[Mb-hair] Ronstadt casino furore over Moore BBC

[Michael Butler]

 Ronstadt casino furore over Moore
 US singer Linda Ronstadt was booed and removed from a Las Vegas casino for
praising film-maker Michael Moore and his film Fahrenheit 9/11 during a
show. 

 Ronstadt called Moore a "great American patriot" and "someone who is
spreading the truth" during a performance at the Aladdin venue on Saturday.

 Some among the crowd of 4,500 stormed out, tore down concert posters and
tossed cocktails into the air.

 Aladdin president Bill Timmins said Ronstadt was escorted off the property.

 Ronstadt "spoiled a wonderful evening for our guests and we had to do
something about it", Mr Timmins said.

 As long as I'm here, she's not going to play
  Bill Timmins, casino president
 He said the 58-year-old singer, booked to play the Aladdin for one show
only, was not allowed back in her luxury suite after the show.

 He said she would not sing at the Aladdin again: "As long as I'm here,
she's not going to play."

 In a statement directed at Mr Timmins, Michael Moore said: "For you to
throw Linda Ronstadt off the premises because she dared to say a few words
in support of me and my film is simply stupid and un-American."

 Ronstadt's manager was not immediately available for comment.

 However, in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal before the show,
Ronstadt was reported as saying: "I keep hoping that if I'm annoying enough
to them, they won't hire me back."

 Michael Moore said Mr Timmins owed Ronstadt an apology.

 "Invite her back and I'll join her in singing America the Beautiful on your
stage," he said.

 "Then I will show Fahrenheit 9/11 free of charge to all your guests and
anyone else in Las Vegas who wants to see it."

 Ronstadt began her career in the mid-1960s with the folk-rock group the
Stone Poneys and later emerged as a solo country artist.

 Grammys 

 She achieved success in the 1970s working alongside artists such as The
Eagles, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Aaron Neville.

 During the 1990s she won Grammys for albums of Mexican and Latin music, and
one of rock classics redone as lullabies.

 This week, Elton John said stars were scared to speak out against war in
Iraq because of "bullying tactics" used by the US government to hinder free
speech.

 Last year the Dixie Chicks were also booed for criticising President Bush
when the band's name was mentioned at the Academy of Country Music Awards in
Las Vegas.

 Story from BBC NEWS:
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/3908847.stm

 Published: 2004/07/20 07:20:51 GMT

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