THE OBENSON REPORT

Again, not black cinema related, but shit like this certainly amuses me...

First Natalie Cole slams Amy Winehouse, calling her crazy and suggesting that she doesn't deserve the 5 Grammys she won. Now, Aretha is going after Beyonce and Tina Turner! Who would have thought that there would be this much drama at the Grammys this year. I'm now wishing that I actually bothered to watch the ceremony... well, not quite :o)

From the Associated Press...

Franklin slams Beyonce Grammy intro

When Aretha Franklin is unhappy, she does not mince words. On Tuesday, the longtime Queen of Soul slammed Beyonce Knowles' intro to Tina Turner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, in which Knowles called Turner, not Franklin, "the queen."

"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce," Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

E-mails to Knowles' publicist Yvette Noel-Schure and calls and e-mails to Recording Academy spokeswomen Jaime Sarachit and Barb Deghan were not immediately returned.

In the first few seconds of Knowles' intro to Turner's performance, she name-dropped Franklin and a long list of famed female singers. Then the "Crazy in Love" chanteuse focused on Turner.

"There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent," said Knowles, strutting in hot pants. "Ladies and gentlemen. Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen."

At a party later that night, Knowles called Turner her "ultimate icon."

Still, Franklin ended her brief criticism on a gracious note, thanking the Grammys and the voting academy and saying, "love to Beyonce anyway."

Known for such hits as "Respect" and "Chain of Fools," Franklin tied with the Clark Sisters for best gospel performance trophy for her duet "Never Gonna Break My Faith" with Mary J. Blige.

Not black film related, but I just wondered...

I've never been an Amy Winehouse fan. Nothing personal... just haven't heard anything she's done that I like. I could care less about her personal struggles, and they have no influence on my lack of interest in her music.

This will probably be the only time I'll ever mention her on this blog :o)

She won 5 Grammy Awards last night, and apparently, there are some people out there who don't think she deserved any of them, because of her personal struggles. One of those people is Natalie Cole.

From FOX News (Yeah, I visit Rupert's domain from time to time):

--- Not everyone was happy about Amy Winehouse’s big win at the Grammys Sunday night.

“I don’t think she deserved it,” previous Grammy-winning singer Natalie Cole said. “I think she needs to get her life together first, and then get the awards later."

Winehouse took a break from rehab to perform via satellite from London at the Grammys and collect five awards.

Cole also called Winehouse “crazy,” and complained that we are teaching youngsters that they can get rewarded for bad behavior.

Winehouse won in the categories of best female artist, best female pop vocal performance, best song, record of the year and best pop vocal album ---

So, dost Natalie Cole protest too much, or is her criticism warranted? Do you give a damn?