All you really need to see today is Aretha Franklin at the Kennedy Center Honors last night.
I think this is the point at which we call upon Coozledad to sketch out a Kennedy Center Honors program under President Trump.
Ta-ta, all. Can’t top Sister A.
brian stouder said on December 30, 2015 at 9:58 am
I can’t see the video ’til I’m home, but this article further whetted my appetite –
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/12/30/aretha-franklin-steals-the-show-with-carole-king-tribute-at-kennedy-center-honors/
Franklin hadn’t even gotten through the first verse before President Barack Obama started wiping tears from his eyes.
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Jolene said on December 30, 2015 at 10:26 am
Very dramatic, indeed. I’m glad to see it, as I recently saw her perform on the Seth Meyers show, and she was not in good voice. It’s great to see that she can still rise to a big moment.
She was recently honored by having a portrait hung in the National Portrait Gallery. On that occasion, in an interview with Gwen Ifill, she made clear that she still has lots of plans.
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mouse said on December 30, 2015 at 10:55 am
Just killer–you go girl!A few years back Aretha was spotted in the WalMart in Angola,IN.(where I live).Pushing a cart around,getting groceries for the tour bus parked out front.Did’nt send a minion,wanted to make sure she got the right stuff.I heard from people that were there that she was very nice, talked to everybody,didn’t want special treatment or anything like that.I guess there are a few people left in the music industry that are just normal!
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Jolene said on December 30, 2015 at 12:25 pm
For more on the Kennedy Center honors, check out the WaPo report that appeared early in December, when the show that was on TV last night was held. The Post is the hometown paper for this event, and it always plays it big.
The article has lots of detail about the performance, but also brief videos about each of the honorees and links to detailed profiles about them. The George Lucas profile is by friend of nn.com, Hank Stuever, and it’s a rich report of what Lucas achieved, as well as the criticism that the films that followed the original Star Wars evoked. In a recent online chat, Hank wrote about how much he enjoyed working on this profile, and his engagement, as well as his skill as a writer, are evident in the piece.
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Jolene said on December 30, 2015 at 12:31 pm
ICYMI and want to see the whole thing, here’s the video of the Kennedy Center event. Many great performances in addition to Aretha’s. Listening right now to CeCe Winans singing “Blessed Assurance.” Inspiring even to unbelievers.
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ROGirl said on December 30, 2015 at 1:13 pm
When she stood up, shrugged off that ankle length mink and let it drop to the floor, she was ON.
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LAMary said on December 30, 2015 at 1:35 pm
Jolene, I thought CeCe was amazing and I’m in the nonbeliever camp. She just knocked me out. Aretha was beyond wonderful and I have to mention YoYo Ma’s performance for its grace and beauty.
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susan said on December 30, 2015 at 2:54 pm
Man, Aretha still has it!
Who was that blonde twit who introduced The Queen? And why did the camera operator/producer keep focusing on her? Over-dramatic much? Sheesh. How embarrassing for her.
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Suzanne said on December 30, 2015 at 2:57 pm
Ya’ll are making me regret not turning on the tv last night!
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Andrea said on December 30, 2015 at 3:23 pm
Part of the fun in watching Aretha’s performance is watching the total joy on Carole King’s face. A treat all around. Thanks for sharing.
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Jakash said on December 30, 2015 at 4:02 pm
I didn’t realize that a documentary from Michael Pollan was going to be on PBS tonight when I invoked his food philosophy yesterday. But, it is. New pithy, somewhat exaggerated quote: “If it came from a plant, eat it,” Pollan says. “If it was made in a plant, don’t.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/12/in-defense-of-food-and-the-rise-of-healthy-ish/422271/
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Jolene said on December 30, 2015 at 4:12 pm
Susan, the woman who introduced Aretha is Chilina Kennedy. The actress who portrays Carole King in “Beautiful,” the Broadway play based on her life. She had sung other King material before Aretha took the stage, and, in the finale, as the credits run, Franklin, Kennedy, Janelle Monae, James Taylor, and others sing King’s “I Felt the Earth Move.”
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nancy said on December 30, 2015 at 4:22 pm
OK, I think I’ve written here before about a friend of mine who saw Aretha at the local Kroger, wearing a floor-length sable and a baseball cap, jonesing for macadamia nuts. I think this may be the same coat; it just looks too luxurious to be a mere mink.
It wasn’t until the second viewing that I noticed she came onstage with her bag, too — just dropped it on the piano, like she’d popped in from the sidewalk to play a tune for the nice people.
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Joe K said on December 30, 2015 at 6:47 pm
Dexter will like this,
My Brother Dave who follows this blog and is a friend of Dexter,
Is currently in Germany with his #2 kid her husband and granddaughter,
Visiting his #1 kid who along with her husband and kids are stationed there,
And was able to pin her new promotion bars to Lt. Col, on today, she finished her Ph.D. In nursing this summer, and got promoted, husband also a Lt. Col, not bad for a kid from Little old Garrett.
Pretty proud
Uncle Pilot Joe
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Jolene said on December 30, 2015 at 7:28 pm
Susan, on second thought, I think the woman you are referring to is Carole King! Multi-colored ribbon at the neck, right? It was Chilina Kennedy who introduced her, but she didn’t appear again during Franklin’s performance. The camera focused on King because Franklin was, in fact, singing for her–or in honor of her.
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Deborah said on December 30, 2015 at 7:32 pm
I can’t watch the Aretha link without weeping. Especially when I see the part where Obama is wiping tears from his eyes. Wow.
We’re still in Arizona, we stayed an extra day. This morning most everyone went horseback riding, Little Bird and I were too nervous about it so didn’t go. I have been on a horse maybe twice in my life and I was about 8 then, so I figured it wasn’t a good idea. My husband’s uncle bought his spread out here from Ellen Malcom, the founder of Emily’s List, she has another place out here (maybe two) but apparently doesn’t come out here that often. I found out that the name Emily’s List comes from the acronym made from Early Morning Is Like Yeast. I didn’t know that before. Malcom is an IBM heir.
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Jolene said on December 30, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Deborah, it’s “Early money is like yeast.” It’s meant to refer to the idea of contributing to nascent political campaigns early to give them a boost that would help the candidates (all pro-choice women) attract more donors and supporters.
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susan said on December 30, 2015 at 8:36 pm
Jolene – Yeesh. That was Carole King?? Wow. I couldn’t watch her drama-face. Yikes.
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brian stouder said on December 30, 2015 at 10:26 pm
Joe, marvelous news, indeed! Congratulations to your extended family; none of that can be easy, at all
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Charlotte said on December 30, 2015 at 11:29 pm
Pilot Joe — congrats! What terrific family news …
And I read someplace online today that Aretha is known for plopping her purse on the piano, in part because she’s been around long enough that she prefers to be paid in cash before going onstage. And likes to keep an eye on it.
But wowza — I’ve seen a few performances lately by her where her voice wasn’t so great, and THAT, that was just amazing. Also, the fur drop. And representing for all of us who are growing old-lady arms. On the heels of all the reporting today about trolls being mean to Carrie Fisher — what the hell — this is what talent and experience and sheer performance chops looks like. Go Aretha. The Queen.
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Jolene said on December 31, 2015 at 12:05 am
I can’t say I disagree, Susan. King’s emoting was a bit much for me too, but, hey, it was her night. She can show how she feels in whatever way suits her.
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Sherri said on December 31, 2015 at 3:07 am
Early Money Is Like Yeast – It Raises the Dough. Once upon a time I donated to Emily’s List, before I decided to get more specific in my donating.
Along the lines of our recent diet talk…I’ve started working with a new trainer, and I’m generally pretty happy with him, but I’m going to have to make it clear to him that I’m not hiring him for his nutritional expertise, such as it is. Today he sent me an email with a pointer to a video about a book called How Not to Die. I’m pretty sure he’s not an evangelical Christian peddling eternal salvation, so it was a good bet that it was a book peddling a diet as the cure to all ills. I didn’t watch the video, but looking up the author, I think this one is promoting veganism. Not gonna happen. I like bacon, thank you very much. I like to maximize flavor in my calories, and bacon (and a number of other foods not allowed in veganism) are flavor-dense.
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