Shut Up and Sing

Why did he have to ruin it? He was waiting for “the right moment” to make his little dig, his idea of humor, during the wonderful concert presented at the White House to honor Paul McCartney as he received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Why after all of the wonderful music he had written presented by several great performers did he feel the need to make a snarky comment about former president George Bush? Wasn’t the honor of the evening, the opportunity to be with president Obama and his family enough?

I am so tired of self-righteous entertainers and performers taking political pot shots and assuming that everyone in the audience agrees with their views. Even if you disagreed strongly with the former or current president, isn’t there a way to civilly or constructively express your opinion without sarcasm and disrespect?

Remember how graciously president Bush welcomed president Clinton when his portrait was unveiled at the White House? And his decency in the transition from his term to president Obama’s? Have we heard disparaging remarks from him since he left office?

Don’t get me wrong, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but is this the appropriate venue? And if you really feel that it is, I would actually listen to it if you weren’t insulting.

I must say I lost respect for this venerated musical icon, one who was so influential to me and all other musicians who came after him. It will be hard to watch the event again without the taint of disappointment in his tasteless and unnecessary cheap shot.