Kudos to Don Henley...

(Thanks, Michael Moore.)

August 3rd, 2004 11:46 amHenley Miffs O.C. Fans by Talking Politics

The Orange County Register

COSTA MESA – Singer Don Henley drew a chorus of boos from fans at the Pacific Amphitheatre after he made several political comments between songs during his concert Thursday night, becoming the latest performer to elicit such a negative reaction.

Two weeks ago, Linda Ronstadt touched off a disturbance at a show in Las Vegas when she dedicated a song to filmmaker Michael Moore. Fans at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino booed, threw drinks and ripped down posters in the lobby, prompting the management to escort the singer from the premises and bar her from performing there again.

Henley, referring to that incident Thursday night, began a sentence with, "Given what my good friend Linda Ronstadt ," but was silenced as the amphitheatre erupted in boos. He responded: "Whoops - Orange County," adding, "We used to be able to have civil debate in this country Not anymore."

Henley then suggested his next song could be a duet sung by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. He launched into Randy Newman's darkly satirical tune, "Political Science," which imagines the United States dropping nuclear weapons on the rest of the world.

"He really blindsided everyone," said Joshua Owen of Long Beach, who had taken a group of employees to the concert and was upset by the political content. "There was booing. Some people headed for the exits."