Celebrity Feuds
Miss Ross Booed in Jamaica, Mon

Oh, the diva has gone and done it this time!


Diana Ross pissed off a crowd of 40,000 at the 2008 Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival on Saturday, where Miss Thing, 63, was booed and heckled by Jamaicans attending the festival in Montego Bay -- after organizers told them that "to honor Miss Ross' wishes, she will not be shown on the monitors." That news was greeted with widespread hissing. Oh no she didn't!

Patrons in the stadium-sized arena were unable to see the diva onstage, so they called for organizers to put her performance up on the big screen. "It was at the eleventh hour that her manager said she wouldn't allow us to IMAG (In Vivo Imaging) her performance," said a concert promoter, "and, if any cameras were present, she would not go on stage."

Hisses turned to full-out boos when Ross started her set with Supremes hits -- and the crowd beyond the first section couldn't see her -- and the booing continued throughout her set.

No Makeup -- Click to LaunchFestival spokesperson Carlette DeLeon issued a statement Sunday blaming Ross for upsetting the Jamaica crowd, saying, "The much anticipated performance of Diana Ross on Saturday proved somewhat disappointing to many patrons who expected a very interactive set. Miss Ross' request to have a restricted display of her performance however, inconvenienced patrons who were left feeling distanced from the stage and her performance."

Attendees paid from $80 to $307 to watch Ross -- who was reportedly paid $300,000 for the gig -- perform the hour-long set with fellow headliners Mary Mary, Billy Ocean and KoKo Taylor.

Filed under: Music, Celebrity Feuds

Reader Comments

(Page 8 of 8)Previous 15 Comments

106. Trish, Brooklyn Lillies, Roszilla? You people writing all these hateful comments are a bunch of real losers and you all know it. That is why you guys are so hateful, because you have no life, no talent, no education and you hate yourselves because you all know how hideous you are inside and out, The Jamaicans had no class and she shouldn't have even played there.

Posted at 5:29PM on Feb 1st 2008 by Juan

107. That BITCH !!!!!!!!!! I am still mad at her even a week later. for my hard earned $ 5600.00 if she knew that she did not want to be seen on the screen at a large event like this, she should have stayed home and we could play her cds during the band changes. It would have been $1000.00 less.
She must be getting senile to be showing off all these old clothes instead of giving us what we paid for.

Posted at 6:11PM on Feb 1st 2008 by denise

108. It was not only that she didn't want to be seen on the monitors, it was also because she lipsynced her entire performance. The sound was low and "bland" not the rich sound you get during a live performance. And for those who made comments about Jamaicans making "petty criticsm" know this, most of the crowd there were foreigners who flew in for the show. However, don't you think that Jamaicans are just mere "natives" running around in grass skirts we are well educated and aware people but even if we weren't it is unfair to pay over US$100.00 to listen to a tape (or CD) we could have stayed at home and done that. Another thing, she changed so many times that we had to wonder if we had come to a fashion show. If she had even requested no video or no "closeup" shots but did a performance in her present voice I would not have felt so cheated. Name calling is not needed, age does take a toll on all of us but she DID disrespect her audience by her actions and that is what must be addressed on this forum.

Posted at 10:29PM on Feb 1st 2008 by dale_stud

109. I would like to know if the jazzfestival organizers knew of her request before, and if they did, why they did not inform the public.We would like to know who should be blamed (file lawsuite).I paid $80 US,That is more than some people days pay.

Posted at 8:05AM on Feb 2nd 2008 by AL

110. . Diana Ross is an old, aging hag that should have been put out to pastuer long ago. Just look at her face and listen to her "unenhanced" voice!

Posted at 7:57PM on Feb 3rd 2008 by DetroitD

111. It is a Jamaican tradition to stone the person on stage that does not deliver and have such contempt for the paying fans. I can not for the life of me understand why this did not happen, yard people yu let mi down.

Posted at 8:19PM on Feb 3rd 2008 by Andy

112. Though not a fan of her music, Ross is correct to dictate what is and what is not on her stage.
Her comfort is what matters, she is the singer. The promoter showed no respect for music itself.
These people who booed did not want music or a concert, they wanted a show.
Can't feel sorry for anyone who paid $307 a ticket, the price means nothing to them.

Posted at 6:46PM on Feb 4th 2008 by West

113. Ms. Ross...we love you. You know who we are....

Posted at 5:16PM on Feb 5th 2008 by Special1

114. You people are real idiots to disrespect Miss Ross,She is what put music in the radios,on records ,she has certainly brought
many years of great music ,so lay off,I am a true ross fan.
L.Cubine
Texas

Posted at 6:06PM on Mar 29th 2008 by lcubine

Previous 15 Comments

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