Our "Common" Culture?
Tevi Troy ·
May 13, 2011 at 8:19am
The controversy over the rapper Common's invitation to the White House is thankfully receding into the background, but it recalls the history of how previous presidents have dealt with other controversial artists. President Eisenhower was so scrupulous that he would not even view films with the actor Robert Mitchum because of Mitchum’s conviction for marijuana possession. Nixon, for his part, took a famous picture with Elvis in which Elvis appeared stoned, but the Nixon Secret Service also screened out Grace Slick when she tried to attend a school reunion with one of Nixon's daughters. What are Ricochet readers' favorite tales of contretemps between presidents and entertainers?
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Jul '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
I'm no fan of Bill Clinton, but his rebuke of Sistah Souljah did speak well of him.
And I've always been amused by the famous photo of Sammy Davis, Jr. hugging Richard Nixon. Boy, did Nixon look, um, nonplussed.
May '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Johnson and Eartha Kitt.
Jul '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Perhaps it would be wise for Presidents not to invite people without real names to the White House. Sorry, Common, Jay Z, Beyonce, Bono and Stevie Wonder, but we're a little more dignified here in the people's mansion.
Edited on May 13, 2011 at 8:46amJul '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Johnson and Eartha Kitt???
Geezer in da house, geezer in da house....
Mar '11
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
The one I always cringe at is Reagan and Michael Jackson. It's one of those, "I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then" kind of moments.
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
The double standard has me reeling.
Imagine if George Bush hosted two white people who both spoke out against interracial dating as Common and Jill Scott have done.
Actually, I'm probably making too much of it. If George Bush did that, not one person in the MSM or elsewhere would call him a racist.
Not one.
Jun '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
This is the opposite of your question: unusual positive pairings of a president and an entertainer. Nothing beats Sammy Davis, Jr. and Nixon on the same stage (I believe it was the 1972 convention): the epitome of cool and, to be generous, the least spontaneous president in history sharing the same stage was a bit bizarre.
Nov '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Well, it may not be the contretemp that was solicited, but the picture of President Reagan on the sidelines at a football game with his arm around John Lennon, ostensibly explaining the game to him, was always a favorite.
Jun '10
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Reagan and Lennon were both rock stars.
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
There's the delightful tale of Helen Keller having dinner with Calvin Coolidge, and neither could get a word in edgewise.
Jan '11
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
for the record: Elvis wasn't stoned when he met Nixon....
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Great story, James, Is it apocryphal?
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
I didn't say that he was, only that many have speculated on the topic. What is the source for his being sober at the time?
Jan '11
Re: Our "Common" Culture?
Tevi Troy
I didn't say that he was, only that many have speculated on the topic. What is the source for his being sober at the time? · May 13 at 1:35pm
From the accounts of the participants Elvis was of clear mind regarding the whole ordeal. He had his problems, for sure, and they would accelerate greatly after 1970, but he could pull it together when he knew he really needed to. That was the real problem, sadly.