haaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha.

what a great laugh, Lauren. Thanks for sharing.

I don't get the joke.

I actually read the Spin article, and found it sad but illuminating. The man has some serious personal issues to deal with, before he can ever attempt a comeback.

Btw, as gorgeous as I found him in that video, I never viewed him as a sex symbol really. He always seemed uncomfortable in that role.

Okay I was really sad for my man there until I read Lauren's line and had to laugh out very loud. I didn't really see D'Angelo as a sex symbol either. He's one of the real artists. Playing the piano and doing all the background vocals on Voodoo. I'm a real fan, but will admit for a very short period in college when Untitled first came out no one could speak to me when I was watching that video or at least I couldn't hear them.

Up until this point, I was a fan of his, now I'm not so sure.

Hes gone on a shame spiral because woman finally saw what was under those clothes all this time? I'm sorry women want to use your abs as a washboard…

Forget recording artist, every woman in America has just rolled their eyes.

*Think back to every club, bar, art gallery, mall, and winn-dixie where a guy has given you the once over because your (Insert physical feature)

Yes, but at least now he knows how it feels. Once you get a taste of how life is on the "other" side, perhaps things become a bit clearer. I've always loved his music, and yes, I loved the video… However, no one should be objectified. If you view the video as art rather than "oooh, D'Angelo's nekkid" you'll get a different feeling about it.

Don't really feel sorry for him. He didn't want to be a sex symbol but I am pretty sure it helped him the women dept because he has a bunch of babies by different women. D'Angelo wasn't sexy but his manager sure was!

@ An Uninspired Muse

I was thinking the saaammee thing. Not to downplay his issues but if I actually took half the things I heard while walking down Park Ave to work in one day , I'd be emotionally scarred for life….. Welcome to our world. Best believe we can't/don't let that interfere with our career/livelihood

I think D'Angelo is an excellent musician. In fact, I'm going to listen to Voodoo when I get home tonight! I've always thought the video for "Untitled" was gorgeous. I viewed it from the perspective of sheer appreciate for the male figure (and what a fine figure it was, what happened D?! What happened?!). I'd never condone folks hollering at him to "take it all off" (unless of course he were to approve of that sort of thing, which obviously he doesn't) though.

I've read a couple of very interesting interviews with Angie Stone where she talks about what D'Angelo was like when they first met. She describes him as a very nerdy, shy and self-conscious guy who wore glasses all the time. She also talks about being floored by people's disbelief that someone as "sexy" as him could be romantically interested in her. I bet this total 180 shift is very interesting in her eyes.

my first thought was WOW women go through that kind of objectification on a daily basis, at least i do. it's amazing that it can make a once confident artist self-destruct.

This is interesting because I didn't really care for Voodoo, I am and will always be about Brown Suger, which was totally about the music, clearly, and not his body.

So his downfall occurred because he was forced into sex symbol status? A hundred female recording artists just rolled their eyes. But every fallen R&B singer gets a second chance: D’Angelo’s with J Records now and plans to release an album later this year

Major cosign Lauren. I hate to hear goodlooking men cry about being goodlooking and having women fawn over them. Don't they realize that most men are angry because they are never treated that way.

This reminds me of the time Matt Lauer choped his hair into that disaster of a cut for a few years because he didn't want to be a sex symbol. I wanted to kick him in his teeth.

I guess someone told him it's okay, you are no longer a hotie. He looks like a snapping turtle now.

I'm not buying this b.s. D'Angelo probably does have issues but being a sex-symbol isn't one of them. He and his manager complaining about how being a sex-symbol to million of women is like Pam Anderson and her manager complain how sex-symbol status undermined Pam's career as an actress.

Who gives a fuck…either make music or sit your fat weeded ass down…you better do something quick cause angie's gonna make you pay that support!

BWAHAHAHA @ LdyK. Yeah, I was about to say. He didn't seem to mind being a sex symbol while he was having all that unprotected sex and making babies with every remotely fertile woman who came his way.

I've heard of women who were molested gaining a lot of weight and completely neglecting their appearance and personal hygiene so they won't get sexual attention. My impression has always been that men who basically sexually harass women do so because they're under the false impression that we enjoy it. That's why turning the tables doesn't really work. It's their misguided attempt at flattery. I guess not all guys like being ogled.

It is very hard for me to feel bad for him. He reaped the benefits of being a sex symbol. Now that he's all bloated, he's not taking responsibility for his own action.

I dismissed it at first but I get what he is saying (his "generous" unprotected sex life undermines his arguments though).

Many artists have enough vocal talent to make a career fully dressed but yet, they "choose" not too. I don't know how much of a real choice it is.

This said; nothing can discourage sexual attention: I wear my hair short, glasses, no make-up, no high-heels (my style icon is Isabella Rosselini) and I get pestered all the time.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't for women. And some men it seems.

Aww. I'm a girl, and I feel bad for him. I mean, I've had guys try to rape me and feel bad for him. I mean, imagine getting that with no prep? It's not better for women but we kind of know what's coming from a young age and can prep for that mentally. Having people scream at you when you're trying to sing a song, which is often very emotional anyway– that's just hard. And yeah, I really wish guys could have a day like this to see how not fun it is. Many guys do seem angry that they're not seen sexually, but they'd get sick of completely unattractive people demanding them to monkey-dance in about five minutes. Cuz that's what it means. People you don't want to have sex with all up in your shit, not like youré surrounded by attractive people.

It must be soooo hard to avoid being a sex symbol!!!! Oh wait, no, he could have kept his clothes on. Puh-leaze.

I think a lot of you are missing what seems to be the real issue here. I doubt that D'Angelo was bothered by the general idea of being considered sexy; what must have gotten to him was the fact that he probably spent the bulk of his life working on his music and briefly thought that all his hard work had paid off, only to realize that the majority of his so-called fans were only interested in his physical appearance, to the extent that they came across as openly hostile to the idea that his art should be allowed to speak for itself. I don't get the impression that he imploded because women objectified him, but because it appeared that even his most devoted "fans" didn't give a shit about his music. As a musician myself, I can imagine that this would be a pretty crushing blow, especially if he was very heavily invested in his music and had been for a long time. I just think that the people talking about it in the article did a poor job articulating it because they can't totally relate to an artist's perspective.