Eartha Kitt--Rahadlakum, Timbuktu!, 1978 TV

Eartha Kitt performs her showstopping "Rahadlakum" from the Broadway musical "Timbuktu!" (based on "Kismet") in this 1978 TV appearance.

[@RipeLemon]

Charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent

[@marquesbell4178]

Rupaul would agree.

[@ms.martiegallego8834]

Marques Bell I don't get the connection with RuPaul !! She was a real Woman, and quite an actress, singer, and much more !!

[@vincenthaq5025]

Well put... One of a kind. A complete original - very much a 'product' of her times... But simultaneously very ahead of her time - all while floating time lessly.

[@TheSiren666]

@@ms.martiegallego8834 RuPaul coined the Charisma Uniqueness Nerve and Talent phrase to use instead of saying CUNT on television. Ru also has a song of that title. its quite good tbh

[@marquesbell4178]

@@ms.martiegallego8834 Sorry for responding six years later. LOL. 😄@RipeLemon, who's comment is above ours, quoted RuPaul from his competitive reality show "RuPaul's Drag Rice". RuPaul is always telling the drag queens competing on his show that in order to win they must have "Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent". RuPaul was a fan of Eartha Kitt and back in the mid to late 90s when he had his talk show on MTV Eartha was one of his guests.

[@StrutTIGER1870]

I’m convinced that she was not only human in totality but something entirely different, kissed by another world we have no knowledge of... she’s like this beautiful being you want to put in you pocket and always keep it with you. I’m fascinated by this woman! She’s one of few artist who transcend race color or creed! As a child, I was terrified and intrigued at the same time by her!🤣😍🙏🏾💙

[@TheSiren666]

YES. im so fucking upset that it wasnt until i was in my early 20s that i discovered her discography and then found out that she died when i was 8.

[@TEWMUCH]

I swear ppl thro around the word legendary way too much when this woman also Exists. She was definitely named correctly. Cuz this woman embodies the whole earth in everything she does. Every moment. Wow

[@lukethomas658]

No words. She's a legend for a reason.

[@samuelmann2352]

This is the most magnificent six minute musical in all of history Eartha was just phenomenal. Hats off to all the musicians playing this piece so masterfully. An outstanding performance.

[@davidvargo8216]

SHE WAS DIVINE! I saw her perform this every night for an entire run. TIMBUKTU was a gorgeous production. IMHO no other Saleem La Lume exists.

[@googleuser7454]

That's such a cool memory. I hate I was born too late to see Eartha perform live 😂

[@vmfleming1]

God, this woman was something! Pure Talent!

[@Loverrover]

The most beautiful woman to grace this planet ever! Her eyes, her voice , her intelligence and her spirit all beautiful!

[@lindamurphy2776]

Amazing voice! Never have, never will encounter anyone with her uniqueness!! Use 2 model while I was n college. I was once compared 2 her( had not seen her perform then). I think it was her facial expression when she performed I projected. God knows I couldn't touch all her other talents! She made me proud 2 be an African American Woman when she spoke out at the White House!

[@TheHappinessHelper_XO]

Is the heat on? O-M-G she sizzles!

[@googleuser7454]

I love this version of this song. Its THE version for me. Seductive and high energy

[@majesticallymade6177]

I used to b scared of her when I was younger her face, snarl in catty voice . .gave me the creeps 🥺 but looking bk on her life now she was very interesting, a remarkable woman elegant and refined, in a class of her own with a fascinating, moving tear jerking story to tell.

[@mirandabisnou1307]

OMG!! The same happened to me... little did we know WHAT A BEAUTIFUL, TALENTED & FASCINATING WOMAN we were looking at!! She was a JEWEL 💓💍

[@marcbohm-klotzek1686]

She was definitely one of the most nice and beautiful people I've ever met.

[@mayawilliams59]

I love her so much

[@vmfleming1]

I hope to live to see the day when an actor/actress will play her life story, but I don't think it will be anyone who is well-known today. I believe it is going to be a relative unknown, at least unknown to the Hollywood industry in this time. I hope the performance will do her talent justice. I believe everything we see in Ms. Kitt is self-taught, never manufactured! You can't buy that...

[@Deejaay83urj38]

There is a movie

[@amparoospina562]

Fabulosa

[@oklahomorose]

Miss Eartha is puuuuuurrrrrfection ❤

[@jdane2277]

My dad, knowing I loved singing and vocal music as a kid, put on an Eartha Kitt album. I was entranced, never heard a voice like that.Resonant, tight vibrato, knife-like tones. Exciting. Later she went on to the White House and told off the First Lady because of the Vietnam War. She derailed her own career by speaking out. So not only a talent, a beauty, unique but brave and she spoke what, six languages? Brilliant.

[@ramilrigosera7844]

Goddamn yes!!! 🔥

[@QueenRenne]

MAGICAL!!! ✨✨✨😎✌🏾💯

[@user-mj8nf2vp7q]

...GO HEAD ON EARTHA!!! 👍🏼💯😊

[@googleuser7454]

She made a damn recipe sexy. Goodness. I'm blushing ☺️😂

[@LB1981]

magical creature!

[@delmondtrion9367]

*********JUST WOOOOOOOOW!***SHE WAS SO TALENTED!!*********

[@manelsevilla7200]

1:12 good and rare screamed hight note!!! A surprising artist

[@jermecialindsey796]

She still continues to amaze me. ❤ Age didn't spell the end for her. I follow her daughter's KZbin page. Her daughter is a very beautiful gift to the world, like she was.

[@HunkyDork]

This is just marvellous, I have been looking for this song for years. I heard it on tv many many many years ago

[@jovan628]

Legendary.

[@Tfontaine209]

What a talented and gorgeous lady

[@mauricecarter5831]

a beautiful very gifted intelligent woman this is real stardom and talents !!!

[@tafimutekwe2855]

Exotic elegance!

[@Lovejoyful606]

Art of Life.

[@mhlengindlovu6577]

5:27 she really hit that high note 😍

[@cartrezetucker6672]

A singular talent.

[@eccentricaste3232]

She's my therapy.

[@Starbraxton]

Ase she is a goddess

[@Starbraxton]

I can assure you she was not speaking about , normail things , this was spritual and the end was so plwerful she glitchthe video. It was like something took iver her. The laughing

[@yvonneburns2786]

Might make that recipe she gave there, when the time should be the time to do it!

[@googleuser7454]

It sounds intoxicating. Turkish delight (rahat loukum) is the name of the dessert.

[@Digmer]

She was pushing 50 and she was snatched!!!!!!!! A true natural beauty.

[@gforceeatingcorrect]

Amazing........ I met here !!!

[@dyonomitereacher8140]

Just came here because I just viewed the video where Miss Eartha Kitt was targeted by the c.i.a for speaking out against the vietnam war and asking that poor Blacks are given opportunity in this country. The c.i.a. has been some evil, dogs from hell. This woman is a modern day Jesus. She gave it all up, fame and millions for justice.

[@josettedupres66]

Amazing

[@ahmedbencamara4119]

wow...

[@LloydAntonyLB]

Saw this in Los Angeles. Time for a revival!

[@LloydAntonyLB]

Vanessa Williams would be wonderful.

[@lisamcdonald4215]

As a woman watching this I was sucked in my mouth open watching listening to her describe the receipt . I felt as though I should bow to this woman on hands and knees..... Weird

[@raj-khotmarathawarriorclan]

Not ordinary women..the intelligent

[@sophiakh9590]

Goddess

[@JerjerB]

She was nearly 52..... I'm 32, and have half the verve! :P

[@machoserge9413]

genius!!!!!!!!!!

[@BTURNER1961]

we call a lot of performers 'unique' but once anyone has watched Eartha perform, they tend to forego the adverb under other circumstances. I have never heard anyone else offer up a recipe for candy and leave a roomful of people nearing orgasm I would pay a lot of money to watch her in concert for two hours.

[@bernard5692]

SUBLIME artiste

[@samp2953]

genuine queen indeed. may be "queen" is too weak a word for her.

[@shadetreader]

Try *goddess*

[@ThyGeekGoddessMuze]

As fab as this spot is, the live show was unbelievable. There were no spoilers here. I think it was at the Kennedy Center, but I can't remember. James Earl Jones was doing Othello ....teaching me how to get over my speech impediment while learning how a voice could jump-start puberty. The KUMQUAT!??! Yes... she said... "The Kumquat!" But seriously, I was about 13 by this time and was deep into "Erma Bombeck" for mothering skills. Knowing so much abuse was being passed down even by those who KNEW better on many professional levels. I needed womanhood lessons and did I study this woman? Oh yes, I'd been listening to her all my life, studied her glorious features on the Essentials album. How much she reminded me of my mother.... So yes, she was my guide to womanhood...voice, poise (where I could manage it physically, but how to mentally finesse my ovarian fortitude, during the fail that was ERA She was my essential guide to womanhood....and HOW! By this time, I'd gotten a nod from Ethyl Ennis and her pianist, Bob Buddha. They'd jumped in on my "Pink Panther" and FLOORED me as I'd never played with any kind of accompaniment besides, "ANDREA, GET IT RIGHT ALREADY!!" or "Was THAT a half hour?" or, "SLOW DOWN!" When you only practice for half hour a day before running out to play, I'd learned to condense my practice session by playing "Moonlight Sonata" at mach 1. Seriously, the man was too morose for words...but I didn't know he was black. I didn't know about Mozart before I chose Prince as my benchmark, but how much more sense does it make knowing that? Why is it necessary to kick the life out of our talented betters when they best you, or knock ourselves out trying?

[@jaydan6282]

yes, the eyebrows quite fitting!

[@marjoriedragon]

Elvis himself wasn't this hot for television..

[@de5a5]

PRICELESS/SIN PRECIO!!!

[@松田穂]

🌈💖アサーァは、💖💖🌟✨⚡️💫⭐️スター✨💫だ⭐️💫⚡️✨🌟ねー✨⚡️

[@murraywoldman473]

She first sang it in New Faces!

[@nbearj]

It is fromTimbuktu a black infused version of Kismet not from New Faces

[@tylerlately]

She's is riveting. And I'm not a fan of broadway at all! And I love the way she turns to the second camera lol

[@mclenalex]

What nuts? but i think she was the copper pot.

[@maedoraable1]

Long wooden spoon..my mom had a long wooden spoon.

[@evolanomrac9531]

Hocus pocus teeeee?

[@queerulantin6431]

💜🏳️‍🌈

[@itsBEchannel]

Omg I'm noticing serious similarities with Beyoncé lemonade.... #theifonce #citeyoursources

[@zalanahara270]

Cole Grask how very Millennial of you. I understand your field of reference is minimal therefore you are forgiven for that comment. Your welcome...

[@googleuser7454]

I wouldn't be surprised if Beyonce and her team take inspiration from Eartha Kitt and others. Beyonce has worn similar costumes I believe

[@tylerlately]

How does she recite the recipe without laughing lol

She could be banned from TV ... for giving a recipe

[@twarrilow]

The long wooden spoon...

[@ms.ravenwood]

Witchcraft

[@ed9763]

I remember someone saying years ago she is ice cold in bed😉