About an hour into her debut set at Joe’s Pub, Betty Buckley began to sing the poignant ballad from ‘Cats’ that has earned her a devoted following—including, as she later discovered, President Trump.
At 77, Ms. Buckley, who often shares critiques of the Trump Administration on social media, chose not to mention the former president while delivering her powerful rendition of ‘Memory.’ Her performance stirred the appreciative crowd into applause, whistles, and cheers, yet she remained silent about the unexpected fan in the audience.
Following that number, she transitioned into Paul Simon’s ‘American Tune,’ highlighting lyrics such as 'I don’t have a friend who feels at ease' and 'I wonder what’s gone wrong.' She described the song as ‘especially fitting for the strange and unsettling times we’re living through.’
The past few months have been unusual for Ms. Buckley. While she had long known of Mr. Trump’s fondness for ‘Memory,’ she was unaware that her particular interpretation from the 1982 Broadway production was his preferred version of Grizabella—the once-glamorous feline whose heartfelt plea is the emotional climax of the musical.
Her awareness came after Mr. Trump, during a March address to the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—where he was appointed chairman by his selected trustees—recalled attending the show. ‘The place went crazy,’ he said of the ‘Cats’ performance, before asking rhetorically, ‘Is Betty Buckley still alive?’ He added, ‘Of all the great voices and stars, even bigger stars than her, she had the best voice.’
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