| Eugene David ...The One-Minute Pundit |
|
|
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Maybe it wasn't all genius on Sunday:
The footage of Marian Anderson singing on the same spot back in 1939 was also profoundly moving, but then, returning to the present, who pops up on stage as a contemporary? Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Groban. Ugh.... While Springsteen and Mellencamp used their backup choirs to great effect, I have to say the tableaux of "aging white dude with guitar backed by chorus of blacks" started to get a little bit old right about the time Garth Brooks took the stage, doing a sloppy rendition of "American Pie."... Then it's time for the moment we've all been waiting for: Irish (but honorary American) combo U2. While most performers managed to contain themselves, despite the emotion of the moment, apparently Bono was a bit confused, deciding that he was being inaugurated.... So, we've seen a nearly unprecedented line-up of celebrities and performers here to celebrate Barack Obama's election. What should we do for a finale? Howabout "Stupid Pet Tricks"? That's right, it's time for "Challenger" and "Mr. Lincoln," the actual names of a couple of trained bald eagles, who, we're told, are "friends." They flap around. Is this supposed to be funny? Maybe it was designed on purpose, to bring us down a bit before Obama's speech, another one on the "things are really bad so everybody please chill" theme. Can't we be giddy for just a day or two? Well, I'm laughing.
|