Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Liza Minnelli

Watching Liza Minnelli open the U.S. Open Final tennis tournament was one of the most jarring experiences I've seen on TV since, well, maybe since watching the towers come down live six years ago. For one thing, although the National Anthem (you know, our little parody of 'To Anacreon in Heaven') is customary, she sang "God Bless America", a substitute used when the honored vocalist can't manage the musically awkward official score. But more to the point, her "stylism" killed whatever merit the song has.

Minnelli is famous for being famous, and for being the daughter of Judy Garland. She is a dreadful actress-a friend calls her "William Shatner with a vagina", in public, and even women seem to agree-and while she has a set of pipes she does not now nor has she ever known what to do with them.

Yet-yet-when she's on the screen, you are paying attention to her, no matter what. I guess that's what a star is.

Heresy.

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