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spacefreak · Jul 2, 2004, 03:21 PM

Man, this story is surreal.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) donned a hard hat and tucked a hammer in his belt Friday to perform a version of the Village People's hit "YMCA" at the conclusion of Asia's largest security meeting � which tradition says ends with a night of skit and song.

Powell danced alongside five other U.S. officials dressed in fancy dress and blasted out a version of the 1970s disco classic to the delight of foreign ministers from across the Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Is this what goes on at summits?

Stradlater · Jul 2, 2004, 03:34 PM

eklipse · Jul 2, 2004, 03:39 PM

ROFL!

wolfen · Jul 2, 2004, 03:42 PM

What a beautiful slap in the face to all the conservatives out there -- a military man singin' a nostalgic song from a gay band about their favorite meat market, AT A POLITICAL EVENT.

I, for one, am in love with Mr. Powell and would gladly have his kittens if only he'd ask.

Meeow!

voyageur · Jul 2, 2004, 04:44 PM

Who'd a thunk it?

Jansar · Jul 2, 2004, 04:45 PM

Originally posted by wolfen:
What a beautiful slap in the face to all the conservatives out there -- a military man singin' a nostalgic song from a gay band about their favorite meat market, AT A POLITICAL EVENT.

I, for one, am in love with Mr. Powell and would gladly have his kittens if only he'd ask.

Meeow!

Slap in the face? Powell's just out there having a good time.

lil'babykitten · Jul 2, 2004, 04:50 PM

Originally posted by spacefreak:

BRussell · Jul 2, 2004, 04:55 PM

He did the same type of thing last year or a couple years ago, I believe it was at the same conference in Indonesia.

Spheric Harlot · Jul 2, 2004, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by Jansar:
Slap in the face? Powell's just out there having a good time.

singing a gay hymn by a gay band about the #1 gay cruising hangout in the late '70s.

-s*

BRussell · Jul 2, 2004, 05:00 PM

Come on, somebody's got to have a video link?

thunderous_funker · Jul 2, 2004, 05:02 PM

AP/UPI Newswire

--In a last ditch effort to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis in the face of growing violence, US Secretary of State Collin Powell attempted in vain to lead stunned residents of Fallujah in some celebratory dancing to commemorate the transfer of sovreignty.

"Ceeeeeeeeeelebrate good times, COME ON!", intoned the usually reserved and decorous Powell as flabergasted staff members looked on in stunned silence.

At the Secretary's insistance that there was "a party going on right here", many simply left the scene shaking their heads in disbelief. Apparently they were unprepared to "bring the good times and their laughter too" as Mr. Powell so passionately encouraged them.

Zimphire · Jul 2, 2004, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
singing a gay hymn by a gay band about the #1 gay cruising hangout in the late '70s.

Spheric Harlot · Jul 2, 2004, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:

You are teh moron.

Jansar · Jul 2, 2004, 05:19 PM

AAAAH! Too much originality!

Zimphire · Jul 2, 2004, 05:39 PM

Originally posted by Jansar:
AAAAH! Too much originality!

SimeyTheLimey · Jul 2, 2004, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:

Zim, he's right. That is exactly what the song is about.

Next, you will be telling us that "Walk on the Wild Side" is about pedestrians.

Spliffdaddy · Jul 2, 2004, 06:20 PM

don't keep me in suspense.

tell me what "Walk on the Wild Side" is about.

I never knew it had a message.

< hillbilly

SimeyTheLimey · 06:35 PM

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
don't keep me in suspense.

tell me what "Walk on the Wild Side" is about.

I never knew it had a message.

< hillbilly

Drag queens (mostly).

Holly came from Miami F.L.A.
hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.

Plucked her eyebrows on the way
shaved her leg and then he was a she
She says, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side

Candy came from out on the island
in the backroom she was everybody's darling

But she never lost her head
even when she was given head
She says, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side
said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side

Candy Darling is the "Candy" of the song. I'm not sure who the others are. Edit: oh wait, "Holly" was probably Holly Woodlawn.

Edit to the edit: I think those lyrics are wrong. I'm pretty sure that Reed sang "giving" not "given."

Spliffdaddy · Jul 2, 2004, 06:29 PM

so them are like dudes that try to look like chicks?

that's not very sporting.

a fella could get tripped up iffin he weren't careful.

'preciate the head's-up, chief.

SimeyTheLimey · Jul 2, 2004, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
a fella could get tripped up iffin he weren't careful.

Not necessarily:

Cookie Buffet, an aquaintance of mine.

thunderous_funker · Jul 2, 2004, 06:55 PM

You heard the fat lady, thread's over, boys!

BlackGriffen · Jul 3, 2004, 01:44 AM

I'm glad to see that he has... I can't think of a word to describe it. Self esteem seems to be the right area, but feels like such an inadequate term. Self assurance? Confidence? Whatever it is, it's nice to see that he has enough of it to let his hair down and have a good time. I still remember news footage of him dancing the Macarena.

Now, if only we could make that infectious to the rest of politics.

BG

Spheric Harlot · Jul 3, 2004, 04:55 AM

Wait - you people really didn't know about "YMCA" or the Wild Side?

Wow.

Every time you sing "YMCA" at church camp, God makes little Jesus masturbate.

- please think of the kittens -

-s*

Spheric Harlot · Jul 3, 2004, 05:23 AM

Young man, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy.

Young man, there's a place you can go.
I said, young man, when you're short on your dough.
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel ...

Young man, are you listening to me?
I said, young man, what do you want to be?
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.
But you got to know this one thing!

No man does it all by himself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,
And just go there, to the y.m.c.a.
I'm sure they can help you today.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel ...

Young man, I was once in your shoes.
I said, I was down and out with the blues.
I felt no man cared if I were alive.
I felt the whole world was so tight ...

That's when someone came up to me,
And said, young man, take a walk up the street.
There's a place there called the y.m.c.a.
They can start you back on your way.

It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.
It's fun to stay at the y-m-c-a.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y-m-c-a ... you'll find it at the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down.
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground.

Y-m-c-a ... just go to the y-m-c-a.

Young man, young man, are you listening to me?
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?

The Muppet Show version is probably the best skit in the history of television.

SimeyTheLimey · Jul 3, 2004, 06:17 AM

Originally posted by BlackGriffen:
I still remember news footage of him dancing the Macarena.

Wasn't that Al Gore?

phoenixboy70 · Jul 3, 2004, 07:05 AM

next up ladies and gentlemen of macnn, sen. john a$$croft doing a rendition of "in the navy"...on ice skates.

*IN TEH NAAAAAAVY...*

SimeyTheLimey · Jul 3, 2004, 07:27 AM

Originally posted by phoenixboy70:
next up ladies and gentlemen of macnn, sen. john a$$croft doing a rendition of "in the navy"...on ice skates.

Somebody is channeling Mel Brooks.

macvillage.net · Jul 3, 2004, 10:03 AM

Originally posted by spacefreak:
Man, this story is surreal. Is this what goes on at summits?

THese pics remind me so much of this:

http://www.cards.deskmates.com/cnt/cards/humor_bin.swf

BlackGriffen · Jul 3, 2004, 12:26 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Wasn't that Al Gore?

He might have tried it later, but I vividly remember ChannelOne (in school news program they made us watch) coverage of Collin Powell at a youth event dancing the macarena. IIRC, it was around 1996.

BG
Edit: I love Google:
From TIME:

In Scottsdale, Arizona, at a Boys and Girls Club, the kids had questions for him. What size shoe does he wear (12EE), and would he do the Macarena with them? Even if it weren't the official dance of the Democratic Party, Powell, as a notoriously bad dancer would have been reluctant. He noted there was no music, but the children made some, and he gamely flailed his arms.

dreilly1 · Jul 3, 2004, 03:48 PM

Originally posted by phoenixboy70:
next up ladies and gentlemen of macnn, sen. john a$$croft doing a rendition of "in the navy"...on ice skates.

*IN TEH NAAAAAAVY...*

No, he'd probably be signing "YVAN EHT NIOJ" with L. T. Smash...

macvillage.net · Jul 3, 2004, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
Wasn't that Al Gore?

Gore did it to (and that was a big story, and a few parodies), but Powell did do it as well.

Not sure who was first.