Monday, October 20, 2008

Overheard in the schoolyard...part 3

In the world of extremely funny, yet unimportant, yet infinitely telling stories I bring you this...

Apparently Tina Turner

and


Aretha Franklin


are in a tiff...

Apparently, and I have to take the published media's word for this, Tina Turner was called "The Queen" when introduced by Beyonce at the Grammys. Aretha, the so-called "Queen of Soul", released a statement the day after the Grammys in which she said, "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé, however, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

Now, we have to assume that since Franklin released this, she meant it to sound the way it does. We have to assume she wanted to sound like this label was an afront to her own "title". We also have to assume that she didn't mind if that meant people would look at her as childish and intimidated by a gushing fellow entertainer.

If that was the end of the story, there would be no post, but in light of last week's political posts and "the rest of the story" that has since arisen, I just couldn't resist!

Ms Turner did not have a pithy comeback at the time, but I guess, having a while to consider what to say, she came up with a real zinger! She told USA Today, "Aretha has always been like that. We've always accepted that from her. She's the queen of soul, and I'm the queen of rock 'n' roll. There were so many kings and queens there that night. Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one. That's how queens are!"

And as all good arguments go, or royal wranglings, (I half expect Henry VIII to pop up and put us out of our misery here) there is still more. Ms Franklin now has put out her rebuttal to the rebuttal. Again, this is intentionally being published. Someone told her this was a good idea to publish this. "I have always appreciated what Tina Turner has to offer and had quietly cheered her on after Ike and her subsequent success. However, with respect to her statement concerning my ego ...("that's how queens are") clearly she was talking about herself as she described herself as the 'Queen of Rock' and saying 'that's what Queens do' — particularly since she does not have a clue as to who I am in view of the fact that we have never met.

"I never figured her to resort to tacky press just to sell a few tickets. I understand and I know that the concert market is down where ticket sales are concerned. I really had put her in a different class — higher than that.
Finally, no one has been more gracious or complimentary to their peers than I have and I am confident and secure enough to do so, unlike some others. I wish Ms. Turner all the best, as I always have. Perhaps one day we will meet."

I could comment, but... do I really need to?

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