A Class Act

Tony Bennett was on tv last night. Barry Manilow was also on tv last year, same show. The program was “The Colbert Report,” presided over by Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central.

Yeah, so?

So they both beat him at the Emmy awards each year. When Barry was Stephen’s guest, they spoke about his career, then did a bit in which they agreed to share the Emmy statue with it written down, signed and (supposedly) witnessed by a Notary. At the show’s end, Barry and Stephen sang a duet.

Tony was the Emmy-winning guest who, Stephen pointed out, not only had a room full of awards, but also marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and also is an excellent painter. They also did a duet, with Tony’s quartet, at the show’s end.

I sat there, wondering how many other entertainers would invite their competition, people who had won the award you were drooling for, to be on your program as honored guests. It’s the sort of behaviour I’d refer to as a class act.

Maybe others do it; I just haven’t seen any evidence of it. Usually there’s too much ego involved, too much jealousy, for the loser to invite the winner and be complimentary. We have much to learn from this program and its host.