Some scenes are just a bit strange. They fall in that surreal category.
For instance, were President Bush and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan really in the Jungle Room at Graceland?
Was Koizumi in the mood for karaoke? Did he do his Elvis impersonation, without the aid of the sideburns, the sequined jumpsuit, and the cape?
Did he really treat the press to his renditions of multiple Elvis songs?
Yes.
From Eyewitness News Memphis:
President Bush and the First Lady visited Memphis Friday. With them was Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. The reason? A private tour of Graceland. Elvis was Koizumi’s childhood idol.
As the two left Washington on Friday morning, the intercom on Air Force One played "Love Me Tender" and "Don't Be Cruel" as the leaders got onto the plane. DVDs of Elvis movies were available for them to watch. Stewards also brought out Elvis favorie grilled peanut better and banana sandwiches to eat. Each one has 36 grams of fat.
The leaders arrived on Air Force One in Memphis at about 10:00 a.m. Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley both met the President, First Lady and Koizumi at the door of Graceland. They gave the leaders a private tour of the home. In the Jungle Room, all it took was an invitation from the President for Koizumi to break out into song. "You're a pretty good Elvis singer," the president said. Koizumi quickly complied. "Love me tender," he sang. "Wise men say, 'Only fools rush in.'" He then started singing his favorite Elvis song, "I Want You, I Love You, I Need You." He draped his arm around Lisa Marie and sang, "Hold me close, hold me tight."
Koizumi's exuberance for singing Elvis reminded me of Boris Yeltsin's eagerness to show off his dancing skills.
Watch Yeltsin here, courtesy of YouTube.
Moments like Koizumi's performance at Graceland always seem to have a way of coming back to haunt the performer.
Still, I'd rather have Koizumi singing Elvis than threatening war or showing hostility toward other nations.
I definitely prefer seeing Bush and Koizumi yucking it up at Graceland to viewing images of them exchanging scowls across a conference table.
Sure, it got a little weird, but so what?
Koizumi loves the King and he doesn't mind letting the world know. I admire his uninhibited display of appreciation.
Video:
3 comments:
You're confusing "Fools Rush In" with "Can't Help Falling in Love."
Anyway, I doubt your "subtle slap" theory has any merit.
I got the feeling that Bush was trying to do Koizumi a favor, recognizing that the prime minister was making a fool of himself.
I'm really not that surprised. The Japanese are often a bit...eccentric like this. It's not just Koizumi.
Well, Elvis had his eccentricities, too.
I suppose we all do; but we all don't have the international media capturing us in full eccentric mode.
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