Billy Joel Gives A “Shoutout” to Donald Trump
Billy Joel appeared on stage Friday night at one of his many concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden to play the hits, but he also gave a supposed “shoutout” to Donald Trump.
According to The Blaze, the Republican presidential candidate tweeted that he had heard from friends that Joel gave him “a very kind shoutout” during the show. However, it seemed that Trump misconceived that the gesture was actually a joke directed to him by Joel.
In fact, Joel fittingly dedicated his 1974 hit “The Entertainer” to Trump, though this wasn’t the first time though he dedicated this song to the billionaire.
The San Diego Reader reported that when the Piano Man performed at San Diego’s Petco Park on May 14, he told the crowd that Trump had been very entertaining for the past few months. This concert was Joel’s first time performing in the city since 1995, when he performed one of his many headlining shows with Sir Elton John.
Twitter users were quick to clarify that this joke made at Trump’s expense was uttered before at the singer’s previous concerts.
.@kenvogel He made this same joke when I saw him in April. And he dedicated New York State of Mind to Cruz. https://t.co/H0GU3L9roS
— David Teich (@Davidzteich) May 28, 2016
Interestingly enough, Timothy Muehlhoff, a professor of Communications at Biola University in La Mirada, Calif., shared an anecdote from a friend that used lyrics from another Billy Joel song “You May Be Right” in reference to Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
“A friend of mine living in Canada creatively expressed his exasperation toward the Trump faithful by quoting a Billy Joel song: ‘You may be right, I may be crazy. But it just might be a lunatic you’re looking for,'” said Muehlhoff, in an essay he wrote on May 26.
Kornelis favorably reviewed the show and said that it was most likely improved because Billy Joel didn’t have any new music to promote. He hasn’t released a new rock album since River of Dreams in 1993, and even joked that all he was playing were the old songs.
“We’re not gonna do anything new for you,” said Joel.
Dave Herera of the Las Vegas Review-Journal echoed similar statements noting that it has taken three greatest hits albums to capture Joel’s best work. He also hopes that Joel will one day do a residency in Vegas, like many other major artists have.
“With such a celebrated catalog, it’s not hard to understand why Joel hasn’t spent his time writing any new ones. He doesn’t have to,” said Herera, who counts “The Longest Time” and “Only the Good Die Young” as some of his favorites.
“He’s the type of artist whose catalogue is known to be deep, but then you hear a two hour set and realize every song was a hit,” said Tyler Lauletta, of Business Insider, who recommended seeing Joel in concert, as well as Twenty One Pilots and comedian Louis CK.
He continued, “It’s hard to imagine being underwhelmed by a Billy Joel set.”
The two New Yorkers talked about about their shared love of boating, where to take out of town guests on Long Island, and the fact that Cuomo is the godfather to Joel’s daughter Della Rose, who will turn one in August. Cuomo even joked about fulfilling the role of a godfather with an Italian like him.
“Well, a godfather is very important in the Italian tradition,” said Joel, who will tour stadiums on the East Coast and in the Midwest starting July 1.
He continued, “The role of a godfather is very important for a child and for a family, and I think I can depend on my godfather. That’s why I named you her godfather.”
[Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images]
