Without questioning Ronstadt's sincerity (she used to date Jerry Brown, for Christ's sake), may I point out that many million more people -- a good number of them fans -- now know she's on tour than did a couple of days ago; Moore is once again all over the papers and talk shows; and it sounds as though the singer may have grounds for a nice lawsuit against the Aladdin.

In other words, what's the downside of this?

In an unrelated note, House of Blues Concerts announced the other day that they're lowering ticket prices on several tours, including (and this was before the ruckus) Ronstadt's. And you don't lower prices on tickets for shows that are doing well.

Sounds like she wanted an excuse to get out of her contract anyway, and that did it. Though I'm surprised at the audience reaction -- it's not like her politics are a secret.

Can anyone imagine liberals rioting at a Charlie Daniels show if he dedicated a song to Sean Hannity and told everyone to go read "Deliver Us From Evil"?

The Aladdin is a failed resort that is still emerging from bankruptcy anyway, and has one of the most inept floor designs I've seen in a casino. Who in this day and age allows the guests to get to registration or the restroom without making them walk through the casino?

The whole thing stinks of a publicity flap to me. As Greg notes, the Aladdin is hardly a Vegas hot spot anymore and Ronstadt has been off the pop culture radar for quite some time.

Odd, the AP article says she was not allowed back into her room.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040719/ap_on_en_mu/people_ronstadt

Oh man.

Go to Drudge and check out the pic of Ronstadt.

"Put down that pint of Ben and Jerry's, Linda! Now!"

According to my source, just before the encore, Ronstadt reached for a swig of complimentary Aladdin bottled water and out popped a rumpled looking, baseball cap-wearing Genie. He told her he could grant her any three PR wishes, at which point Ronstadt proclaimed:

1) Throw me some of that Barbra Streisand-style front page magic;

2) Convince Pete Townsend to let me start covering The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again";

3) Please, please let me sing at Jerry's inauguration as CA State Attorney General in 2006.

She should've asked for a couple of cases of Slim Fast while she was talking to that genie.

I'm so unfair. I mean, look at her contemporaries: Jackson Browne's getting a little rough around the edges, Don Henley is starting to resemble Brian Wilson on diet supplements, and Warren Zevon is not looking so good these days.

(God bless Zevon, though, gone too soon that one)

Well, she does have thyroid problems. And I doubt that she can recall all her years of touring. Much as I don't want to quote Ann Coulter, Shut Up and Sing does seem to cover so many, many events.

That's Laura Ingraham, hrm.

As Cathy Seipp would say: "Ella necesita suspender los frijoles refritos"

(Don't read Spanish? Cut and paste and go to freetranslation.com Jeez, people, learn a language)

HAHA She's fat. What a porker LOL!!! Can you believe it Roger? She eats too much and now she's overweight! What a fatso! Stay away from the dip Linda, you might put on some more pounds. HAHA

Hey, I bet you've got some more you would like to share with us. Please do.

As Cathy Seipp did say, "I don't think Spanish is particularly useful in L.A., unless you're, for instance, a contractor rounding up day laborers."

I speak English and look as if I might speak Spanish. And I do. Last week a pharmacist looked at me and addressed me in Spanish- the pharmacist was Chinese and her English was barely comprehensible, the same as her Spanish. I told her that I prefer to speak English when I'm in the US. I hope I didn't offend her.

All the progressives must be summering on the Cape..where are the cries of "censorship" and "a chill wind", etc.