RIP Harry Belafonte
April 25, 2023 7:21 PM Subscribe
Harry Belafonte made indelible marks on American culture while championing civil rights. Here's a link to his obituary.
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posted by UhOhChongo! at 7:30 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by UhOhChongo! at 7:30 PM on April 25, 2023
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posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:38 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:38 PM on April 25, 2023
The first thing I ever really knew him in was The World, The Flesh, and The Devil--one of the first old sci fi movies I have a memory of seeing, and probably the first black and white movie I saw with an interracial pairing. I think it came on one night after a long run of Twilight Zones and I just kept watching.
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posted by phunniemee at 7:41 PM on April 25, 2023 [8 favorites]
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posted by phunniemee at 7:41 PM on April 25, 2023 [8 favorites]
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posted by Silvery Fish at 7:45 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by Silvery Fish at 7:45 PM on April 25, 2023
I have a strange relationship with Belafonte. I know him from growing up mostly as a singer and musician. It wasn't until I was maybe 30 or older when I learned about his activism. How was all that hidden from me for so long? I don't feel I had a deprived education, but somehow white supremacy kept this part of this very famous man's life secret from me for decades.
Anyway, he's a legend, and I trust his memory will continue to comfort and inspire.
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posted by hippybear at 7:54 PM on April 25, 2023 [10 favorites]
Anyway, he's a legend, and I trust his memory will continue to comfort and inspire.
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posted by hippybear at 7:54 PM on April 25, 2023 [10 favorites]
A legendary human being. I wore out my parents' copy of Live at Carnegie Hall back in High School.
Probably one of the first albums I remember. "Mama Look a Boo Boo" was a favorite for poking fun at our dad. But "John Henry" and "All My Trials" was some advanced shit for a 6 year old, and those I won't ever forget. I was also unaware of his activism until later in life.
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posted by credulous at 8:07 PM on April 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
Probably one of the first albums I remember. "Mama Look a Boo Boo" was a favorite for poking fun at our dad. But "John Henry" and "All My Trials" was some advanced shit for a 6 year old, and those I won't ever forget. I was also unaware of his activism until later in life.
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posted by credulous at 8:07 PM on April 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
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posted by Windopaene at 8:17 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by Windopaene at 8:17 PM on April 25, 2023
We are of the spirit
Truly of the spirit
Only can the spirit
Turn the world around.
Truly a legendary artist and a remarkable human being.
posted by EvaDestruction at 8:19 PM on April 25, 2023 [12 favorites]
Truly of the spirit
Only can the spirit
Turn the world around.
Truly a legendary artist and a remarkable human being.
posted by EvaDestruction at 8:19 PM on April 25, 2023 [12 favorites]
I grew up on his music; my mom was a huge fan. RIP with a great legacy and after a life well-lived.
posted by rpfields at 8:20 PM on April 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by rpfields at 8:20 PM on April 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by dannyboybell at 8:53 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by dannyboybell at 8:53 PM on April 25, 2023
May his memory be a blessing.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:01 PM on April 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:01 PM on April 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
Just an inspirational guy with an incredible life. I never knew any of his music other than finding out at some point that he was the singer of "Day-O," (which I learned of before Beetlejuice, so it must have been a part of school singalongs), but he didn't have any significance in my family beyond my mom saying "he's so good looking" every time he was on the TV screen. Some time later I learned of the wonderful Paul Robeson and I started to realize that musicians were sometimes so much more.
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posted by rhizome at 9:15 PM on April 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
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posted by rhizome at 9:15 PM on April 25, 2023 [4 favorites]
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Timeless music and an impactful life. What a way to live.
posted by montag2k at 9:19 PM on April 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
Timeless music and an impactful life. What a way to live.
posted by montag2k at 9:19 PM on April 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
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I just watched his Muppet show episode tonight in tribute. In addition to the stunning Turn the World Around masks as seen in the link above, Belafonte just has this natural presence interacting with all the puppets, and there’s so much joy in all the sketches. Prime example; The Banana Boat Song.
posted by ActionPopulated at 9:31 PM on April 25, 2023 [11 favorites]
I just watched his Muppet show episode tonight in tribute. In addition to the stunning Turn the World Around masks as seen in the link above, Belafonte just has this natural presence interacting with all the puppets, and there’s so much joy in all the sketches. Prime example; The Banana Boat Song.
posted by ActionPopulated at 9:31 PM on April 25, 2023 [11 favorites]
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posted by dogstoevski at 9:38 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by dogstoevski at 9:38 PM on April 25, 2023
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posted by praemunire at 9:50 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by praemunire at 9:50 PM on April 25, 2023
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posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:15 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by kitten kaboodle at 10:15 PM on April 25, 2023
I enjoyed watching the fairly comprehensive five-minute video tribute to Belafonte on the PBS NewsHour today.
posted by JDC8 at 10:23 PM on April 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by JDC8 at 10:23 PM on April 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by gentlyepigrams at 10:23 PM on April 25, 2023
posted by gentlyepigrams at 10:23 PM on April 25, 2023
That time Belafonte flew to Mississippi in the middle of the night to hand-deliver $70K of his own money, in cash, to support the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Summer 1964. A couple of months later, he sponsored an 10-member SNCC delegation, headed by John Lewis, to Guinea to spend three weeks in the company of President Sekou Toure.
How Belafonte came out of retirement for his role in 2018's BlacKkKlansman (Deadline)
BlacKkKlansman Harry Belafonte sequence
Belafonte was a driving force behind the nonprofit organization USA for Africa, which was launched to stamp out famine and spawned the mega-selling single “We Are the World". A year later, he masterminded the 1986 human-chain campaign Hands Across America, which benefited U.S. poor. (Billboard obit)
1969's An Evening with Julie Andrews & Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte charming Sweden in 1966 & coaxing an audience sing-a-long to Matilda
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:31 PM on April 25, 2023 [29 favorites]
How Belafonte came out of retirement for his role in 2018's BlacKkKlansman (Deadline)
BlacKkKlansman Harry Belafonte sequence
Belafonte was a driving force behind the nonprofit organization USA for Africa, which was launched to stamp out famine and spawned the mega-selling single “We Are the World". A year later, he masterminded the 1986 human-chain campaign Hands Across America, which benefited U.S. poor. (Billboard obit)
1969's An Evening with Julie Andrews & Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte charming Sweden in 1966 & coaxing an audience sing-a-long to Matilda
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:31 PM on April 25, 2023 [29 favorites]
I remember watching him in The Angel Levine and really enjoying it. It wasn't until the credits rolled I realized he was a famous singer. It was a touching thoughtful movie
posted by night_train at 11:31 PM on April 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by night_train at 11:31 PM on April 25, 2023 [1 favorite]
It's also worth noting that his performance (and everyone else's for that matter) in the 1959 film noir Odds Against Tomorrow is well worth checking out.
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posted by gtrwolf at 11:47 PM on April 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by gtrwolf at 11:47 PM on April 25, 2023 [2 favorites]
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I liked this obituary in The Guardian for its description of the shear range of people and causes Belafonte was associated with: there is Bob Dylan getting his first recording as harmonica player on Belefonte's album - there is Belafonte hanging out with Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando and Walter Mattau in acting class. There is Miles Davis and Charlie Parker in his backing band, there is him singing Bamotsweri with Miriam Makeba, there is him playing at JFK's inauguration, there is his affair with Joan Collins, there is the time he bailed Martin Luther King our of jail or organised the charity record "We are the World" raising $63m for famine relief...
posted by rongorongo at 12:03 AM on April 26, 2023 [14 favorites]
I liked this obituary in The Guardian for its description of the shear range of people and causes Belafonte was associated with: there is Bob Dylan getting his first recording as harmonica player on Belefonte's album - there is Belafonte hanging out with Sidney Poitier, Marlon Brando and Walter Mattau in acting class. There is Miles Davis and Charlie Parker in his backing band, there is him singing Bamotsweri with Miriam Makeba, there is him playing at JFK's inauguration, there is his affair with Joan Collins, there is the time he bailed Martin Luther King our of jail or organised the charity record "We are the World" raising $63m for famine relief...
posted by rongorongo at 12:03 AM on April 26, 2023 [14 favorites]
A side mention of his 1956 release "Calypso" (listen here) which was the first album to sell over a million copies.
posted by rongorongo at 2:13 AM on April 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by rongorongo at 2:13 AM on April 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
ahhhh.... a wonderful and long life... lyrics interspersed with subversion and rebellion
one of the immortals
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posted by infini at 4:08 AM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
one of the immortals
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posted by infini at 4:08 AM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by Lawn Beaver at 4:15 AM on April 26, 2023
posted by Lawn Beaver at 4:15 AM on April 26, 2023
Others have beaten me to posting the the Earth Song from the Muppet Show (and good on them), but damn, there's something about it, that song might well be one of my earliest, most persistent memories. For years after all childhood memories of seeing it had faded away, the melody would just randomly pass through the back of my mind. At times, in my head, the mantra of "We come from the fire, go back to the fire, turn the world around" would pop up in my head, put its feet up, and declare a long term residency, and I had absolutely no idea where it had come from. When I finally saw the song again, and I'd like to think it was in my late teens, but if nothing else, this last year has shown me how imperfect my memories are, in that moment, it was the doubled joy of finding the source of those two strings running through my whole life, and the joy of seeing the song again as if it were the first time.
Belafonte lived a massive, momentous life, and putting that song into the head of a little kid in Michigan can’t barely begin to break into any kind of top ten thousand list of the man’s life and deeds, but it meant the world to me.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:24 AM on April 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
Belafonte lived a massive, momentous life, and putting that song into the head of a little kid in Michigan can’t barely begin to break into any kind of top ten thousand list of the man’s life and deeds, but it meant the world to me.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:24 AM on April 26, 2023 [12 favorites]
An extraordinary human being RIP
posted by DJZouke at 5:01 AM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by DJZouke at 5:01 AM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
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He was a titan, and I think the obituary writers are struggling to capture even a shadow of his importance.
posted by LobsterMitten at 5:41 AM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
He was a titan, and I think the obituary writers are struggling to capture even a shadow of his importance.
posted by LobsterMitten at 5:41 AM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
A few years ago I interviewed one of his associates for an article about Odetta. I knew he was a legend, but hearing from people who knew him about what a great person he was was a memorable experience.
My mom was delighted to learn that he smelled like peppermint.
Rest easy, legend.
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posted by pxe2000 at 5:57 AM on April 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
My mom was delighted to learn that he smelled like peppermint.
Rest easy, legend.
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posted by pxe2000 at 5:57 AM on April 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Sad day. Sad day, sad day, sad day-o.
What a titan of a human being.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:59 AM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
What a titan of a human being.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 5:59 AM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:21 AM on April 26, 2023
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:21 AM on April 26, 2023
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Tears. Legend, in music and civil rights activism. I remember loving his music as a kid, then later being told that he hated America and was a Communist, maybe also a monster. That was pre-Web, and I did not at the time have as easy access to information sources to counter the claim, and it hurt my heart to think that someone who produced such wonderful music could be otherwise in his personal life. I learned the truth later, was angered at the people who had lied to me for the sake of white supremacy. I am grateful to have learned the truth, and to the man for the work that he did. Legend.
posted by cupcakeninja at 6:39 AM on April 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
Tears. Legend, in music and civil rights activism. I remember loving his music as a kid, then later being told that he hated America and was a Communist, maybe also a monster. That was pre-Web, and I did not at the time have as easy access to information sources to counter the claim, and it hurt my heart to think that someone who produced such wonderful music could be otherwise in his personal life. I learned the truth later, was angered at the people who had lied to me for the sake of white supremacy. I am grateful to have learned the truth, and to the man for the work that he did. Legend.
posted by cupcakeninja at 6:39 AM on April 26, 2023 [6 favorites]
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"Harvey Belafonte ain't black, Meathead! He's a good-lookin' white guy dipped in caramel!" - Archie Bunker, All In The Family
posted by fairmettle at 6:46 AM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
"Harvey Belafonte ain't black, Meathead! He's a good-lookin' white guy dipped in caramel!" - Archie Bunker, All In The Family
posted by fairmettle at 6:46 AM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
I put on The Muppet Show last night as well. If you really want to let the tears flow, you can also watch him sing "Earth Song" at Jim Henson's memorial.
And you know, there aren't many people about whom I would straight-facedly say "They're with the ancestors now," but Harry Belafonte is one of them.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:47 AM on April 26, 2023 [8 favorites]
And you know, there aren't many people about whom I would straight-facedly say "They're with the ancestors now," but Harry Belafonte is one of them.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:47 AM on April 26, 2023 [8 favorites]
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I wore out my parents' copy of Live at Carnegie Hall back in High School.
Matilda
posted by snuffleupagus at 7:23 AM on April 26, 2023
I wore out my parents' copy of Live at Carnegie Hall back in High School.
Matilda
posted by snuffleupagus at 7:23 AM on April 26, 2023
Came to make sure the story about his emergency fundraising effort and cash airlift to support civil rights workers in Mississippi made the Blue. (thanks, Iris Gambol!) It's also retold here, in the SNCC's archives.
When I was just a punk kid working as an intern on a journalism program's student paper, somehow I got the chance to interview Harry Belafonte. It was short notice, long before the internet, pre-"We Are The World," and I had only the barest sense of who he was. It was a phone interview, his voice was raspy and accented, as I recall, and I kept asking him to repeat answers that I couldn't hear clearly.
He handled it with the utmost grace, even though I was a nobody working for a nobody of a newspaper.
Absolute class. Yes, once again: a titan.
posted by martin q blank at 7:36 AM on April 26, 2023 [9 favorites]
When I was just a punk kid working as an intern on a journalism program's student paper, somehow I got the chance to interview Harry Belafonte. It was short notice, long before the internet, pre-"We Are The World," and I had only the barest sense of who he was. It was a phone interview, his voice was raspy and accented, as I recall, and I kept asking him to repeat answers that I couldn't hear clearly.
He handled it with the utmost grace, even though I was a nobody working for a nobody of a newspaper.
Absolute class. Yes, once again: a titan.
posted by martin q blank at 7:36 AM on April 26, 2023 [9 favorites]
Came to make sure the story about his emergency fundraising effort and cash airlift to support civil rights workers in Mississippi
And maybe a recap of "We are the the world" from 1985 - another pretty fine example of turning a celebrity stuffed address book into a pile of cash. (The longer video showing the rehearsals is a lot of fun too - note the all start tribute to Belafonte about 13 minutes in)
posted by rongorongo at 8:05 AM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
And maybe a recap of "We are the the world" from 1985 - another pretty fine example of turning a celebrity stuffed address book into a pile of cash. (The longer video showing the rehearsals is a lot of fun too - note the all start tribute to Belafonte about 13 minutes in)
posted by rongorongo at 8:05 AM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
tl;dr but Calypso was the top-selling album for *31 weeks* in 1956 and the first album to sell one million copies.
posted by neuron at 8:49 AM on April 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by neuron at 8:49 AM on April 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:57 AM on April 26, 2023
posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:57 AM on April 26, 2023
A small story about someone using Harry Belafonte to stop a mugging:
A guy I knew from a job I had in my 20's told this story. He was walking home through the city late one night, when there was little car traffic so he was ignoring the crosslights when crossing streets - but was watching both ways when crossing, just in case. As you do.
So, at one intersection, he was looking both ways as he crossed the street...and noticed that at one corner, there were two guys huddled at the edge of a building and peering down the sidewalk of the cross street, looking away from him. Curious, he looked where they were looking - and saw a woman coming up the street towards them, about a block away. He instantly figured out what was happening - the two guys were hiding out of her sight, ready to leap out and attack her as she got close to them.
He had to do something, he thought. He decided to cross to their side of the street and sneak up behind them, then interrupt them somehow or shout to warn the woman away or something. He hurried over to their side of the street and started tiptoeing closer. He didn't know what to say when he got there. He'd finally made it up to where he was right behind them just as the woman was nearing the corner, so he had to act fast - he figured he'd just Be Loud, open his mouth and loudly say whatever came to mind.
So he took a deep breath, and right as the muggers were getting ready to pounce, he loudly sang:
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY-O!"
The muggers nearly jumped out of their skins. So did the woman, who quickly figured out what was going on and hurried off - and so did he, once the muggers recovered a bit and started chasing him for wrecking their plan. But he was young and strong and quickly lost them after a block, by which time the woman was long gone and out of danger.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:23 AM on April 26, 2023 [17 favorites]
A guy I knew from a job I had in my 20's told this story. He was walking home through the city late one night, when there was little car traffic so he was ignoring the crosslights when crossing streets - but was watching both ways when crossing, just in case. As you do.
So, at one intersection, he was looking both ways as he crossed the street...and noticed that at one corner, there were two guys huddled at the edge of a building and peering down the sidewalk of the cross street, looking away from him. Curious, he looked where they were looking - and saw a woman coming up the street towards them, about a block away. He instantly figured out what was happening - the two guys were hiding out of her sight, ready to leap out and attack her as she got close to them.
He had to do something, he thought. He decided to cross to their side of the street and sneak up behind them, then interrupt them somehow or shout to warn the woman away or something. He hurried over to their side of the street and started tiptoeing closer. He didn't know what to say when he got there. He'd finally made it up to where he was right behind them just as the woman was nearing the corner, so he had to act fast - he figured he'd just Be Loud, open his mouth and loudly say whatever came to mind.
So he took a deep breath, and right as the muggers were getting ready to pounce, he loudly sang:
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY-O!"
The muggers nearly jumped out of their skins. So did the woman, who quickly figured out what was going on and hurried off - and so did he, once the muggers recovered a bit and started chasing him for wrecking their plan. But he was young and strong and quickly lost them after a block, by which time the woman was long gone and out of danger.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:23 AM on April 26, 2023 [17 favorites]
Carmen Jones (1954) is excellent and recommended by me.
posted by ovvl at 12:02 PM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by ovvl at 12:02 PM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
He was an immaculately brave human being and a wonderful artist. RIP, Mr. Belafonte. His songs made up a huge part of my childhood.
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posted by jokeefe at 2:42 PM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by jokeefe at 2:42 PM on April 26, 2023 [1 favorite]
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY-O!"
As much as I love Belafonte, it's the Stan Freeberg parody that's canonical for me. (Though Stan sounds more like Kermit.) See also The Rock Island Line (sorry, Lonnie).
posted by snuffleupagus at 3:27 PM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
As much as I love Belafonte, it's the Stan Freeberg parody that's canonical for me. (Though Stan sounds more like Kermit.) See also The Rock Island Line (sorry, Lonnie).
posted by snuffleupagus at 3:27 PM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
I was lucky enough to be exposed to him early and often, mostly through US teevee in the ‘70s Admired him greatly for his lifelong dedication to fighting injustice as well. But holy shit, a few years ago Donald Glover used Malaika by him and Miriam Makeba over the credits of an episode of Atlanta and I swear to god it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard: https//youtu.be/Npmz86utAUc
posted by aquanaut at 4:05 PM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by aquanaut at 4:05 PM on April 26, 2023 [3 favorites]
The first thing I did when I heard of his death was watch the video Faint of Butt linked above, his performance at the Henson memorial. And one line of his speech jumped out at me. He was saying it about someone else, but it describes Belafonte himself very well: "Greater than his artistry was his humanity."
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:26 PM on April 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 4:26 PM on April 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
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posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 6:11 PM on April 26, 2023
posted by Mutant Lobsters from Riverhead at 6:11 PM on April 26, 2023
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A legendary human being. I wore out my parents' copy of Live at Carnegie Hall back in High School.
posted by Chuffy at 7:24 PM on April 25, 2023 [5 favorites]