Copacabana Man's payback for Rosie

Rosie and Elizabeth

A Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter has scrapped a scheduled appearance on Barbara Walter's "The View" because he doesn't want to be seen on the same stage as Elizabeth Hasselbeck.

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Barry Manilow told TMZ.com that he "strongly disagrees" with Hasselbeck's views and that she is "dangerous and offensive."

This is the first time in the brief history of the show that a celebrity guest has demanded that one of the co-hosts be sidelined before a cameo appearance is made.

Manilow, who has been on the show before – he even gave Hasselbeck a hug once – scrapped the visit because, he said, someone needed to "stand up to these people."

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's conservative positions have been a source of friction on "TheView" before. In fact, Rosie O'Donnell got into a huge fight with Hasselbeck on her last appearance on the program, accusing her of "spewing Republican crap."

Manilow claims his stand is all about principle.

"Unfortunately, the show was not willing to accommodate this simple request, so I bowed out," said Manilow. "It's really too bad because I've always been a big supporter of the show, but I cannot compromise my beliefs."

Manilow didn't specify exactly which "beliefs" he would be compromising, but at his age maybe it's just senility kicking in. I mean, really. Manilow has beliefs? If he does, they're about as ambiguous as his sexual orientation.

No. This comes down to two things. Bullying and payback. Not principled convictions.

Liberals like Manilow and Rosie can't debate, so they try to intimidate. The problem is that when they meet someone who isn't going to shrivel up, they run for the hills. Manilow already knows he can't beat Elizabeth, so he's saving face. That's why she's dangerous. She's too eloquent, too endearing, too attractive and thereby too effective and hard for Manilow (and Rosie) to handle.

But the more important reason for this charade has to do with a vendetta. It's payback time. Payback for making Rosie look like the fool she is. Of course, I can't prove it, but Hasselbeck was instrumental in getting Rosie dumped from the show – she basically got sacked after the meltdown she had with Hasselbeck – and Manilow and O'Donnell are good friends.

There is also a little bit of a guilt offering to Rosie going on here too because Manilow had to scrap a duet he and Rosie sang on his latest album – "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

If he is serous about his so-called "principles," then he's got some underlying philosophical problems too.

Musical icons like Manilow have consistently argued since the '60s that the stuff they put into their music and lyrics are essential to the notion of free speech. "Artistic freedom" is one of their favorite catchphrases. Just imagine the uproar if someone were to insist that Manilow get canned from a recording contract because of the content of some of his songs. After all, his million-selling song "Copacabana" – themed on a love triangle that results in a murder in a sleazy strip joint – wasn't exactly "family-friendly" fare.

Manilow is being petulant and inconsistent, and his views, if consistently applied, constitute a threat to Elizabeth Hasselbeck's free-speech rights. And when you add this all up, that means Manilow, and not Hasselbeck, is the dangerous one.

Fortunately, life has a way of exacting its own kind of revenge (and humor).

While Manilow has been attempting to get even with Hasselbeck, a judge in Colorado has been busy getting "even" in his own way.

Judge Paul Sacco of Fort Lupton, Colo., decided to get tough with noise ordinance violators. Those are the guys with the rap music in their cars; you know, the ones that make your picture windows rattle as they drive by.

In a courtroom with mostly young adult offenders, the judge ordered a full hour of punishment where those offenders wouldn't be allowed to chew gum, eat, drink, read or even sleep. All they would be allowed to do is listen to songs by Barry Manilow – at ear piercing levels.

One guy had tears rolling down his cheeks. Two Latino girls had glazed-over eyes – sheer and utter boredom. And another guy was pinching the top of his nose as if he had the worst migraine ever.

Judge Sacco stated, "When you have a person playing rap at extreme volumes all over the city, and they have to sit down and listen for an hour to Barry Manilow, it's horrible punishment."

Manilow scaring offenders straight? That's just too funny.

But seriously, Manilow is his own worst enemy. As Rush Limbaugh pointed out, "He's basically told more than half of American consumers" he can't stand them.

And from a career standpoint, the only person more dangerous to Manilow than Hasselbeck is Mr. Copacabana himself.

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