Harry Belafonte Meditating, Not Sleeping, Rep Says [Video]

He’s nearly 85 years old, let Harry Belafonte have some rest! Jeez!

The octogenarian Day-O singer was hitting up the morning chat show circuit to promote his new book “My Song,” and had gotten all ready to do an early-ish interview with California station KBAK in Bakersfield. But when anchorwoman Layla Santiago cut to Belafonte, he appeared to be taking a light snooze as she attempted to snap him to attention.

Belafonte did not respond, but a rep for the elderly crooner denies Belafonte was actually asleep- rather, he contends, the earpiece did not work properly in New York and Belafonte, who was “resting his eyes,” was unable to hear Santiago attempt to begin the interview.

Ken Sunshine, spokesperson for Harry Belafonte, commented after the clip went viral:

“After weeks of literally hundreds of interviews promoting his HBO documentary, memoir and CD, Mr. Belafonte had an early morning satellite TV tour this past Friday. True to form, there was a technical glitch in the feed to a local station in Bakersfield, CA. His earpiece wasn’t working, so he decided to take the time to meditate before the rest of his Day-O.”

Sunshine continued:

“Mr. Belafonte is 84 years young, but sharper and more awake than most who have been interviewing him. Maybe the world would be a better place if more people took a moment to meditate.”

If you detect a note of snark there, it’s not your imagination. Earlier, a publicist for Belafonte fumed about how the singer had been embarrassed by a “technical glitch” and added that the issue “used to embarrass Mr. Belafonte” was “100% their error.”