Will someone please tell Kanye West to shut the hell up?

Someone really needs to put a muzzle on hip-hop superstar Kanye West (I know - I can't name a single song of his either). I am a big fan of freedom of speech, but sometimes I wonder if it is a good thing that every idiot in our country is entitled to it.

First, in September 2005, during a Hurrican Katrina fundraiser West made the stupid, and ultimately impossible-to-prove claim, that George Bush doesn't care about black people.

Then, in 2006, the publicity hound made headlines again by throwing a temper tantrum when he didn't win the Grammy for Album of the Year. (The award went to U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb instead.)

Just a few weeks ago he was at it again, throwing another tantrum when he was shutout in five categories at the MTV Music Video Awards. Predictably, West accused MTV of "disrespecting" him.

Now he is taking shots at MTV claiming they 'exploited' Britney Spears (one wonders if that is even possible) by featuring an unprepared Spears in the show. According to West:

Man, they were just trying to get ratings, and they knew she wasn't ready and they exploited her.

Like I said, I just wish he would shut the hell up, as the press is obviously pathologically incapable of not providing him a forum for these outbursts.