For some reason no one understands, controversial congressman Matt Gaetz has been seen at Grammy rehearsals today. Oy vey.
Meantime, Taylor Swift does not seem to be performing despite her 6 nominations. I had heard over the weekend that Swift’s people said she would only do it if she knew in advance she was going to win. But this is the Grammys and CBS, so that wasn’t happening. So Swift will sit through the show from the audience to learn her fate.
Dua Lipa will open the show, and Billy Joel will close it. There will be In Memorian tributes to Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, and Tina Turner. Jimmy Buffett gets a video tribute. Stevie Wonder — who I last saw at 2:30 this morning — will honor Tony. Fantasia and Oprah — still plugging “The Color Purple” — will do the honors for Tina. Annie Lennox sings “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
There’s been a lot of grumbling among nominees who aren’t superstars. The Recording Academy is giving only ticket to each nominee, and making them pay for a plus 1 or more. A musician named Cathy Fink originally posted her complaint to Facebook. Then I heard even Billie Eilish and other stars were in the same boat. But tickets cost a minimum of $750. For folk, jazz, and others who don’t have massive incomes, buying the extra ticket is a hardship to say the least. (Someone joked they could go to the Academy’s Musicares for the money. But they’re in trouble anyway.)
