Eugene David<br>...The One-Minute Pundit

Posted 5:27 PM by Gene

Every once in a while a hack writes something that tells the truth despite itself. He tries to hide what he thinks with qualifiers and weasel words, but somehow a faint aroma of verity still wafts in. Thus does The Paper of Re-CORD's Stephen "Quarter of a Century" Holden say a bit more about the supposed Branson East "superstar" Kristin than he intended -- and starting with descriptions like "acres of determined cuteness" and "an entertainment JumboTron" it is not entirely appetizing:

Every number was directed to a different audience bloc. “Popular,” from the hit musical “Wicked,” played to the visible claque of upscale teenage girls of the kind who have helped make that show a box-office phenomenon. For male couples (also abundant), a comic dance number found the star romanced by two dancing men who abandon her for each other....

I don’t imagine Ms. Chenoweth cares all that much about the quality of her songs, so long as they hit their demographic bull’s-eyes. If she did, she would drop songs like “Taylor, the Latte Boy,” a moony folk-pop trifle about a wistful flirtation with a Starbucks employee. It seems aimed at the same fans who treasure “Popular.”

And what, you may wonder, lies beneath the glare of Ms. Chenoweth’s formidable talent? Is there buried treasure, or is the center hollow? The concert offered no clues.

But your review does.