Give her some R.E.S.P.E.C.T! Aretha Franklin hits back at Kathie Lee Gifford for American Idol diss...

By Amelia Proud

PUBLISHED: 18:44 EST, 18 July 2012 | UPDATED: 19:30 EST, 18 July 2012

When Kathie Lee Gifford counted Aretha Franklin out of the running for a spot on the American Idol judging panel, she did it in the cruelest way imaginable.

The Today show host said: 'If they are looking for a younger demographic, there are a lot of kids out there (who) actually don’t know who Aretha Franklin is. It’s sad, but they don’t.'

But the 70-year-old soul legend isn't taking the dismissal lying down.

In an email to CCN, she wrote: 'My audience and fans span the age of eight to 90! And are multi-ethnic, and I am very well known to young adults, tweens and teens.

'I’m surprised Kathie Lee did not research my worldwide celebrity audience!

'She’s usually right on top of things with a great sense of humour, but she’s totally wrong this time.

'She should research me before she speaks about me. I’m sure she thought she was right; still enjoy Hoda and Kathie Lee!'

Franklin then stepped up for consideration for the spot that's been left vacant by departing judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.

'I could enjoy being a judge for a season or two. Let’s kick it up a few notches and have a slammin’, jammin’ season,' she wrote.

Gifford for her part, offered something of an apology yesterday: 'I need to apologise to a certain Ms. Aretha, apparently.'

'There is no one in the world like [her] — she is one of a kind.'

Yes Aretha clock the shit out of Kathie Lee. Can't stand her.

Tell her...

[img:$uid]http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m723jhuUN41rzqlteo1_500.gif[/img:$uid]

Seriously? Can anyone say anything nowadays without offending someone somewhere somehow? It's gotten to the point that a tv host can't comment on a totally harmless issue. No wonder tv is filled with reality shows everyone with a SAG card and some whiff of celebrity is terrified to speak!

Well it's true. I have not yet met someone with a fully or almost fully developed brain who doesn't know who Aretha Franklin is.

I think I could pick out a few Gen-Y morons who have no idea who she is.

Everybody may know who she is, but that doesn't mean they are going to tune in and watch.

I have to say Miss Franklin is the one who put herself in this predicament in the first place. She didn't need to profess a desire to be judge in some crappy plastic pseudo-talent show, nevermind the fact that it already overstayed its welcome.

Harlepolis said:

I have to say Miss Franklin is the one who put herself in this predicament in the first place. She didn't need to profess a desire to be judge in some crappy plastic pseudo-talent show, nevermind the fact that it already overstayed its welcome.

I still wonder why Aretha even wants to do IDOL for the same reasons you mentioned...

Timmy84 said:

Harlepolis said:

I have to say Miss Franklin is the one who put herself in this predicament in the first place. She didn't need to profess a desire to be judge in some crappy plastic pseudo-talent show, nevermind the fact that it already overstayed its welcome.

I still wonder why Aretha even wants to do IDOL for the same reasons you mentioned...

So she can be shady.

[img:$uid]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6za9rH6CT1r9n5edo1_500.gif[/img:$uid]

musicjunky318 said:

Timmy84 said:

I still wonder why Aretha even wants to do IDOL for the same reasons you mentioned...

So she can be shady.

And sell albums

I'd bet a helluva lot more peeps know Aretha than they do Kathie Lee's "Suzy Creamcheese" ass.

Never could stand that heffa!

aardvark15 said:

musicjunky318 said:

So she can be shady.

And sell albums

Yep.

Off topic but I never saw this picture before. Found it on her tumblr.

[img:$uid]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7csbkHebC1robbwso1_500.jpg[/img:$uid]

How cute? Aretha & Sam. Don't know what year it was.

^ I believed Aretha was about 21 here...

Did Britney actually say those things in the gif's above?

I'm not watching X-Factor, so I don't know.

frankly, Kathie Lee is right. as much as it pains me to type those words. a disturbingly large number of kids actually don't know who Aretha Franklin is. or who anyone over 40 is, for that matter. it's proven to me on a daily basis by these high school aged kids that work for me in the summer.

it's alarming to me really.

artist76 said:

Did Britney actually say those things in the gif's above?

I'm not watching X-Factor, so I don't know.

The first one is fake but the second one is real.

It's from the promo. It doesn't premiere until September 12th.

Timmy84 said:

^ I believed Aretha was about 21 here...

She was so pretty.

errant said:

frankly, Kathie Lee is right. as much as it pains me to type those words. a disturbingly large number of kids actually don't know who Aretha Franklin is. or who anyone over 40 is, for that matter. it's proven to me on a daily basis by these high school aged kids that work for me in the summer.

it's alarming to me really.

Well they'll get to know her. I'm sure a lot of kids didn't know who Paula was either when Idol debuted. Hell you can put me in that category. It was 2002, I was 13, I had heard of her but she was past her prime. My friends and I weren't running out to buy her material. The spot she had on the panel introduced her to a new audience and younger crowds.

Why can't the same happen for Aretha?

musicjunky318 said:

errant said:

frankly, Kathie Lee is right. as much as it pains me to type those words. a disturbingly large number of kids actually don't know who Aretha Franklin is. or who anyone over 40 is, for that matter. it's proven to me on a daily basis by these high school aged kids that work for me in the summer.

it's alarming to me really.

Well they'll get to know her. I'm sure a lot of kids didn't know who Paula was either when Idol debuted. Hell you can put me in that category. It was 2002, I was 13, I had heard of her but she was past her prime. My friends and I weren't running out to buy her material. The spot she had on the panel introduced her to a new audience and younger crowds.

Why can't the same happen for Aretha?

because songs like "Think" and "Respect" and "Chain Of Fools" are not music to kids these days. they're wallpaper that hangs in their grandparents homes. they are either completely unaware of this music OR it is so ubiquitous that is no longer music to them and they have absolutely no interest in hearing it or finding out who it's by.

errant said:

musicjunky318 said:

Well they'll get to know her. I'm sure a lot of kids didn't know who Paula was either when Idol debuted. Hell you can put me in that category. It was 2002, I was 13, I had heard of her but she was past her prime. My friends and I weren't running out to buy her material. The spot she had on the panel introduced her to a new audience and younger crowds.

Why can't the same happen for Aretha?

because songs like "Think" and "Respect" and "Chain Of Fools" are not music to kids these days. they're wallpaper that hangs in their grandparents homes. they are either completely unaware of this music OR it is so ubiquitous that is no longer music to them and they have absolutely no interest in hearing it or finding out who it's by.

They perform her stuff on the show all the time. I'm sure a lot of the younger kids probably hear and know her songs but don't know exactly who recorded it.

musicjunky318 said:

errant said:

because songs like "Think" and "Respect" and "Chain Of Fools" are not music to kids these days. they're wallpaper that hangs in their grandparents homes. they are either completely unaware of this music OR it is so ubiquitous that is no longer music to them and they have absolutely no interest in hearing it or finding out who it's by.

They perform her stuff on the show all the time. I'm sure a lot of the younger kids probably hear and know her songs but don't know exactly who recorded it.

they don't really care either. the American Idol rendition is just fine to them.

errant said:

musicjunky318 said:

They perform her stuff on the show all the time. I'm sure a lot of the younger kids probably hear and know her songs but don't know exactly who recorded it.

they don't really care either. the American Idol rendition is just fine to them.

LOL You're right. The only one who ever did her songs justice was Kelly Clarkson anyway.

Have young people in general ever followed someone in their grandparents/great-grandparents or even parents generation? When I was going to school, I don't recall anybody talking about Bing Crosby, Bobby Bland, or Louis Armstrong. I knew about some old blues singers probably because I lived with my grandparents when I was little. It sure wasn't because of my mom, the radio, TV, or other kids.

[Edited 7/18/12 21:16pm]

I've always found the crapping on older artists interesting because it's usually older artists like Aretha that these kids are singing in their auditions. Very seldom do you see them sing Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift. The show won't show anyone going in and singing Bieber, but you'll see someone singing Donny Hathaway.

[Edited 7/18/12 21:24pm]

[Edited 7/18/12 21:29pm]

Kids know who she is.

musicjunky318 said:

artist76 said:

Did Britney actually say those things in the gif's above?

I'm not watching X-Factor, so I don't know.

The first one is fake but the second one is real.

It's from the promo. It doesn't premiere until September 12th.

Thanks for reply.

So maybe she has some personality after all? She did shave her head and take a baseball bat to a car, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. And she's from Louisiana or Arkansas or something.

I think Aretha could add that kind of sass and brutally honest assessment to AI, and she'd have more weight behind her critiques than Britney.

I still wouldn't watch either show though.

artist76 said:

musicjunky318 said:

The first one is fake but the second one is real.

It's from the promo. It doesn't premiere until September 12th.

Thanks for reply.

So maybe she has some personality after all? She did shave her head and take a baseball bat to a car, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. And she's from Louisiana or Arkansas or something.

I think Aretha could add that kind of sass and brutally honest assessment to AI, and she'd have more weight behind her critiques than Britney.

I still wouldn't watch either show though.

Umbrella honey, umbrella.

But the little jab is accepted nonetheless.

Why on earth would Aretha Franklin care whether Kathy Lee Gifford thinks kids know who she is?!