Chuck Sweeney

I just came across this clip on YouTube: [www.youtube.com]

It's Chuck Sweeney impersonating Peggy. I'm dying to find out what you all think of his performance? I must say that it made me laugh and I think he's very good. We discussed the female impersonators before and I wonder what Peggy would have thought about this. Is it a sort of loving, humorous tribute to the great Peggy Lee or do you think it's degrading the great Peggy Lee?

Richard, Holland.

I found it degrading. I absolutely hated it, hated it, hated it. I shouldn't keep repeating myself, but I hated it.

Ruth

I was too afraid to look.

I think it's all good - even Graceland is now sponsoring Elvis impersonation contests along with all the tacky stuff they market. There's always an element of the grotesque in impersonation, but it serves a purpose. Thankfully - or perhaps wisely - Peggy Lee left something apart from her great talent that lends itself to caricature.

It's really important to keep her image and name out there: the public has a very short memory, and sealing Peggy Lee up in a box of "dignity" is a sure way to dismiss her to oblivion.

Hi Rick,

I respectfully disagree with your "it's all good" statement. Peggy's name will be around for a long long time. No one will ever hear of or remember Chuck whatshisname. Peggy Lee name is synonymous with dignity, and it her marvelous talent is what will keep her name alive.

Ruth

This thread brings to mind the 1977 film, Outrageous, starring Craig Russell where he channels Peggy so touchingly in the final scenes... I can appreciate both Ruth's and Rick's views on this subject.

Ernie

What Ernie said. From both perspectives,valid points are being made ... Paradoxically, I find myself willing to support both. For me, the main concerns are

a) the ratio of mockery to eulogy in each particular impersonation

b) how Peggy's reputation can be affected.

Since she is not as widely-known a performer as an Elvis or a Barbra, there is a certain amount of risk. General audiences could take for granted that the caricature they are seeing and hearing is not only a faithful but a complete representation of the artist. Most of her impersonators contribute to spreading a reductionist image of Peggy: the one from the later years. I believe that impersonations of Barbra, Elvis and others differ in which there is more variety; you get imitation of those artists from different periods of their careers.

I would not want to see Peggy-the-performer remembered just as older-years Peggy. That's what was happening, I think, in the last decades of the past century. Thanks to the advent of YouTube, general audiences now have a fuller view of who the performer was over the decades. I hope things stay that way.

Really, though, the main thing I wanted to say is that it's good to see Rick posting again, after a very long while!

Ivan

I am second to no one in my adoration of Peggy Lee. My parents took me to see her on my 16th birthday, and I was hooked. I saw her perform about fifteen times in the years thereafter. I can appreciate why some fans were offended by his imitation of Peggy Lee. I did see him as Miss Lee, and I'm speaking for myself. His parody I thought was funny, not spiteful. It was clear to me he loved Peggy Lee as much as anybody. He did have a great way with her speaking voice, her singing voice, her gestures. In some magic moments, for me, she was back. It was magic. The last time I saw Peggy Lee sing was at the Empire Room of the Waldorf Astoria, and suddenly it was still a bigtime night club and she was still there.

Imonfisk12 well said! I just saw the same in the performance I mentioned here from Chuck Sweeney. A loving tribute. Here is an entertainer who loves Peggy Lee and brings out his admiration in this funny performance. I'm a Peggy Lee fan too and do not feel offended at all. We musn't be to sensitive about this performance I guess. Although I respect everybody's opinion of course!

Richard, Holland.