Photo © Duane O'Connor Facebook page.
Trinidad and Tobago's Calypso Monarch for 2012, Duane O'Connor, and ex-champ Kurt Allen cast aspersions at each other for the World to judge their veracity on WACK Radio 90.1FM. The following is my take on the controversy.
What happened on Wack Radio 90.1 FM today was a disgrace to the Calypso fraternity and made us (Trinidadians) look foolish on the World Music stage. I guess that we have a natural instinct for Kankalang and we rightfully deserve the indignation of the smaller islands who boast that their Calypso and Soca are better than what we have in Trinidad. We just can't seem to handle success. Today the 2012 Calypso Monarch and the brilliant composer/singer Kurt Allen did themselves an injustice by publicly airing their dirty laundry on public radio. This entire interview left a bitter taste in my mouth and I am sure in hindsight both individuals probably wish they handled it in a professional manner.
What happened on Wack Radio 90.1 FM today was a disgrace to the Calypso fraternity and made us (Trinidadians) look foolish on the World Music stage. I guess that we have a natural instinct for Kankalang and we rightfully deserve the indignation of the smaller islands who boast that their Calypso and Soca are better than what we have in Trinidad. We just can't seem to handle success. Today the 2012 Calypso Monarch and the brilliant composer/singer Kurt Allen did themselves an injustice by publicly airing their dirty laundry on public radio. This entire interview left a bitter taste in my mouth and I am sure in hindsight both individuals probably wish they handled it in a professional manner.
So what really happened today? Well if it smells like fish then it must be fish right? Ellsworth James must have known that bringing Kurt Allen on would create further discussion regarding comments made by Duane O'Connor on Wack radio and in other media. As a news person, he pounced on a situation and manipulated it to his advantage. No one is going to tell me that he did not know that where there is smoke that soon there will be fire. In this case, it came sooner than later because Duane O'Connor called into the program to clear his name. Kurt Allen was invited to the show to clear the air about things that were said in public and, of all places, Facebook! Where there is smoke there will soon be fire... with all of this going on the Wack ShoutBox caught fire!
Duane O'Connor won the Calypso Monarch with a second song titled 'Long Live Calypso'. Yup, you guessed it, the same title as Kurt Allen's popular song that won the Political Calypso crown. Duane showed Kurt who is really the 'Last Badjohn of Calypso'! If you ask me, I would say this was a very strategic move by Duane to blur the lines with the same name and to get a leg up on the person he considered his major hurdle to get over. I am sure he did not get in there thinking that he was the person to beat... the reigning Calypso Monarch & Caribbean Champion Karene Asche was inside and the previous year's winner Kurt Allen was there battling for the crown with some very strong contenders. So naming his song 'Long live Calypso' was a good strategic move since his 'Hunt is On' won the Junior Calypso Monarch.
Kurt Allen got caught off guard and was surprised and hurt, at the same time, when this same name song transpired on the night of the competition but he knows that regardless of what took place the 'judges' decisions are final. And so it came to pass that the judges found favor with Duane O'Connor and gave him the title with Kurt Allen in second place. Duane was elated and the rest of the contestants felt like they deserved better but only one can win the title. Then the fans reacted; they voiced their opinion on the streets and on media and you guessed it... Facebook! Those commentaries on Kurt Allen's Facebook page created a heated radio debate that was so unfortunate.
Those fans' commentaries on Facebook caused the most damage in my humble opinion. Duane O'Connor apparently was upset with the comments posted on Kurt Allen's Facebook page and decided to respond to one comment in particular that offended him. This was the start of the problem, on an international platform (Facebook), that caused a tit for tat (posting on Facebook) between both artists. As calypso Monarch Duane O'Connor should have simply enjoyed the moment and basked in the glory of his victory; he should not have involved the calypso monarch title in this tra la la of 'he say and she say'! The press well...I guess they pressed on and helped fuel the controversy. This one said this and the other one said that and more importantly no one chose to communicate with each other but respond via a third party that had nothing better to do than simply fuel the controversy.
Indeed this was a very embarrassing day for Calypso and for the Monarch Title! Kurt Allen, Karene Asche, and those who came before never behaved like this. I put the blame on Duane O'Connor for bringing the Monarchy into disrepute because he could not handle success! I do hope he does not go on 'to clear the air again'. Trust me if he does a shrewd reporter will get him refuting claims supposedly made by Kurt Allen or some other calypsonian. Today they (all parties involved) disgraced the house that the stalwarts of the art form once championed. The damage is done and the house is in need of repair. This is just a case of Shame and Scandal in the Calypso family. Kurt Allen is not without blame (I admire him) but he should have called Duane and cleared the air even if he believed that Duane acted unprofessionally.
How can this be resolved? This is no longer about Duane O'Connor or Kurt Allen... no this is now about saving the face of Calypso! What took place on Wack Radio will get around the region and we will become the joke of the region. Something needs to be done soon before this escalates further. TUCO should send a memo advising these calypsonians to avoid the press - no more interviews! Get these guys together and resolve the issues then have them perform together to benefit some charity in the country. The orphanage can use the funds - make this happen!
Well after all has been said and done and we now have a record of the events that took place on the radio, it is time for some entertainment. Let's listen to Lord Relator and his version of an original song by Sir Lancelot... Shame and Sorrow (1943), was made famous by Lord Melody as (Wau Wau) Shame and Scandal in the Family.
Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). Lend me your ears... Enjoy!
♫Please press the play button (below) to listen (small triangle in circle).
Well after all has been said and done and we now have a record of the events that took place on the radio, it is time for some entertainment. Let's listen to Lord Relator and his version of an original song by Sir Lancelot... Shame and Sorrow (1943), was made famous by Lord Melody as (Wau Wau) Shame and Scandal in the Family.
Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). Lend me your ears... Enjoy!
♫Please press the play button (below) to listen (small triangle in circle).
Shame and Scandal in the Family by Lord Relator (Dirty Jim's)