Mapman wrote:
> You don't hear much about Al Jolson anymore these days...
Jolson isn't considered "PC" because he often performed in BlackFace. This is a shame, as his contemporaries contended that Jolson, who was a Cantor's son, was not a racist but simply prone to the over dramatic.
I always thought that Jim Nabors was channeling Jolson's ghost, especially when Nabors performed "Back Home Again in Indiana."
But, times change... You never hear about Allan Sherman much either and he had 3 Number One Albums and a hit single that went to #2.
That, and fame is fleeting... I was in the electronic section at either KMart, Target, or Best Buy in Seattle, and had a conversation with a sales-drone that went something like the following:
Me: "Do you have the 'With the Lights Out' Box set?"
Drone (elderly female): "I can check. Who's that by?"
Me: "Nirvana"
Drone: "Who?"
Me: "NIRVANA... You're kidding, right?"
Drone: No; never heard of them... Pete (another drone) have you heard of 'Nirvana' ?"
Pete (Gen-Y male): "Yeah... you're kidding, right?"
Drone: "No; never hear of them..."
Me: "You live in Seattle and you've never heard of Nirvana?"
Drone: "Don't know them... Oh, and we do have the box set. You want it?"
Me: "Yes, please..."
> You don't hear much about Al Jolson anymore these days...
Jolson isn't considered "PC" because he often performed in BlackFace. This is a shame, as his contemporaries contended that Jolson, who was a Cantor's son, was not a racist but simply prone to the over dramatic.
I always thought that Jim Nabors was channeling Jolson's ghost, especially when Nabors performed "Back Home Again in Indiana."
But, times change... You never hear about Allan Sherman much either and he had 3 Number One Albums and a hit single that went to #2.
That, and fame is fleeting... I was in the electronic section at either KMart, Target, or Best Buy in Seattle, and had a conversation with a sales-drone that went something like the following:
Me: "Do you have the 'With the Lights Out' Box set?"
Drone (elderly female): "I can check. Who's that by?"
Me: "Nirvana"
Drone: "Who?"
Me: "NIRVANA... You're kidding, right?"
Drone: No; never heard of them... Pete (another drone) have you heard of 'Nirvana' ?"
Pete (Gen-Y male): "Yeah... you're kidding, right?"
Drone: "No; never hear of them..."
Me: "You live in Seattle and you've never heard of Nirvana?"
Drone: "Don't know them... Oh, and we do have the box set. You want it?"
Me: "Yes, please..."