July 2, 2004
THE 7TH SIGN:
Powell sings 'YMCA' at end of diplomatic meeting (SLOBODAN LEKIC, July 2, 2004, Associated Press)
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell donned a hard hat and tucked a hammer in his belt Friday, performing a version of the Village People's hit "YMCA" at the conclusion of Asia's largest security meeting.
Tradition dictates that the meeting wrap up with a night of song and dance, provided by the diplomats themselves.
In 1997 Madeleine Albright, then secretary of state, bowled over the ministers when she performed a musical skit dressed as Evita Peron.
On Friday, Powell danced alongside five other U.S. officials sporting costumes that included an Indian headdress.
Couldn't he at least have sung a manly tune, maybe "Sexual Healing"? Posted by Orrin Judd at July 2, 2004 9:54 PM
They showed Powell all over China TV this morning. You have to give the guy credit with his old soft shoe. Not too bad. As for Albright she was a total embarassment. I saw her in HK during the handback in 97. I don't know if US media caught this but she made quite the fool by publicly announcing she would not attend the legislative session of the ceremony. Someone had to tell her of course you won't attend because you were never invited. She countered that even if she were invited she wouldn't attend. So a decision was made to open the legislative session to heads of States or their reps. Here she is now publicly on record as 'boycotting' the session. Over 70 Nations sent reps and the US had to send an envoy while Ms. Albright fumed in her hotel room. The HK press had quite a time with her on their cartoon editorial. Ah, the memories. Ms Albright, accompanied by A. Gore, VP, also made quite a stir in Malaysia dressed in a miniskirt hiked up her thigh. What an ugly sight that was.
Posted by: Tom Wall at July 2, 2004 10:57 PMoj - He missed a great opportunity to do the Chicken Dance.
Posted by: pj at July 3, 2004 12:07 AMI still prefer the version done by the New York Yankees' grounds crew during the fifth inning dirt drag...
Posted by: John at July 3, 2004 10:38 AMThe YMCA? Talk about another missed opportunity. Doesn't State have anyone on the ball? He should have dressed up like Tex Ritter:
Do not confound us,
Oh our allies
On this, our summit day.
Do not confound us,
Oh our allies'
Wait,
Wait Along.
The noon day train
will bring Osama.
To count as free
You must be brave
and you must face that
deadly killer,
Or count as cowards,
just craven cowards
or count as cowards
in your graves.
Ponder ‘afore you whine and hector,
Suposin' you lose
your big protector.
Look at that big hand move along
nearin' high noon.
He made a vow
In some Saudi prison.
Vowed it would be
our lives or his'n.
He’s not afraid of death but oh,
what will you do
if we leave you ?
Do not confound us,
Oh our allies.
You made that promise
when we wed.
Do not confound us,
Oh our allies.
You may be disbelievin’,
But we ain’t leavin',
until we shoot
Osama dead.
LOL
Posted by: David Cohen at July 3, 2004 5:58 PM