The Linda Ronstadt Gaff

Published on July 20, 2004 By Lenbert In Politics

I am thinking that Linda Ronstadt, at 58, should not be making political statements. The media is reporting her "dedication" to Michael Moore as anti-Bush. I see it otherwise. Lets dissect this a little.

On Sunday, July 18, at her "one time only" performance at The Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, she decided to spice up some of her music "dedications" with a little harmless political bashing. The one-time girlfriend of former California Governor Jerry Brown (D) sprinkled her performance with musical "dedications" that had an obvious political overtone. She "dedicated" the classic Nat King Cole "Straighten Up And Fly Right" to "the good folks at Enron".

By all accounts, the rest of her set was a top notch, professional walk through her musical career, including some "covers" and her greatest hits.

The bombshell hit when she dedicated the Eagles song "Desperado" to Michael Moore and his film "Fahrenheit 9/11", for which she was eventually escorted off the premises. Unfortunately, those in the audience, as well as those in the media, may have misconstrued her intent.

Let's analyze the lyrics as a "dedication" to Michael Moore:
"Desperado (Michael Moore) why don't you come to your senses. You've been out riding fences for so long now. Oh you're a hard one, but I know that you've got your reasons. These things that are pleasing you, can hurt you some how."

"Now it seems to me some fine things have been laid upon your table. But you only want the ones that you can't get"

"....you better let somebody love you before it's too late."

If Ms. Ronstadt was all wrapped up in the Michael Moore mentality, this certainly IS NOT a song that I would dedicate to him. The song is not really all that becoming, from a dedication standpoint. The song is about a person who is so arrogant and stuck in their "ways", that they are blind to the things in life that are really important.

So, was this a PRO-BUSH dedication to Michael Moore?

If this was an anti-Bush dedication to Bush, then she should have stated on stage that it was Anti-Bush. But the media is not reporting this. The media is reporting that she specifically dedicated this song to Michael Moore.
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=2FDE4F18-B9C6-4F13-BEB573A70F8E5F57
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20040720-9999-1c20linda.html
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39521

We may never know her true intent, as she is refusing to talk to the media regarding her Aladdin event.

It comes down to this:
If it was a Pro-Bush statement, then her subtlety is amazing, and it completely fooled the idiots in the media.

If it is Anti-Bush, then she is the idiot and should stick to singing (a medium in which she is incredible) and stay the hell out of politics; or change her dedication song; or change the person to whom she is dedicating the song to.

LLS

Comments

pseudosoldier

on Jul 20, 2004

I first read about this incident here: Link
In this overview, Smash links to a previous article of his: Link

Assuming the things he has posted are true, it does show that she has talked about Moore in past performances (in a positive light). Even if she dedicated Desperado to him in a less than flattering light, it would seem it's more likely it was good natured ribbing of a friend instead of slamming him (to support Bush or otherwise). Additionally, the article contradicts your "by all accounts, the rest of her set was a top notch" show including her "greatest hits." (The article linked on Smash's blog says that the show was lackluster, and that she insisted that it was *not* a greatest hits show.)

Other than that, I found your article to be an interesting take. (Although the bit where you call the media idiots because they didn't get your pet theory a bit arrogant.)

Lenbert

on Jul 20, 2004

pseudosoldier

Thanks for the links. They really are insightful.

As for the media being "idiots", that may have been out of turn. I read a lot of media sources daily, and I can't help but see most (if not all) of them to have an "agenda", political or otherwise. The point I was trying to make was IF Ronstadts comments were Pro-Bush, and a slightly-Democratic-leaning reporter would have been fooled/tricked by her comments, than this reporter is the idiot, and one not worthy of unbiased reporting.

LLS

pseudosoldier

on Jul 20, 2004

Hey, I got nothing against arrogant. I'm just sayin'.
I do agree on the media having a bias. Very difficult to not let opinion influence reporting.

Lenbert

on Jul 20, 2004

pseudosoldier

No, don't get me wrong. I welcome your candor, and it is greatly appreciated. Certainly nothing against you personally.

The things that I post on my blog are items that are in the "front of my brain" and I need to get off my chest. If my logic is slightly skewed, or misconstrued, hey....call me on it! That's what a discussion is all about! I will try to do better next time.

If you've read the rest of my entries, I tend to go for the "sneak atack" at the end of the posts. That's how I speak, and that's how I write. I want to write something that will "smack people in the head" at the end of my entries. If it offends, then let's discuss it.

I have my good writing days and I have my bad ones. Today, I think was a relatively good day.

LLS

Lenbert

on Jul 21, 2004

And one more thing, if Ronstadt has, in the past, talked about Moore in a positive light, and the event at The Aladdin was merely "good natured ribbing" towards Moore, it proves my initial statement that she (Ronstadt) should not be making any political statements. Regardless of how biased or unbiased the media is, her political timing is far from impecable. She is not the loose cannon that I would want to have on the side of any political affiliation. Her beliefs, her outspokeness, her antics at The Aladdin will cause her chosen political affiliation more harm than good.

LLS

citahellion

on Jul 21, 2004

I read it a different way....

Ronstadt could have dedicated the song to Moore, not in the sense that she intended that you listen with Moore in mind as the title character, but that you listen with Moore's recent media coverage in mind, and therefore with Bush as the title character.

JillUser

on Jul 21, 2004

I personally don't give a crap what the intent was. I am soooooooooooo fed up with musicians and actors taking every media incident they can to spew their political agendas. I have a feeling people who paid god knows how much to hear her music might have felt the same way. Just because you love someone's music doesn't mean you embrace their political views. I say, keep them separate or pay the price. Linda, aren't you old enough to learn from the mistakes of others like, say, the Dixie Chicks?

dubz

on Jul 21, 2004

it was stupid to kick her off. if it was against kerry than they would have kept her on. anything against bush, you are kicked off? how low has the government gone. it's her free speech. Of course the bush administration doesn't believe in the first amendment. 2 people were arrested cause they were protesting bush at an anti bush rally when they were just speaking what they believe. that is wrong. Aladdin was stupid for kicking her off. Not right at all. You have the right to say whatever you want. whoopi gets in trouble for speaking against bush. But dumb Dennis Miller gets away with dissing kerry and edwards. thats stupid. The government is against freedom when they say you need to go to war to get freedom. Conclusion: She was kicked off for a stupid reason when she was speaking the truth. People, WHY DO YOU NOT SEE THIS!!

Lenbert

on Jul 21, 2004

dubz

It's PRIVATE PROPERTY.

Ronstadt being kicked out of the the Aladdin iS not a "federal" or "political" issue. It is not any different than a restaurant requiring a dress shirt for a patron. If the Aladdin deemed that Ms. Ronstadt did not fit in with their code of conduct, they have every right to kick her to the curb.

Regardless, my property is open. If Ms. Ronstadt want's to have a concert here, my property is open and available. She probably won't want to have anyting to do with me, as I am Republican. Regardless of the number of stretch-limo's in my driveway, I would still get in her face. I have no shame. Ms. Ronstadt would be here on MY property, subject to MY rules. Period.

Ms. Ronstadt was "employed" by the Aladdin, on their time, at their expense. It was their prerogative to "fire" her. Period.

I am sure that you may be upset for the readers of this blog, or any blog, not feeling your pain. Believe me, I go through that emotion on a regualar basis. However, if you are upset over the banishment of Ronstadt from the Aladdin, I think that your cause would be better served in going after the Aladdin and the owners political beliefs, instead of this group that we call "joeuser".

LLS

CS Guy

on Jul 21, 2004

Aladdin was stupid for kicking her off. Not right at all. You have the right to say whatever you want.

Um, not when Aladdin was paying for her to be there. That was not a protected forum.

historyishere

on Jul 22, 2004

From the IMDB:

Soon-To-Be Owner of Aladdin Hotel Asks Ronstadt To Return

Although Bill Timmins, the president of the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, has said that Linda Ronstadt will not be invited to perform there again while he remains in his post, the new owner of the hotel has said that once he takes over, he intends not only to ask her to return but also plans to take up Michael Moore on his offer to sing "America the Beautiful" with her on stage. Robert Earl, the chairman and CEO of Planet Hollywood, which is awaiting state approval of its purchase of the hotel, said in a statement Wednesday: "We were very sorry to hear about the unfortunate circumstances of this past Saturday night and want to make it clear that Planet Hollywood has never, in our 13-year history, restricted any artist's right to free speech, and we will continue with that policy once we take ownership." Timmins, who is British, had no further comment, but a spokeswoman for the hotel told Reuters that Ronstadt "was there to entertain, not make a politically charged comment." The controversy arose Saturday after Ronstadt praised Moore, the director of Fahrenheit 9/11, during her performance, touching off a chorus of boos in her audience, with some members walking out, demanding refunds, and defacing Ronstadt's posters. An editorial in the Las Vegas Sun commented Wednesday: "Ronstadt has been touring the country since May and has been praising Moore at each stop. Las Vegas should be embarrassed at her treatment here." When she endorsed the film again at a concert in Los Angeles on Tuesday, she reportedly received a thunderous ovation.

Lenbert

on Jul 22, 2004

To: citahellion

Yes I believe that your statement was her intent. But because there was such a vast amount of gray area in her comment, the fact that the dedication left the discussion wide open for supposition justifies my position, and my initial statement still holds true in that this person should not make political comments.

If she is so intent on making a political statement, she needs a stable base for credibility. The fact that she dedicated this particular song, to a specific individual shows that she is a loose cannon, making statements without any forethought. Again, I will state that she is not a person that I would want to be the "torch" for any political affiliation.

LLS

Lenbert

on Jul 22, 2004

To historyishere

Yeah, I saw that earlier today.

I am anxiously awaiting more misconstrued statements from her.

LLS

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