phunkdaddy said:

It's despicable and down right disrespectful. if you ask me. I had to read about President Obama's remarks about her, thanks to the article posted here by Luv4U and it came from the Canadian Press. I still haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

What did you expect?

American media doesn't give a HOOT about famous black women unless their personas were notorious. Positivity equates to dull, so you know a dignified dame like Lena Horne would be considered completely foreign esp in a day & age of chickenhead meduim.

Leave it to Europeans to acknowledge our black goddesses though(Hell, even when a bulk of black people TOO already forgot about Lena Horne).

I do find it a bit unusual that her passing hasn't generated more buzz in the media. But what I'm even more disturbed by is how even I thought Ms. Horne had passed away years ago.

It's not that I ever forgot her however, I could never forget Lena Horne; she and my Mom shared too many qualities, they could have been sisters in their younger days (perhaps another reason why I find Ms. Horne's passing so disturbing).

A friend of mine and I were having a conversation perhaps 6 months ago, when the name Lena Horne came up. When my friend even asked me "What has Lena Horne been up to recently?" and I replied "Oh, she died years ago". My friend even questioned me... "Are you sure?", and I was certain. I don't know how we didn't research it further on the Internet as we usually do when we debate various topics, because certainly we would have seen that she hadn't passed away at all. Nevertheless, I don't know how I would have ever assumed that she had.

The only way I can think to explain it is that we haven't heard from her in years, and perhaps the last thing I did hear many years ago may have been that she had taken seriously ill. Still, I feel awful. Because I had essentially been mourning her death (so to speak) for all these years that she was actually still here with us (actually right here in my very city). But I still wonder: How could she had even been rushed to the hospital a few nights ago without THAT being all over the news? I mean: The first thing we hear... is that she's dead! Elizabeth Taylor gets a headache and the networks are running her movies all weekend (...okay, I'm clearly exaggerating, lol). I don't wanna believe it's racism, but DAYUM. Lena Horne was a MAJOR star!

Here's a picture of her that I used in blog I wrote about her 2 years ago. I had no idea at the time that I wrote it that she was still living. And now, I feel doubly bad that she's gone. And I am ashamed.



Rest Peacefully Lena Horne

Harlepolis said:

I honestly don't know what I expected but I expected better than this for Lena Horne. I really did, ESPECIALLY by our own!

Hell, no disrespect intended but when Farrah Fawcett died, she was getting the Princess Diana treatment. The ONLY thing that put a stop to that madness was Michael Jackson himself...dying!

Yet, the true ICON in every sense of the word that Lena Horne was, passes on and it's just barely acknowledged.

Harlepolis said:

Unless it's Beyonce. If she breaks a nail, we're going to hear about it.
[Edited 5/12/10 8:45am]

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

That's because we as a people have neglected to respect the ones who laid down the line for us in order for us to live better lives and to see entertainers who look like us on the covers of magazines or on our TV every chance we get. Like Ms. Knowles KNOWS had it not been for Horne, she wouldn't even be a BLIP on TV. When Sammy Davis, Jr. died, I don't remember much of black America really giving it up for Sammy because in their mind, Sammy was a traitor, marrying white women, hanging out with white folks, and doing things that were not remotely black. Las Vegas actually turned off their lights for Sammy but I don't remember it being a full-time tribute on EBONY or JET about Sammy, just a two-page headline and then moving on to the other story. Same with Josephine Baker, since she practically moved out of America in the dawn of the 1920s and settled in France. She also was accused of not even being remotely black but when she did speak out for civil rights, then all of America turned her down then.

The only reason MJ got honored the way he did is because ALL of us wanted to be Michael. BUT it's a shame no one black and young as me or younger ever just stop and really read into what made Lena Lena or what made Dorothy Dandridge Dorothy or, hell what made Harry Belafonte Harry. I mean before his stance on civil rights, the guy actually could sing, could he not?! Black people (and people of all races in general), we gotta do better than this.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

It's the strangest thing, Back in the 80's (I think) she had a one woman show and everyone was raving about how beautiful she was in her late 60's early 70's. 60 minutes did a show on her and I think PARADE magazine and others had her on their cover.
About a month ago on a thread I had going about Manuela, prodigalfan posted some pics of Lena to show how Mani sometimes resembles her. I googled Lena and found out only that she was basically in seclusion and not doing any appearances.
Lena was truly a crossover artist in that EVERYBODY knew who Lena was. That's why it is so strange that her death isn't getting huge coverage. She had a bigger impact on the entertainment industry then Farrah did that's for sure. She also was not one to keep her mouth shut about what she truly believed. Lena had dignity and celebrities with dignity are getting to be a real dying breed.
[Edited 5/12/10 12:26pm]

Deadflow3r said:

I know. It was like "what no special? Nothing to commemorate on her rich legacy? Nothing?" I guess when the world has become so tabloid friendly, it's impossible to have that.

Timmy84 said:

That's what you get Ms Lena for not doing any work for playboy and no sextape either. Now had she rolled her naked ass around in some paint for Heffner she'd been truly missed .

We've been down this road before folks. Someone dying in their youth trumps legacy. It's not just cause she was black. Hello, anyone remember the 15 minute salute to John Hughes versus the quick minute montage for Paul Newman that was included with the rest of the "in memoriam" deaths (which also didn't include Farrah).

Now, if Halle Berry were to die tomorrow, yes, she would have 24/7 coverage and a Barbara Wawa hosted special talking about the unexpected loss of a legend and ish.

Deadflow3r said:

I often questioned why Farrah was doing that. Someone said she was real loopy throughout the entire promotion of that shit.

But you know you ain't gonna get someone going "well they did all that shit for Teddy (which wasn't much either), why not Lena?!" It's never gonna happen.

sosgemini said:

That's sad and yeah age has a lot to do with it too. I doubt we'll see any headlines about Bob Dylan's death or Tina Turner's death because they would've passed on at old ages (though James Brown was covered for a good minute but only because of litigated drama, James didn't exactly bow out gracefully considering the circumstances of how he died remains in question).

I heard about it...so sad but she lived a long life and what's crazy is that a few days ago I was watching an episode of the Cosby Show and she was on there. RIP.
[Edited 5/12/10 14:23pm]

Timmy84 said:

If Tina Turner doesn't record another thing for the next 22 years, it's possible that she may be relatively forgotten by the time she's 92, like Ms. Horne (...but I sort of doubt it). Same could go for Bob Dylan if he should live another 23 years without making music. In today's culture, who's to say WHO will be remembered in even the next 5 years? There's a saying in the entertainment industry: "You're only as famous as your last hit".

I never would have thought that I would see the day when so few people remembered Lena Horne. That's why it's hard for me to conceive that there could be a day when the passing of a "Tina Turner" or a "Bob Dylan" would receive little press, although I concede that it should be anticipated (under similar circumstances).

PDogz said:

Exactly. I wouldn't be surprised if Dylan and Tina get looked over because so and so from this generation caused a mishap.

Timmy84 said:

Yeah ok. If...well...ok...I do know that I honestly mean when...Bob Dylan passes and it's given as little regard in the same context as Lena's passing has been, is the day when I will bow down and leave the internet for good!

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I won't be that drastic but if Twitter goes "who's Bob Dylan?" I'm deactivating my fucking account!

Timmy84 said:

That's good enough!

I will be checking, though!

Bob & Tina will get a lot of headlines, simply because, no matter how far we've moved away from the origins of it, they are part of the "rock & roll era" which is the beginning of modern music (and popular culture for that matter). Lena sang a type of music that was pretty much discarded when rock & roll took over, so her influence, impact, and fame aren't as readily apparent to modern audiences.



or did somebody already say that...? I only skimmed....

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

@ 00:20

errant said:

Someone was kinda saying the same thing you was... but it was more like a disappointment rather than acknowledging that because Bob & Tina were basically part of the early years of rock and roll that Lena wouldn't be remembered but she was still mighty important even if she was from a bygone era but hell so are Bob and Tina. That being said yeah they'll get more acknowledgment. I hope they do. They deserve to be recognized as heroes like Lena should be recognized.

I can't believe i'm only seeing this sticky now, but Lena of course was a true legend full of class, beauty and talent. A true star. She was one of a kind and will be missed.

Timmy84 said:

Timmy you're exactly right. I've been saying the same shit for years. We don't treasure our icons like we should and it's a damn shame. Paul Mooney was hinting at this in some interview just a couple months ago. He's a comedian and makes it funny but beyond that core a lot of what he and people like him say is true.



This is why BET = FAIL, Oprah = FAIL, the suckas in Hollywood who wouldn't be there in the first place if it wasn't for individuals like Lena = FAIL. They're all suckas and this is one of the primary reasons why I don't ride with a whole bunch of them. Ain't no way in the world those of us with an outlet that can teach millions and millions about our own history shouldn't. Yet they let her fly under the radar, ultimately bestowing somebody that came around 10, 20 years later as the true originator.

A damn shame...
[Edited 5/13/10 17:34pm]

musicjunky318 said:

I do want to point out that every single major entertainment website has done a wonderful job emphasizing Horne's role in the history of film, black entertainment and civil rights fight. From EW to Eonline to Deadline, Movieline and Cinematical to AINTITCOOL, the online geeks did a wonderful job giving tribute to Ms. Horne. So who didn't? I guess the tabloid, talk (although The View did a short section on her), entertainment shows and Daily Show/Colbert shows failed.

In closing, anyone and everyone must read this Bootleg file (from one of my fav online site's Film Threat): http://www.filmthreat.com...res/21999/

It's an article on Horne's true film debut (as well including some interesting facts, like, she wasn't the first black artist to have an MGM contract.)

sosgemini said:

To be fair to The Daily Show and Colbert. They're political satire shows. They rarely, if ever mention a celebrity's death.

sosgemini said:

Farrah wasn't exactly a baby. She did chronicle her whole dying experience though. Had Lena's family opened the doors and let us all watch Lena slowly fading away maybe it would have been different. Paul was another who kept the fact that he was not going to live much longer private.

I bet Liz Taylor gets a better sendoff as it were because,
We like celebrities that get drunk, get sober, fall off the wagon, get back into AA and discuss it all with Oprah and anybody else whose willing to have them on the show, and then after we begin to forget about them they fall off the wagon again.
We love celebrities that get fat then skinny then fat then skinny then fat and inbetween go on talk shows to discuss in great detail.
We love celebrities that find their soul mate, get married, get divorced get on the talk show circuit, find their true soul mate find out he ain't so great either - over and over again.
We love celebrities who aren't affraid to overexpose themselves and have at least one perfume named after them and a second one on the way.

Lena wasn't a basket case or an attention whore. Sorry Lena, looks and talent aren't enough. We want drama, courtroom drama preferably.

sosgemini said:

I do want to point out that...LENA HORNE...was much MORE than an entertainer! The shit she HAD to ENDURE made it possible for YOU AND ME...to be sitting HERE...having THIS conversation!

I won't act like I know what you've been through in YOUR life but I KNOW for a FACT...what I'VE been through! Had there NOT been a LENA HORNE...I WILL testify in front of GOD ALMIGHTY and say I would and could NOT have been who I AM...had LENA HORNE...not had the COURAGE of her convictions to be...HER!

It's it and that's that!!! FOR REAL!!! I will love and honor that WOMAN until I...am called home! And at that time...I will make a point of THANKING her...AND the OTHERS like her...that made ME...possible...personally!

'Thousands mourn jazz singer Lena Horne in NYC'

http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...ne_funeral

http://www.app.com/articl...source=rss