I WAS A STAND-UP TOMATO: A JUICY, SEXY, BEEFSTEAK TOMATO. NOBODY DOES VEGETABLES LIKE ME. I DID AN EVENING OF VEGETABLES OFF-BROADWAY. I DID THE BEST TOMATO, THE BEST CUCUMBER... I DID AN ENDIVE SALAD THAT KNOCKED THE CRITICS ON THEIR ASS: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has named its 2012 honorees, with this year's rainbow ribbons going to Dustin Hoffman, David Letterman, Buddy Guy, ballerina Natalia Makarova, and Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones. Hoffman's reaction?
“You want me to be honest?” Hoffman asked. “Part of you is honored, and the other part of you feels like they are eulogizing you. You’ve gotta make sure that you remind yourself that it ain’t over. They should call it a half-lifetime achievement award.”
Weren't we talking about gender and race wrt Kennedy Center honorees last year? Because this list isn't really going to add to the diversity. Not that Hoffman, Letterman, and the Zep guys are unworthy (well, *maybe* Letterman) - but still. (And I certainly wouldn't have honored the Zep guys ahead of Jagger/Richards.
ReplyDeleteAlso: what do we have to do to get Rita Moreno on the list?
I find it curious they are doing Buddy Guy and Led Zeppelin on the same show. I can't recall whether Zeppelin covered any Buddy Guy songs directly (though Page stole his fair share of licks from him), but Guy kept active through the '70s and later, is electrified, and sings in a high-pitched voice. He was one of the blues artists who took influenece back from the Brits. So, what, Fender AND Gibson? If they're doing one, go with nationalism. Zep doesn't need the album sales.
ReplyDeleteWe were talking about the fact that there have only been two Latino winners. From last year:
ReplyDelete<span>"It is rather odd, as someone on Twitter pointed out to me, that only two Hispanic/Latino artists </span>have ever been so honored<span> -- Plácido Domingo, 2000, and Chita Rivera, 2002. It has </span>never<span> been difficult to get Carlos Santana to show up at an awards ceremony. Or, perhaps, Rubén Blades? Do we need to wait 20-30 years for Gloria Estefan and John Leguizamo to win?"</span>
Right! I think that's why I had Rita Moreno in mind as someone who deserves to win and who shcokingly hasn't. She's an EGOT, for cryin' out loud!
ReplyDeleteWho will play the Zep tunes at the induction event?
ReplyDeleteI will assume the Foo Fighters as part of it, since they're officially safe enough to appear at these sorts of things.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty much just her and Jonathan Tunick who have EGOTs and are being egregiously overlooked for KenCen Honors. (I don't count Whoopi Goldberg because that's a Daytime EGOT. Scott Rudin just made EGOT, so you wouldn't expect it yet.)
ReplyDeleteI clearly don't understand the Kennedy Center's criteria if Led Zeppelin is in and they cant even honor a band that's on the same continent and still artistically active.
ReplyDeleteThat said, Buddy Guy is long overdue and I'm with all the Rita Moreno beffudlement as well. But then, Dave Brubeck didn't get his until he was 88.
Thanks for the post title, reminding me it's been far too long since I watched one of my favorite movies EVER.
ReplyDelete