Who Do You Want To See At Barack Obama’s Latin Night?
6 October 2009, 5:14 PM. By Alex Alvarez
Barack Obama will be hosting a night of Latin music (¡Dale!) called “Fiesta Latina” at the White House. The performance will air on PBS on October 15th, then on Telemundo the 18th and on V-me Christmas Day, December 25th.
Oyeme. Why do Telemundo viewers have to wait to see it? That ain’t right.
Various entertainers are set to attend and perform at the event, including Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Jose Feliciano, Jimmy Smits, Pete Escovedo, George Lopez, Thalia, Los Lobos, Tito “El Bambino” and Aventura.
All those people are nice and all, but we’re sad that some of our favorite Latino stars aren’t putting it an appearance. Stars like…
Niurka. Jenni Rivera. Christian Castro. Noelia. Ricky Martin’s twins. Peewee. Belinda. A-Rod. And Jackie Guerra.
Why do we always find the same dozen or so stars at all these events, while the ones who have actually endeared / ensnared fans have to sit at home getting drunk and prank calling Eva Longoria? It’s the same issue we have with the ALMA Awards - we love that they’re around, but why do we have to see the same parade of stars year after year? Why no new blood?
Tell us. What stars do you wish had been invited to this “Fiesta Latina?”
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Will there be a shrine on location to Santa Selena?
I think they’re featuring an ice sculpture carved in her likeness. That, or pâté shaped like her head.
With this economy….I think a piñata would be the most cost effective.
And who the hell is Pete Escovedo?
Pete Escovedo, isn’t that Sheila E’s dad? A Pinata in the shape of Santa Selena, plus air brushed T-shirts for sale in the Lobby. A man selling Elotes in the crowd
I’m surprised it isn’t a group of elderly Puerto Rican/Cuban salsa greats followed by non-Spanish-speaking billionth-generation Mexican-American singers no one outside of the Southwest has ever heard of. So you know, progress. And Aventura is there, omg! They also join Fat Joe in the pantheon of ill-advised Thalia duets. Oh yes, look it up. It’s called “No, No, No”. If they get together to do that song in the White House, I will die. The space-time continuum of Latino-ness will be rent forever.
I don’t listen to much contemporary US-produced “Latino” music (that was a mouthful), but I do know who a lot of these people are, and I am surprised the lineup up there is so skewed to a Northeast/Caribbean/Reaggeton demographic, which can backfire given that the overwhelming majority of Latinoids in the US are of Mexican descent. Barack has thrown these types of events before (He featured both Stevie Wonder AND Earth, Wind & Fire!), so this isn’t very unique, I think.
Anyway: Will it be tacky? Is it cool that there will be Reagetton in the White House? Are the Aventura kids the only Reagetton stars without a criminal record? And were are Wisin y Yandel? So many questions! I’ll definitely check this out on the 15th. I’ll be going to the Junot Diaz/Edwidge Dandicat paired reading at the New Yorker festival on the 16th, so it will be a Latin-rrific weekend. Yay.
Because God — or whatever multinational corporation is ruling the universe these days — doesn’t want all of America to see that there are more than a dozen Latino entertainers at any given time. Because if they did they would realize that Latinos are just like everyone else, and that would be bad for business. They’re wrong in thinking this way, of course. No one is going to watch this rubbish. And yeah, who the hell is Pete Escovedo?
Why not incorporate some literary events and have Sandra Cisneros, Junot Diaz, and whoever else wants to party?
Barack’s had these type of small concerts/musical events in the White House for a while. They’re more about the music than anything else.
They should have more of a variety in the performers. Marc Anthony?Gloria Estefan?I guess they need the work, Specially Marc. He has got to be dying to get out of the house and get away from the rugrats. Why wasn’t Cheech invited?
I wonder if Juanes wasn’t invited due to the recent Cuban music crisis?
It would have been nice to see some rock-en-español artists since at least they tend to touch on political themes in their music… maybe Shakira circa Pies Descalzos
Perhaps Juanes has better taste to be involved in anything so trite. Just kidding. Actually, he and Olga Tañon were recently invited by Obama to the White House.
They have to show it on Telemundo 3 days later because of “Brown Time.”
Also, can I just say that I loved that you used “Oyeme.”
This vieja loves romantic rancheras, so gimme some Pepe Aguilar and Alejandro Fernandez. Don’t they allow slow dances at the White House?
Dudamel!!!