Darlene Love Is Angered By Continued NBC And ‘Christmas In Rockefeller Center’ Producers Snubs

Bruce Haring

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‘Tis the season to be jolly, unless you’re singer Darlene Love, who is quite bitter at her treatment by the producers of NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center special.

The 78-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer posted a diatribe on Facebook, complaining that younger performers are always selected to perform her hit “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” on the annual special instead of her. The special aired on Wednesday.

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“Once again I was snubbed by Brad Lachman Productions who produce the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and instead they book another artist to perform my song ‘Christmas Baby, Please Come Home’ each year,” she said. “Such an insult and let down!”

Love was not pleased with the artists who got the coveted gig.

“They book these young artists who can’t even hit the notes properly and are off-key,” she said. “Makes NO sense!! That’s my song and I’m still alive. Show me some respect! My publicist has been trying for over 10 years to lock this performance down for me and they keep saying that I’m not their demo or big enough and would only book me if Bette Midler or Bruce Springsteen would do it with me.”

This year, Love’s hit was performed by Pitch Perfect star Skylar Astin and Glee’s Alex Newell, the co-stars of NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

“This business can be so unfair at times,” Love said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m TRULY blessed for what I have accomplished at 78 years of age, but it’s still a constant struggle to stay relevant and convince those who control the industry that I’m worth it.”

Love’s “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” was released in 1963. She has performed it numerous times for television, including a regular holiday gig on David Letterman’s talk show from 1986 to 2014.

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