Streisand to heckler: 'Shut the @#&% up'

[graywarrior]

POSTED: 3:14 p.m. EDT, October 10, 2006

NEW YORK (AP) -- It was an evening that elicited tears, standing ovations, raucous laughter and shouts of joy from the audience -- and that was just in the first few minutes.

Yes, Barbra Streisand's return to touring after a 12-year absence was the extravaganza that it promised to be. Monday night's show at Madison Square Garden was the third stop of a 20-city jaunt across the nation -- a virtual lovefest between the ultimate diva and an adoring, sold-out, celebrity-dotted crowd.

{snip}

There was Streisand, enduring a smattering of very loud jeers as she and "George Bush" -- a celebrity impersonator -- muddled through a skit that portrayed the president as a bumbling idiot.

Though most of the crowd offered polite applause during the slightly humorous routine, it got a bit too long, especially for a few in the audience who just wanted to hear Streisand sing like she had been doing for the past hour.

"Come on, be polite!" the well-known liberal implored during the sketch as she and "Bush" exchanged zingers. But one heckler wouldn't let up. And finally, Streisand let him have it.

"Shut the (expletive) up!" Streisand bellowed, drawing wild applause. "Shut up if you can't take a joke!"

Link:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/10/music.barbrastreisand.ap/index.html

[MadMaddie]

1. Good for Barbara....more people need to become vocal

we have been silenced too long......you see when we become vocal and aggresive they become frightened and make more stupid mistakes...

[madokie]

2. good on her

[Bluzmann57]

3. Well, even though she's a Liberal

I still don't care for her. But then since I didn't pay to see her (and never will), She probably did what entertainers have wanted to do for a long time. It doesn't affect anything, she still stinks.

[NeedleCast]

4. Good for Her?

Streisand is another anchor the democratic party doesn't need. I would prefer the people I pay to see entertain do the things I pay for them to do. Last election showed that the last thing the democratic party needs is the "support" of hollywood/celebs.

[NYCGirl]

5. You know who is really, really popular all over the world? Not politicians

Hollywood celebrities. They must be doing something right.

[AllieB]

6. They're citizens who vote. They have the right to speak out.

How did Holly wood support in the last election taint that the Democratic Party? I thought it was the voting machines. :-)

[walldude]

7. Well, if you are going to see Barbara Streisand

you have to expect to get some political commentary with your music. On the other hand, I know a guy on her road crew and he tells me the skit drags on and on and ruins the flow of the show. Considering she charges $210 for cheap seats and $1500 for good seats I'd say she needs to drop the skit and keep the politics to between song chatter....

[NeedleCast]

13. Ticket Prices are an Example

I have a hard time believing that people who make as much as Streisand does is "in touch" with the people and I feel that a lot of left leaning moderates feel the same. Someone charging 200 to 1500 per seat while calling herself a democrat seems somewhat hypocritical to me, as only the wealthy are likely to be able to attend one of her shows.

[Vidar]

8. Welcome to Ignore.

[pecwae]

19. My second addition today. nt

[Ravy]

17. I will take plenty of "anchors" like her.

I would rather see an entertainer make a political statement when they have the pulpit than a politician try to sing ("Let the Eagle Soar") or attempt to do acrobatics (any Republican spokesperson).

Welcome to DU.

[Vidar]

9. Applauding Barbra.

[graywarrior]

10. So Steve Earle can do it, but not Streisand?

[Libby2]

12. Well if you're female

you don't dare speak out.

Good for you Barbra......give em hell.

[oasis]

11. Give 'em hell Babs.

[T Wolf]

14. So, even from people here, we see the ShutUp&Sing mantra....

The pukes can run (and elect) unqualified candidates for office (two-bit actors, steroid-addled muscle men, no-talent athletes) but Democratic entertainers are not allowed to speak up.

What would happen at a country music concert if someone yelled during one of their wave-the-flag bullshit episodes, "Hey, just shut up and sing!" I am sure there would be audience support for that, right?

Each time one of us hesitates to speak up, the silence gets a little stronger. It is long past time to get in their faces at every opportunity.

[bling bling]

15. Personally, I think Streisand should STFU.

If people wanted to spend $500 to see a Democrat going off on Bush they could attend a political diiner and donate to the party.

They paid their money for music and singing and entertainment that all should be able to enjoy.

I'd be pissed if I spent all that money to see a singer only to be stuck having to watch that person opportunizing on their position in the spotlight to shove their political views down my throat.

Not that she doesn't have the right....I'm just putting my .02 in.

[William769]

20. .02 is just about all that comment is worth.

[Dorian Gray]

25. Actually, that's not true...

Imagine you went to a concert... Metallica, say... and they started spouting off that the Democratic party and/or president was terrible. I'd be pissed off. I didn't pay for that, and a lot of Streisand fans are fans because of her very beautiful voice, not her politics.

She is free to speak, but she may put off some of her fans. So be it. Not you or me, but others. I don't think that she should be "controlled," and I love that our country provides her with that freedom. I can just see why people who pay a shitload of money for tickets might be pissed off to be confronted with politics when they just wanted to hear her sing.

The NY Times had a great article on the concert in today's edition:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/arts/music/10barbra.html?ei=5090&en=de9c292a2cc44e49&ex=1318132800&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

[LTR]

22. Well, we are talking Streisand here

And anyone spending that amount of cash should know what they're getting themselves into. It's Streisand, for cryin' out loud!

Just like the recent CSNY tour, though they announced up front that it was going to be far from a Bush love-fest.

Anyone spending $500 to see any concert deserves to be heckled.

[LiberalEsto]

16. That would make a great bumper sticker nt

[William769]

18. YOU GO GIRL!

[devilgrrl]

21. Why it's a SCANDAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:eyes:

[Mojambo]

23. IMO this comes down to doing what you do best

As great a singer as she is, she's not a sketch comedian. If she wants to make a political point (and I totally support her doing so) she should write and sing a song about Bush. She's good at that! It's her show, she can do whatever she damn well wants, but she shouldn't be surprised that some in the audience might not receive these skits so well (particularly if they drag on and on.) regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum.

I don't really care either way. I wouldn't go to one of her shows even if I could afford it, which I can't.

She's just not my thing. No offense to any of her fans, but you can't like everything.

[valerief]

24. She should do whatever the hell she pleases. Just because a

CNN Repug reviewer didn't like the sketch and a rude (probably Repug) heckler didn't like the sketch doesn't matter. If she sang a song an audience member didn't like, would you expect that person to heckle the song? Geesh, whatever happened to good manners? You don't like the show, you quietly leave. The world has enough jerks as it is.