With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The Grammys Are a Go But Will Anyone Be Watching?
()
The WGA Board voted unanimously last night to not picket the 50th Grammy Awards, February 10th at Staples Center.
If there was an exasperating gasp of relief following the WGA vote, excuse us for missing it. For most of our lifetime the Grammys has done little more than exemplify just how out of touch the so-called mainstream is with Gen x+y's musical taste (with apologies to The Dixie Chicks).
The only way this Grammy Awards show is gonna be "special" and worth watching is if the teleprompters go on strike. Kanye West doesn't want any writers and nobody wants to see him reading even his *own* notes on a "live" broadcast (CBS broadcasts the show live at 8pm on the East Coast, and rebroadcasts at 8pm out West). Snoop Dogg could emcee the show and blaze through the night unscripted. Britney? Rumor has it she's banned from the premises (Page Six). Amy Winehouse? She'll be lucky to make it out of Heathrow after last weekend's crack-smoking affair. Here in LA, we'll know the results and will have seen the good stuff (if any) on YouTube by the time the curtain goes up anyway (save for perhaps some satellite subscribers).
Support for LAist comes from
A short-list of performers at the 50th Grammys and some of our favorite Grammy video after the jump.
The following musicians will get lifetime achievement awards!: Burt Bacharach, Doris Day, Earl Scruggs, Cab Calloway, Itzhak Perlman, Max Roach, and The Band.
Possibly Performing:
* Beyoncé, possibly joined by Tina Turner (no, not Whitney Houston), who will come out of "retirement."
* Foo Fighters
* John Legend. He loves awards shows and is reportedly performing on the flight to LA.
* Janet Jackson. She's got a new record but we're as confident in this happening as we are in Jermaine's promised 2008 Jackson's Reunion Tour.
A segment of 1984 Grammy history that will make you laugh and cry below:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent. -
Kevin Lacy has an obsession with documenting California’s forgotten and decaying places. -
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures.
Best of LAist