Watching or Selling the Wheels?

That sound you may be hearing over the ka-ching of cash registers is the late John Lennon turning over in his grave. Or not. DISCLAIMER: I am someone for whom the music of the Fab Four was a huge part of my growing up soundtrack and who never, ever, warmed to John Lennon's second wife.

Every time as I've mellowed (that's what the kids call it, right?) in recent years and think I'm ready to finally be mature enough to stop blaming Mrs L to the second power for the failure of my Yankees to execute a suicide squeeze, the lack of pony rides for my birthday or for unwanted late season snow fall (good luck finding that hand, btw), something happens to harsh my buzz.

This particular something, however, may be more of an Everest than a speed bump. John Lennon, who was acknowledged as one of the worst drivers in the annals of automotive history and whose peculiar design desires and decorative tastes are reflected in the customization of his own Rolls Royce is hawking from beyond The Great Beyond, albeit obliquely, a Citroen DS3.

This has become quite a hot button item in the UK as more than some are exorcised at what they see as exploitation and have strong feelings on where the blame should be placed. Lennon's second son, Sean (the one NOT in the photo alongside of Dad, above; that's Julian), has found himself in the difficult position of attempting to defend his Mom against accusations with whom he may actually agree.

As someone who has a near-fatal predilection for self-destructive understatement, let me say right now, "Having just seen the ad, I realize why people are mad" is right up there with 'C'mon Abe, a night at the theater will cheer you up!.' But it is an improvement, I suppose, over initially characterizing complainers as 'peasants' and 'a$$holes' (Son of A Working Class Hero that Sean is, I find the deployment of the sobriquet peasants tres droll. May I have my DS3 now?).

Will the world end over this? Not likely and probably not desirable (depending on how the rest of the day goes). It's a bit unseemly, I concede, watching all of this go on. "Once a thing's been done, it's been done. So while there's nostalgia for the Sixties and Seventies, looking backwards for inspiration-copying the past, How's that rock and roll? Do something of your own, start something new."

Certainly advice for the ages, on the par with "You better run out of here. I'll close my eyes and count to ten and then I'll come find you." Nice voice byte from Norma Jean, by the way. Does Elton know? .

-bill kenny