Columnist Ron Kantowski: Anthem just wasn’t what Indy needed

Thursday, May 31, 2001 | 10:44 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's column appears Thursday. Reach him at ron@lasvegassun.com or 259-4088.

Patriotism took a big hit over Memorial Day weekend.

First, there was the release of the apparent summer blockbuster "Pearl Harbor." Haven't seen it, nor do I plan to -- not after reading the reviews, which were about as complimentary as Don Rickles with an ingrown toenail. Leave it to Hollywood to turn one of the grimmest days in American history into Love Story 2001.

Then came Sunday's Indianapolis 500, where Steven Tyler, the aging front man for the rock group Aerosmith, butchered the national anthem as if it were flank steak.

For starters, it was totally bizarre to see Tyler sharing center stage at Indy with Florence Henderson and Jim Nabors, who reprised their roles as singers of "America, the Beautiful" (Mrs. Brady) and "Back Home Again in Indiana" (Gomer). Both sounded better than ever.

Tyler, who was the middle "act," sounded as bad as always.

First, he "warmed up" by playing some sort of solo on the harmonica. It really had nothing to do with "The Star-Spangled Banner" or, for that matter, music. Finally, a bemused Tyler flung the harmonica into the crowd as if to say, "Here, you try."

Then, he screeched through the anthem, making the same sound as polesitter Scott Sharp's tires in turn one during the first lap of the big race (Sharp crashed). He kept pausing, not so much for effect but as if he had forgotten the words.

But he saved the biggest pause for last. Instead of singing " ... home of the brave," Tyler paused, and then rasped " ... home of the Indianapolis 500."

After Tyler stepped away from the microphone, the TV cameras focused on A.J. Foyt, who is only slightly less gung-ho about being an American than Sgt. Hulka in the movie "Stripes." Foyt looked like he wanted to slap the Aerosmith lead singer upside the head, like he did to Arie Luyendyk in victory lane at Texas a few years back.

Unlike Rosanne Barr, who grabbed her crotch when fans booed her off the field following her brutal attempt to sing the anthem at Dodger Stadium a few years ago, Tyler took the high road in his remarks.

"I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth," he said. "I'm very proud to be an American, and live in the home of the brave."

But that didn't preclude speedway president Tony George from issuing a formal apology. "While we are certainly sorry that some were offended, it was neither our intention nor that of Mr. Tyler to be disrespectful," George said in a statement. "All of us have the utmost respect for the sacrifice our veterans have made for us."

It was a rough day for George, who not only saw the teams in the Indy Racing League, which he created, get smoked by their rivals in the CART circuit on the racetrack, but also was reminded by Mr. Tyler's antics that when you play with fire, sometimes you get burned.

I mean, who did he expect, Tony Bennett?

As far as anybody can guess, bringing in Tyler to sing the anthem was supposed to turn younger fans on to the Indy Racing League. The car driven by Jeff Ward even was painted up in Aerosmith colors (hot pink) and logos.

But George got off easy. He's lucky Tyler didn't summon a couple of groupies to the stage and reenact the lyrics to "Love on an Elevator."