Punch Brothers - "Swiftboat" Attacks on Punch Brothers

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"Swiftboat" Attacks on Punch Brothers

Tuesday, 08 July 2008

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday July 7 2008
from Pickles, Punch Brothers for America Communications Director

Re: "Swiftboat" Attacks on Punch Brothers
Punch Brothers defy RNC, DNC and SPBGMA and stand in solidarity with "Circus Freaks".

In honor of the 100 year anniversary of the song "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", ESPN created a Battle of The Bands allowing sports and music fans to vote online for their favorite contestant. The initial round consisted of 9 different contestants, including popular musical artists REO Speedwagon, Branford Marsalis, and Gretchen Wilson, among others. On Sunday night, the winners of the first round were announced live on ESPN's baseball tonight. The top 3 vote getters: Punch Brothers, Gretchen Wilson and Ozomatli.

There has been a lot of buzz in inside circles that this campaign might go negative. The first round victory of Punch Brothers, the undisputed underdogs, with their primitive acoustic instruments and piecemeal wardrobes, sent shockwaves across the nation. People's fears of negative smear attacks were unfortunately realized the morning of Tuesday July 7.
The first "Swiftboat" Style attack on Punch Brothers first surfaced on the ESPN.com messageboard:

"I remember the first time I heard about this... I was watching baseball tonight and the Punch Brothers came on. I remember thinking "man, who hired these circus freaks"... No offense too Punch Brothers fans, but do you really think you picked the right band????????? It isn't that hard to do what they did. I mean I could probably pull some people off the street ("Hey homeless guys, do you have instruments, and also, do you know the lyrics to `Take Me Out To The Ballgame'?") and no one would know the difference (again, no offense). " -hockeyplyr99

As of 3:30 PM, EST, neither the Wilson or Ozomatli campaign have denounced the smear.
Major news outlets are scrambling trying to come up with any ties between the Punch Brothers and "Circus Freaks". An image of punch brothers banjoist, Noam Pikelny, has surfaced online where he is seen performing in a Chicken Suit.

Pikelny immediately issued a statement: "I will not apologize for my misspent youth. I also will not allow Carnies or Circus Freaks to become the new scapegoat of American Society. I believe Americans will see right through these vicious smear tactics, and the good name of Punch Brothers will be restored."

VOTE FOR PUNCH BROTHERS ONLINE @
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/notebook?page=bbtn/takemeout

Users' Comments (12)

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Posted by Sanders, on 03-05-2010 02:37,

Hi there, I dont know if I am writing in a proper board but I have got a problem with activation, link i receive in email is not working... [url=http://punchbrothers.com/ ?17fac9241a9d5628b906751314a] http://punchbrothers.com/? 17fac9241a9d5628b906751314a[/ url],

Posted by G. Ordo, on 07-06-2009 06:29,

I suggest an aggressive counter-campaign: Apple pie + anglo-phile baby photo-ops (in myriad permutations - nothing kinky though), references to "troops", "freedom" and "not apologizing for our way of life", and, most critical: Photoshop Nancy Pelosi, Merle Haggard, Sarah Palin, and Babe Ruth into one of the pics from the crowd at The Living Room, all sitting down at the same table, enjoying a little piece of Americana (and perhaps a little piece of apple pie - save the pie you used for the baby shoot). That's gold.

Posted by gertie, on 01-06-2009 19:53,

shoulda voted for Julio and the Homers

Posted by Banjo, on 29-07-2008 09:36,

Yo - go clear your throat somewhere else.......!

Those hards working musiphiles deserve a "Halloween Break", and January!. I saw them up in Cow Hampshire last year, they were great. Then I had a dream about Del McCoury in a chicken suit with a Mohawk - that was really weird. New York? Please. The closest I get to that is upstate. Catskill maybe. Which, by the way, Noam was a star at Grey Fox! A rose between two thorns....kinda.

[img]null[/img][img]http:// img.photobucket.com/albums/ v333/jpoulette/deliver.jpg[/ img]

Posted by jennylynn, on 29-07-2008 08:54,

ahem.

regarding circus freaks and carnies, i notice that there are no shows booked for october 30. does there not need to be a punch brothers halloween extravaganza?

is new york city prepared for your chicken suit strut? for thile as dolly parton? and it has been far too long since gabe has had a mohawk.

i'm just saying.

ps. greg could go all out and dress as the bass player from ozomatli.

Posted by Laura, on 14-07-2008 19:42,

Puts a whole new spin on Man Chicken...

Posted by Brooke, on 11-07-2008 17:27,

Not everyone was blessed with muscial abilities! Then playing and singing at the same time? It's harder than it looks! They are fabulous musicians and they can sing and play whatever the hell they want! Some people need to keep their comments to themselves. Besides, I like the chicken suit, it's kinda sexy.

Posted by Banjo, on 11-07-2008 08:14,

Punch Bros! - You've got it all man! Chicken suit, spaceship banjo, pickles......! That's Noam's a freakin modern day Earl Scruggs! Kinda.....

[img]http:// img.photobucket.com/albums/ v333/jpoulette/deliver.jpg[/ img]

Posted by Clay, on 10-07-2008 09:39,

[B]INCORRECT:[/B]

"I mean I could probably pull some people off the street ("Hey homeless guys, do you have instruments, and also, do you know the lyrics to `Take Me Out To The Ballgame'?") and no one would know the difference (again, no offense)."

Guy Who Knows Jack About Music - Somewhere, USA

[B]CORRECT:[/B]

"Punch Brothers are operating on a level of sophistication that few artists ever attempt to match."

Jonathan Keefe - Slant Magazine

Posted by Sarah, on 08-07-2008 21:06,

Amen, amen. Couldn't say it better myself.

And I must say, Pickles, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that chicken suit. I like it, okay? Chickens are very interesting, and a banjo playing chicken is infinitely cooler. Dry ice, baby.

(I will admit I laughed out loud at that picture when I first saw it.)

Posted by Marvalus, on 08-07-2008 20:50,

This "Swiftboat" style of electioneering cannot, and will not be tolerated by decent, Punchloving Americans--or Britons, for that matter! (We can't forget the upcoming tour, folks!) As Americans, we root for the underdog, much as Cub fans remain faithful year after year after year(after year, after year....) Punch Bros. may be underdogs but they are OUR underdogs and we believe they exhibit the utmost talent in their ability to play their "primitive instruments." (Certainly much more than either Ms. Wilson or OZOmotli have displayed in their entries.)
Furthermore, Mr. Pikelny should not be ridiculed for his choice of chickenwear. (It may not be the most fashionable chicken outfit ever made but it was what he could afford at that time in his struggling, young career.) And, if wearing a Chicken Suit equates Mr. Pikelny with Carnies or Circus Freaks, then so be it! I, for one, will proudly stand and salute the Punch Brothers in their valiant effort. They shall prevail. And as they say here in Chicago, vote early, and vote OFTEN!

Posted by Sarah, on 08-07-2008 20:38,

First off, GO PICKLES.

[B]"I mean I could probably pull some people off the street ("Hey homeless guys, do you have instruments, and also, do you know the lyrics to `Take Me Out To The Ballgame'?") and no one would know the difference (again, no offense)."[/B]

Wow. Wow. Wow.
I am so shocked.

What kind of extremely asinine person would make a comment like that?

Wow.

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