Ani DiFranco has *GIANT* balls

I had the incredible fortune of being able to attend the Huntington Disease Society of America’s annual Guthrie Awards Thursday night in the The Plaza hotel (THE PLAZA!!!) grand ballroom (and it *was* grand). The food was excellent. Everything was excellent as would be expected.

There were several recipients of different awards including movie producer Barbara Boyle, Liz Weber (Stone Gossard couldn’t make it because he is on tour with Pearl Jam), a research scientist with the Mass Institution of Neurological Disorders, and Ani DiFranco.

Woody’s daughter Nora introduced Ani with a hilarious wandering speech in which she pointed out the great works HDSA has done but WE NEED MONEY. Now this was said to attendees that included several CEO’s of pharmaceutical companies and a crispy crispy upper crust crowd of the Upper East Side and Central Park West set. The place was dripping with not just money but WEALTH real wealth. Nora did say that she was eternally grateful for the contributions of time and research that the corporations had made and this was not about them it was about how we are being trained to only serve the bottom line even if we aren't involved directly with that bottom line.

There is nothing inherently wrong with wealth of that level and these people obviously were involved in fighting HD (Woody died from complications of HD) including contributing larges sums of money. In that respect what followed might be accurately described as “insulting” but Nora and Ani aren’t at all the shy types. Not at all.

Nora’s started by talking about sick she was of hearing on the “news” about “the bottom line”. A mocking of news people empty suits followed and the point was clearly made “Life is not about the bottom line. It is about people” There was a bit of squirming in seats at these remarks.

Nora recounted how last year they had the same event at the Waldorf-Astoria and how there was a “political speech” in the next room. It was a high fallootin’ Republican event (both sides have them) and Rose lead a long rendition of “This Land Is Our Land” and they opened the doors so Republicans could hear them-- “They don’t like being reminded of that” she said in her speech. There was a bit more squirming in seats at this remark. Nora mentioned that when her mother began the Guthrie Institute she often remarked that as much as liked the results of fundraising events she would always say “I think we are spending too much on the flowers”. Settings like The Plaza and the Waldorf-Astoria are a necessary but let’s not forget what HDSA needs the money for-support of HD sufferers and research Nora reminded everyone. She commented that The Plaza is fine because she wasn’t sure the Waldorf-Astoria wanted them back after last year. Sizing up Nora from across a room none of this was too surprising and the attendees were probably the same people who attended every year so none of this (Nora makes the same kind of speech every year) should have been much of a surprise either.

Then Ani received her award. She made a self-deprecating remark about how she should at this point “learn to dress up better for this sort of thing” and then went to the stage to perform a few songs.

The first song was a DustBowl era Woody tune called “Do Re Mi” which was about how little the garden of California needed poor people.

Lyrics here
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Do_Re_Mi.htm

Ani remarked after the song “This is NOT my normal crowd” to a lot of laughs and chuckles

Then


THEN

Ani did a song called “Which side are you on?” – an old coal mining union song. She had adapted the lyrics.

There is a shaky camera performance of it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxgaUNbWSTU

Her adaptation of the lyrics included
Ragging (and I mean RAGGING) on Reagonomics, “Some socialism ain’t too bad with me”, anti-war, poverty, feminism, etc.

Straight down the line liberal stuff you could say if you had to put it in a category. Ani was confronting the audience in front of her and basically telling them that they were serving the wrong purpose. It was a full out assault.

The point of the song and of her performance to this crowd was clear in the first 30 seconds but she kept going for a good 5 minutes. Hammering and hammering and then HAMMERING the point home. It was a bit preachy but it was a LOT ballsy. Holy crap!

Because of the reason I was there I just sat there stone-faced but the reaction of the crowd was unmistakable. About half the crowd was right with her-clapping, some dancing, some hoots and hollers. The other half of the crowd were visibly uncomfortable, 2 or 3 actually got up and heading towards the marble walled bathroom (although it may have just been time for that naturally). Several people in the tables in front of me averted their eyes from the stage, contorting their bodies around to raise eyebrows and start some sort of conversation AWAY FROM THE STAGE.

I know this is a chicken-shit excuse but the reason I was there did not allow me to show my support or any emotion. I just sat and watched. At the end of the song and that applause I got up, excused myself, made my way out the 58th street exit and busted out laughing. Bent over, lung clearing howls. HOLY SHIT!!! Man that was something to see and hear.

BALLS. COJONES. NERVE. Whatever you want to call it was incredible.

I told this story to DU’er Thomcat and his roommate who I got to hang out with for a few hours later that night and he said I should post this.

The next morning at breakfast I was informed that Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize and I almost choked on my Spanish Omelet. WOW what a trip.

Long, long time fan here.

fan of what?? difranco?

If you have to use male body terminology about a woman, it's really a slight to women's innate power.

Okay look I used the common phrase in an obviously ironic way

please don't make this about that.

"Hammering and hammering and then HAMMERING the point home."-- I got the impression you respect that. Or is it only for "certain" points?

Hammering and hammering and then HAMMERING the point home -- It's the progressive way!

P.S. just for a little more clarity, in the spirit of friendly explanation (not trying to be combative here, honestly):
If it was common parlance to say "Mighty white" of him when Obama, for example, does something good, I think the dissonance would be clear.

point taken and accepted

that was like a kick in the ovaries

You're a good egg!

:rofl: at my own hilarity

:hi:

Don't backpedal when you did nothing wrong.

Most people avoid that figure of speech because though it may be meant positively, they comprehend the insulting bias contained therein.

I'm sure you consider the wording of compliments in order to keep them true to your intent.


language has consequences. It is a good thing to be open to widening one's understanding.

as for lack of a better term. people really need to stop getting hung up on gender terms like this. hell, my sister has been told she's a ballsy person all the time for being so competitive in her bar volleyball league over the summer, i didn't see her getting all a dither....

how come we never use the metaphorical phrase--"He really had ovaries to stand up to_____!"?

We're not post-racial or post-feminist yet.

Just because your sister gets "compliments" for being "ballsy" doesn't mean it's not offensive.

Remember the "n" word? It took some effort to change that one too...

is another person's insult. it's all a matter of perspective. all my life i've been told i write like a girl, do i get bent out of shape about it, no. humanity in general needs to mellow the fuck out about some things. not all cross-gender terms are meant as an insult, only thinking that makes it so.

i choose not to be offended by a gender label, and suggest others grow up and learn to do the same. no wonder the opposition can keep up divided, we make it too damn easy for them.

what a great story.

I've always admired her pull-no-punches approach to everything, have several of her CD's and I'm glad to see she's still keeping it real.

Great story BTW.

"Great reporting!" but I'm not sure you are a reporter or what this means: "... the reason I was there did not allow me to show my support or any emotion. I just sat and watched." Whatever, I really enjoyed your narrative.

Personally, great wealth intimidates and alienates me so I'm glad it's you who were able to attend. The reaction shots are priceless.