Friday, November 6, 2009

A Grammy for Omara

Omara Portuondo got a visa to come to the United States and present at the Latin Grammy awards last night, and it’s a good thing – she won in the “Best Traditional Tropical Album” for her album Gracias, which is about the only word she mustered in her acceptance speech.

Herald story here, list of awards here.

12 comments:

leftside said...

More than just the first Cuban to present at the LGrammies, Omara might just be the first Cuban to receive any award live on prime time US TV (well... Unavision). Good for her.

Portuondo did, of course, have something to say about the US embargo when interviewed backstage I think. After suffering the indignity of having to answer if she's going back to Cuba, she said "it would be better for everyone if there were no bloqueo." Reuters says she was visibly "nervous" as she said this to the reporters.

Congratulations to Calle 13. 5 for 5. They deserved it.

And the dedications to Mercedes Sosa, from Residente and in the official program - were touching.

Anonymous said...

Portuondo is a bootlicker. Right up Lefty's alley.

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile, Yaoni is getting beat up by regime thugs in Havana. Thanks, Peters.

Anonymous said...

Peters stops blogging come Friday afternoon.

Fantomas said...

Congratulations to Calle 13. 5 for 5. They deserved it.


cafre 13 no tiene quien le compre su musica por eso mandaron pal carajo a todas las disqueras son unos sucios , comunistas

Anonymous said...

ah the gusanos keep up the latin beat; what a bunch of old, useless, losers. you are so scared of change cause those CANF checks will end.

you are laughable and pityful at the same time.

Skapada Blog said...

Omara is just an old woman of about eighty years. regardless what she did, she deserves respect just for her gray hair. Could you stop seeing communist everywhere? If Yoani does not get the permission of going out of the country is not because Omara did not allowed it. You guys are always shutting in the wrong direction... and of course from far, far away, from where warm and safe is.

theCardinal said...

Phil I defend you rather consistently on Babalu but you look pretty pathetic when you post about a Grammy Award and fail to note Yoani's beat down. Correct that please.

Fantomas said...

Phil es bastante patetico eso todos lo sabemos, right soldiers

Anonymous said...

Penultimos Dias cites Portuondo's long career as a bootlicker. For example, her song "With Rifle in Hand and My Song."

What an inspiration! During the Apartheid era, can you imagine an Apartheid-supporting South African singer being swamped in adulation as she presented Grammy awards in the African music category?

Phil, you have let us down by failing to detail Portuondo's disgraceful, bootlicking career.

Anonymous said...

Skapada Blog said..."Omara is just an old woman of about eighty years. regardless what she did, she deserves respect just for her gray hair."

A bootlicker is a bootlicker, no matter how old or young. Miriam Leiva in today's Nuevo Herald verified that Portuondo disgraced herself by signing the petition supporting the persecution of the 75 in 2003. And it isn't true that "everyone was forced to sign. Only 26 artists signed, among them Scumbag Portuondo.

Fantomas said...

Amaury Vidal signed it and he is in Miami today