In a message dated 12/29/02 3:00:48 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> > Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2002 11:05:55 EST > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: Kennedy Center Awards: Paul Simon and JT - SJC (trace elements) > > Saw the Kennedy Center Award ceremony on the boob tube last night. Paul > Simon > was one of those honored. A few observations: > > 1. Paul's "hair" looked like Michael Jackson's face. How could he have > left the house like that ? On one hand, I agree. His hair looked terrible and I think he would look a lot better if he just shaved the top of his head. On the other hand, I really respect people like Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Edie Brickell (Paul's wife, who was sitting behind him), for swimming against the current tide in our culture of artificial celebrities. It didn't look like anyone had "done" Edie's hair or make-up. She didn't look like she even had any make-up on, and she's beautiful. I feel the same way about James Taylor. He's a bald man who walks out on stage and does his job and I think he looks pretty damn good doing it. The music and his integrity speaks for himself. I'm not so sure if I can say the same thing about Joni. "Even on the scuffle, the cleaner's crease was in [her] jeans...." That's okay. A crease is one thing. But I have very little respect for the completely artificial stars like Brittney Spears, etc. I'm always amazed that pop stars will actually list on their CDs the person responsible for their make-up, hair, clothing, shoes, etc. It makes you wonder if the person can go the bathroom without having an official butt-wiper. I like what Grace Slick said in the recent women in rock Rolling Stone issue. She said something along the lines of, 'in the old days we used to just grab whatever was available, put it on, and walk out on stage.' Because ----- it was all about the music ----- and not the image, the video, the marketing, the demographics, the packaging. So, yeah, on one hand Paul Simon looked like he just got out of bed. But on the other hand, it takes a lot of courage to walk out there and say, hey, this is who I am and what I look like, and I kind of had the idea that you were all honoring who I am, and not what I look like. I also have a lot of respect for Paul finally tossing the rug that he's worn for so many years. I think that must have taken a lot of courage for a child of the 50s and 60s like Paul who grew up in the age of Elvis, the Beatles, and Hair. Now it's time for them to honor Joni. Frank
