The Making Of Motown 25

[RanRan79]

So you're saying they are High Inergy farts?

That's the only "Inergy" they know how to rip 'em.

[Boogiedown]

Some say Diana disappeared right after Marvin luggly told her, "Do you know your tongue is bright red??"

[jobeterob]

Berry tried to throw Mary to the floor to get out of her grip and Diana’s tongue was red from the bite she took out of Mary’s dress

[Boogiedown]

Berry tried to throw Mary to the floor to get out of her grip and Diana’s tongue was red from the bite she took out of Mary’s dress

hee haw!
I shudda thought of that !!

[Boogiedown]

Has Diana ever mentioned why she clambered above the orchestra pit, separating herself from everyone else?.

[/VIDEO]


well that leads to the million dollar question ....here is the master of ceremonies, finally reunited with her long separated Motown family and after all these many years, instead of eternal hugs and hamming ...... she's off swinging from the rafters!! [clearly a candidate for a 'bizarre' thread].

But first, I hear Diana introduce The Four Tops but where are they ? where's Levi? He doesn't give Diana a hug? No close- ups of him throughout that I see.


And poor Cindy ... lost in the crowd ....

[marybrewster]

I always laugh when Diana introduces Berry; "how long will it take you to get down here, Black? Ladies and gentlemen....." and then SUCH a dramatic sweeping of the hair, lol.

And Berry, lol. Bodyguards? Really? Lol.

Amd look at Melvin Franklin bolting to get to Mary; almost plowing down Diana who's in his way.

[Ollie9]

I always laugh when Diana introduces Berry; "how long will it take you to get down here, Black? Ladies and gentlemen....." and then SUCH a dramatic sweeping of the hair, lol.

And Berry, lol. Bodyguards? Really? Lol.

Amd look at Melvin Franklin bolting to get to Mary; almost plowing down Diana who's in his way.

I always had the feeling that Diana thought Berry was going to rush to her first. It’s only proper that she is made to wait lol.

[Boogiedown]

I always laugh when Diana introduces Berry; "how long will it take you to get down here, Black? Ladies and gentlemen....." and then SUCH a dramatic sweeping of the hair, lol.

And Berry, lol. Bodyguards? Really? Lol.

Amd look at Melvin Franklin bolting to get to Mary; almost plowing down Diana who's in his way.

good good stuff Mz Brewster!! Melvin, " hi hi hi Diana , where's Mary?"

Why do Richard Prior and Biily Dee get introduced first above anyone else???


oh yes and while we are at it .... bring out the Temptations ...

[floyjoy678]

Well at 5'3 he probably needed those bodyguards in case he got lost in the crowd on his way to the stage.

[RanRan79]

Amd look at Melvin Franklin bolting to get to Mary; almost plowing down Diana who's in his way.

I always wondered what Melvin was saying to Diana.

"You can take the girl outta the projects, but you can't take the projects outta the girl, huh Diane?"

"Still haven't learned to keep your hands to yourself, huh Diane?"

"Betcha wish you had done to Mary what me and Otis did to David and Eddie: making their butts watch the show from home!"

[RanRan79]

And what happened to Diana's fur that she tossed onto the floor? Did the performers just kick it out the way?

Maybe that's what Melvin was talking to Diana about.

"Yo, Di, one of them High Inergy girls just ran off with your fur!"

[jobeterob]

No - he said we’s giving the fur to Eddie.

[bradsupremes]

And what happened to Diana's fur that she tossed onto the floor? Did the performers just kick it out the way?

Maybe that's what Melvin was talking to Diana about.

"Yo, Di, one of them High Inergy girls just ran off with your fur!"

You know Martha Reeves was having a ball kicking and stepping on that fur.

[marybrewster]

No - he said we’s giving the fur to Eddie.

I thought it was Marvin that wore furs.

[RanRan79]

You know Martha Reeves was having a ball kicking and stepping on that fur.

Actually she might have been the one who took it home. Didn't she write in her book about how the anti fur people would have to pry her furs from her cold dead hands? I'm paraphrasing, of course.

[jobeterob]

I thought it was Marvin that wore furs.

Marvin Eddie and What Became the Legend Most?

[captainjames]

Suzanne De Passe tried to pull too much together without enough communications. Improvise, hurt feelings and misunderstandings. However, she pulled it off. A Motown reunion. Congratulations Suzanne but the one thing I did not like was the treatment to the Marvelettes. That is all I have to say about Motown 25.

[jobeterob]

From reading Will You Love Me Tomorrow, I think even by 1983, the Marvelettes could have only been attendees not performers - the girl groups outside of the Supremes and setting Florence aside, all had a very rough ride

[marybrewster]

It's possible that Gladys could have performed on "behalf" of the Marvelettes. It seems as though she was the only one still semi-active in the business, and it likely would have been "Postman" that was featured.

[sup_fan]

It's possible that Gladys could have performed on "behalf" of the Marvelettes. It seems as though she was the only one still semi-active in the business, and it likely would have been "Postman" that was featured.

that's a good point. she was at least doing a handful of gigs on the oldies circuit. but wanda [[from my understanding) was in no condition to be part of the event. they certainly should have at least been invited as non-musical guests. a quick montage of them plus a few camera shots of the current women seated together in the audience would have been nice.

of course then there's the whole part of GKATP just saying "thanks but no thanks - we don't want to participate" lol

[RanRan79]

The Marvelettes deserved to be asked. Let them decide who will and who can't participate. Half the people on the stage at the end of Motown 25 had substance abuse issues. I don't see why there couldn't have been an effort to get Wanda together long enough to do the show. And if it was too big a task, Gladys, Kat and the one who wrote "Postman" could have done it, with the Andantes singing behind the curtain if necessary.

And speaking of the Andantes, this was also disrespectful, them not even getting a mention. Those ladies worked their butts off, singing on everybody's records, including uncredited roles on some of the female groups' big hits.

I realize not everyone was going to get a spot to perform or rate a mention. I would never have expected Kim Weston, Brenda Holloway, Jimmy Ruffin [[although he did have one of the label's biggest hits, so maybe he should have been there), or many other names that we Motown diehards know and love but the general public may not have been as enamored with. But absolutely no excuse for icing out the Marvelettes, the Vandellas, David and Eddie, the Contours, the Funks.

[Ollie9]

The Marvelettes deserved to be asked. Let them decide who will and who can't participate. Half the people on the stage at the end of Motown 25 had substance abuse issues. I don't see why there couldn't have been an effort to get Wanda together long enough to do the show. And if it was too big a task, Gladys, Kat and the one who wrote "Postman" could have done it, with the Andantes singing behind the curtain if necessary.

And speaking of the Andantes, this was also disrespectful, them not even getting a mention. Those ladies worked their butts off, singing on everybody's records, including uncredited roles on some of the female groups' big hits.

I realize not everyone was going to get a spot to perform or rate a mention. I would never have expected Kim Weston, Brenda Holloway, Jimmy Ruffin [[although he did have one of the label's biggest hits, so maybe he should have been there), or many other names that we Motown diehards know and love but the general public may not have been as enamored with. But absolutely no excuse for icing out the Marvelettes, the Vandellas, David and Eddie, the Contours, the Funks.

I very much agree, particularly regarding the Funk Brothers and Andantes.
Did we really need Adam Ant or Linda Ronstadt with so many significant Motown acts being unjustifiably ignored.
Gladys Knight would probably have brought the house down, so can understand why she was left out. Room only for one diva that particular night lol.

[marybrewster]

The Marvelettes deserved to be asked. Let them decide who will and who can't participate. Half the people on the stage at the end of Motown 25 had substance abuse issues. I don't see why there couldn't have been an effort to get Wanda together long enough to do the show. And if it was too big a task, Gladys, Kat and the one who wrote "Postman" could have done it, with the Andantes singing behind the curtain if necessary.

And speaking of the Andantes, this was also disrespectful, them not even getting a mention. Those ladies worked their butts off, singing on everybody's records, including uncredited roles on some of the female groups' big hits.

I realize not everyone was going to get a spot to perform or rate a mention. I would never have expected Kim Weston, Brenda Holloway, Jimmy Ruffin [[although he did have one of the label's biggest hits, so maybe he should have been there), or many other names that we Motown diehards know and love but the general public may not have been as enamored with. But absolutely no excuse for icing out the Marvelettes, the Vandellas, David and Eddie, the Contours, the Funks.

Do we know if the Vandellas were asked, or did Martha decline on their behalf? As it was, she got 30 seconds, so was it worth the effort?

[jobeterob]

Didn’t Motown 40 have one Marvelette singing a song backed by a strong group of backup singers - I remember reading she was not in good shape but I don’t recall which one it was

[marybrewster]

Didn’t Motown 40 have one Marvelette singing a song backed by a strong group of backup singers - I remember reading she was not in good shape but I don’t recall which one it was

I think that's when Ian Levine [[?) gathered all those Motown artists in the 80's. There's a clip of Wanda singing "Don't Mess With Bill" backed by The Elgins [[?). Apparently Wanda was not in good shape; you can see she has a missing front tooth. I guess she had a to borrow a dress [[from Kim Weston?) who was in charge of keeping her sober.

[jobeterob]

Didn’t one of them get a moment on Motown 30 or 40?

[reese]

Do we know if the Vandellas were asked, or did Martha decline on their behalf? As it was, she got 30 seconds, so was it worth the effort?

I'd be surprised if the Vandellas were even asked. By then, Martha was a solo act and Suzanne probably figured asking her would be enough. And don't forget, Martha did have another number, a duet with Smokey, but the viewing audience never saw it.

As far as it being worth it, Martha probably thought so. In her book, she wrote that after MOTOWN 25's broadcast and Vandellas music being in THE BIG CHILL that she was in the winner's circle again, with bookings, tv spots, and so forth.

[reese]

Didn’t one of them get a moment on Motown 30 or 40?

The Marvelettes? No. But Gladys Horton did appear on one of TJ Lubinsky's PBS specials.

[jobeterob]

The Marvelettes? No. But Gladys Horton did appear on one of TJ Lubinsky's PBS specials.

Thanks - I have a memory of one of them in a black dress with a solid backing group probably singing Postman??