Thursday, June 15, 2017

Interesting Random Facts--Eartha Kitt Anti-War Controversy

Via Wikipedia
In 1968, during Lyndon B. Johnson's administration, Kitt encountered a substantial professional setback after she made anti-war statements during a White House luncheon.[13][14] Kitt was invited to the White House luncheon and was asked by Lady Bird Johnson about the Vietnam War.[citation needed] She replied: "You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot."
During a question and answer session, Kitt stated:
"The children of America are not rebelling for no reason. They are not hippies for no reason at all. We don’t have what we have on Sunset Blvd. for no reason. They are rebelling against something. There are so many things burning the people of this country, particularly mothers. They feel they are going to raise sons — and I know what it's like, and you have children of your own, Mrs. Johnson — we raise children and send them to war."
Her remarks reportedly caused Mrs. Johnson to burst into tears and led to a derailment in Kitt's career.[15] Publicly ostracized in the United States, she devoted her energies to performances in Europe and Asia. It is said that Kitt's career in the United States was ended following her comments about the Vietnam War, after which she was branded "a sadistic nymphomaniac" by the CIA.[8]

2 comments:

Whisky Prajer said...

"Sadistic nymphomaniac" must've been what got her on Batman.

Joel Swagman said...

I wonder if her Catwoman persona made it easier for the CIA to libel her that way. Probably actually.