|
The Morning After
By Allison J. Waldman
I was planning to write this Barbra Byte -- my first in a while -- the
morning after seeing Barbra in Fort Lauderdale. I figured, rightly so,
that I would have lots to say about Barbra's performance. The show I
attended, Saturday, October 29, was magnificent. Barbra was brilliant,
relaxed, radiant and everything I expected her to be. She was warm, alive,
witty and wonderful. Whether on her chair, softly caressing the lyrics to
"Funny Girl" or pondering "Have I Stayed Too Long At the Fair?", or
belting "My Man" with all the soul she has to muster, the lady is the
preeminent vocalist of our lives. The Times of Our Lives have been greatly
enriched because of Manny and Diana's dazzling daughter, Jason's mom, our
Barbra.
Now, I thought there wouldn't be much to top the high I was feeling from
Saturday, but something came very, very close. With my friend John
McEachron, we hosted a Barbra Brunch for Streisand fans in South Florida.
Nearly 50 people showed up, everyone flying high thanks to Barbra's show,
all of us thrilled and delighted to be able to share our thoughts, our
memories, our feelings about our favorite star. It was a love fest. I
didn't want the day to end. We all vowed to meet again soon, perhaps even
put together a Barbra Cruise in the near future. Wouldn't that be fun? We
could take turns singing "A Piece of Sky" or pull a Nicky Arnstein and
take over the casino! Anyway, we'll see if we can make that dream a
reality.
That brings me to today, the morning after Barbra second Fort Lauderdale
concert. How can I put into words my reaction to hearing that the
innocuous, innocent comedy skit with a George W. Bush look-alike (Steven
Bridges) was again the subject of controversy…only this time somebody
threw a cup of ice at Barbra? How dare someone do such a thing! What is
wrong with some people? How can a civilized citizen react to free speech
with violence?
My thoughts quickly turned to Barbra. Was she all right? Did this incident
rattle her? Apparently, she handled it with aplomb. The Miami Herald said
she virtually shrugged off the incident, and another heckler moments
later. Good for you, Barbra! Shake it off, girl. Don't let those
loudmouths get you down, and don't let them intimidate you into removing
the Bush sketch. You have every right to do that material, a right ensured
in the U.S. Constitution. Maybe a Hubbell would ask you to drop it, but in
true Katie Morosky fashion, you must stand tall, be courageous, stick to
your convictions and SING PROUD (even when you speak). You have never
failed to live up to a challenge and I'm sure you won't in this instance.
|