There was a zany TikTok "controversy" a week or so ago involving Petersens band mates being "too lazy" to walk around an airport. The bluegrass fusion performers were fitted out with $500 gyro uniroller footgear.
Hey! Life is short. Why not enjoy it a little?
Once they reached out to FlyLifeJamie, they laughed it all off without any explanation reaching the public. "We are not offended."
So naturally all sorts of insinuations, rumors and allegations went around, which gave the video shorts by Jamie, an airline attendant, liftoff. They went viral. That then attracted the attention of Newshub of New Zealand followed by Britain's online tabloid, the Daily Mail.
The news writers portrayed the band members as having endured a "merciless" barrage of criticism (the charge was over-hyped silliness). Had the band deigned to disclose a bit more about its reasons for so equipping its folks, the manufactured nastiness would have had less ammo. But perhaps these youngsters don't realize that when you are in a public place, you don't really have a private life. Certainly the more successful someone is in the entertainment world, the more of a public figure she or he cuts and a lower level of privacy is a price for success. Their answer was cool, but it could have been slightly more cooperative and spiked some of the insanity.
For what it's worth, my guess is that they simply rented the mobile footwear from an airport kiosk. Doubtless it was a big airport and they are experienced travelers.
But then a "strange" point was noticed: A news person trolling their Instagram photos spotted the band mates a few years back hanging about on unirollers with handles. The new airport gear was -- oh my goodness -- made by the same manufacturer as the standard larger uniroller! Even I thought there might be something to this. Perhaps they were showing gear as entertainers paid to display certain products during their out-and-about's.
But then, a check of their public photo archive shows that the old photo has been cropped at the bottom to nix the brand name in question.
Another big reveal from the old photo(s) is that they had been tooling around a local Ozarks park. Though all these people are hikers, they were shooting a few publicity shots for Randy Franz, at the time a tour guide at the park. He in turn is the dad of Emmett Franz, the band's dobro virtuoso. In fact, these days the elder Franz is a band employee.
Well, what does this all say? For one thing it says that entertainment news is largely there for the fun of it and that the press often does not take it seriously. Entertainers generally find this out soon enough, though this group has been coddled by a highly protective local press. Of course you can also expect that likely as not, someone will get your name wrong.
But, the zany press coverage accomplished an important something: It drew people's interest to the bluegrass band, with quite a few likely checking the group out on Youtube or elsewhere.
A perfect publicity stunt. So good that you have to wonder whether media liaison Ellen cooked it up. Nah! Too honest.
Hey! Life is short. Why not enjoy it a little?
'Come Ye Sinners' -- an example of the Petersens' expert gospel bluegrass style. They also perform all sorts of pop bluegrass fusion. From left, Julianne on mandolin, Katie on fiddle and Ellen on banjo.
Once they reached out to FlyLifeJamie, they laughed it all off without any explanation reaching the public. "We are not offended."
So naturally all sorts of insinuations, rumors and allegations went around, which gave the video shorts by Jamie, an airline attendant, liftoff. They went viral. That then attracted the attention of Newshub of New Zealand followed by Britain's online tabloid, the Daily Mail.
The news writers portrayed the band members as having endured a "merciless" barrage of criticism (the charge was over-hyped silliness). Had the band deigned to disclose a bit more about its reasons for so equipping its folks, the manufactured nastiness would have had less ammo. But perhaps these youngsters don't realize that when you are in a public place, you don't really have a private life. Certainly the more successful someone is in the entertainment world, the more of a public figure she or he cuts and a lower level of privacy is a price for success. Their answer was cool, but it could have been slightly more cooperative and spiked some of the insanity.
For what it's worth, my guess is that they simply rented the mobile footwear from an airport kiosk. Doubtless it was a big airport and they are experienced travelers.
But then a "strange" point was noticed: A news person trolling their Instagram photos spotted the band mates a few years back hanging about on unirollers with handles. The new airport gear was -- oh my goodness -- made by the same manufacturer as the standard larger uniroller! Even I thought there might be something to this. Perhaps they were showing gear as entertainers paid to display certain products during their out-and-about's.
But then, a check of their public photo archive shows that the old photo has been cropped at the bottom to nix the brand name in question.
Another big reveal from the old photo(s) is that they had been tooling around a local Ozarks park. Though all these people are hikers, they were shooting a few publicity shots for Randy Franz, at the time a tour guide at the park. He in turn is the dad of Emmett Franz, the band's dobro virtuoso. In fact, these days the elder Franz is a band employee.
Well, what does this all say? For one thing it says that entertainment news is largely there for the fun of it and that the press often does not take it seriously. Entertainers generally find this out soon enough, though this group has been coddled by a highly protective local press. Of course you can also expect that likely as not, someone will get your name wrong.
But, the zany press coverage accomplished an important something: It drew people's interest to the bluegrass band, with quite a few likely checking the group out on Youtube or elsewhere.
A perfect publicity stunt. So good that you have to wonder whether media liaison Ellen cooked it up. Nah! Too honest.
Banjo-player Ellen is the woman in pink with the long blond hair. Her guitar-playing brother Matt is wearing his hat backward and is carrying a gray backpack. Wearing a white hat and carrying a jacket is dobroist Emmett Franz (right in center still). Petersen sibling Katie, the group's fiddler, is holding a cup of coffee and wearing fashionably torn jeans (center still). Band mates Julianne Petersen, mandolin, and Mrs. Karen Petersen, bass fiddle, are not pictured. The group's patriarch Jon Petersen lends a hand occasionally while working full-time. Singing is done by all band members.
A sample of TikTok opinion.
The uncropped version of the notorious uniroller photo.
From left are Katie, Ellen and Matt Petersen,
with Emmett Franz at right.
From left are Katie, Ellen and Matt Petersen,
with Emmett Franz at right.
No controversey over horses, anyway.
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