Billy Corgan Hits Back At CNN’s “Off His Alternative Rocker” Jibe

Billy Corgan has hit back at CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who ripped into Corgan for posing on the cover of animal activist magazine PAWS Chicago. The cover, which shows Corgan all happy-faced while posing with two cats, made the internet rounds back in May but that didn’t stop Cooper from having a dig recently on his CNN segment Anderson Cooper 360°.

As a lead-in to the cover, sub-headed “Billy Corgan’s Siamese Dream”, Cooper uses The Smashing Pumpkins‘ 1993 multi-million selling album Siamese Dream to show Corgan’s 90s alt rock heyday is truly behind him.

Cooper aims for a low-blow, remarking that Siamese Dream is “a bit derivative of My Bloody Valentine”. Ooh, comparisons to one of the greatest bands of all time — right in the nads, Coop!

Cooper’s no-holds-barred approach continues as he bags out Corgan’s furniture commercial from last year, made with help from Corgan co-founded pro-wrestling company Resistance Pro.

Having adequately dispelled Corgan’s cool rock star image, Cooper let’s loose quipping that, “Perhaps Billy Corgan is, I don’t know, off his alternative rocker.” The CNN anchor muses that Corgan might be making furniture ads and posing with cats ironically but prefers the idea of a desperate musician with his back against the wall.

“Maybe when the cool rock stars start doing less rock starry things, it kind of makes us face our own morality,” remarks Cooper. “See I want R.E.M. to stay just the way I know and love them, I don’t want Everybody Hurts to suddenly be used in an Excedrin commercial. I don’t ever want to see a product called Eddie Vedder’s Prune Jam.” Prune Jam — fuck, Andy is on FIRE!

Never one to take things lying down, Corgan responded to Cooper’s trash talk. Taking to Twitter, Corgan pointed out that Paws Chicago is a no-kill animal shelter organisation and that The Smashing Pumpkins are still making quality jams.

“@andersoncooper Sorry to disappoint, but when I’m not raising cain for a great organization like @PAWSchicago, I’m still making REAL music.” tweeted Corgan. The Pumpkin’s main man then let Cooper know what he thinks of him, calling him an ignorant “globalist shill” in a second tweet.

Paws Chicago got in on the act as well, tweeting “Hey, @andersoncooper, come visit us & see why celebs support @PAWSChicago’s life-saving work” and including an image of a dog with Cooper’s head cropped onto its body.

The Smashing Pumpkins new album Monuments To An Elegy is due out in the US on 9th December. You can check out a Cooper Vs Corgan blow by blow below.

Watch: Anderson Cooper – Anderson Cooper 360°

https://twitter.com/Billy/status/528020321686024192

https://twitter.com/Billy/status/528021175415623681

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