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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 1983)
Page 10 Section I Portland Observer Kitt gives views of world scene U H A S S /fO O T S N EW S, N . W. She sizzled, smoked and stimulat ed her Portland audience in a way ihat was as unique as her voice and speech. She intellectualizcd and phi losophized to the eloquent beat o f Ron Steen's Quartet and cultural Pan-Afrikanist Bruce Smith. You guessed it Earth K ilt came to town. Kilt is an international star whose electrifying career has spanned theatre, films, nightclubs, television and recordings. She is also known for having words with former first lady la d y Bird Johnson, in which she attempted to introduce the sub ject o f the war in Vietnam into an afternoon at the W hite House. Those days are behind her, but her candor remains. In our interview she did not bite her tongue. "T h e people in America have been very disappointed that our heroes like King and the Kennedy’s, who tried to bring the people to gether, got shot down. We are now dormant and complacent. It is not that we entertainers aren’t doing anything, but we are doing it behind the scenes." Kitt says she believes people in America have an unwarranted fear to claim leadership. "W e are living in a country where people shouldn't be afraid to stand up and be counted. I think Reagan is trying to bring the people together, but the machinery of American politics keeps Reagan from doing this." As an international star with a reputation that precedes, Kitt shies away from the glitter an entourage might provide. “ I like for the people to get a hold o f me. I ’ m never too busy for the people. I f I ’m not lis tening to the people, what am I learning? How can I be constructive if I do not have inform ation from the people to carry to those in a powerful position to do something about what we ire unhappy about? Contact is what it is all ab o ut!" It is on this basis that Ms. Kitt perceives the contact fostered by some politicians as temporary and phony. " A ll o f a sudden it becomes time for them to vie for a position and you will find them going into the Black. Irish and Spanish com munity. W hy in the hell didn’t they do that before?” Her willingness to be near the people led her to South Africa ano her name is on the list o f performers to boycott for entertaining in South ern Africa where the color o f your skin determines the type o f life you would lead. Earths Kitt says she does not feel guilty about going. " I f I had not gone to South Africa, I would have not felt the im pact of what they were going through. I cannot read the news papers and know what the people are going through." What did she find out? " I found out that the people are very dis turbed and have the same kind of feeling I had when I was a child in my own country. I couldn't go into a restaurant or drink from a foun tain unless it said ’Colored.* I f I didn't go there. I would not know that they were going through what I went through, but at a stronger level. You cannot prick the con scious o f people by not being in volved." What the hell good is sixty days Kitt says her presence in South going to do? We Americans are Africa made a difference. "W e going to pay for it. Some way or opened up parks where Blacks, another the Russians will make us colored and whites could go. We p «y." had integrated audiences that were Eartha Kitt is upset by the lack o f not there before. The point is that support the Afro-Am erican com even if it occurred for a moment — munity gives the Afro-Am erican it happened. I f it happened once, it artist, " W e did the most beautiful can happen again. You cannot hide show called ‘T im b u ktu .’ And we behind boycotts or take-aways." looked for Blacks to back our shows Kitt cites another example o f a and couldn’t find anyone. They told misbegotten boycott. "L o o k at the us if it wasn’t a chicken shack or a Korean plane situation. So, they whiskey store they were not inter boycott the Russians for sixty days. ested. I ’m not saying that is right or IJ Ö N 1 W PRICE Back by p o p u la r d e m a n d f o r 4 w e e k s., < fi c uffCTshg*- 7kP?!K.flE^r. — i t ; tlT , ■B8MS B p p ff iL m lr i /a,,,. Y, T -. 4pm ■ 1313 I p m In the aftern o o n N . E. F r e m o n t 281 789« Frank Redding Band F ri. & S a t . , S e p t . 3 0 & O c t . 1 J.R .'s Southern C o m fo rt 1 5 th a n d K illin g s w o r t h S t. • Wlna 2 8 4 -3 2 6 9 people.” Her advice to the generation o f the 1980s, " A ll o f us need to be more self-constructive. One o f us can do something wrong and the whole group will be blamed for it. We need to think more about what we are doing for ourselves. You cannot keep blaming everything on the government for troubles you get into. The real question is why aren’t Food S oul C ity R ecords The Biggest Little Record Shop in the Northwest C a r r ie s t h e to p 100 s o u l LP s we more constructive among our selves?" The Cat is back — Eartha Kitt. 828 N. Kllllngsworth 286 2664 wrong, but that is what is happen ing. The Black artist has a much more difficult time because we are not being supported by our own Í7 / M Tha Firwt Professional Traditional African Dance Company of ita Kind in tha Northweet Saturday. October 1,1983 11:00a.m. Keyboard and Dance A rt Canter 6940 N. Intaratate (at A insw orth) L eontyne P rice For more information please call La Prima Donna Assoluta" joins James DePrcist 2 8 6 -1 0 9 2 and the Oregon Symphony Orchestra for an electrifying evening of the music of Richard Strauss Monday. O ctober 24. 1983 8 00 p m Portland C ivic Auditorium TICKETS FROM $9 SO FOR TICKET INFORMATION 228 1351 A l l RKM ARD STRAL/SS reCX.NA M SymphMW. 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