RIP: Maya Angelou

Brian in Mesa

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RIP.

True story - my grandma loved to read and loved poetry. Someone once got her a book of poetry by Maya Angelou...she thought it was horrible. It became a running joke every time there was a birthday, Mother's Day, etc. - we would say that we got her Maya's latest book of poetry and she'd frown and then crack up laughing.
 

Russ Smith

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I've only read a bit of her work, wasn't my cup of tea but I recognize her impact as a whole.

I had a very weird "experience" with her many years ago that always made it hard for me to "like" her. I was watching a talkshow and she was a guest, I don't remember who the host was, it was at least 20 years ago so this is not recent.

During a Q and A one of the audience members stands up, young girl late teens maybe, and she says "I have a question for Maya" and before she can ask the question, Angelou loudly cuts her off and goes into a tirade about how ignorant this girl is and how she clearly wasn't raised well by her parents to not know she should refer to her as Miss Angelou or Mrs not Maya because "I'm your elder not your equal."

The poor kid tried repeatedly to apologize, the host tried to change the subject, but Angelou would not drop it. Finally the girl, in tears now, sat down and then her mom sitting next to her jumps up and angrily starts defending her daughter and her parenting skills and says how we came here today to see you because you're one my idols and my daughter was so looking forward to this and you've now completely destroyed it for us.

I just googled it trying to see if I could find it but I couldn't. It was one of the more awkward moments I've ever seen on tv, it wasn't live I assume but while the original point may be true, you don't know her so don't call her by her first name, she was so over the top going after the poor girl it really colored my perception of her.

I have always assumed I just saw her on a bad day, but I can't hear her name without remembering that scene and how badly I felt for the kid. She never did get to ask her question IIRC.
 

MigratingOsprey

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hopefully she found some piece before passing

while her writing is nothing I'd ever go out of my way to read, you can't deny her literary and social importance at the time

i don't think I've seen her in the pay twenty years where she wasn't nasty as a person and it was very difficult to respect her or get pov
 
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