Aretha Franklin on Wendy Williams

[alphanguy74]

Entertaining as HELL:

Please register in order to view this content

[SFK]

LOL at the quickness with which she said "No" to Queen Latifah.

You know, I really enjoyed this. I knew Wendy would be on her best behaviour with Miss Franklin.

So, it seems that people are saying there was never an issue of cancer but gastric bypass surgery. Whatever the case, I'm glad she's doing better. This was nice.

[DRW50]

What a wonderful interview. Wendy is respectful yet fun - I haven't watched a lot of her show but I liked her presence here, she's very natural. The only part that threw me was when she began to cry over Whitney and you heard some canned-sounding applause as she dabbed her eyes. It all seemed like a parody. What happened with Whitney?

That was such a moment when Wendy said she'd heard about the abdominal surgery and Aretha said, "Is that what you heard?" and "A lot of things were said," basically saying - "Drop it." I watched that several times, as it's just such a great way of saying, "Shut up" without ever actually saying it. It's something a lot of younger people don't get.

I also love when they start talking about Nene's comments to Star Jones and whether they were "real." How meta have we all become about reality TV to casually have that type of conversation? Remember the days when Dateline NBC would try to shock us by saying Survivor was fake?

You can tell she was stung by Halle not playing her.

When did Wendy get those cheek implants? I wish she'd have them removed.

[quartermainefan]

There is always this unfriendly aspect to Aretha Franklin, an aloofness and wall up as if she feels "I am Aretha, feel my disdain". Wendy Williams wanted to get the real Aretha here, who and what she liked and why, and all Aretha will give her is yes and no answers with never commentary. They brought up a few women who could play her, and rather than say "oh, she's great, blah blah blah" she just dismisses them as topics as fast as Wendy can throw them out. What does she think of Halle Berry and Jennifer Hudson? Is there any opinion she would like to share spontaneously? They brought up RESPECT and 1967, wasn't their any anecdote she had from the early days she thought of and wanted to share? No, it is just "I am Aretha Franklin, I am a bigger star than anyone you are mentioning, and lets never forget it."

[SFK]

LOL, Wendy has admitted to Botox, breast implants, and a tummy tuck, but has denied a nose job and I don't know if she's ever had her cheeks implanted or filled. Frankly, she was born looking like a West Village transsexual and has done her part to accentuate that.

Wendy did a *LEG-EN-DAR-Y*[/Wendy] phone interview of Whitney on her radio show. I'll let you be the judge:

<object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/m6_jjYFZypY?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param'>http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/m6_jjYFZypY?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/m6_jjYFZypY?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="390"></embed></object>

<object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/UunslK5mgGM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param'>http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/UunslK5mgGM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/UunslK5mgGM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="390"></embed></object>

[quartermainefan]

and another thing Aretha, you are lucky to be alive...a smile wouldn't kill you.

[SFK]

I think it was Gladys Knight who said that Aretha was kinda shady towards her back when they were in their late teens/early twenties, like she's always had a competitive thing with other women. They've said the same thing about her and Dionne. Who knows? If we're to play computer chair psychologist, one might assume that she has issues with women stemming from her mother leaving her and her siblings at a young age, and then there are those unsavory rumors of a Victor Lord nature about her father, "the man with the million dollar voice," the late Rev. C.L. Franklin. There's a clip of her on YouTube when she and her late sister were writing Ain't No Way and she seems rather aloof on there as well. Maybe she's just shy at heart and it manifests itself with the cold exterior. She's very collected whenever she gives an interview, I think she's more comfortable singing where she's certainly confident in her ability.

[Cheap21]

I LOVED when Wendy started dancing for Aretha. That stuff was funny...lol. I love it whenever Wendy cries. She shows her vulnerabilities and is very genuine

I was listening to that live on the air adn was GLUED to my radio. I couldnt beleive the mess I was hearing

[DRW50]

Thanks for the link to the interview.

When Aretha said she'd wanted to be a prima ballerina, I was reminded of that TV special she did almost twenty years ago, Duets. There was an EW photo of a number that was deleted, where Aretha was in a tutu along, doing ballet, with several other women. That would have been nice to see.

[alphanguy74]

To tell you the truth.. when Aretha mentioned the Prima Ballerina thing, i'm almost ashamed to admit that I flashed on the Dancing hippos in Fantasia.

Please register in order to view this content

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I've never gotten this woman's appeal. She's good and talented, but there's tons of gospel, soul, and R&B singers who put her ass to shame, IMO. Her legacy is entirely too overrated for my taste.

And yes, she's always seemed like a cold and downright arrogant woman in interviews to me.

I remember a few years ago when she was publicly upset at Beyonce performing with Tina Turner at the Grammy's and at Beyonce calling Tina "The Queen." Really? Really Aretha? I'd take Tina over Aretha any friggin' day.

[DRW50]

There are people who are better and have never gotten their dues or are just a fixture on oldies channels, like Freda Payne or Jean Terrell or Mary Wells or Candi Staton, among many others, but when she was at her best the mixture of her voice, attitude, and production were just about unbeatable. It just sort of gets to me. Her gospel album, Amazing Grace, was beautifully produced.

To me this is perfection:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl7o7eZjLC4

[SFK]

OMG alpha, you went there, LOL.

I think what set Aretha apart was the timbre of her voice, there's really no one else who sounds like her (without trying). Her voice is smooth and laid back while raspy and almost whiney at the same time. And that rasp and whine aren't as grating as say Fantasia's.

Yeah, that Tina thing was something else. Etta James is another old school diva who wasn't too pleased with Beyonce when she sang "my song" as Etta put it (At Last) at Obama's ("He's not my president") inaugural ball.

[DRW50]

Please register in order to view this content

[SFK]

Carl, we were kinda posting at the same time and I was listening to that in my head while I typed.