Free Republic

Two mature women paid the best tributes to Pete Townshend’s songs in “The Music of the Who”: 21 acts performing a selection each on Tuesday night at Carnegie Hall. One was Patti Smith, seizing “My Generation” like a born rocker. “Oh, Carnegie Hall,” she announced on arrival, “forgive me for what I am about to do.” She strapped on a guitar and took on a cocky swagger as the band charged into the song. She snarled and howled the lyrics. She spit, twice. She added her own generational message, urging people to “Rise up!”... The other was the soul singer...

<p>About 30 seconds into his opener “The Passenger” at New York’s Carnegie Hall Friday night, Iggy Pop declared, “Aw, fuck this shirt,” tore off his black V-neck sweater and tossed it stage right to a waiting Patti Smith, who caught it and giddily hopped up and down while swinging like she’d just caught a wedding bouquet.</p>

Editta Sherman has celebrated more than half a century's worth of new years in her palatial studio apartment above New York's Carnegie Hall. But it's unlikely the celebrated portrait photographer will be raising her glass there next year. Known as the Duchess of Carnegie, the 96-year-old came home a few days ago to find an eviction notice on her door. "I thought, oh, what is this? Are you kidding me that they are really going to send a woman like me down the street just like that? Have me scurry away without a fight," she said, delivering a whooping cackle,...

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League – a group that exists to promote Bill Donohue, er, prevent “virulent anti-Catholicism” – is leading a protest against Jerry Springer: The Opera, which will be performed at Carnegie Hall on January 29th and 30th and stars Harvey Keitel as Springer. The show chronicles Jerry Springer’s adventures in hell, where he's forced to host an outrageous talk show whose guests include Adam and Eve, Mary, Jesus, and, as his crowd “warm up” man, Satan. Donohue’s dutifully parsed the script and excerpted all the blasphemous material, which may not be the best tactic because...

One week from today, “Jerry Springer—The Opera” will open a two-day run at Carnegie Hall. Commenting on this is Catholic League president Bill Donohue: “Never before in its illustrious history has Carnegie Hall been home to Christian bashing, but that is all about to change on January 29 and 30. Incredibly, it is allowing a patently obscene and viciously anti-Christian musical to be performed on its stage. Thus has it got into bed with the bigots, making a mockery of art in the process. This isn’t art—it’s license. “Is it art when a world religion is trashed on stage in...

Ok, this is 'older'; but it looks front page news worthy to me! Corporate Board Member May/Jun 2003 Feature Story How Citigroup’s Board Cleaned the Stable by Monica Langley Sandy Weill built the world’s most profitable financial empire. Then Citigroup—and Weill—became embroiled in scandal. Here’s how he got his board to sign off on his plan to save the company and redeem himself. During his tumultuous career, humbly born Sanford I. Weill survived setbacks that would have finished most people and went on to build Citigroup, the singularly profitable agglomeration of Citibank, Travelers, Smith Barney, and other financial businesses (2002...

A 16-year-old pianist is suing his teacher, claiming she confronted him on stage during a Carnegie Hall competition and slammed the keyboard cover on his fingers as they argued over what piece he would play. Bryan O'Lone of Vineland also claims that Yalena Ivanov publicly berated him during the Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey event, stripped him of a $350 prize he had earned at an earlier organization event and barred him from taking part in a trip to a musical festival in Italy. The teen and his family are seeking unspecified damages and a public apology from Ivanov,...