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Elaine Stritch Botches Song, Asks Obama Out for Drink
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 20, 2010
Modified Jul 20, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 20, 2010
Modified Jul 20, 2010
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We adore acerbic Broadway veteran Elaine Stritch, so you can imagine our surprise last night when the 85-year-old star was the top trending Twitter topic in NYC. (If you don't use Twitter, this means a lot of people were buzzing about her.) That's because Stritch, along with Nathan Lane, was performing at the White House for a PBS "salute to Broadway." Stritch has won fans with roles in everything from Albee to Beckett to Sondheim, but last night she reportedly got into a train wreck during her rendition of "I'm Still Here" from from Sondheim's Follies. According to the message board All That Chat, this involved:
Stritch forgetting the lyrics to “I’m Still Here,” her musical director screaming the lyrics at her multiple times, and ultimately making them go back (was actually painful, endearing and unique all at once — kinda like Stritch). Then getting a standing ovation led by the Obamas and clearly apologizing to them afterward.
Stritch had just nailed another Sondheim classic, "Broadway Baby," so at least it wasn't a total disaster. (Though one audience member tweeted, "It was going so well then Elaine Stritch came on! Lawdymercy!") According to the Washington Post, Stritch "pleaded guilty to a whopping case of nerves, reported how thrilled she was when Obama was elected and then said, 'I'd love to get drunk with the president.' After the whoops subsided, she added diplomatically: 'And the first lady.' "
Tagged
Elaine Stritch
nathan lane
president obama
showtunes
White House
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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