Barbra Makes Headlines

In January 1994, I attended the annual APLA benefit at Universal City in Hollywood. The evening's honoree was First Lady Hillary Clinton. Barbra was on hand to present Mrs. Clinton with an award for her work on the AIDS awareness front.

Barbra did not perform, but her comments about past Washington indifference towards the epidemic made front page headlines around the world.
 

Honoring Hillary Clinton

January 17, 1994
I headed back to Los Angeles for the next APLA concert and benefit last night.  This time, Barbra was to appear as a non-singing participant, on hand to present friend and honoree Hillary Clinton with the year's APLA award.  Barbra, in her introductory remarks, kindled the flames of controversy yet again.  Referring to pre-Clinton presidential ignorance towards the AIDS crisis, Barbra said, "For more than a decade, the reliance of our Presidents on selfish individualism led us into the wasteland of official indifference to the suffering of many.  One stark result of that politics of contempt and neglect is that millions are now afflicted by the AIDS epidemic which might have been contained if only our high officials had cared."

The lighter portion of the evening was the concert.  Despite Barbra's absence from the performing line-up, stellar performances by the likes of Sarah Brightman, Patti LuPone, Jennifer Holliday and Melissa Manchester, and a special appearance by Elizabeth Taylor, helped raise a record $4.9 million for AIDS Project LA.