Carol Channing - Kennedy Center Honors petition

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 2:35pm

Just an FYI that there is an online petition drive in support of Carol Channing getting a Kennedy Center honor.

I think she deserves one based on the award's parameters. My two cents:
https://patriciagay.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/carol-channing-deserves-a-kennedy-center-honor/


Link to the petition:
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-kennedy-center-honors-give-carol-channing-a-2013-kennedy-center-honor

[DAME]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 2:48pm

Sorry. I don't think she deserves this. There has to be more to it than one iconic role. LIZA ALL THE WAY!

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 2:50pm

Well technically she has two iconic roles, Dolly Levi and Lorelei Lee, but we shouldn't quibble, Sybil.

[DAME]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 2:52pm

I would argue about the iconic status of Lorelei. But I will give you that. Still.. she is not deserving . And I love Carol Channing.

Updated On: 6/14/13 at 02:52 PM

[all that jazz]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 2:58pm

It's LIZA ALL THE WAY for me too, but since there are more honorees I would second Carol, even though she only has two iconic roles, her lifelong dedication to them deserves recognition.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 3:25pm

I hear you Dame and I understand where you are coming from. I don't see this as a Carol v. Liza thing. Both are deserving, and many others are too.

For some of us, probably not you, Carol Channing's Hello, Dolly! album was our mother's milk and fed our desire to perform. At the Tonys, Cyndi Lauper spoke about how she wrecked her mother's show tune albums. Same for me with Dolly. How do you quantify what a performer meant to you as a child?

Carol doesn't have a lot of awards under her belt — three Tonys, a Golden Globe, an Oscar nomination. Her film work is flimsy, she's not a film star. Broadway was her baby. TV too. She brought a lot of laughs and humor into our homes.

I also give her credit for starting a foundation that supports arts education in public schools. I'm a supporter of Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County, a group that brings Alvin Ailey and arts education programs to underprivileged kids. The results are amazing. There's a special place in my heart for people that reach out to these kids.

Not trying to change anyone's mind. Just speaking from the heart.



Updated On: 6/14/13 at 03:25 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 3:27pm

I appreciate that.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 3:57pm

As others have said,
Is it always 'or'?
Is it never 'and'?

[jnb9872]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:05pm

The KCH is such a prestigious award, partly because of how wide a net they cast for so few honorees each year. If you look at it, traditionally, the five honorees each year are usually split evenly between Film, TV, classical music, jazz, popular music, dance, and theatre. There is also such a pedigree of unquestionably-deserving recipients in the past that even just asking "is [so-and-so] worthy?" is a kind of demerit to their chances of receiving it.

Carol Channing is a wonderful performer, but there's just such a high bar for this one.

[Will42]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:08pm

I think Carol Channing totally deserves such honor and they better award her now while they still can.

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:08pm

I can't stand Carol Channing and she makes my cat cry.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:33pm

Here's a few other names of deserving theater types that have never been honored:

Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick
Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt
Tom Stoppard
Tommy Tune
Alan Mencken (and posthumous Howard Ashman)

Who else should we put on the list?

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:40pm

Um, how many "iconic" roles does Liza Minnelli have? I count one and she didn't originate it. Two, maybe, if you count Pookie, but how many people under 50 remember that film?

I'm not opposed to Minnelli receiving a Kennedy Center Honor, btw, just saying that if "iconic roles" is the criterion, Channing actually has her beat: Dolly and Lorelei are truly iconic American creations. (Yes, Ruth Gordon and Shirley Booth share the credit for Dolly.)

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:44pm

Well, in a sense both Liza AND Carol have each created exactly ONE iconic role-- the classic characters known as Liza Minnelli and Carol Channing. Everything else they've done is a variation on that theme.

Or should that comment be listed under the unpopular opinions thread? Updated On: 6/14/13 at 04:44 PM

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:46pm

^^^^ No, I think it's spot on.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:50pm

"Who else should we put on the list?"

Glenn Close
Rosemary Harris
Christopher Plummer
Al Pacino

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 4:59pm

^ Agree.

Also,
Jon Cullum
Estelle Parsons
Elaine Stritch
Cicely Tyson

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:05pm

Agree jnb. So few receive a KC honor and it is spread out across several genres. Some of the honorees, I admit, are a puzzlement to me, such as David Letterman. And I mean no disrespect, it just surprises me that's all.

Also agree Will42. If it's not now for Carol, it may be too late. So I do hope it's now.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:08pm

"Also,
Jon Cullum
Estelle Parsons
Elaine Stritch
Cicely Tyson"

Agree
Updated On: 6/14/13 at 05:08 PM

[Will42]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:09pm

I'm also all for Glenn Close, Elaine Stritch and Cicely Tyson to get the honors.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:19pm

I could see Pacino getting it very easily. They kind of mine certain eras of the arts for a while before moving on, and Pacino is one of the few legendary actors from that '60s-'70s generation of film left to honor (following Hoffman, Streep, De Niro, Redford, Beatty, and Nicholson who I'd argue started that pack.) Pacino is clearly their equal and deserving. I'd also add Faye Dunaway and Diane Keaton to that class of actors, personally.

Speaking of Diane Keaton, Woody Allen has yet to receive this Honor. Where's his petition? Let's get on that train.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:20pm

She better not be honored before Madonna is.

[Mamamia Sammy2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:24pm

Kate Monster

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:25pm

I hope Corine is honored at the Kennedy Center one day for her tireless work in getting free tickets to shows for no reason at all.

[Mamamia Sammy2]

Posted: 6/14/13 at 5:29pm

www.corinescorner.com