HBO: We Are One

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 7:57pm

On now.

Free for everyone, whether you subscribe to HBO or not.

VERY moving.
I am so joyful right now.
We Are One

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:03pm

According to the link, there will be an encore broadcast later tonight.

I'm also moved because the music director of this event is someone I went to high school with. A huge undertaking for him, and an absolute thrill.

"We Are One"
Yes, we are.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:16pm

Loved it. Must say.. Garth Brooks has lost his voice. He has sounded rough the last couple of times I have heard him.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:18pm

What about Bishop Robinson? Where was he? Wasn't he supposed to give an invocation?

[kec]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:34pm

I watched this live this afternoon -- just wonderful. I got emotional at the finale.

[Dein Herr]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:36pm

He gave the invocation, HBO just somehow neglected to broadcast it, either live or during the encore broadcast. They also failed to identify the Gay Men's Chorus, either on-screen or out loud.

I liked a lot of it, but some seemed so painfully earnest (try a little humor! it's allowed!) and forced. Pairing Usher, Stevie Wonder, and SHAKIRA? Saving Bruce Springsteen for the end and then only having him sing backup on "This Land" instead of any of his own songs? Garth Brooks (who I love and was very entertained by) got to do a medley of three songs, why couldn't Bruce get something like that?

Sorry, this reads more negatively than I intended, because I really did enjoy a lot of it. (U2 singing "In the Name of Love" was the absolute highlight for me... and then giving Joe Biden a shoutout, hahah.) It was just some of the choices they made that... well, puzzled me. Updated On: 1/18/09 at 08:36 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:36pm

I am setting my Tivo to record the next encore airing.

I love America.
Truly.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 8:59pm

Dein Herr, wasn't Springsteen the very first performance? And I don't think them not identifying the Gay Men's Chorus was a slight against them specifically. I can't recall any of the back-up/choral singers being identified except for the Army Glee Club.

All in all a lovely afternoon and a wonderfully eclectic mix of people.

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 9:56pm

Bruce Springsteen opened the show with The Rising and closed the show with This Land.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/18/09 at 11:06pm

Not to mention Pete Seeger and his hunky grandson Patrick. Did you see 90 year old Pete running off that stage! Take that Arthur Laurents!

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 5:04am

Pete Seeger's awesome.

I have to say...I'm 100% over Bono.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 8:13am

Very inspiring.

"And yet, as I stand here tonight, what gives me the greatest hope of all is not the stone and marble that surrounds us today, but what fills the spaces in between. It is you - Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there.

"It is the same thing that gave me hope from the day we began this campaign for the presidency nearly two years ago; a belief that if we could just recognize ourselves in one another and bring everyone together -- Democrats, Republicans, and Independents; Latino, Asian, and Native American; black and white, gay and straight, disabled and not - then not only would we restore hope and opportunity in places that yearned for both, but maybe, just maybe, we might perfect our union in the process.

"This is what I believed, but you made this belief real."

The only thing that makes me sad is that somebody--either in the administration or at HBO--decided not to include Bishop Robinson, either live or on the rebroadcast.

Updated On: 1/19/09 at 08:13 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 8:22am

Question answered:

===

The decision to cut Robinson was made by the Obama transition team.

Contacted Sunday night by AfterElton.com concerning the exclusion of Robinson's prayer, HBO said via email, "The producer of the concert has said that the Presidential Inaugural Committee made the decision to keep the invocation as part of the pre-show." Uncertain as to whether or not that meant that HBO was contractually prevented from airing the pre-show, we followed up, but none of the spokespeople available Sunday night could answer that question with absolute certainty. However, it does seem that the network's position is that they had nothing to do with the decision.
Developing: HBO says they aren't to blame for not including Gene Robinson in concert special

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 8:31am

Love this, though.

Bettye Levette (who was so great recently on the Kennedy Center Honors) and Bon Jovi singing Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z34Rli2TrYw

[kec]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 8:49am

"And I don't think them not identifying the Gay Men's Chorus was a slight against them specifically. I can't recall any of the back-up/choral singers being identified except for the Army Glee Club."

You're right in that they didn't identify most of the choirs. I remember thinking at one point how nice it would have been if they had put up the names of the choral groups like they did the singers, especially the kids choirs. However, the on they did identify was the Naval Academy Glee Club, not the Army.

Springsteen opened the show with "the Rising". But didn't Beyonce end it with "America the Beautiful"? I believe "this Land" was the penultimate song.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 9:57am

As Dan Savage said, "When you're throwing folks a bone it's a good idea to make sure they can, you know, see the bone."

Do you think that the Obama team will be Warren from the network broadcast?

[DonelBee]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 10:01am

And will the Presidential Inaugural Committee make the decision to keep Rick Warren's invocation only a part of the Inaugural pre-show and not broadcast it?
.
Just wondering.....
.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 10:08am

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 10:34am

Discussion on ontd_political

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 10:58am

I prefer my concerts without a prayer service introduction, but that's just me. I realize that makes me like Sinead O'Connor who didn't want to have to listen to the National Anthem before a concert of hers in New Jersey. I wish there were no prayer as part of the traditional inauguration too, but I can see how some people think it belongs. But even a gay prayer before Springsteen seems out of place when "The Rising" is spiritual enough.

ETA I just read the "prayer" and all I have to say is ugh. It really would have set a horrible tone to kick off the concert broadcast, not that I don't think the world needs reminding that "young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education..." etcetera etcetera etcetera.

Updated On: 1/19/09 at 10:58 AM

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 3:06pm

ROBINSON (0.00 / 0)
Anybody who thinks Robinson did not make the HBO cut because of homophobia is kidding themselves.
It's clearly an entertainment decision.
This show was beautifully scripted merging Lincoln, King and Obama.
Robertson's long political prayer was in no way connected to the sheer joy of the spectacular celebration that followed. Let's face it - the prayer was pretty much a downer.
If HBO had included it, 90 percent of the TV audience would have switched to something else before that fabulous brass fanfare began.

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/viewRating.do?rateCommentId=106780

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 3:15pm

The Presidential Inauguration Committee is now shifting the blame back to HBO.

---

“We had always intended and planned for Rt. Rev. Robinson’s invocation to be included in the televised portion of yesterday’s program. We regret the error in executing this plan – but are gratified that hundreds of thousands of people who gathered on the mall heard his eloquent prayer for our nation that was a fitting start to our event.”

-- PIC communications director Josh Earnest

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 3:28pm

"Sports Nuts"? When did they make the Sinner Top 10 List?

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 6:06pm

I was there yesterday, and you couldn't hear the Rev. The sound hadn't been adjusted right yet. Also, it was AMAZING to be there. I was pretty far away, but I could see everyone(except those blocked by the cameras), and I must say that sight of Barack and Michelle Obama walking down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was extraordinary.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/19/09 at 6:08pm

Plus, her outfit was great.