Posted on 07/20/2004 4:10:29 PM PDT by onevoter
US singer Linda Ronstadt was booed off the stage and kicked out of a Las Vegas casino after praising polemical filmmaker Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11," the casino said.
The management of Las Vegas Aladdin Casino and Resort evicted the famed crooner from the premises during a concert after members of the audience reacted furiously to her praise of Michael Moore, whose film bashes US President George W Bush.
"She was removed from the hotel towards the end of the concert," a hotel official who declined to be identified told AFP.
"The company decided to remove her from the property after she dedicated a song to Michael Moore."
"This angered our guests who spilled their drinks and demanded their money back," the official said.
The liberal Ms Ronstadt, 58, a 10-time Grammy Award-winner and an icon of the politically-agitated 1970s, praised Mr Moore as a "great American patriot" who "is spreading the truth."
She also dedicated the song "Desperado" to Mr Moore and urged the audience to go and see "Fahrenheit 9/11," which mercilessly slams Mr Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq and his handling of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
According to local media, members of the 4,500-strong audience stormed out of the concert hall, tore down concert posters and tossed cocktails into the air.
Hotel president Bill Timmins then ordered security guards to escort Ms Ronstadt off the premises.
Mr Moore reacted furiously to the hotel and casino's decision in an open letter to Timmins on the filmmaker's website.
"What country do you live in?," Mr Moore asked in the letter.
"For you to throw Linda Ronstadt off the premises because she dared to say a few words in support of me and my film, is simply stupid and un-American," Mr Moore said.
I know it was controversial and probably in bad taste, but I don't really think the people in that casino should have attacked her. Political views shouldn't lead to violence.
That said, I myself was very disappointed to read this article. Ronstadt is a good singer - She sang one of my favorite songs, "Somewhere Out There". But I am not fond of anyone praises for Moore and his lying movies.
That's what the President of Alladin said. He hired her to entertain, not to be a political activist. I'm from Vegas and I'm thrilled that the vacationers gave her the business. They're here for some needed R&R, not to be harangued by fatso.
And those would be?
The only ones I can think of are Different Drum, (Stone Ponys) and Blue Bayou. Probably would would have been a short concert.
She used to be so cute. Fortunately I never heard her talk, and now that she has it has ruined any perception I had of her.
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