The Beatles hated Muhammad Ali for making them "stupid," said the initiate
The group and the boxer met in Miami 60 years ago this month.
On February 18, 1964, the Beatles and Muhammad Ali Crossed Paths, leading to a famous photo session with the icons of the 20th century. But while the blows now aged 60 have hidden Harry Benson Show what seemed to be a new playful friendship between the boxer and the musicians , the photographer has just said Page six that the Beatles actually hated Ali and I felt disrespected by him . Benson claims that John Lennon In particular, the accused of letting the heavy goods vehicle champion make them "appear [explanive] stupid".
In relation: See the granddaughter of Ringo Starr, who is also a musician .
Benson presented the Beatles to Ali on February 18, 1964 when they were in Miami during their American tour. At the time, Ali was preparing for his legendary fight with Sonny Liston , which would take place on February 25, 1964. The Beatles, on the other hand, had recently made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan show. Ali and the members of the group were all at the beginning of the twenty.
Benson thought that the Beatles met Ali would have superb photos, but the musicians did not care about the juxtaposition of their sizes or the way the champion spoke to them.
"Ali has overshadowed them," recalls Benson. "Just Ali's distribution:" Do you think you're beautiful? You are not so beautiful - you are tiny, small, little men. Look at me! "They didn't like it - Lennon and Paul McCartney especially. "According to Page six ,, George Harrison Once, Ali had "claimed" the Beatles, which, according to Benson, was not true. "He doesn't care about them," said the photographer. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
Benson added that Ali dissected the music of the Beatles to their faces.
"He didn't particularly like their song and told them," said Benson. "Subsequently, John said to me:" He made us really look at [Expletive] stupid, and it's your fault, Benson. "The group did not tell him for three months after that.
Addressing the Daily Beast in 2016, Benson explained that Lennon actually wanted to meet Liston , who was the world heavyweight champion at the time. But, Liston refused the Beatles, saying "I don't want to meet these tramps", according to the photographer. So he took them to meet Ali instead.
"Clay completely overwhelmed the Beatles, shouting:" Who is the biggest? I am the tallest. You're pretty, but I'm prettier "" said Benson about Ali, who still used the name Cassius Clay at the time. "He made them lie down, get up, run around the ring. They had never taken a rear seat before," said Benson. "John was angry and told me that I had an idiot. He didn't talk to me for a month. But when I returned to London to photograph them on the set of A hard day's Night , everything has been forgotten. ""
As Page six Notes, McCartney talked a lot about Ali after his death in 2016. "I loved this man", " McCartney shared in a declaration on its website. "He was great from the first day we met him in Miami, and on several occasions when I met him over the years. In addition to being the biggest boxer, he was a beautiful and sweet man with A great sense of humor ... "
Ringo Starr , the other survivor Beatle, also remembered the meeting - and a photo on which Ali holds him - Ali's death. "I do not know why, He just got me ! "Said the drummer Rolling stone . "It was not like," ok, come it now! "He suddenly did it ... [H] He has just set me out and to have lifted me! What was I going to say? 'Hey, come outside ...' 'he added : "He was powerful. He was just powerful physically and spiritually. He was just great. It is a huge loss. ""
Starr's song "I'm the Greatest", written by Lennon, was released in 1973. He draws his title from Ali's famous slogan.