I'm talking, of course, about honoree Barbra Streisand, high priestess of the American Song, who throughout the evening rendered invaluable and infallible verdicts on the gala's performances. To watch her reactions was to witness Trial by Streisand. (On this Supreme Court, there is only one Justice.)
We must remember that Streisand is not, as her pedestrian intro defined her (an intro read off of note cards by Queen Latifah) simply a singer/actress/director. She is more than a skills set, more than a "multi-talented performer." Yes, she has a miraculous singing instrument. But at her core she is a master interpreter: She connects completely with her material, which is why you can't stop watching her when she sings softly or when she belts.
She is, in other words, everything that American Idol is not. And last night she stood in stoic defiance: the one true singer never to be confused with the false idol of American Idol!
Let's get down to brass tacks: During the tribute to her, she was unimpressed. It started off with Idina Menzel, Tony-winner for Wicked. Let me be clear: Idina Menzel is a tremendous singer and a terrific actress, but she tried to out-belt Barbra which is:
a. impossible
b. misses the point
Barbra's verdict: No clemency.
Then came Beyonce (who I suspect was lip-synching). Everyone loves Beyonce and she's already proven that she's capable of achieving greatness. (Someone should open a store called Bed, Bath and Beyonce, to sell Beyonce-related merchandise.) But her performance of "The Way We Were" petered out. By its ended she sounded ... disconnected. She simply hasn't lived enough to sing about "the way she was" convincingly.
Beyonce does have an impeccable sense of decorum. Her dramatic thank-you at the end sent chills down my spine.
Beyonce (curtseying): It's an honor to sing for you, Miss Streisand. Thank you.
Barbra simply nodded -- then granted Beyonce her freedom!
After that came Ne-Yo covering one of Streisand's undersung gems, "Lover Come Back to Me":
My only complaint: why the hell wasn't I one of the back-up dancers?
The best performance of the night, no contest: Bettye LaVette's master class in singing -- her unforgettable rendition of "Reign O'er Me," in tribute to honorees Pete Townshend and Roger Daltry (begins at 2:55):
Barbra rendered her only spoken verdict: "Fantastic."
As for the rest of the show ... George Jones is, of course, a great great artist. Bush chose to sit next to him, I suspect for political reasons. I doubt that Bush has any special appreciation or insight into Jones' art. Having the tired Laura Bush give the intro (totally inappropriate, given the shout-out to her husband at what is supposed to be a non-political event) was meant to signal that the Bushes are real Americans. Message: Hollywood may hate them, but that's because they're country folk!
Plans to have Laura Bush sing "Stand By Your Man" to the President were apparently scrapped.
Fun fact: I own a Martin Guitar, an autographed gift from George Jones himself. I was a fan of his breakfast sausage ("All pork and no possum!") and plugged it on The Today Show.
He also sent me a crate of frozen sausage in thanks.
So how does a master deliver a song? Here you go (no lip synch and only two cuts!):
Happy New Year!
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. Okay Mo,
How you got George to sign the guitar backwards, that I can figure out--we've all been there at least once.
But how you got him to string it backwards, well that's just awesome.
And, yes, you got me, I am dying inside.
HNY:)
Edgar (Ned) Pepper at 2:23PM on Dec 31st 2008
2.
I am so sorry I missed it last night. Does anyone know how I may see it?
Sharon at 7:32PM on Dec 31st 2008
3. HAPPY NEW YEAR, MO!
We know the majestic height of your kicks.....you really should've been a backup dancer for Ne-Yo.
ah, Clem at 10:07AM on Jan 1st 2009
4. Great comments, Mo! And it's the absolute truth. Why have artists like Latifah, Beyonce, Menzel and Ne-Yo, singers/performers/actors that have no relation to Barbra and her art, was strictly for viewer ratings from the "young folks" and naught else.
Barbwa is like Buttah! at 11:47AM on Jan 1st 2009
5. give me a brake she is agood singer and i loved her acting but she is not the idol you think.have a nice new year moe and every one
sarai at 4:42PM on Jan 1st 2009
6. Barbara Streisand looked like death warmed over. She is out of date and very not important. She likes to throw her weight around and her talent is way out of style. She needs to retire in her little cubby hole and possibly disappear. She helped to buy this election and destroy this country.
Janette Sawyer at 6:44PM on Jan 1st 2009
7. Having the Queen do Barbra's intro was a terrible choice! Glenn Close should have been first and then the Queen give the speech about the "young entertainers." Whoever was in charge of Barbra's section of the program..."Blew it!" Those men at the top of country music were there for George and Clint Eastwood and Denzel Washington for Morgan. It would have meant more to Barbra's fans to see Kris Kristopherson(spelling),Neil Diamond,even Rosie would have made more sense. Spielburg representing the producer/director side of Barbra is appropriate instead of Ne-Yo trying to cover a Streisand song. I imagine there must be some right wingers putting this show together and used this night to underplay and use inappropriate performers for Babs. "Somewhere" would have been much better sung by Il Divo as they are "young" and were part of her tour. Kelly O'Hara was fine,but the guy overpowered the song. I tape the KC Honors every year and this one sure lacked a "spark!" I for one think we have enough artists in the U.S. that have not been given their seat in the box because the spots are taken by those from other countries.
Carol Ann Henicle at 6:54PM on Jan 1st 2009
8. Sharon, you didn't miss a thing. The only persons worth seeing were George Jones, President and First Lady Bush. They show class unlike Streisand who thinks she is better than everyone else and it showed. All a person sees when they look at Steisand is the hate she has showing on her face. The fame and money she has made over the years has gone to her head and now she thinks she owns the United States and should be treated like a queen.
Janette Sawyer at 6:51PM on Jan 1st 2009
9. Why did Barbra look so bad? That was distressing. No makeup is NOT completmentary....As for the presentations...
Ne-yo was a joke. Who the heck are they? She wasn't addressed by her "peers"
like Mr Jones or Mr Freeman- both of which were touching and sincere. I was disappointed.
And did anyone else think that dance lady was weird and a grouch?
mrsg9064 at 7:53PM on Jan 1st 2009
10. I recall watching the Clintons turn a funeral, which should have been a non-political event, into a huge photo-op for Hillary. Their behavior at Paul Wellstone's funeral was unbelievable, but the liberal press chose to almost ignore it. However, a small incident at a gala, not a funeral, provokes your ire. I am a Independent voter, but cannot ignore the flagrant bias of our media.
Barbara at 10:56PM on Jan 1st 2009
11. Who in the world is Twyla Tharp? She looked like somebody with bad Gas Problems. Barbara Streisand, I thought that the 1955 graduate of Erasmus Hall H.S. in Brooklyn was dead and buried alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Rudolph Valentino . Roger Daltry and Peter Townshend are Rock Legends and great musicians, but they are British citizens, No? Morgan Freeman is the greatest and a pleasure to watch on screen. He deserves every reward he can get. George Jones likewise. Everybody loves him and his music.Why don't you get off your hate the Bush family rocking chair and go back to waiting on tables at Sardi's. Breezy Point Pat.
Patrick Murray at 10:58AM on Jan 2nd 2009
12. I was saddened to see Barbra Streisand look so unglamorous at the Kennedy Honors. What has happened to her? Hair, awful. No hint of makeup. Dress, ugh. Is she in good health?
Barb Mullen at 11:04AM on Jan 2nd 2009
13. oh mo, i should have known you'd have something to say, something relevant, something that should be heard! thank you! i've been looking all over the internet, trying to find SOMETHING regarding babs & THAT NIGHT! the longer time goes by, the more i simply can't believe the whole thing. a career, unlike any other & that's what they put together? and i have to agree with some of your other commenters.....streisand looked like shit and that just isn't right. okay, so she doesn't want to go the face-lift route, but come on. better to leave the house looking like a monster? can you imagine what went on after she saw the telecast? i imagine it wasn't unlike dunaway's crawford in m.dearest.....in the rose garden with the ax. barbra, the control freak, barbra, the one who will only be shot on her left side? well, she doesn't have to worry about that anymore does she? both sides are now from hunger. so sad. i also imagine her (this time like crawford herself, when she saw photos of herself & roz russell in public and supposedly said, "if that's what i look like, they'll never see me again") throwing some priceless art deco chair at jim, lip-synching crawford's words. if i were caroline kennedy, i'd be afraid.
little edie at 9:33PM on Jan 3rd 2009
14. Mo,
See your George Jones guitar,
Raise you a David Schuster Autographed 8X10
and
Lee Marvin calls it Aday (figure this one out!)
Doc Holiday
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=z6SoqMPhDXQ&feature=related
Edgar (Ned) Pepper, Ph.D at 7:11PM on Jan 4th 2009
15. Streisand into The Who: Setting the bar for coverbands across the universe. Sweet.
Oh, Across The Universe... Best film I've seen in years.
Cube at 8:54PM on Jan 4th 2009