Friday, August 19, 2005
Our Newest Op Ed
Harry Belafonte: Still bananas after all these years
- By Michael M. Bates
So what do you do if your major claim to fame is as a singer and your last big hit was almost 50 years ago? If you're Calypso has-been Harry Belafonte, you spend the last half century making a major league ass of yourself.
"Day-O" (The Banana Boat Song) was hugely popular in 1957. That year, it took $50,000 to snag Harry for make a television appearance. Elvis Presley was only receiving $40,000.
His celebrity gave Harry an opportunity. He has, he humbly told a graduating class, used his reputation as a singer "in the service of the human family."
Make that the human family, anti-American division. In Belafonte's universe, the United States is always to blame.
Harry speaks about peace and love and harmony. That's often a red flag. People talking in those terms can be filled with a seething rage...................
Click HERE To Read On
- By Michael M. Bates
So what do you do if your major claim to fame is as a singer and your last big hit was almost 50 years ago? If you're Calypso has-been Harry Belafonte, you spend the last half century making a major league ass of yourself.
"Day-O" (The Banana Boat Song) was hugely popular in 1957. That year, it took $50,000 to snag Harry for make a television appearance. Elvis Presley was only receiving $40,000.
His celebrity gave Harry an opportunity. He has, he humbly told a graduating class, used his reputation as a singer "in the service of the human family."
Make that the human family, anti-American division. In Belafonte's universe, the United States is always to blame.
Harry speaks about peace and love and harmony. That's often a red flag. People talking in those terms can be filled with a seething rage...................
Click HERE To Read On
# posted by Publius @ 8/19/2005 02:00:00 AM 
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