Dj Buddy B's Weekly Diva Report 3/8/14

Sheila McRae, 1960s

Although our President obviously meant nothing but respect for legendary diva Aretha Franklin, he had a spelling malfunction while introducing her at the White House.

"'What a lineup!' Mr. Obama declared at the outset of a concert that featured a generations-spanning array of soul singers stretching from musical legends Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle to 20-year-old Ariana Grande," said CBS News.

"Mr. Obama paid tribute to Franklin for turning her signature song 'Respect' into 'a rallying cry for African-Americans, women and then everyone who felt marginalized.'

"The pumped-up audience gave a hearty laugh but was more than willing to forgive the president for spelling it 'R-S-P-E-C-T.'"

Hey, at least he didn't refer to her as Adele Azeem! Of course, the conservative press and, especially, Fox News, jumped on this immediately. "Aretha Franklin may spell out the word 'Respect' several times throughout her synonymous song, but that doesn’t mean Harvard-educated President Obama knows how to spell it," Fox barked. Come on, give the President some rspect. And by the way, you misused the word "synonymous," Foxies.

The President's blunder was nothing compared to John Travolta's Oscars gaff, introducing Broadway diva headliner Idina Menzel as "Adele Azeem." I saw Ms Mendel in her new Broadway musical, If/Then, that started in previews Wedneday evening. http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2014/03/broadway-beaverhausen-ifthen-notgood.html  Her rendition of the theme song from Frozen, which snagged an Academy Award, was definitely one of the many high points of the Awards ceremony last Sunday evening.

Sheila MacRae (nee Stephens) passed away of natural causes two days ago in Elmwood, NJ at the age of 92. The British-born Ms MacRae was married to tall, dark and handsome singer George MacRae (not to be confused with George McCrae who sang the disco hit, "Rock Your Baby"). Sheila and George performed professionally as a vocal duo. The couple divorced in 1967. She co-starred in feature films like Caged and Sex & the Single Girl. She appeared as herself in an episode of I Love Lucy, and replaced Audrey Meadows as Alice Kramden for The Honeymooners episodes on The Jackie Gleason Show. Her daughter, Meredith McRae, played Billie Jo on tv's Petticoat Junction.

One of my dance diva faves, Amber Dirks http://djbuddybeaverhausen.blogspot.com/2012/07/exclusive-q-with-dance-diva-amber-dirks.html, is charging up the Billboard dance chart, currently in the Top 50 at # 47 with Bouvier & Barona's "Dominate My Love." Spice Girl Mel B holds onto the top of the Billboard club/dance chart at # 12 with the ebullient "For Once in My Life." The song has now occupied the chart for three months! http://queens.ourcityradio.com/music-news/dj-pornstar-mel-beautiful-music

Kylie Minogue's gone into the blue with "Into the Blue" at # 11 in a scant 3 weeks. And jet-propelled to # 14 this week, the 2014 remix of "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper. It reached its current position in just 3 weeks, up from #27 on the last chart.

More diva dish next week. Until then, rspect, y'all!