The night Carly Simon lost her shit onstage

PAYWALLED, YOU INCESTUOUS CUNT!

It wasn't for me, you moronic shit splatter!

It’s been well-documented that Bob Marley played the final concert of his brilliant career at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh. It took place at the venue now known as the Benedum on Sept. 23, 1980, a few days after he collapsed while jogging in New York City due to complications from melanoma.

After the column last week about canceled concerts, something extraordinary came to light. A reader sent a link to a story on classicrockers.com about Carly Simon collapsing at the Stanley in October 1981 due to an anxiety attack. It also appears on abcnews.com describing how the “pop queen” responsible for such hits as “You’re So Vain,” “Anticipation” and “Nobody Does It Better” fell ill during the first of two shows there that night.

'I had two choices,' Simon told The New York Times. 'I could either leave the stage and say I was sick or tell the audience the truth. I decided to tell them I was having an anxiety attack, and they were incredibly supportive. They said, 'Go with it — we'll be with you.' But after two songs, I was still having palpitations. I suggested that I might feel better if someone came on the stage. About 50 people came up, and it was like an encounter group. They rubbed my arms and legs and said, 'We love you,' and I was able to finish the first show. But I collapsed before the second show with 10,000 people waiting.”

There are a few things off with this account of the story, starting with the fact that the Stanley held about 3,400 people and during that 7:30 p.m. show, Simon played between 45 minutes and an hour.

The other thing — and this is extraordinary — is that it did not take place in 1981. This happened on Oct. 4, 1980, less than two weeks after the Bob Marley episode.

I reached out once again to Rich Engler, then of DiCesare-Engler Productions, which did both of these historic events.

“Both shows were sold out,” he says of the Simon night. “During the first show, she was barely passable. She had all the lights dimmed down to where you barely see her, and she kept inviting people on stage so she could be surrounded by people. Pete Hewlett [of Pittsburgh’s Novo Combo] was singing backup.

“She gets through the first show, almost an hour, and leaves the stage. I ran into Pete and he says, ‘I don’t think she’s gonna play another show.’ ”

Engler then finds Simon’s older sister, Lucy, who tells him she’s having a breakdown. “I’ve got 3,500 people outside,” he tells her. “Don’t let them in,” Lucy says. Engler goes back to check on Simon, attempting to give her a pep talk, telling her how much her fans want to see her.

“When I say, ‘Can we open the doors?’ she lets out a horrible “waaaaaaah” scream/cry, and I knew it was over,” he says.

Security went out to tell people that the show was canceled, but to hold on to their tickets.

“Little did I know they would be collectors’ items,” Engler says.

Simon rarely performed live after that, but did do a brief tour in 1995.

Breakdown?

Well, when you're in Pittsburgh you have to do SOMETHING.

^Brilliant, R4 .

Was she drunk, or was it a pill-related nervous collapse?

I knew she lost all her money to Madoff, but I didn't realize she lost her marbles along the way, too.

Joan Baez wouldn't have pulled that kind of shit.

Apparently she'd always had stage fright but it hit particularly hard at the Pittsburgh concert.

Just skimmed the chapter in her book where she mentions this and it was as her marriage to James was ending. She had severe heart palpitations and there was apparently blood on her pants pants visible on stage (assuming vaginal blood based on the description).

She shit on stage?

SHITS FIRED!

I’ll be in the orchestra pit!

Me too!

STEALTH SCAT THREAD!

[quote] I knew she lost all her money to Madoff

She may have expected to never recover any of the money, but as of last year, Bernie's clients recovered about 81% of their losses according to the U.S, Department of Justice.

^ If his clients were poors they would just be out of their life savings with no recovery.

Carly

Carly Simon always had stage fright and performance anxiety. She hates being the center spotlight and prefers performing with others.

R13 The ones who had less money got the overwhelming majority back. The ones who invested tens of millions got 50% at best.

This song is so sad, yet funny. The husky voice, the tunnels of long distance, the "we're so close, we don't words at all" of it all. What I'm trying to say is... I love it.

I think it's normal and sane to be fearful of large crowds. It shows she's a human being. It's far weirder to be like Taylor Swift or Britney, constantly needing the attention of the audience or camera.

Is this because she walked in on her closeted hubby sucking off JFK Jr?

James Taylor is gay, r20?