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CNN
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
With her ‘Cowboy Carter' tour, Beyoncé is all red, white and blue. Not everyone is a fan
In the midst of a record-breaking tour in support of her landmark country album 'Cowboy Carter,' Beyoncé is on top of the world. Largely credited as Beyoncé's reclamation of her country roots, last year's 'Cowboy Carter' questions the lines of genre and highlights the ongoing contributions of Black country artists. When she announced the album's release, she said it was 'born out of an experience' where she had felt unwelcome — a likely reference to racist comments generated by her 2016 appearance at the Country Music Awards, where some country fans claimed she had no place at the event. The album and the ensuing tour, which concludes this month, is a middle finger to those detractors. The visual landscape Beyoncé creates, both within the album and on the tour, directly points to the various roles African Americans have played throughout US history. If the establishment will try to deny them a seat at the table, Beyoncé has made it her mission to bring a chair anyway — just see the thousands of Black fans donning their cowboy boots and matching wide-brimmed hats at each tour stop. It can be powerful for an artist of Beyoncé's caliber to highlight such narratives, but the fan response is more nuanced. While some appreciate the visuals that highlight Blackness within country music and American history, others wish for more explicit statements on contemporary political matters, whether that's the US support of the war in Gaza or the aggressive ICE deportations in the US. Her messaging, they suggest, falls short. 'It's very true that Beyoncé has faced really unfair critique from a lot of different sectors. She hasn't been recognized in the way that she should for her artistry,' said Stacy Lee Kong, culture critic and founder of newsletter Friday Things. 'And at the same time, we also see a superficiality to her politics.' Even before the Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour kicked off in April, the album's art and lyrics specifically emphasized the role Black people have played in country music. Beyoncé's shows underline those messages further, while referencing additional Black history and traditional patriotic imagery. She performs 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' set to Jimi Hendrix's distorted Woodstock rendition; a video screen flashes the message, 'Never ask permission for something that already belongs to you.' She embraces red, white and blue — just see her blue leotard embellished with silver stars and the accompanying floor-length American flag fur coat from her Fourth of July show in Washington, DC. While many fans feel empowered by Beyoncé's interpretation of Americana, others feel the symbolism is lacking. Even among some of her self-proclaimed fans, the ideas presented can be sticky: 'I think people's issues lie where she is silent on current injustices and issues that are happening under that flag now whilst simultaneously constantly draping herself in it,' noted one fan on X. Especially for an artist whose work is often so deeply researched and layered with meaning, Lee Kong said, the fact that Beyoncé doesn't actually say anything specifically about American politics feels fraught. Celebrating being an American, and celebrating Black people's role in America, without actually verbalizing the harm that the United States can cause feels simplistic in today's political landscape, Lee Kong said. Despite her larger artistic message, many fans simply want more from Beyoncé. 'You can't sell an idea and be wishy-washy about it,' she said. 'This is a really difficult line to walk, no matter what, and it has become more difficult as audiences have become more sophisticated and more aware of the complicated politics that are informing our lives.' The complexity of this line is perhaps best exhibited by Beyoncé's Buffalo Soldiers T-shirt, worn during her Juneteenth performance in Paris. The white shirt featured an image of the Buffalo Soldiers, Black soldiers who served in the US Army following the Civil War and were instrumental in the country's westward expansion, conducting campaigns against the Native Americans living in the West (who are credited with coining the 'Buffalo' in their name). On the back of her shirt was a block of text, which read in part: 'their antagonists were the enemies of peace, order and settlement: warring Indians, bandits, cattle thieves, murderous gunmen, bootleggers, trespassers, and Mexican revolutionaries.' The message sparked intense debate. While some praised the highlighting of the Black soldiers, others critiqued the simultaneous disparaging of Native and Mexican Americans, arguing that the shirt insinuates that these groups exist in contrast to the United States. Beyoncé has not spoken publicly about the controversy. Beyoncé is not new to this type of critique — and she hasn't been completely silent about political topics over the years. During her performance at the Super Bowl in 2016, Beyoncé and her dancers appeared in all-black costumes with fists raised, a clear nod to the Black Panthers. She went on to speak in favor of the Black Lives Matter movement in a 2020 commencement speech. In 2023, as her 'Renaissance' tour film played in Israel amid the war in Gaza, with videos surfacing of pro-IDF Israelis singing the single, 'Break My Soul,' critics argued that the artist who could incorporate explicit political messaging into her 2016 performance should also speak up about the war. 'She's a person who has curated a space, has made herself a political figure, whether she likes it or not,' said B.A. Parker, co-host of NPR's 'Code Switch,' at the time. Does an artist owe fans an explicit political statement? Swifties have long analyzed the political motives of Taylor Swift, who until recently has kept mum on political issues. At this year's Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar seemingly rejected these notions altogether, proclaiming: 'The revolution's about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.' 'She is one of the most powerful women in the entertainment industry,' said Melvin Williams, a professor at Pace University who studies race, gender and sexuality in celebrity culture. 'That she now has to be an expert of everything, stand up for all causes, while performing and showing up flawlessly — that is an impossible standard for any human being.' Beyoncé did endorse Kamala Harris's presidential bid last year, and she has also made more subtle political references during the tour. The Jimi Hendrix version of the national anthem — performed during the Vietnam War — has been widely interpreted as a form of protest, though the legendary guitarist's intent is still subject to debate. In one image from the Cowboy Carter tour book, Beyoncé is pictured sitting at a sewing machine while stitching the American flag, in tribute to Grace Wisher, a Black girl who helped sew the original Star-Spangled Banner. Her veiled, white dress — potentially a callback to the 'veil' analyzed by W.E.B. DuBois, a metaphor used to explain the color line between White and Black Americans — is splattered with blood. 'Cowboy Carter' was a risk, Williams said, both creatively and in its messaging around genre and race. As a celebrity, Beyoncé is adept at initiating social commentary, yet she rarely gives interviews. She speaks almost exclusively through her work. To some, her message is clear, and demands for more are taken as examples of the undue expectations society places on Black women. Despite pushes to do so, it's unlikely that she will ever 'explicitly grapple with, for example, America's history of empire building or the persistence of capitalism in America,' Williams said. But Beyoncé's work presents an entry point into thinking more deeply about the world around us, Lee Kong said. As a result of the album and the tour, those conversations are being had anyway — with or without her input.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Obamas team up with Seinfeld creator for new TV show
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are teaming up with Seinfeld creator Larry David for a new HBO TV show. The unlikely team will be collaborating on a still-untitled sketch comedy for the network, which will explore American history. 'President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion…But then Larry David called,' the network announced on Thursday. The six-episode series will be written by David, 78, and his longtime Curb Your Enthusiasm partner, Jeff Schaffer, who is also set to direct. 'I've sat across the table from some of the world's most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems,' Obama, 63, said in a statement. 'Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David,' the father-of-two — whose wife recently further fueled divorce rumors on her podcast — humorously added. Meanwhile, David shared, 'Once Curb ended, I celebrated with a three-day foam party. After a violent allergic reaction to the suds, I yearned to return to my simple life as a beekeeper, harvesting organic honey from the wildflowers in my meadow. Alas, one day my bees mysteriously vanished.' 'And so, it is with a heavy heart that I return to television, hoping to ease the loss of my beloved hive.' The show will feature some stars from Curb Your Enthusiasm as well as other 'noteworthy guest stars' according to HBO. The project will be produced by the Obamas' production company, Higher Ground. The Obamas, David, Schaffer, Vinnie Malhotra and Ethan Lewis will serve as executive producers. The project marks David's return to television, a year after his long-running HBO series, Curb Your Enthusiasm, concluded its 12th and final season. It also marks what is believed to be the first production from Higher Ground outside of its deal with Netflix, which the Obamas' company expanded in June 2024. A date for the premiere of the new series has not yet been announced. 'It's hard to remember a time before Curb, or without Larry David's perspective on modern life,' HBO's Executive VP of Programming said in a statement. 'We're thrilled that Larry is coming back to HBO, this time with Higher Ground, to give us a glimpse at our shared history as we celebrate our Semiquincentennial.' Over his career, David has received more than 30 Primetime Emmy nominations for his work on both Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Meanwhile, since the end of his presidency, Barack and Michelle have remained active, focusing on philanthropy, media production, and writing. Both have also written bestselling books.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Keeping up with the Obamas! Barack and Michelle team up with Seinfeld creator for new TV show
Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are teaming up with Seinfeld creator Larry David for a new HBO TV show. The unlikely team will be collaborating on a still-untitled sketch comedy for the network, which will explore American history. 'President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion…But then Larry David called,' the network announced on Thursday. 'I've sat across the table from some of the world's most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David,' Obama, 63, humorously said in a statement. The series will be written by David, 78, and his longtime Curb Your Enthusiasm partner, Jeff Schaffer, who is also set to direct. The project will be produced by the Obamas' production company, Higher Ground. The Obamas, David, Schaffer, Vinnie Malhotra and Ethan Lewis will serve as executive producers.
Geek Tyrant
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Larry David and Barack Obama Team Up for HBO Sketch Comedy That Dives Into American History — GeekTyrant
Larry David is back, and this time, he's bringing former President Barack Obama along for the ride. HBO has officially greenlit a new half-hour sketch comedy series that brings together David's signature awkward brilliance and Obama's, well... patience. The untitled limited series will explore American history in the only way Larry David can in a hilariously, irreverently way, with a touch of self-deprecation. The project is being written by David and Curb Your Enthusiasm collaborator Jeff Schaffer, who's also directing. It will feature cast members from Curb, 'noteworthy' guest stars, and is produced by the Obamas' Higher Ground banner. The official logline already sets the tone perfectly: 'President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion… But then Larry David called.' It's also the first thing David's done since Curb wrapped its twelfth and final season last year, and it sounds like the break didn't go quite as planned. David said: 'Once Curb ended, I celebrated with a three-day foam party. After a violent allergic reaction to the suds, I yearned to return to my simple life as a beekeeper, harvesting organic honey from the wildflowers in my meadow. 'Alas, one day my bees mysteriously vanished. And so, it is with a heavy heart that I return to television, hoping to ease the loss of my beloved hive.' Obama, clearly bracing for whatever chaos David has planned, quipped: 'I've sat across the table from some of the world's most difficult leaders and wrestled with some of our most intractable problems. Nothing has prepared me for working with Larry David.' HBO's Amy Gravitt is all in on the project: 'It's hard to remember a time before Curb, or without Larry David's perspective on modern life. We're thrilled that Larry is coming back to HBO, this time with Higher Ground, to give us a glimpse at our shared history as we celebrate our Semiquincentennial.' Jeff Schaffer teased the tone of the series, adding: 'The characters Larry is playing didn't change history. In fact, they were largely ignored by history. And that's a good thing.' No release date yet, but this is shaping up to be one of the most unexpected comedy collaborations in recent memory.
CBC
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
10 years on, has the musical Hamilton aged well?
Social Sharing Ten years ago, Hamilton premiered on Broadway and altered the course of musical theatre history forever. The revolutionary hit show about the founding of America as a nation has been wildly successful, making stars out of many in its original cast. But the world looks quite different from how it did 10 years ago, and hindsight has now cast the show in a new light. Today on Commotion, professor James McMaster as well as culture critics Jackson Weaver and Karen Fricker join guest host Rad Simonpillai to unpack what Hamilton: An American Musical 's legacy is looking like today. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Rad: James, despite how things may have seemed back [in 2015], the show didn't actually win over everybody. You were one of the first people to publicly question how this musical reimagined American history. Can you walk us through where you thought it fell short? James: I'll give two things as offerings in response to this question, with the caveat that I love the musical. I sing Satisfied alone in my apartment all the time. But the history of the United States cannot be told without acknowledging its original sins, right? And those sins, to keep it real, are the genocide of Indigenous people so that the country could be on the land, and the enslavement of Black Africans, right? There are moments in Hamilton where those realities are gestured toward, and I would say very generously gestured toward. But does the musical offer a real reckoning with those realities? No, and this is especially problematic for many of the show's critics because by casting Black and brown people in the roles of the founding fathers, some of whom were slaveholders, the musical allows the audience to sort of distance themselves from the recognition of really who the country was built for [and] the values on which the country was built in the first place…. WATCH | Official clip of Satisfied from Hamilton: The second thing I think the musical perpetuates [is] a kind of fantasy of meritocracy that has for a long time in the United States not been a reality, right? So Hamilton is framed as "another immigrant coming up from the bottom," "young, scrappy, and hungry," "not throwing away his shot." But the reality for immigrants in the United States, even at the time of the Obama administration, was not that you could be exceptionally talented, exceptionally intelligent, exceptionally hardworking and become a hero of American history. It happens, but it is exceptional. And so there's this bootstraps meritocracy that the show perpetuates, particularly with respect to immigration, that I think was overstating the case. Rad: I want to pick up on the erasure of the violence that you're speaking of here…. Jackson, these are the kinds of glossed-over historical details that people took issue with. What are you making of those criticisms? Jackson: First off, I think what James was saying was absolutely right. I love this musical. I will replay The Room Where It Happens over and over in my apartment. And I think if this musical wasn't as hugely successful, as seminal to the lens we look at this decade as it became, then we wouldn't necessarily need to critique it as closely as we do. But because it did, it opens up this whole conversation — an accidental conversation, because when Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote this musical, he was trying to write a musical about Hamilton, a forgotten founding father, a story about ambition that echoes his own rapid-fire brain and his own fear of mortality. And then casting Black and non-white people in these roles, as it says in the book about the musical, was kind of an accidental thing that came about because these are the people that could best rap…. Now it becomes this huge conversation [about] the American story, and it becomes a very shallow one because it reveals how little it actually says about the only true American art form, which is Black musicality. And this revisionist history isn't something like Inglourious Basterds where it gives a Jewish person a different version of history to kill a Nazi. This is Washington rapping hip-hop through a mouth of slave teeth…. WATCH | Official clip of The Room Where It Happens: This is not about what it means to be Black in America. This is not that sort of story about history, about being, even, an immigrant, because Hamilton came over to America by the labour of enslaved people. He was trading sugarcane and all the things he can't afford that were being taken out of the ground by slaves, by people that he then came off the back of and came to America. So this kind of hagiography, or this homage to hip-hop is something because Lin-Manuel Miranda — again, and not Black person himself — loves hip-hop, and he wanted to give all these accolades to hip-hop, and he did such a good job of it. But if you really want to say a story about America and how it looks from the perspective of a Black person, have Frederick Douglass and his speech saying, "What to the slave is the Fourth of July?" Have the Haitian revolution and set it in America to show how dehumanized these people actually are, and how impossible it is to rise above when the entire world is allied against you. Hamilton is using this Obama-era hopefulness, which made a lot of sense when it was written and when it was very first performed. But now when you get the line, "Immigrants: we get the job done," and people clap — it sounds different when there is a secret police force going through Los Angeles and arresting people. The way that Hamilton looks at the world only works if you are very hopeful about a specific way that the world can be, that is not necessarily the way that the world looks anymore.
