Watch: Duterte’s Karaoke Performance Is Most Definitely the Wind Beneath Our Wings
- By Robbie GramerRobbie Gramer is a staff writer at Foreign Policy. He writes for The Cable, FP’s real-time take on all things, well, foreign policy. Before he joined FP in 2016, he used to think in a tank, managing the NATO portfolio at the Atlantic Council for three years. He’s a graduate of American University’s School of International Service, where he studied international relations and European affairs. He has lived in both Washington and Brussels, though he grew up in Idaho and Oregon, so he’s a West Coaster at heart. When he’s not busy reporting, he’s probably busy starting three new books before he has finished the last one or planning a trip to a national park he hasn’t visited yet.
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Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte isn’t really known for his good PR skills. From telling U.S. President Barack Obama to “go to hell” to giving the EU his middle finger, to calling Pope Francis a “son of a whore,” Duterte’s time in the international news hasn’t exactly been flattering.
But this week he decided to take a different tack to international diplomacy: karaoke. During a Thursday night state dinner in Kuala Lumpur, he joined Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak for a, um, lovely rendition of everyone’s favorite 1970’s hit, “Sha-La-La-La-La.”
Duterte also gave a touching solo performance of “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler. Not to be outdone, Najib sang “The Young Ones” by Cliff Richard to the entertained audience.
We don’t fault either for trying to sing, but both leaders should probably stick with their day jobs. At least it wasn’t as bad as that time in 2015 NATO foreign ministers all sang “We are the World” together on stage, which is, frankly, painful to watch.
Photo credit: NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images
