Streisand Awarded Legion Of Honor Medal

French President Tells Actress And Singer: "You Are The America That We Love"

(AP)  Barbra Streisand performed her first-ever concert in France this week - and was rewarded with a medal of the Legion of Honor.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy awarded the medal to Streisand in a ceremony Thursday, the first time he has bestowed the honor since taking over from Jacques Chirac last month.

"You are the America that we love," said Sarkozy, who is seen as more U.S.-friendly than Chirac. "Women like you ... do a lot to bring our two peoples together."

Onlookers included French crooner Charles Aznavour and actor Alain Delon.

Sarkozy's wife, Cecilia, went to Streisand's sole concert in France, at Paris' Bercy stadium Tuesday.

Streisand told Sarkozy, a conservative, that he reminded her of former U.S. Presidents Kennedy and Clinton, "who appreciated art and recognized the importance of the arts in the world."

"I am deeply honored to be joining the playwrights, heads of state, artists and leaders who have accepted this honor before me," Streisand, 65, said in a statement. "I leave with a sense of inspiration and responsibility as an artist to always reflect the truth and as a citizen to try and create a world of justice, compassion, equality and peace - one with a little more music and a little more joy."

Created by Napoleon Bonaparte in the early 19th century, the Legion of Honor is France's elite national merit society. Although foreigners cannot be officially inducted into the Legion, they are routinely made honorary recipients.

Recent honorees include Jerry Lewis, Valentino and Norman Mailer.

[xzavierbrown]

France should had done america 'that they hate' a favor and invited streisand to MOVE TO FRANCE..and have a piece of america "they like" forever.

[jinxkity]

Ah, yes, another Hollywooder with so much money that they have no idea how the real people live being 'the American that we love'. Poo poo on the Frenchies and Barbra too!

[thisandthat1]

Maybe they'll draft her into the French Foreign Legion.

[ralan40]

I thought France's medals had big white flags attached to them????

They are liars, too. They also told Jerry Lewis they loved him, too, isn't he an American?

Blackbug99, Iraq used to be a colony of France.
They won't be thanking us for iraq anytime soon They had given the Hussan leadership lots of economic support. They knew if Saddam was overthrown, they would not get their 37 billion (US) back. After all, 37 b is much more important than the tens of thousands of Iraqi people Saddam murdered. Of course, I notice posters blaming Bush for the current iraqi deaths seem to be in agreement with Al Qada, who make the exact same claim.

[iceman_1960]

"France is a world power? They should thank America for invading Iraq. Before Iraq surrendered, France held the record for the fastest surrender of a country in history. Going to war with France as an ally is like going to war with accordians. They both make kewl noises but aren't worth much in battle."
- Posted by Blackbug99 at 10:02 AM : Jun 29, 2007

Not exactly true. Other countries collapsed faster than France in WW2 -- Denmark in just a few hours (but Denmark is a much smaller country.)

And France declared war on Nazi Germany after Poland was invaded. The U.S. had to be dragged into the war by Japan.

The WW2 collapse of France was an aberration. The military record of France is superior to that of many other nations. No one ever fought more bravely than the French troops in the First World War. Dien Bien Phu in Indochina, though a French defeat, was characterized by French courage second to none. And of course there was the "Grand Army" of Napoleon.

Last but not least, were it not for French military aid, the American Revolution would have been crushed by Great Britain. General Patton (who spoke fluent French) acknowledged this when he liberated France, saying it was repayment for the French liberation of America.

P.S. Don't tell me to move to France if I like it so much. The cuisine is horrible and there's second hand smoke everywhere you go.

[rushlimpdrug]

. . well thank you very much . .

Memories, la la la la la la,
. .of the way we werrrre.
. . . .. . of the way we werrrrrrrre.
thanks again for coming out tonight.

[mudrose-2009]

Well now. Maybe she, too, will "shut the f/uck up".

[ioweign]

People . . .
People who need people . . . .
are the luckiest people . .
in the world. . . .

. . come one everybody sing along with me!
Posted by rushlimpdrug at 09:04 AM : Jun 29, 2007

Don't quit your job for your singing!

[blackbug99]

France is a world power? They should thank America for invading Iraq. Before Iraq surrendered, France held the record for the fastest surrender of a country in history. Going to war with France as an ally is like going to war with accordians. They both make kewl noises but aren't worth much in battle.

[mike71067]

I'm glad that the America that the French love is symbolized by has-been pop stars who nobody in America could give a rat's arse about anymore. When was the last time Streisand had a hit? 1979?

[rushlimpdrug]

People . . .
People who need people . . . .
are the luckiest people . .
in the world. . . .

. . come one everybody sing along with me!

[mike71067]

"Even if France keeps Barbra Streisand over there, we still have the Dixie Chicks and Linda Rondstadt."
-Posted by Iceman_1960 at 08:12 AM : Jun 29, 2007

"Linda Rondstadt? That alone is enough reason to vote for Bush." - Alice Cooper, 2004

[mike71067]

Does Streisand epitomize the loony American left, or what? That she's the "America" that the French loves says alot.

[iceman_1960]

"And they wonder why nobody in the world thinks of France as a world power these days...go figure."
- Posted by ozilot at 06:57 AM : Jun 29, 2007

France has the world's 6th largest economy.

France is a great power and one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

France is also a nuclear power.

p.s. Don't tell me to move there if I like it so much. The cuisine is terrible and they smoke too much.

[oleander8]

Congratulations, Barbara! BTW... Jason sure does look like his father, Elliot Gould.

[iceman_1960]

"The Dixie Chicks said they were embarrassed he was from Texas. I'm embarrassed George Bush is from this planet. He's an idiot and a disgrace, what a dummy. He's enormously incompetent on both the domestic and international scenes."

- Linda Ronstadt, a great American patriot

[iceman_1960]

Even if France keeps Barbra Streisand over there, we still have the Dixie Chicks and Linda Rondstadt.

[thisandthat1]

ATTENTION: To any officials in France who may be reading CBS's new site ... If you love Barbara Streisand so much, feel free to keep her over there. She's all yours!

[iceman_1960]

"When is she going to join Hanoi Jane and Damascus Nancy for a threesome portrait sitting?"
- Posted by gunnerv1 at 07:41 AM : Jun 29, 2007

Don't forget this guy:

http://www.buckfush.com/images/bush_Abdullah_Holding_Hands.jpg

[mdc76082]

Maybe they know something we don't?