The tribute of singer Linda Ronstadt to leftist filmmaker Michael Moore at the Aladdin casino in Las Vegas was booed by visitors, hundreds of whom walked out.
Pop diva booed off Las Vegas casino for praising liberal filmmaker
The tribute of singer Linda Ronstadt to leftist filmmaker Michael Moore at the Aladdin casino in Las Vegas was booed by visitors, hundreds of whom walked out, worldnetdaily.com reported.
Some of the angry fans reportedly defaced posters of her in the lobby of the hotel, writing comments and tossing drinks on her pictures, Las Vegas Sun wrote.
Ronstadt, 58, was invited to perform at the Aladdin casino and close to the end of the show she dedicated the Eagles hit "Desperado" to Michael Moore, director of the notorious film "Fahrenheit 9/11" – a sharp criticism of President Bush and the U.S.-led war in Iraq. The singer said Moore is a great American patriot and 'someone who is spreading the truth', urging everybody to see the documentary.
"That dedication angered some Aladdin guests who spilled drinks, tore down posters and demanded their money back," said casino spokeswoman Sara Gorgon, quoted by Reuters.
"About a quarter of the 4,500 people in the audience got up and left before the performance had finished," Gorgon said.
Aladdin President Bill Timmins, who attended the concert, banned Ronstadt from the property and ordered his staff to escort her to her tour bus.
"We live in a city where people come from all over the world to be entertained. We hired Ms. Ronstadt as an entertainer, not as a political activist," Timmins said to Las Vegas Sun.
Timmins explained: "Our first and only priority is the enjoyment of our customers. I made the decision to ask Miss Ronstadt to leave the hotel. A situation like that can easily turn ugly and I didn't want anything more to come out of it. There were a lot of angry people there after she started talking."
Before the concert, Ronstadt had told the Las Vegas Review Journal that she hoped that the casino performance would be her last.
"I keep hoping that if I'm annoying enough to them, they won't hire me back," she was quoted as telling the newspaper.
A statement issued by the Aladdin said Ronstadt had been "escorted out of the hotel" and that the performer would "not be welcomed back."
