Amazing op-ed on Louis Armstrong in today's NYTimes. I'd heard versions of this story before -- it may even have showed up in the Ken Burns doc -- but never in quite this much detail. Just the image of Armstrong, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, cussing out Ike and Faubus and singing the "Star Spangled Banner" with lyrics so obscene that Velma Middleton had to come in and try to calm him down. It's a side of Armstrong that's less well-known. I think when people think about Armstrong (and I'm aware that most people don't) their views tend to be fairly simple, to be overly influenced by his performing persona, and to miss the complications. I know... people focusing on the simple, soundbite version of something and missing out on the complicated and confusing aspects... unheard of!