Kennedy Center Honors, 12/29/09

I have never watched the Kennedy Center Honors show, ever. Guess tonight, the repeats were so abysmal that I actually watched it, but the honorees were worth it .. Bob DiNiro, Dave Brubek, Mel Brooks, The Boss (and an opera diva I have no knowledge of). Plus, of course, the first Kennedy Center Honors program with Barack Obama attending.

First off, DiNiro is da bomb. His Travis Bickel character still resonates with me to this day. I've grown up as a film goer watching more DiNiro flicks than probably any actor.

Dave Brubek celebrated his 89 birthday the day this was taped and for anyone brought up in the music/jazz era, we owe a debt of gratitude for his American style that to this day, is still applicable. I mean, come on, Take Five ... who the fuck doesn't know that beat and rhythm?

The Mel Brooks tribute had me on the floor laughing and crying. He has to be one of the funniest men on the planet, and was married to one of the most gorgeous and fabulous actresses, Ann Bancroft (think Mrs. Robinson) (the putz who got the shiksa), who sadly passed away a few years ago. When Mel stood up and pulled out a comb and put it over his mouth and did the heil hitler salute, to be honest, it reminded me of my grandfather, who used to do the same imitation!

Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles to me are still the funniest movies ever.

It was cool, though, to see the Glee guy (Matthew Morrison) sing Springtime In Germany For Hitler.

I have to admit I had never heard of Grace Brumbry, but after watching the show, I did learn a lot about her. I like opera, truly, but I am just not schooled on it as I am on other forms of music. The woman is gorgeous and her being black was a problem for her in her early days of her career. To have Aretha Franklin introduce the program about her was amazing. When it comes to opera, I feel like the character played by Cher in Moonstruck that was at the opera with Nicholas Cage and although she didn't understand a word of the entire program, the emotion of the singing brought her to tears, and in her own way, she understood it. To a certain extent, I am like Cher's character when it comes to opera.
And now, on to the BOSS!!!!!

I have personally been to several Springsteen concerts ... and these will always be embedded in my psyche.

I have an ironic connection to him, only in the sense that the first woman he married was from Lake Oswego, Oregon, and I lived there at the same time she did while dating him ... go figure! Glad he finally divorced her and married Patti. (She was sitting right behind him)

The tribute to him was by far, the most emotional. Bringing on Ron Kovic started the tears rolling. John Mellencamp's Born In The USA was sung the way Bruce really meant it (fuck those Republicans that never understood the lyrics and tried to use that song as their anthem).

OMG, Nettles, from Sugarland is singing I'm On Fire .... everyone knows I am a Sugarland fan. Damn, why wasn't I taping this?

Damn, girl, Melissa Etheridge hit it out of the park, singing Baby We Were Born To Run!!!!!! (Although, I was surprised by how many in the band or technically orchestra, were as old as me LOL)

Pearl Jam's Eddie Veder was pretty good as well. (have to give props where due - although, anyone doing a Springsteen song can't fuck up!)

Dang, Sting .. who would have thought he could bring the house down in the closer doing Springsteen's The Rising. The fact that the whole place was on its feet singing the lyrics to this song, is a definite testament to the Boss.

Amen.