Fred and the iPod

Word is out that Fred Honsberger will be talking about the iPod the President gave to the Queen.

I have no idea what Fred will say or how he'll say it but if you're reading this and you plan on listening to Fred's show today, here's some actual facts for you.

From the AP:

Obama gave Queen Elizabeth II an engraved iPod during his visit to Buckingham Palace. The portable music device came with headphones and already loaded with 40 songs, all classic show tunes — including several from "Camelot," based on the King Arthur legend, and "My Fair Lady," set in London. The president and first lady also gave the queen a rare book of songs signed by "The King and I" composer Richard Rodgers.

The iPod also included photos and video from the queen's visit to Washington and Virginia in 2007.

Now you might ask "an iPod? Why would someone give the Queen of England an iPod?" And to those rhetorical questions you might find yourself answering, "That's just crazy. Or maybe it's because the person giving the iPod lacks the proper understanding of Royal Etiquette. That must be it"

Or maybe, (this via Fox "News" - transcript via mediamatters):

BRET BAIER (host): Major, my wife tells me I'm not the best gift giver, but after President Obama gave Prime Minister Brown the set of DVDs that didn't work in Great Britain, we hear that he gave the queen an iPod?

MAJOR GARRETT (Fox News senior White House correspondent): Yes, a video iPod, which we are told by White House staff the queen requested. She has an audio iPod, but not a video iPod.

Remember that: The Queen requested the iPod.

UPDATE: In the first hour and a half of his show, Fred said he was playing the music found on the iPod given to the Queen by President Obama. This is the music he said was on the iPod:

• Super Freak - Rick James
• I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
• Lady Is A Tramp - Frank Sinatra
• It's Raining Men - Weather Girls
• The Bitch is Back - Elton John
• Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
  

Fred told the story of the Sinatra tune. He said that when the Queen visited the White House during Gerald Ford's administration the Marine Corps band played that song as she danced. This story is true.

Too bad Fred is completely wrong about the songlist on the iPod.

According to CNN here's what was on the iPod:

Oklahoma! / Alfred Drake
If I Loved You / Jan Clayton From Carousel
You'll Never Walk Alone / Jan Clayton From Carousel
There's No Business Like Show Business / Ethel Merman From Annie Get Your Gun
Once in Love with Amy (Where's Charley?) / Ray Bolger
Some Enchanted Evening / Ezio Pinza South Pacific
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend / Carol Channing Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Getting to Know You / Gertrude Lawrence From The King and I
Shall We Dance? / Gertrude Lawrence From The King and I
I Could Have Danced All Night / Julie Andrews From My Fair Lady
I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face / Rex Harrison From My Fair Lady
The Party's Over (Bells Are Ringing) / Judy Holliday
Maria / Larry Kert From West Side Story
Tonight / Larry Kert From West Side Story
Seventy Six Trombones / Robert Preston
Everything's Coming up Roses / Ethel Merman From Gypsy
The Sound of Music / Mary Martin
Try to Remember / Jerry Orbach The Fantasticks
Camelot / Richard Burton
If Ever I Would Leave You / Robert Goulet From Camelot
Hello, Dolly! / Carol Channing
If I Were a Rich Man / Zero Mostel From Fiddler on the Roof
People / Barbra Streisand From Funny Girl
On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) / John Cullum
The Impossible Dream / Richard Kiley From Man of La Mancha
Mame / Charles Braswell
Cabaret / Liza Minnelli
Aquarius / Ronald Dyson From Hair
Send in the Clowns / Judy Collins From A Little Night Music
All That Jazz / Chita Rivera From Chicago
One From A Chorus Line
Tomorrow / Andrea McArdle From Annie
Don't Cry for Me Argentina / Patti LuPone From Evita
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going / Jennifer Holliday Dreamgirls
Memory / Elaine Paige From Cats
The Best of Times / George Hearn La Cage Aux Folles
I Dreamed a Dream / Aretha Franklin Les Misérables
The Music of the Night / Michael Crawford From The Phantom of the Opera
As If We Never Said Goodbye / Elaine Paige Sunset Blvd.
Seasons of Love Rent

I am assuming the music Fred (or his producers) chose to present to his audience as the music put on the iPod is more or less a joke. Maybe not the best or the most respectful joke to make (Rick James singing "Super Freak"? Elton John singing "The Bitch is Back"? TO THE QUEEN?? C'mon).

No law against that, however.