Welcome to Declassified, a weekly humor column,
Imagine the excitement at Politico Towers over the news that Beyoncé was leading a group of reporters and influencers to a swanky venue for a “once in a lifetime” performance (it was also reminiscent of an old joke: “I just On vacation for once in my life. I tell you never again”).
As a journalist (no, really) and as someone who has had influenza, it was thrilling. Sadly, the invitation was mishandled by the good folks at Bepost, which meant I managed to avoid the ethical dilemma of seeing Beyonce perform in Dubai. Tracks from their final album, “Renaissance” – said to be a love letter to the pioneers of black and gay dance music – were not played as part of the set in Dubai. Homosexuality is of course illegal in the UAE and is technically punishable by death.
Music and politics are uneasy classmates. One of the most enjoyable spats of late has been a member of 70s/80s rockers Journey stopping a bandmate from performing the huge hit “Don’t Stop Believin'” for Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. takes it to the courts. ,
The band’s keyboardist Jonathan Cain is married to televangelist Paula White-Cain, former part-time spiritual advisor to the US President and full-time golfer. Back in November, Cain performed “Don’t Stop Believin'” for Trump at his Florida resort with several Republicans, including far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, accompanied by lead guitarist Neal Schon. issue a cease and desist letter adding that “such conduct is extremely damaging to the Journey brand.”
And then there was Liz Truss, who you might remember was British prime minister for 11 seconds last year, and came onstage at the Conservative Party conference to M People’s “Moving On Up,” telling the band’s founder “We prompted to say. I’m so angry” and “I don’t want my song to be the soundtrack to a lie.”
Truss, you almost certainly don’t remember, posed for a photo with Taylor Swift at an awards ceremony in 2019 when she was chief secretary to the Treasury (Truss, not Swift, who never, as far as I can tell may not have held any senior roles in the British Treasury).
This week, US lawmakers grilled A top executive at Ticketmaster’s parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, explained the service’s inability to process orders for Swift’s upcoming tour, leaving millions of people unable to purchase tickets.
Senator Richard Blumenthal told Live Nation CFO Joe Berchtold, “I want to congratulate and thank you for your absolutely wonderful achievement.” “You absolutely brought Republicans and Democrats together in a unified cause.”
So maybe music and politics go hand in hand.
caption contest
“Okay, what can I help?”
“Well, now that you have nothing else, I have asked you to send me to the front line in Mariupol. ‘Do we have a uniform in Mr. Johnson’s size?’
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“Madame Tussauds has high hopes for newly opened Euro bubble wing” by Stefan de Koning.
is paul dallison PoliticalK Slot News Editor.