People are sharing this letter Aretha Franklin sent a critic in 1993 because it’s just so good
Aretha Franklin, ‘the queen of soul’ and regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time, has died aged 76.
There will be many, many tributes paid over the coming days, as well as people sharing memories of her, including this one, shared by @LettersOfNote.
It went viral because it’s such a great, great letter, in response to a New York Post critic who said this.
“[Aretha Franklin] must know she’s too bosomy to wear such clothing, but she just doesn’t care what we think, and that attitude is what separates mere stars from true divas.”
And here’s what Aretha Franklin wrote in return.
In 1993 NY Post columnist Liz Smith wrote: "[Aretha Franklin] must know she’s too bosomy to wear such clothing, but she just doesn't care what we think, and that attitude is what separates mere stars from true divas.”
Aretha wrote to her… pic.twitter.com/wpm6JlbqDa
— Letters of Note (@LettersOfNote) August 16, 2018
And here are a few responses online.
https://twitter.com/cjane87/status/1030101167387361281
25 year old shade is still ice cold. RIP Aretha. https://t.co/3nJRkTWi5k
— April (@ReignOfApril) August 16, 2018
I'm sorry but from the way I read it, Liz Smith is actually paying her a compliment? Am i missinh something?
— Mohd Saufi (@SaufiDw) August 16, 2018
A backhanded "compliment" isn't one. She should not have said anything about her body.
— Octavia Butler Predicted This MAGA Dystopia (@MsGo) August 16, 2018
Burn so bad, I felt it, years later.
RESPECT, indeed.— Wah Lung (@burnzy25) August 16, 2018
— Jaime Primak (@JaimePrimak) August 16, 2018