interpret it as a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. We don't know what kind of negotiations went on for "The Runaways" before Lita came forward with the claim that "Joan's producer" offered her a thousand dollars for her life story. If the producers had offered her nothing then they would be called crass and dismissive for not even contacting Lita about the film, if they offer her money then they are condemned for not offering her enough or "putting a price on her life." The end result was very little Lita Ford in "The Runaways" which I think was a shame, but not a "Joan Jett mental problem."

As for Jackie, they followed her wish not be included in the script of the film at all (granted the fact that Jackie is an attorney probably helped with her decision.) Either way, both girls could have been represented in the film by participating and you shouldn't blame Joan that they both stonewalled.


(4) Has always adamantly refused to take part in any Runaways reunion concert and/or tour

Why should one of the most successful female rock stars of the last 30 years join a project where the only other member of the band who has a semi-successful career(Lita) actively hates her and has used homophobic slurs to describe both her and her fans, and the rest don't have careers at all.

While I think it would be great if she did decide to do a reunion tour, perhaps in memory of Sandy West, it's not a mental problem if she refuses because she feels the other bandmembers would basically be riding on "Joan Jett's coattails." She had enough of carrying the girls back when they were in "The Runaways", why should she do that again?


(5) Has refused any sort of rekindling of her friendship with Lita Ford, with whom she shared so much during the five-year life span of the Runaways band (1975-1980)

What "re-kindling" with Lita are you talking about? Lita states she has a feud with Joan's manager Ken Laguna going back 30 years because he wouldn't put Joan on the telephone to talk to her? Lita then goes to blame every set-back in her career on "Joan's mananger". I don't know Ken Laguna, but he is the first manager that Joan could trust not to screw her over, and she obviously considers him more than a manager, he is a partner in her band and in her Blackhearts record label.

Also, Lita very loudly proclaimed her non-involvement in "The Runaways" movie to anyone who would listen, called Joan's fans a bunch of homosexuals.

As for Joan, Lita fought with her constantly during the tenure of the band (though to be fair, everyone had a run-in with everyone else during that time.) Lita and Sandy, also went off for private meetings with the producer of their last record, meetings that Joan and Vicki Blue were excluded from, where the producer tried to get Lita and Sandy to form their own band, or for pushing a more heavy metal type of music in the Runaways. The eventual result was the dissolution of the band.

There doesn't seem to be any real interest in either side to "rekindling a friendship between Lita and Joan" and frankly it's none of the rest of our business. It's not a sign of a mental illness to not want to hang around with someeone you have constantly disagreed with for 35 years.



(6) Apparently is an EXTREME right-wing conservative in her political thinking, based on her own quotes (There are three well-known crypto-fascists in rock music: Ted Nugent, Johnny Ramone (RIP), and, yes, Joan Jett)

So, Joan's appearance on the "Impeach my Bush" album was some kind of joke? She does USO shows and supports the troops. That's no different than that hard-line rightwinger Al Franken does, or many other celebrities.

Also, it's offensive that you equate being right of center with automatic mental illness. Also, you forgot to mention the other rock idol whom you would call a "crypto-fascist" and that's Alice Cooper. Even though Joan's not member of your "triumverate of evil", I'd rather party with Ted, Alice, Johnny and Joan any day you'd name.


If we put this all together and take a good, close look at it, I think we might surmise that our Joanie has some serious mental/emotional issues. She might even qualify as a real fruitcake, in more ways than one! At any rate, she's obviously harboring a whole lot of hatred and mistrust, and has a real deep-seated need for revenge. Sad... Or, maybe she's the female version of Kim Fowley. Maybe it's no accident that Joan suffered no apparent abuse from the man. Maybe she didn't want to be interviewed in "Edgeplay" because she was complicit in the overall subjugation and demeaning of the band. Just saying...

Or maybe, another Lita fanboi comes on these boards spouting a lot of crap about something they really know nothing about. Have you looked at Kim Fowley? He didn't mess with Joan for two reasons. 1)She could seriously have kicked his ass had he tried, 2) Joan was the glue that held the band together. They were all talented, but none of them were really close and it took her dedication to keep the band from imploding.


Gamera is really neat... He is made of mystery meat!

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OK, that's one way to look at it...

Or maybe, after putting her heart and soul on the line again and again and again, doing whatever it took to keep The Runaways going, going down on her knees and begging members not to quit, taking over the lead RELUCTANTLY after Cherie quit, etc. etc. etc., Joan had finally had enough when John Alcott secretly took Lita and Sandy aside and maneuvered them into forming their own band.

Let's be clear about this, JOAN ISN'T THE ONE WHO EVER SUGGESTED BREAKING UP THE BAND! That suggestion came from the Alcott/Ford/West clique, and once they suggested it, Joan basically said, fine, whatever, see you around...

Fast forward a few years, Joan is on top of the world thanks to her own grit and determination, Sandy and most of the others have completely fallen out of the music scene, and the only other member who still has a music career is Lita Ford, who always openly hated and belittled Joan and CONTINUES to do so TO THIS DAY! Now you tell me, why in the *beep* would Joan want to have anything to do with ANY of them!? She made her peace with Cherie, and that's great! But I can't see any fault with her if she wants nothing to do with the others.

More power to Joan Jett. The Runaways were great in their way, but Joan was the only one of them that was able to transcend that, and looking at all the *beep* the others have tried to lay at her feet over the years, I can't say I blame her for avoiding them as much as possible.

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It ain't over til it's over folks...

***During a new interview with the Chicago Tribune, '80s hard rock queen Lita Ford let slip that she recently met with her former THE RUNAWAYS bandmate Joan Jett for the first time in years, for dinner in New York City. "I hadn't seen her so long. We exchanged guitar picks," Lita said. "I just thought it was about time to see her. I reached out to her, and she reached back to me, so it was meant to be. She could have told me, 'Ah, go stick your head in the toilet,' but she didn't. It was great. I told her in the e-mail, 'If you want, you can tell me to (expletive) off. It's fine, but I would really love to see you.' She was a sweetheart."***

Excerpt taken from Blabbermouth.net dated Nov 2011:

http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=166647

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Hey, Rocker Grrrrrllls, I was only asking about Joan's mental health. Didn't mean to unleash a tidal wave of lesbian vitriol. There seems to be a clash of cultures here in which devotees will say any and all things to fit their prejudices. If it weren't for covers, Joan Jett wouldn't even have a career after the Runaways. Did she EVER do anything original that was a hit? "I Love Rock and Roll", which is her signature song, was a cover. Didn't she have an entire album called "The Hit List?" Or was that somebody else? Cherie Currie was a great front man who could thrill and hold an audience. When Jett took over as vocalist, she could suck the life and energy out of a room in no time flat. She's only a legend because she just won't go away. Please go away, Joan, please.

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Yet Joan Jett is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the rest are has beens. You're on the losing side of this argument. People don't become successful and stick around for almost 50 years because they are bad. People succeed because they are good at what they do. Joan Jett is a legend and an hof'er because she's great. Loser.

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