Jokes fly between Obama, celebrities at Kennedy Center Honors

[steve2470]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/08/politics/obama-colbert-kennedy-center-jokes/

video at link

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama took an evening away from politicking Sunday to honor top artists -- and crack some jokes.

Obama received the five Kennedy Center honorees at the White House before the annual gala that honored this year Tom Hanks, Sting, Al Green, Lily Tomlin and ballerina Patricia McBride.

Sting got a presidential mention not just for his chart-topping music career, but also for his stage name.

"Now, not everybody can pull off a name like Sting, but this guy can. His wife, Trudie, calls him Sting. Apparently his kids call him Sting," Obama said to laughs at the White House reception. "'POTUS' is a pretty good nickname -- but let's face it, it's not as cool as Sting. I kind of wish I was called Sting."

[Archae]

1. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (Sting) is a manufactured "artist."

He's one of the biggest things from the 80's that sucked.

[snooper2]

2. no, the biggest thing from the 80's that sucked were American cars

and hair...

really REALLY bad hair

[2naSalit]

3. Interesting thought

but I don't get what you mean by "manufactured artist". Personally, I never thought he sucked, in fact, I like his music in general... and I am a musician.

Not wanting to start a fight, just curious about what it is that you dislike about him and see him as undeserving of the honor.

[Archae]

4. His entire schtick, even down to that manufactured "name."

It's 1980's corporate pop.

Now don't get me wrong, you like him, that's ok.
I'm sure there are musicians and singers I like you can't stand.

Does Sting still repeat the same phrase over and over, dozens of times at the end of his songs?

[2naSalit]

5. As do many of other

songs created by others. In some parlance known as a "tag", in the industry. And yes, I get the industry part of your point. But that's how it always turns out in that business regardless of how you started out with possible years of experience behind you or not. It always ends up with the corporate model in the end if you are famous and get lots of big gigs and all that. Doesn't matter how earnest or humble your beginnings. Very few have the options of driving their own bus, so to speak. Kudos to those who can/do. For the rest of the musicians we get to hear because of corporate approval, it's the scenario noted above, giving up something of value and trading it for something one values more, I guess.

I used to view that path as selling out but have changed my opinion on it over the years.

But I do like some of Sting's lyrics and the manner in which he plays his instruments. But I like more genres and styles than I can mention.

So, yeah, he does repetitious tags lines at the end of songs, it's a widely used technique and often overdone in the recording industry due to ease editing. I've learned to live with it.