lost in america

Watching Pope coverage on the American news networks.
Last night he was in Philadephia for a monster gathering.
As always on these occasions I essay a faint superiority vis a vis the networks' editorial decisions as to what is worth showing.
It was fun flicking between the leftist pseudo liberal CNN, the supposedly right wing Fox News and the self described Catholic channel EWTN to discover that each network was agreed on one thing.
They seemed to have agreed on the essential probity of talking over comedian Jim Gaffigan who was doing a warm up for the Pap.
Memo to the news networks: Do you really think people want to listen to Wolf Blitzer, Julia Banderas and Raymond Arroyo over Jim Gaffigan?
Seriously though.
Wolf, Julia and Raymond are all very professional people.
But Jim Gaffigan is funny.
And that's a rare quality in these strange modern times.
There was a similar moment later in the night when a rock band styled The Frey were screeching away before a bemused Pope who was probably thinking: "In Argentina I could have you shot.".
The commentators were reverentially silent.
Then a black kid stepped forward and began to sing Pie Jesu.
This is one of the best songs ever.
Like I'm not joking folks, you gotta hear it.
And the kid could really do it.
It was perfect for him. It was perfect because of him. It was perfect because of what it is even without him.
But the kid could really do it.
And as he began to sing, the commentators started talking over him.
The kid's singing was like the moment of the night.
And the lads all started chatting: "Pope looks happy," "Pope's enjoying this," "Pope's gotta be thinking: It's good to be the Pope," and so on.
I thought it was a howl.
Well I howled a bit anyway until they shut up.
The kid provided another great moment after he'd finished when the Pope gave him a rosary beads and he was walking offstage but suddenly he ran back and said to the Master of Ceremonies actor Mark Wahlberg: "I loved you in Ted."
Priceless.
There were many great moments.
Most of all I enjoyed my beloved guest commentators from the priesthood on the various networks attempting to suggest that Pope Francis is not controversial, is not departing from the heart of the ancient faith, and could not be some sort of socialist.
Some of them even squirmed.
Personally I'd prefer a socialist as Pope to some sort of apocalyptic figure supernaturally undermining the Catholic Church from within.
If these are the choices I'd settle for the socialist.
It's what I really hope he is.
A socialist Pope is my least worst scenario with this guy.
Then there was a singer called Marie Miller who with some very distinctive musicians alongside her showed what can be done with real country music and the quality of the genuine.
Ah the quality of the genuine.
If I could fake that I'd be a rich man.
That old gag.
Another great moment came from Aretha Franklin.
What she did with Amazing Grace was pure poetry.
As in, I didn't understand a word of it but I felt it must be good.
She didn't greet the Pope either like the others did, just danced off stage and was gone.
Might have reservations like myself.
We soul singers sometimes get the most striking intuitions...