como?

[Kame'a Media <media...>]

I have nothing against Perry Como.  Really.
However, regarding  his Kol Nidre,  people obviously did not realize
that they were being suckered into a corporate-driven scam to part them
from their money;  the pure novelty appeal that American Jews just love.

Do you think that Mr. Como himself went to the brass at RCA and said,
"I think it would be a really great idea for me to record sacred Jewish
music; it should follow "Papa Loves Mambo" nicely in the trajectory of
my career". 
Please.  

While totally irrelevant,  such recordings are, unfortunately, not
totally without harmful results.  Why?  Because  they  introduce a
kitschy erzatz standard (due to their mass popularity) by which future
and past legitimate Kol Nidres will be judged by many, because the Como
version  will have become the most widely  disseminated,
while versions by cantors like Rosenblatt, Oysher, Pinchik, Ganchow
and others will cease to be re-issued.  In turn,their lack of popularity
will then be  interpreted  as
"unworthiness".  Again, not by all, but by many, especially those who
look for others to do their knowing for them, i.e. the media telling us
whats hot and therefore "good". 

To me, Como's Kol Nidre  has the same mind-numbing effect as Pat Boone's
sanitized versions of 
"Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Tutti Frutti", which  outsold those of
their creator,
Little Richard, by the way, when they were first released.

I sometimes do not make it to <shul> every High Holiday.  So I play Kol
Nidre at home.  I don't think I would choose Perry Como to be my
<shaliakh tsibur>.  But then again, if Kol Nidre to you, is 
entertainment -- knock yourself out.

Wolf Krakowski