RIP Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt was 81. Orson Welles called her “the most exciting woman in the world.” She called herself a sex kitten. She made a splash in the 1960’s when she denounced the Vietnam war during at a White House luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Johnson.
“You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed,” she told the group of about 50 women. “They rebel in the street. They don’t want to go to school because they’re going to be snatched off from their mothers to be shot in Vietnam.”
For four years afterward, Kitt performed almost exclusively overseas. She was investigated by the FBI and CIA, which allegedly found her to be foul-mouthed and promiscuous.
“The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth – in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth – you get your face slapped and you get put out of work,” Kitt told Essence magazine two decades later.
It took Jimmy Carter, years later, to get her another White House invitation. The daughter of a black Cherokee mother and a white father, she was shipped off to live with relatives when her mother remarried and the new husband objected to taking in a mixed-race girl. But she went on to win two Emmys, and garner several Tony and Grammy nominations.
Thank GOD AMERICA is more open minded now. Left and right wing pundits would be burn alive during those times. This lady was rejected for free speach and race in her life. My great grandad on my moms side is full blooded Cherokee. I love her growing up and she aged like fine wine. She was a beauty in my eyes.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Rest in peace, Catwoman.
Sincerely,
Mark
December 26th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Some 30 years ago, I was in the Beloved and NOT Forgotten Marshal Fields Department store in Chicago, which Macy’s is temporarily place-holding, and I saw a woman shopping and creating quite a stir with a small crowd. I was sure that it was Pearl Bailey from a distance. I was going to go up and ASK Pearl Bailey for an autograph for my mother but got called away or something. It WAS Eartha Kitt. I have always wondered what funny thing she would have said in that beautiful funky voice if had asked Eartha Kitt for Pearl Baileys autograph?
December 26th, 2008 at 11:32 am
This chick was AWESOME. A total inspiration to black and white women alike, but I know she was very inspirational to black women during the 60s and 70s. What a sad day, but I’m very glad we had her for so long. She really lived it up till the last moment.
December 26th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
“…if you tell the truth – in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth – you get your face slapped…”
People don’t really want the truth, unless it’s their own truth.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Thanks again Alan. LOTS to be thankful for.
WHO are the Young Republicans mirroring Eartha?
I think the one on the right looks like Hanratty without any hair product.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
You are free to express your views as much as you like. Truth or not. You are also free to accept the consequences that go along with your views when you work in the public eye.
“Santa Baby” will always be my favorite song that she did.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
““Santa Baby” will always be my favorite song that she did.
Posted by blissful conservative(formerly t.mas)
December 26th, 2008 at 1:53 pm”
I was just going to say that!
December 26th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
“The thing that hurts, that became anger, was when I realized that if you tell the truth – in a country that says you’re entitled to tell the truth – you get your face slapped and you get put out of work,” Kitt
Kitt nailed it. You speak your mind in public and you lose your job or get shouted down. You lie and support the popular ideas like hating Arabs or gays then you get a radio show and a website and an hour of TV time.
Liberals get censored to the extreme on every single public comment site in the English language. America is still scared to death of it’s own freedoms. Santa Baby is an awful song, no offense to anyone. Remember that if your positions are not popular enough you will be silenced. No questions.
RIP to the original Catwoman. RIP to a brave, bold woman.
December 26th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Eartha Kitt was a fox. She was even sexy in Harlem Nights, starring Eddie Murphy. And the way she purred as Catwoman. Yowsa!
I love feminine women!
December 27th, 2008 at 12:03 am
Here is some sexy furniture that reminded me of Ms. Kitt.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:52 am
Eric,
You stated that you speak your views in public and lose your job. Guess that means you sympathize with the lady on the other post who lost hers??
Or do you only sympathize with liberals?
December 27th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Adam west never had it so good !
eartha kit was and still is the cats meow !!!
December 28th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Liberals get censored to the extreme on every single public comment site in the English language. America is still scared to death of it’s own freedoms.
Are you serious???? The hate-filled speech I’ve read on EVERY public comment site I’ve visited does not support this statement. The comments sections of most online newspapers are so filled with extreme-left hate speech that it’s disgusting… even product reviews of conservative-targeted material on Amazon.com are filled with vile, hateful rhetoric.
Santa Baby is an awful song, no offense to anyone.
I agree.
December 28th, 2008 at 5:50 pm