November 15, 2024

Idavox Archives

Archived articles originally found on the One People's Project website.

FIRST WHITE HOUSE POETRY SLAM EVER TO BE HELD TONIGHT

Now this is good, and it will be worth watching just to see what “outrage” conservatives will make of what will be said at this. Poetry slams are seldom tame. That’s why they call them “slams”. To have one at the White House is pretty damn progressive, to say the least. If you can’t make it out to the White House, you might be able to cacth this on the internet or pieces of it when Fox News finds something to use against Obama. We already got a snide remark from Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy this morning when he gave a brief announcement that the slam was happening today, saying after the announcement, “Whatever that is.” Well, being that slam poetry has its roots in Chicago, where of course Obama hails from, we are sure he will be able to give Doocy a schooling. By tomorrow he will know – and more than likely will hate it.

NBC Philadelphia

What rhymes with Obama? We could find out when the First Family hosts the first-ever White House Poetry Slam Tuesday evening.

While it might be bad form to, say, note that Barack Obama is cooler than the Dalai Lama and knows politics better than your mama, the event has some serious literary folks waxing poetic.

“It’s an incredible honor any time to receive an invitation from the White House and President Obama,” said Arizona Rep. Krysten Sinema, who is among the 100 people invited to attend the event. “But to see our nation’s talent and be a part of history at the first-ever White House Poetry Slam is amazing. I’m very excited to be a part of this moment.”

The performer’s list for the hip event includes James Earl Jones; poet Mayda Del Valle, novelist Michael Chabon, jazz musicians ELEW and Esperanza Spalding and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The poetry slam is actually an Obama campaign promise coming to fruition. Last year, Obama announced that he and First Lady Michelle Obama intended to bring poets and musicians into the White House to “open up the White House and remind people this is the people’s house.”

The Obamas have already hosted a number of cultural events at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, including concerts by Fergie, Stevie Wonder, Sweet Honey in the Rock and Earth Wind & Fire.

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