Inappropriate Poll #3: When did Stevie jump the shark?

[HejiraNYC]

From jumpingtheshark.com: "It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite _____ has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on... it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it jumping the shark."

We are all human and we all have made decisions that were not in our best interests or were borne of desperation. And Stevie of course is no exception. She has had her ups and downs, and in recent years she has risen almost like the Phoenix from the ashes. But as much as we love our Stevie, Mama has done some things in the past (mostly under the influence of drugs) that made us wonder "is this the beginning of the end?"

So what to you was Stevie's defining "jumping the shark" moment?

[skcin]

I consider "jumping the shark" more of a desperate last ditch effort to maintain popularity - not a climax, more like the beginning of the end.

So I had to go with Kenny G, although the Timespace tunes were a close second. Both of those moves just reeked of desperation to me. "Hey Stevie, these guys are pretty popular right now, you should do something with them." I dunno. Maybe she really thought there was...a... connec...tion. But I doubt it. The stuff with Henley & Petty was good, damn good. It meant something to her and the fans. Those collaborations were like passionate love affaris, you can look back on them fondly. This stuff? Not so much. No emotional involvement. They were like bad one night stands - seemed like a good idea at the time, but you feel so dirty afterwards.

And I don't care if there's a big ass pic of her & Kenny G in the Enchanted book. I cannot make the connection between his music & Stevie's AT ALL.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by skcin

I consider "jumping the shark" more of a desperate last ditch effort to maintain popularity - not a climax, more like the beginning of the end.

I agree... but I have decided to also include all of those other events that made you wonder whether Stevie had hit the wall; something so unbelievably tasteless (e.g., the Frankenboks) that made you wonder whether she had lost her good senses.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I agree... but I have decided to also include all of those other events that made you wonder whether Stevie had hit the wall; something so unbelievably tasteless (e.g., the Frankenboks) that made you wonder whether she had lost her good senses.

Oh no, your selections are great. I just wanted to let everyone know that I think of it differently than jumpingtheshark.com. I mean, isn't it in reference to when Fonzie literally jumped over a shark on Happy Days? Was that really the climax of Fonzie? If so, I'm sad.

[carrie721]

before i can answer, i must know ... when were the frankenboks born?

[skcin]

Originally Posted by carrie721

before i can answer, i must know ... when were the frankenboks born?

I think they first showed up (very briefly) when she hurt her foot on TOSOTM tour, but it was the TISL Tour in '01 when they came back...and never left.

[carrie721]

Originally Posted by skcin

I think they first showed up (very briefly) when she hurt her foot on TOSOTM tour, but it was the TISL Tour in '01 when they came back...and never left.

thanks.

ok, in light of all the evidence, i've gone with the OSOTM tour. snooze. there have been some bright spots since: SA tour, enchanted tour, most of TISL ... but not enough.

[ELIUD]

Before "jump the shark" became a popular term, I thought Stevie sold-out and seemed desparate for working with Prince. Of course, I admit that was way too harsh as Prince released his best work after doing Stand Back with her and Stevie reached plenty of new levels of lameness and desparation. But when she recorded songs with Bret Michaels, Bon Jovi on Timespace and added "Desert Angel" - I was all..."it's over Johnny. It's over."

[strandinthewind]

RAL tour - it was downhill as a solo artist from there and IMO and though Seven Wonders was fab. - also as a member of FM. She did, however, come back with a vengence for The Dance and The Enchanted tours.

[estranged4life]

Playin' with Kenny G-I-Suck was my pick (If ya ever heard the unreleased master-reel track "Lily Girl" you'd also agree).

Playing with Kenny G. is almost as bad as someone playing with Michael "Strawhead Sleastack" Bolton...Almost!

[danax6]

I went with 'playing with Kenny G'. Had I been a fan already back then I probably would have jumped off a building somewhere. Becoming a fan a few years ago I at least knew good things still came after that. I feel bad for those who were present during the late 80's already.

[Johnny Stew]

I guess I have a different point of view than most (big surprise, huh?), as I've never really felt that Stevie's done anything out of "desperation."
She's made some regretable decisions, no doubt about it... but I see "desperation" as more along the lines of an artist trying to pretend to be something they're not, in order to stay "hip."

The collaborations with Prince or Kenny G. or Jon Bon Jovi or Brett Michaels could all be looked at that way, I suppose, but, at the same time, none of those songs -- production-wise and thematically -- sound completely out of sync with the rest of her catalog.
It's not like she turned around and did a grunge album, or a hip-hop tour de force with Salt 'n Pepa.

Having said all that... ... my least favorite "moment" on that list, would have to be her working with Kenny G.
It wasn't the Klonopin that dulled Stevie into listlessness from '89 to '93, it was her listening to Kenny G.'s CDs on heavy rotation.

[ELIUD]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

I guess I have a different point of view than most (big surprise, huh?), as I've never really felt that Stevie's done anything out of "desperation."
She's made some regretable decisions, no doubt about it... but I see "desperation" as more along the lines of an artist trying to pretend to be something they're not, in order to stay "hip."...
It's not like she turned around and did a grunge album, or a hip-hop tour de force with Salt 'n Pepa.

This reminds me. What about her duet with that dumbass from MTV? Ewww. Truthfully I've never listened to it and nobody can make me.

[skcin]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

This reminds me. What about her duet with that dumbass from MTV? Ewww. Truthfully I've never listened to it and nobody can make me.

Jesse Camp. I've never heard it either. And I never will.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by skcin

Jesse Camp. I've never heard it either. And I never will.

It was dreadful - but cool in a way. Then again, my glass is always half full.