HARRY BELAFONTE SAYS ‘DAY-NO!’ TO ‘BANANA BOAT’ SPOOF

HARRY BELAFONTE SAYS ‘DAY-NO!’ TO ‘BANANA BOAT’ SPOOF

NEW YORK (Wireless Flash) – Harry Belafonte is saying “Day- no!” to a spoof version of “The Banana Boat Song.” Belafonte’s big hit has been turned into “Run Mr. Taliban,” by the morning jocks at Las Vegas radio station KOMP, which disses the Taliban with lyrics like, Run Mr. Taliban, we know where you’re hiding/ Air Force come and they flatten your home. It’s a huge hit on the internet – but not with Belafonte. He tells gossip reporter Baird Jones that, despite reports to the contrary, he is “appalled” by the war-oriented parody which he feels takes away the song’s “happy-go-lucky” mood and trivializes a tragedy. “Run Mr. Taliban” composers Al Miller and Doug Marsh are disappointed Belafonte doesn’t like their ditty, but are pleased that it’s a hit with the servicemen being sent to the Middle East. Meanwhile, Belafonte insists he doesn’t want to “get drawn into some kind of bad feeling contest” and promises he’s “not suing.”

Thu 12-06-01