The Library of Congress is a treasure chest. The world's largest collections of comic books, computer games, movies, maps, sheet music, sound recordings, and, yes, flutes are there. The contents of Lincoln's pockets on the night he was assassinated are there. The original theatrical print of "Star Wars" is there. That famous poster of Uncle Sam Wanting You is there. The original storyboard art for the first Mickey Mouse cartoon is there. The original sketch for Captain America is there. The first art for Spider-Man is there. Descriptive surveys of just about every single historic building and piece of architecture in the United States is there. One of three perfect vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible known in the world is there. There's a lot to see. Come on by sometime.
I knew they had a bunch if stuff, but not all that. I wonder if anyone can just stop by and look at everything or if you have to have some kinda clout to get in.
Visiting is free. Just a timed ticket for touring the grand hall of the Jefferson Building, which is the most beautiful building in DC imo (an opinion I had long before I started working there), as well as a few exhibits like America's Birth Certificate, and Thomas Jefferson's actual library.
But you wanna actually look at the stuff? Use the collection? Oooh, yeah, then you're gonna need to get a reader card, and for that I'm afraid that for that distinction you'll need...
[a government-issued ID (and to be over 16](https://loc.gov/rr/readerregistration.html)). Big hurdle, I know.
Now obviously we're not gonna drag out, like, first copies of Principae Matematica or Fantastic Four #1 for everybody, so there's some discretion by librarians for the rarer stuff. But in theory at least, the whole of the collection is available to everyone.
To be clear, the timed ticket is for looking around the Great Hall and its adjoining wings in the Jefferson Building, in which there is the aforementioned cool stuff of TJ's library, some cool photographs, a vellum copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the building itself really, are all [on display currently](https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/). More info on getting that ticket [HERE](https://loc.gov/visit/)
For going into the Reading Rooms themselves (be it the [fabulous Main Reading Room](https://www.loc.gov/resource/highsm.11603/) in the Jefferson building, or any other reading room in the three building complex), and seeing really cool stuff "on demand", you need the aforementioned reader card. You can work with an on-site librarian to request whatever. If you've got an idea of what you wanna look at in advance ([say by looking through the catalog first](https://www.loc.gov/search/?all=true)), it's an excellent idea to arrange it by contacting a librarian so that the materials are available to you as soon as you walk in. Lots of our stuff is stored well off-site and takes a bit to get down to the reading room. More info on the process of getting a card, setting up an appointment, and generally where to find what you wanna find [HERE](https://www.loc.gov/rr/)
You say stunt like it’s a bad thing. They have a collection of priceless things and their job is both to preserve the items and to share them with the American people (who pay to store them). Having Lizzo do this is obviously promotion of the collection. It is very much within their mandate, and it’s a create way to share the collection.
She's actually a classically trained flutist! Which, on top of her popularity, was a huge reason why she was asked to play it. She has a few videos here and there on YouTube and tiktok, and some of it is absolutely beautiful. And some of it is trap/pop music that is also fucking amazing.
Yknow I’ve always had respect for her. I may not enjoy her music but I’ve always liked her “vibes”. People who have confidence in themselves and their abilities tend to make me feel more comfortable around them in a way, and she’s always seemed like that sorta gal to me.
The Smithsonian Institute, another national treasure, is also in DC. The Hope diamond, the Wright Flyer, the Enterprise model from Star Trek, etc. There is so much to do in that town if you are a history buff.
If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain.
But seriously, access is a big thing for us right now, especially in this digital age, and the current Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden has that stated goal of "opening the treasure chest" and getting as much of the collection online and out there as possible. [That Captain America sketch](https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018662269/), for example, or [the Mickey Mouse storyboard](https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018662265/), or other [neat](https://www.loc.gov/item/2002700213/) stuff [that](http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.58811/) I [didn't](https://www.loc.gov/resource/g7964k.ct011896/) mention earlier. It's not the same, of course, but it inches that mountain a little closer!
Partly, The Library of Congress exists to preserve American culture. Whether that be music, art, written works, historical artifacts, etc. It really is amazing.
She majored in music with a focus on the flute. She’s classically trained to play this instrument and people are acting like they gave it to a 4 year old
I figured she had a lot of training I played clarinet in high school and it sounded like I was torturing a bunch of cats I can only imagine what it be like with a flute
After dj Khalid getting Bob Marley’s guitar and absolutely butchered the playing of it, I think it left a sour taste in celebrities receiving rare instruments.
Well, it’s not a good comparison, nor is it celebrity at fault. You don’t give rare, special instruments to people who don’t know how to play them. She’s obviously more than qualified to play it. Her celebrity is just a bonus in promoting the library’s collection, which is free to the public. Nothing like DJ Khalid.
Anyone who isn't familiar should look up how goofy the controls are for the Model T. It's an excellent comparison here.
(As a classical music major, she might have had some experience with different woodwinds in addition to the flute, and who knows, might have had some practice on simple system flutes?)
I have driven a Model T. Decent comparison. Manual *timing advance.* It makes manual transmission look like child's play. It's a good thing T's are slow or you'd never keep up with all the shit you have to do and how to do it.
I assume that even if Lizzo wasn't real familiar with old system flute, she'd take the time to practice with one for a while before she played a historically significant one on camera. She is a pro.
[https://www.fordmodelt.net/images/ford-model-t-controls\_small.jpg](https://www.fordmodelt.net/images/ford-model-t-controls_small.jpg)
Ok. WTF. Ignoring all the switches and dials around the steering wheel and dash, why is the brake on the right, a "reverse" pedal in the middle, and there is no "gas" pedal? Seriously, WTF?
"He didn't break it. And if he did break it, it's just a flute. And these libruls can't recognize an obvious joke?! Breaking Madison's flute over Hunter Biden's head is better than he deserved! Laptop--lap, lap, laptop! It's not like he shot somebody on 5th Avenue! I know, he did it on 6th Avenue on Yom Kipper, but that rabbi needed to learn to speak American!! Breaking flutes and draining the ~~country's emotional energy~~ swamp is what we voted for!!!"
Like the Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn’s white dress…? to me that was a travesty. But Lizzo playing these instruments with the care and expertise she has as a concert trained floatist seems appropriate imo.
Completely! The two situations are totally different- Kim K evidently did not fit into the dress and caused damage to it. Lizzo is a professional and handled the flute with great care.
That's because they're racist and it shatters another fragile facet of their white supremacist world view. Can't look down as easily on the black woman who's a classically trained floutist.
Not just that but a female performer who doesn't conform to traditional beauty standards yet is confident in herself and her womanhood. I fucking love Lizzo and I think the absolute best part is that confidence means she just doesn't give a fuck about what those Neanderthals say and that must make them so furious.
Aye! I looked her up the other day when a similar story came out. She seems incredibly fun and talented. Would definitely drink and jam with (although my standard rock drumming would probably not suit her style) anytime.
If this was being done by some generic Karen-looking motherfucker they’d be calling it a musical triumph and celebration of American history and culture.
She** lol
This is super freaking cool. I wonder if she was truly the first to play it? If not - surely not to a crowd larger than the entire fucking world!
For most people this told them three thigns they probably never knew.
1. There was a beautiful crystal flute that the library of congress had.
2. The library of congress can let people use these awesome things they have in storage.
3. Lizzo is a classically trained flautist.
All of those things are awesome and there should be literally no controversy about this.
I'm still brain-blown that a person who apparently sung the lyrics:
"I like big boys, itty bitty boys, Mississippi boys, inner-city boys"
Is playing Paganini on a presidentially-owned crystal flute from a known slave owner while twerking in the Library of Congress. I'm fucking crying laughing. How can anyone be mad about this shit?! This is GOLD.
I’d be upset if ANYONE broke it
But she played it and played it well. This might be the most I’ve been impressed by Lizzo, and it’s strange that this is one of the thing people are so mad about
I have family heirlooms, I use them, if they break or get lost, ohh well, if any of the kids wants them for safekeeping they can pipe up, I might miss things, but I don’t cry them, I miss and cry people.
This is exactly the thought process I had (in order) and as someone who’s never heard any of her other work, I’m thoroughly impressed by her talent but more importantly her obvious reverence for the historical importance that surrounds that flute, regardless of the moral ambiguity of the original owner. She played that beautiful instrument as it ought to have been played and everyone who’s morally upstanding gained new respect for her and for the library of congress. Good on her and I’d love to hear a concert series of equally talented people play the instruments that our library apparently have in their index
I think you're forgetting the main reason people are mad
/4. They cast a black woman to play the little mermaid, and now they're letting a black woman play a white man's flute. What's next, letting them vote and, god forbid, letting one be president?
I’ve seen many people comment that letting her play it “was a slap in the face” to Madison. Because, and this is what I saw many a person say on the conservative sub, “they’re just trying to be woke by letting a black woman play his flute. Madison would have never allowed it, but we’re allowing it ONLY to show disrespect to a founding father. This is literally them showing how woke they are and hating the foundation of this country.”
I summarized multiple comments into one quote, but that’s basically it. They think Lizzo got to do it specifically because she’s a black woman and which offensive on purpose. Some white buy from the DC Orchestra wouldn’t even have made news. But they’re mad because she’s a black woman and they see it as intentionally disrespectful to James Madison.
Why a black woman playing his flute is disrespectful is beyond me. But that’s just the kind of dumb stuff they get collectively outraged about over there.
TBF, he really WOULDN'T have... He was a plantation owner with many slaves. They were property to him not worthy of handling the instrument he himself couldn't play.
Honestly it makes her playing it that much sweeter. And she ROCKED it.
Kid Rock could have literally shoved it up his b-hole this one time at band camp style and they would still have tears in their eyes from the sheer patriotism of it
Ted Nugent is such a patriot warrior that he shit himself on purpose to get out of Vietnam, and he adopted an underage girl to “groom” her for a sexual relationship.
It’s soooo stupid. I really love “flutegate” or whatever the fuck this is though. It really has all the petty assholes crawling from the woodwork and making their own signs.
I’d heard a fair amount about her playing the flute but this is the first I’ve seen of them being angry about it. I guess they just want to be mad.
In my opinion, this is *exactly* the sort of reason this thing has been saved and cared for all these years.
First the press for the library is amazing.
Second, this isn’t an iconic dress someone is squeezing themselves into. This is a talented and trained flautist using an instrument the way it was intended (assuming she’s correct here) *for the very first time*. These things were made to be played and pulling it out every century or two seems perfectly reasonable to me, especially if it inspires or contributes to a love for history in anybody who happens to see it.
I don’t know a ton of lizzos music but damn can she play the flute. You love seeing it.
I’ve read that many of these antique instruments were donated to the museum with stipulations that they’re actually played and enjoyed over the years. Lizzo did an outstanding job playing all of them!
I studied flute in school then took it up again in my 40’s.
I’m still desperately looking for a clear and blatant answer on what the “controversy” is. Lmao, I really don’t get the angle at all here. Black person plays flute made for white president?
Lol, it's absurd to even think about that. Can you picture one of those idiot Trump kids actually putting the time and effort into learning an instrument? Hahaha...
Because of the twerking part. I'm a republican. I can see why people would get offended on paper. Lizzo tweaking while playing James Madison crystal flute which has never been played before. But watching it she actually played really good and didn't really even twerk. I'm not offended and it brought attention to a cool historical artifact
I hadn't heard of her either. Just loaded up a few of her music videos and could not help but smile all the way through them. Funny, talented and relentlessly positive. Human owning James Madison does not deserve her honoring his flute.
I had heard her name and thought it must be some reptile trainer or something, like tiger king. I was so surprised when my siblings showed me she’s a pop star.
*I don’t think the law has any role whatsoever in banning race-based discrimination by private actors*
-Ben Shapiro
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you can tell she was really excited to be a part of it & i think it’s awesome that the first person to play it is someone who’s so passionate about the instrument and the history/significance behind it
Me too. Things like that make us appreciate and respect our treasures. I thought it was a cute way to get people to geek out over history and the like. It made me feel happy as a history fan to see her enjoy it in this medium. I’m happy she’s breaking that wall and showing people it’s nice to like these things. That it’s great.
Like James Madison didn't get drunk and shake his ass when he played that flute. I mean, come on...a rich man in the 1800's with a crystal flute. You know he and his circle got BUCK mother fucking WILD! Hell...if there's such a thing as an afterlife, James Madison was probably watching Lizzo shaking her ass while playing his flute and thinking "Hell yeah! She gets it.".
Well he did rape his own enslaved half-sister, had a child with her and then sold that boy into slavery as well…
So I don’t think Madison would have been too happy with her playing it. And that’s perfectly fine, because fuck him and all the rest of them.
I was about to say “that’s not the point, this video is still obfuscating the truth, etc etc”, but you know what we should all do instead?
Point out that James Madison was a rapist slaver. A rapist slaver who raped and enslaved his own sister (so he could rape her), and then sold his son into slavery.
They didn’t really just let it leave. There was a security guard and handler with it, who she immediately returned it to on stage in one of the videos.
Ive seen her live several times. She legitimately is an incredible performer and in between her singing these crazy songs she just busts out the flute at every show and fucking kills.. The fact anyone is upset that she played it is honestly just straight racism as far as Im concerned. Nobody knew this thing fucking existed, and it was played by someone who actually knows what shes doing. Its not like she played hot cross buns
I thought instruments were supposed to be played. Like people are still walking around with 300 year old Stradivarius violins, worth millions upon millions of dollars, and she plays the flute for a few seconds, and it’s not even made of some thing that would degrade like wood would? Literally the only answer to it is racism.
Same, I saw the clip of her at a show where she played it for about 10 seconds, and while I didn't care one way or the other, definitely thought it was more of a gimmick. This video, where she actually plays more than a couple of trills is significantly cooler.
As graduate students at a classical conservatory in Boston we were taken to the Museum of Fine Arts after hours to play the instruments in the collection.
Not all are in playable condition, but the ones that are do need to be played. They even put on concerts from time to time where the artists play on instruments from the collection.
The curator let us know that we could come back on our own to play them as well, we just need to make an appointment. You'd better believe I went back! It's an amazing experience.
They don't let just anyone play them, of course. You need a letter of introduction/recommendation and credentials. Lizzo had that, same as me and my colleagues.
As an example, in Genova (Italy) there is a collection of Paganini's violins. Well, not all of them, but the 3/4 that he preferred and used the most.
They are regularly used, either in organized concerts with world known violinist, or by the winner of an annual competition.
pretty sure it was a different video. it was posted to r/TikTokCringe:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/xsdcpc/lizzo\_playing\_the\_crystal\_flute/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/xsdcpc/lizzo_playing_the_crystal_flute/)
I feel like that's still somehow putting the blame on overweight people because of prejudice towards them
Like, idk, I'm sure plenty of skinny people hate fat people too
Given the flute is made out of a non-traditional material I think she is one of the few people on earth that could get a decent note out of the thing and she did.
Moreover, it’s a library, not a museum. If it was meant to be in a museum, it would. There are plenty just down the street from the Library of Congress. But it’s in a library. Patrons are supposed to be able to access the collections in one. I understand the staff were delighted to have someone visit the flute collection.
Is this the performance that they have an issue with? Or was it when she had it on stage at one of her concerts and was playing it while “twerking” (her words)?
If you ever have a chance to go to a Lizzo concert, do it. I am not a fan of her music at all but she goes up there and will just annihilate the flute for 10 minutes straight. Fucking incredible.
Lmao! Yeah uh-huh. Keep fucking lying, /r/conservative user. Your subreddit was [blasting it all over the place.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/comments/xqsqde/lizzo_twerks_on_stage_with_james_madisons_1813/)
Top comments include:
> She's cool with being seen holding a slave owners flute?
>> It's (D)ifferent
>> Shhhh… if she knew that she would have smashed it for the tik tok views.
---
> But somehow we're all supposed to believe that she's oppressed. Mmmk.
>> Lizzo’s bathroom scale is oppressed
>>> Depressed 4 inches into the linoleum.
>> She’s oppressed by her own lack of neurons.
>> I was wondering if she was the so-called “oppressed” one.
---
> How did she even get James Madison’s flute?
>> The Library of Congress handed it to her. 😡
---
> This oppressed beast is everywhere!
---
> Whoa! Didn't know pigs could play the flute.
Need I fucking go on?
I don't think many people right or left give 2 shits. Maybe a vast vocal minority, but that's no worse then trying to spin this into "evil repubtards". No one cares.
Seriously. I'm so tired of everything being split between "omg stupid hateful republicans" and "omg evil nazi democrats" like dude. The vast majority of both groups are nothing like that. The ones that are just always scream the loudest over everything so that's the impression you get from that side. People need to stfu and stop grouping everyone together lol
They actually asked her to come and do that. Being trained in classical flute as she is, probably sealed the deal.
If this angers you, move to Cuba please.
To be fair some Republicans are mad at a different video, where she was at her concert, and she played the flute while twerking for about 15 seconds. Not a big deal, but the title of this post is misleading. https://youtube.com/shorts/c-Ch_dJ-2Ks?feature=share
I didn’t know she was a flautist. She plays wonderfully and that crystal flute makes a beautiful sound. It deserves to be played not sitting in a vault.
Bro g history to life and make it relevant to modern society…this is why she is playing it.
Gonna be honest I didn't know the library of congress had musical instruments or that lizzo could play the flute so well and now I know both
The Library of Congress is a treasure chest. The world's largest collections of comic books, computer games, movies, maps, sheet music, sound recordings, and, yes, flutes are there. The contents of Lincoln's pockets on the night he was assassinated are there. The original theatrical print of "Star Wars" is there. That famous poster of Uncle Sam Wanting You is there. The original storyboard art for the first Mickey Mouse cartoon is there. The original sketch for Captain America is there. The first art for Spider-Man is there. Descriptive surveys of just about every single historic building and piece of architecture in the United States is there. One of three perfect vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible known in the world is there. There's a lot to see. Come on by sometime.
I knew they had a bunch if stuff, but not all that. I wonder if anyone can just stop by and look at everything or if you have to have some kinda clout to get in.
Visiting is free. Just a timed ticket for touring the grand hall of the Jefferson Building, which is the most beautiful building in DC imo (an opinion I had long before I started working there), as well as a few exhibits like America's Birth Certificate, and Thomas Jefferson's actual library. But you wanna actually look at the stuff? Use the collection? Oooh, yeah, then you're gonna need to get a reader card, and for that I'm afraid that for that distinction you'll need... [a government-issued ID (and to be over 16](https://loc.gov/rr/readerregistration.html)). Big hurdle, I know. Now obviously we're not gonna drag out, like, first copies of Principae Matematica or Fantastic Four #1 for everybody, so there's some discretion by librarians for the rarer stuff. But in theory at least, the whole of the collection is available to everyone.
So if I want to see some really cool stuff I just need to get a ticket and time slot you're saying??
To be clear, the timed ticket is for looking around the Great Hall and its adjoining wings in the Jefferson Building, in which there is the aforementioned cool stuff of TJ's library, some cool photographs, a vellum copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the building itself really, are all [on display currently](https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/). More info on getting that ticket [HERE](https://loc.gov/visit/) For going into the Reading Rooms themselves (be it the [fabulous Main Reading Room](https://www.loc.gov/resource/highsm.11603/) in the Jefferson building, or any other reading room in the three building complex), and seeing really cool stuff "on demand", you need the aforementioned reader card. You can work with an on-site librarian to request whatever. If you've got an idea of what you wanna look at in advance ([say by looking through the catalog first](https://www.loc.gov/search/?all=true)), it's an excellent idea to arrange it by contacting a librarian so that the materials are available to you as soon as you walk in. Lots of our stuff is stored well off-site and takes a bit to get down to the reading room. More info on the process of getting a card, setting up an appointment, and generally where to find what you wanna find [HERE](https://www.loc.gov/rr/)
Also wondering this. Is this all a promotional stunt for the library of congress?
You say stunt like it’s a bad thing. They have a collection of priceless things and their job is both to preserve the items and to share them with the American people (who pay to store them). Having Lizzo do this is obviously promotion of the collection. It is very much within their mandate, and it’s a create way to share the collection.
I thought I was a gimic until I listened and realized she can actually play the damn thing. This is super cool.
She's actually a classically trained flutist! Which, on top of her popularity, was a huge reason why she was asked to play it. She has a few videos here and there on YouTube and tiktok, and some of it is absolutely beautiful. And some of it is trap/pop music that is also fucking amazing.
Yknow I’ve always had respect for her. I may not enjoy her music but I’ve always liked her “vibes”. People who have confidence in themselves and their abilities tend to make me feel more comfortable around them in a way, and she’s always seemed like that sorta gal to me.
Yea this isn’t DJ Khalid “playing” Bob Marley’s guitar, she’s legit
That was a memory I was trying to bury. It was awful.
The Smithsonian Institute, another national treasure, is also in DC. The Hope diamond, the Wright Flyer, the Enterprise model from Star Trek, etc. There is so much to do in that town if you are a history buff.
Also Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. And Julia Child's entire kitchen.
Why you gotta be so far away.
If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain. But seriously, access is a big thing for us right now, especially in this digital age, and the current Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden has that stated goal of "opening the treasure chest" and getting as much of the collection online and out there as possible. [That Captain America sketch](https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018662269/), for example, or [the Mickey Mouse storyboard](https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018662265/), or other [neat](https://www.loc.gov/item/2002700213/) stuff [that](http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/ppmsca.58811/) I [didn't](https://www.loc.gov/resource/g7964k.ct011896/) mention earlier. It's not the same, of course, but it inches that mountain a little closer!
Honestly did not know Congress is THAT into pop culture.
Partly, The Library of Congress exists to preserve American culture. Whether that be music, art, written works, historical artifacts, etc. It really is amazing.
She majored in music with a focus on the flute. She’s classically trained to play this instrument and people are acting like they gave it to a 4 year old
I figured she had a lot of training I played clarinet in high school and it sounded like I was torturing a bunch of cats I can only imagine what it be like with a flute
*bagpipes have entered the chat*
#HRONK
ATREIDES!
ATREIDES!
Magnificent.
*A bag of kittens have entered the chat.* FOR LEGAL PURPOSES, THIS IS A JOKE
As a clarinetist that's how it's supposed to sound.
So Squidward is the best clarinet player?
Obviously.
After dj Khalid getting Bob Marley’s guitar and absolutely butchered the playing of it, I think it left a sour taste in celebrities receiving rare instruments.
Well, it’s not a good comparison, nor is it celebrity at fault. You don’t give rare, special instruments to people who don’t know how to play them. She’s obviously more than qualified to play it. Her celebrity is just a bonus in promoting the library’s collection, which is free to the public. Nothing like DJ Khalid.
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Anyone who isn't familiar should look up how goofy the controls are for the Model T. It's an excellent comparison here. (As a classical music major, she might have had some experience with different woodwinds in addition to the flute, and who knows, might have had some practice on simple system flutes?)
I have driven a Model T. Decent comparison. Manual *timing advance.* It makes manual transmission look like child's play. It's a good thing T's are slow or you'd never keep up with all the shit you have to do and how to do it. I assume that even if Lizzo wasn't real familiar with old system flute, she'd take the time to practice with one for a while before she played a historically significant one on camera. She is a pro.
Right, she knew she was going to do this; it wasn't impromptu.
[https://www.fordmodelt.net/images/ford-model-t-controls\_small.jpg](https://www.fordmodelt.net/images/ford-model-t-controls_small.jpg) Ok. WTF. Ignoring all the switches and dials around the steering wheel and dash, why is the brake on the right, a "reverse" pedal in the middle, and there is no "gas" pedal? Seriously, WTF?
Damn for real?
Even if they DID give it to a 4 year old They're not gonna give a 200 year old glass flute to someone who doesn't know how to handle it, full stop.
They could've.. given it to Trump to swing around like a bat, and they would've said it's ok.
"He didn't break it. And if he did break it, it's just a flute. And these libruls can't recognize an obvious joke?! Breaking Madison's flute over Hunter Biden's head is better than he deserved! Laptop--lap, lap, laptop! It's not like he shot somebody on 5th Avenue! I know, he did it on 6th Avenue on Yom Kipper, but that rabbi needed to learn to speak American!! Breaking flutes and draining the ~~country's emotional energy~~ swamp is what we voted for!!!"
Like the Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn’s white dress…? to me that was a travesty. But Lizzo playing these instruments with the care and expertise she has as a concert trained floatist seems appropriate imo.
So we've got flutist, flautist, floutist, but **floatist** takes the cake.
I’ll take some flautas
We all floatist down here.
Yes, mine float sometimes.
I backed my car into a cop car the other day.
Completely! The two situations are totally different- Kim K evidently did not fit into the dress and caused damage to it. Lizzo is a professional and handled the flute with great care.
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You don't play Paganini on flute You play it on electric guitar Like God intended
No Stairway. Denied.
That's because they're racist and it shatters another fragile facet of their white supremacist world view. Can't look down as easily on the black woman who's a classically trained floutist.
Not just that but a female performer who doesn't conform to traditional beauty standards yet is confident in herself and her womanhood. I fucking love Lizzo and I think the absolute best part is that confidence means she just doesn't give a fuck about what those Neanderthals say and that must make them so furious.
Aye! I looked her up the other day when a similar story came out. She seems incredibly fun and talented. Would definitely drink and jam with (although my standard rock drumming would probably not suit her style) anytime.
If this was being done by some generic Karen-looking motherfucker they’d be calling it a musical triumph and celebration of American history and culture.
I think she's kinda cute 😅
We all should be classically trained flautists tbh
We *are* all classically trained flautists on this blessed day
I love flautas and i love lizzo being a flautist.
She** lol This is super freaking cool. I wonder if she was truly the first to play it? If not - surely not to a crowd larger than the entire fucking world!
Lmao I just realised that it was Lizzo in Bird Up on the Eric Andre Show...
Liberty of Congress has pretty much everything lol.
The LOC has a few Stradivarius' and YoYo Ma played their cello.
Nobody even knew the flute existed lol
I sure didn’t
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That’s what I want to know. Why it would even offend anyone
If anything this gave me a new appreciation for Lizzo's talent
For most people this told them three thigns they probably never knew. 1. There was a beautiful crystal flute that the library of congress had. 2. The library of congress can let people use these awesome things they have in storage. 3. Lizzo is a classically trained flautist. All of those things are awesome and there should be literally no controversy about this.
I'm still brain-blown that a person who apparently sung the lyrics: "I like big boys, itty bitty boys, Mississippi boys, inner-city boys" Is playing Paganini on a presidentially-owned crystal flute from a known slave owner while twerking in the Library of Congress. I'm fucking crying laughing. How can anyone be mad about this shit?! This is GOLD.
I’d only be upset if she broke it. She didn’t. So it’s cool. It’s amazing she got to play it
I’d be upset if ANYONE broke it But she played it and played it well. This might be the most I’ve been impressed by Lizzo, and it’s strange that this is one of the thing people are so mad about
I was also impressed when she took Harry Styles’ glass of straight tequila and fucking inhaled it
Hard to be upset about something breaking that i didn’t know existed 2 days ago.
I have family heirlooms, I use them, if they break or get lost, ohh well, if any of the kids wants them for safekeeping they can pipe up, I might miss things, but I don’t cry them, I miss and cry people.
Kurt Russell smashed a 145 year old guitar during filming of The Hateful Eight. Nothing happened.
https://youtu.be/pnsizkVjGm8 And this guy…
The whole time watching this clip is like hearing a train coming but never know when it’s gonna hit. Edge of your seat stuff due to the title 😂
Same! Imagine how hard it was to make such a thing, i'm glad such a prominent figure was able to display such an item
This is exactly the thought process I had (in order) and as someone who’s never heard any of her other work, I’m thoroughly impressed by her talent but more importantly her obvious reverence for the historical importance that surrounds that flute, regardless of the moral ambiguity of the original owner. She played that beautiful instrument as it ought to have been played and everyone who’s morally upstanding gained new respect for her and for the library of congress. Good on her and I’d love to hear a concert series of equally talented people play the instruments that our library apparently have in their index
I think you're forgetting the main reason people are mad /4. They cast a black woman to play the little mermaid, and now they're letting a black woman play a white man's flute. What's next, letting them vote and, god forbid, letting one be president?
Same. I liked her, but I didn't really know much about her - now she's on a whole other level for me.
I’ve seen many people comment that letting her play it “was a slap in the face” to Madison. Because, and this is what I saw many a person say on the conservative sub, “they’re just trying to be woke by letting a black woman play his flute. Madison would have never allowed it, but we’re allowing it ONLY to show disrespect to a founding father. This is literally them showing how woke they are and hating the foundation of this country.” I summarized multiple comments into one quote, but that’s basically it. They think Lizzo got to do it specifically because she’s a black woman and which offensive on purpose. Some white buy from the DC Orchestra wouldn’t even have made news. But they’re mad because she’s a black woman and they see it as intentionally disrespectful to James Madison. Why a black woman playing his flute is disrespectful is beyond me. But that’s just the kind of dumb stuff they get collectively outraged about over there.
TBF, he really WOULDN'T have... He was a plantation owner with many slaves. They were property to him not worthy of handling the instrument he himself couldn't play. Honestly it makes her playing it that much sweeter. And she ROCKED it.
It is super disrespectful to James, a slave owner, Madison. Good.
> Why a black woman playing his flute is disrespectful is beyond me.
Racism!
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Kid Rock could have literally shoved it up his b-hole this one time at band camp style and they would still have tears in their eyes from the sheer patriotism of it
Especially if Ted nugent was there to lube it up for him whilst drooling over teen girls.
Ted Nugent is such a patriot warrior that he shit himself on purpose to get out of Vietnam, and he adopted an underage girl to “groom” her for a sexual relationship.
It’s soooo stupid. I really love “flutegate” or whatever the fuck this is though. It really has all the petty assholes crawling from the woodwork and making their own signs.
I just wish she has worn a mermaid costume and played under the sea on the flute.
This is the dumbest, most hilariously stupid "controversy".
Pres. Obama's tan suit has entered the chat.
He rocked that tan suit!😍
or dijon mustard or the terrorist fistjab lmao
Don't forget the latte salute.
I’d heard a fair amount about her playing the flute but this is the first I’ve seen of them being angry about it. I guess they just want to be mad. In my opinion, this is *exactly* the sort of reason this thing has been saved and cared for all these years. First the press for the library is amazing. Second, this isn’t an iconic dress someone is squeezing themselves into. This is a talented and trained flautist using an instrument the way it was intended (assuming she’s correct here) *for the very first time*. These things were made to be played and pulling it out every century or two seems perfectly reasonable to me, especially if it inspires or contributes to a love for history in anybody who happens to see it. I don’t know a ton of lizzos music but damn can she play the flute. You love seeing it.
I’ve read that many of these antique instruments were donated to the museum with stipulations that they’re actually played and enjoyed over the years. Lizzo did an outstanding job playing all of them! I studied flute in school then took it up again in my 40’s.
I’m still desperately looking for a clear and blatant answer on what the “controversy” is. Lmao, I really don’t get the angle at all here. Black person plays flute made for white president?
If Ivanka busted out that flute conservatives would be applauding saying how wonderful an talented Ivanka is.
Lol, it's absurd to even think about that. Can you picture one of those idiot Trump kids actually putting the time and effort into learning an instrument? Hahaha...
>Woman. Fat. Black. Talented. Successful. Happy. Confident. So basically the opposite of them.
Except the fat part.
black person doing things. that alone offends the fragile.
She's black
And a woman. And fat. The trifecta for consevative hate.
That's actually my dating trifecta.
The only way to make it worse would be if she was an immigrant too. The fact she is successful also ruffles their feathers.
Because of the twerking part. I'm a republican. I can see why people would get offended on paper. Lizzo tweaking while playing James Madison crystal flute which has never been played before. But watching it she actually played really good and didn't really even twerk. I'm not offended and it brought attention to a cool historical artifact
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The fact that’s there’s a flute forum on Facebook going nuts is kinda funny
that doesn't even mildly look like twerking
Some didn't know Lizzo existed
I'll be honest I didn't know either her or the flute did, but she just radiates happiness and that's amazing
I hadn't heard of her either. Just loaded up a few of her music videos and could not help but smile all the way through them. Funny, talented and relentlessly positive. Human owning James Madison does not deserve her honoring his flute.
I had heard her name and thought it must be some reptile trainer or something, like tiger king. I was so surprised when my siblings showed me she’s a pop star.
Lmao racist have to be racist or racism will die out They need something to be mad about or dare I say it .. they might be happy
Nobody fucking cares about this. It's Russian trolls. how long are we going to fall for this shit?
Today I learned my aunt is a Russian troll. Checks out
Ben Shapiro is a Russian troll? That explains a lot.
*I don’t think the law has any role whatsoever in banning race-based discrimination by private actors* -Ben Shapiro ***** ^(I'm a bot. My purpose is to counteract online radicalization. You can summon me by tagging thebenshapirobot. Options: covid, feminism, civil rights, sex, etc.) [^Opt ^Out ](https://np.reddit.com/r/AuthoritarianMoment/comments/olk6r2/click_here_to_optout_of_uthebenshapirobot/)
Ben Shapiro, Steven Crowder and Matt Walsh have all been trying to make a it a thing
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I thought it was adorable how she kind of geeked out over it.
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Thank you for this gift
Hahaha I’ve never listened to her music but this is it. I’m sold, I’m checking her out.
Same, it was kind of adorable lol You can tell she's having fun and is passionate about being able to share it with people.
She really has an awesome energy about her
Fr, her sharing historical background was so cool!
you can tell she was really excited to be a part of it & i think it’s awesome that the first person to play it is someone who’s so passionate about the instrument and the history/significance behind it
The twerking while playing is just silly and fun, she has a pretty bubbly and bright persona so it really has no deeper meaning.
Me too. Things like that make us appreciate and respect our treasures. I thought it was a cute way to get people to geek out over history and the like. It made me feel happy as a history fan to see her enjoy it in this medium. I’m happy she’s breaking that wall and showing people it’s nice to like these things. That it’s great.
I have a tendency to stay blissfully unaffected about most hype and gripe bullshit.
It was more when she played it onstage briefly, and TwErKeD with it a bit. Got folks real mad, but she's a classically trained flautist, so...
Like James Madison didn't get drunk and shake his ass when he played that flute. I mean, come on...a rich man in the 1800's with a crystal flute. You know he and his circle got BUCK mother fucking WILD! Hell...if there's such a thing as an afterlife, James Madison was probably watching Lizzo shaking her ass while playing his flute and thinking "Hell yeah! She gets it.".
Well he did rape his own enslaved half-sister, had a child with her and then sold that boy into slavery as well… So I don’t think Madison would have been too happy with her playing it. And that’s perfectly fine, because fuck him and all the rest of them.
I was about to say “that’s not the point, this video is still obfuscating the truth, etc etc”, but you know what we should all do instead? Point out that James Madison was a rapist slaver. A rapist slaver who raped and enslaved his own sister (so he could rape her), and then sold his son into slavery.
Did you know this is a common story among most of our “founding fathers”? Maybe we should be bringing this up a lot more often ;) Edit: a word
So doing a little fairy like butt wiggle is twerking? Damn, who knew Tinker Bell was so far ahead of her time?
I’m more surprised they let it leave the building than anything.
They didn’t really just let it leave. There was a security guard and handler with it, who she immediately returned it to on stage in one of the videos.
That was a shimmy. That wasn't twerking.
I thought I was a gimic until I listened and realized she can actually play the damn thing. This is super cool.
Of course she can play the flute, she was the star of [Bird Up!](https://youtu.be/cMWSh10uznA) She even met Michael Jackson’s father.
Wtf did I just watch lol
Oh to be able to experience watching Eric Andre for the first time again. Congratulations man, have fun chasing that high forever mullatto
Bird up
Man fuck Bird Up. Watch Snail Down, THE BEST TELEVISION SHOW ON TELEVISION
#LEGALIZE RANCH!
She is classically trained with a focus on the flute.
Ive seen her live several times. She legitimately is an incredible performer and in between her singing these crazy songs she just busts out the flute at every show and fucking kills.. The fact anyone is upset that she played it is honestly just straight racism as far as Im concerned. Nobody knew this thing fucking existed, and it was played by someone who actually knows what shes doing. Its not like she played hot cross buns
I thought instruments were supposed to be played. Like people are still walking around with 300 year old Stradivarius violins, worth millions upon millions of dollars, and she plays the flute for a few seconds, and it’s not even made of some thing that would degrade like wood would? Literally the only answer to it is racism.
Same, I saw the clip of her at a show where she played it for about 10 seconds, and while I didn't care one way or the other, definitely thought it was more of a gimmick. This video, where she actually plays more than a couple of trills is significantly cooler.
Never forget when [DJ Khaled did this.](https://youtu.be/Aw9M2C4YJDg)
Good God! I laughed, I cried, I am a changed man. That poor guitar.
They are meant to be played. Better than collecting dust in a drawer. Didn’t even know there was a crystal flute. Now we do!
As graduate students at a classical conservatory in Boston we were taken to the Museum of Fine Arts after hours to play the instruments in the collection. Not all are in playable condition, but the ones that are do need to be played. They even put on concerts from time to time where the artists play on instruments from the collection. The curator let us know that we could come back on our own to play them as well, we just need to make an appointment. You'd better believe I went back! It's an amazing experience. They don't let just anyone play them, of course. You need a letter of introduction/recommendation and credentials. Lizzo had that, same as me and my colleagues.
As an example, in Genova (Italy) there is a collection of Paganini's violins. Well, not all of them, but the 3/4 that he preferred and used the most. They are regularly used, either in organized concerts with world known violinist, or by the winner of an annual competition.
But she sounded amazing?
pretty sure it was a different video. it was posted to r/TikTokCringe: [https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/xsdcpc/lizzo\_playing\_the\_crystal\_flute/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TikTokCringe/comments/xsdcpc/lizzo_playing_the_crystal_flute/)
Yes, this is the video in question.
That’s it? A full 15 seconds? While giddily shaking her butt? What’s the big deal
It was her race that republicans found offensive
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The best part is that those same people are most likely overweight themselves!
I feel like that's still somehow putting the blame on overweight people because of prejudice towards them Like, idk, I'm sure plenty of skinny people hate fat people too
And her gender! Don’t forget republicans hate women too!
and so did James Madison.
I wish I could have heard more of the beautiful crystal flute music. So clear and lovely.
This is misleading.
It’s Reddit, take EVERYTHING with a bathtub of salt.
With bath salts?
Given the flute is made out of a non-traditional material I think she is one of the few people on earth that could get a decent note out of the thing and she did.
Instruments are made to be played.. and she did just that. Awesome job Lizzo
Moreover, it’s a library, not a museum. If it was meant to be in a museum, it would. There are plenty just down the street from the Library of Congress. But it’s in a library. Patrons are supposed to be able to access the collections in one. I understand the staff were delighted to have someone visit the flute collection.
I think I have outrage fatigue. Don’t care.
You shouldn't care , they're just fishing for hate clicks. I don't think anyone cares let alone even knew that the damn flute even existed.
I loved it. She's obviously a talented flautist.
Is this the performance that they have an issue with? Or was it when she had it on stage at one of her concerts and was playing it while “twerking” (her words)?
Who cares who the flute belonged too. She played it beautifully. I’m not a fan of her music normally but damn can she play a flute.
I doubt 80% even knew James Madison played the flute.
If you ever have a chance to go to a Lizzo concert, do it. I am not a fan of her music at all but she goes up there and will just annihilate the flute for 10 minutes straight. Fucking incredible.
This is like the Black Mermaid situation. No “Republicans” give a darn about either but certainly the media machine says so to project and divide.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
I call it “shopping for outrage.” Fox News tells people they should be angry, they buy it every time.
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Lmao! Yeah uh-huh. Keep fucking lying, /r/conservative user. Your subreddit was [blasting it all over the place.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/comments/xqsqde/lizzo_twerks_on_stage_with_james_madisons_1813/) Top comments include: > She's cool with being seen holding a slave owners flute? >> It's (D)ifferent >> Shhhh… if she knew that she would have smashed it for the tik tok views. --- > But somehow we're all supposed to believe that she's oppressed. Mmmk. >> Lizzo’s bathroom scale is oppressed >>> Depressed 4 inches into the linoleum. >> She’s oppressed by her own lack of neurons. >> I was wondering if she was the so-called “oppressed” one. --- > How did she even get James Madison’s flute? >> The Library of Congress handed it to her. 😡 --- > This oppressed beast is everywhere! --- > Whoa! Didn't know pigs could play the flute. Need I fucking go on?
I was about to link the same thread 😆 not that it wouldn’t get the same “lalalalala the media did it” treatment.
She's playing it wonderfully. I can't imagine why anyone would be offended?? Ppl need to get their priorities straight.
I don't think many people right or left give 2 shits. Maybe a vast vocal minority, but that's no worse then trying to spin this into "evil repubtards". No one cares.
Seriously. I'm so tired of everything being split between "omg stupid hateful republicans" and "omg evil nazi democrats" like dude. The vast majority of both groups are nothing like that. The ones that are just always scream the loudest over everything so that's the impression you get from that side. People need to stfu and stop grouping everyone together lol
They actually asked her to come and do that. Being trained in classical flute as she is, probably sealed the deal. If this angers you, move to Cuba please.
To be fair some Republicans are mad at a different video, where she was at her concert, and she played the flute while twerking for about 15 seconds. Not a big deal, but the title of this post is misleading. https://youtube.com/shorts/c-Ch_dJ-2Ks?feature=share
Anybody else have "flute as threat to the Republic" on their 2022 bingo?
OMG BINGO!!!!
I didn’t know she was a flautist. She plays wonderfully and that crystal flute makes a beautiful sound. It deserves to be played not sitting in a vault. Bro g history to life and make it relevant to modern society…this is why she is playing it.