Mourning in America
“There’s no way around this,” said LL Cool J as he took the stage to host the Grammys last weekend. “We’ve had a death in our family. And so at least for me, me, the only thing that feels right is to begin with a prayer for a woman who we loved, for our fallen sister, Whitney Houston.”
And on he went, thanking the heavenly father for the blessing of Houston’s honeyed voice and sending condolences to the late singer’s mother and daughter. Cool J was earnest—not a sentiment he comes by easily—but the moment, at least on television, came off as a dud. Maybe it was because no eulogist can truly touch hearts while wearing a Kangol cap. Maybe it was because the speech was accompanied by a panning shot of the audience, and what you actually saw when Cool J spoke was Lady Gaga’s colander costume or Paul McCartney’s face, looking as lively as Lenin’s after two decades in embalming fluid. Either way, Cool J’s words fell flat, as did those of most other musicians who name-checked Houston throughout the ceremony. By the time Stevie Wonder looked up and addressed Whitney in heaven, every bit of sweet remorse one might have felt for Houston had dissipated.
It’s easy to accuse the music industry for being incapable of conveying solemn sentiments—these, after all, are the people responsible for Lana Del Rey —but the problem is bigger than that: Our culture is mourning averse. The only method we seem to have for collectively processing loss is the Academy Awards ’ In Memoriam model, namely showcasing the dead at their prime, beautiful and radiant and eternal. Immediately after Cool J concluded his impromptu prayer, enormous screens came down, and up popped Houston, performing at the Grammys a decade earlier, draped in white, singing her classic hit “I Will Always Love You.”
It was intended as a tribute, but it left a bitter taste. Houston was freshly deceased, and yet there she was, present and in her prime, and there we were, her fans, able to cling to denial for just a moment longer. We, after all, were watching the whole thing unfold on television; for us, past Whitney and present Whitney, Houston alive and Houston dead, were one.
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Maybe it was because the speech was accompanied by a panning shot of the audience, and what you actually saw when Cool J spoke was Lady Gaga's colander costume or Paul McCartney's face, looking as lively as Lenin's after two decades in embalming fluid.
Lady Gaga Canadian rapper Wes Williams (formerly known as Maestro Fresh Wes) recalled Houston's stunning looks. "Crazy. Whitney was my first celebrity crush and set my standard for Black women's beauty," Williams tweeted. Toronto rapper Drake, who is
Or what about Lady Gaga - and why was she relegated to quietly wearing a veil all night? Are performances with eggs or meat-dresses not cool anymore? 5. Praise for Rihanna aside, we can't totally let her off the hook for one of the night's most
Or what about Lady Gaga _ and why was she relegated to quietly wearing a veil all night? Are performances with eggs or meat-dresses not cool anymore? 5. Praise for Rihanna aside, we can't totally let her off the hook for one of the night's most
Lady Gaga hinted at Houston's personal problems which, in addition to addiction issues, also included a tumultuous relationship with ex-husband Bobby Brown. The pair had a daughter, 19-year-old Bobbi Kristina. "Despite her controversy, her voice that
I downloaded Lady Gaga's 2012 album torrent just now, I'll also buy it when it comes out, lovin' it :D
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