James Packer says his girlfriend Mariah Carey is a "genius" equalled only by Barbra Streisand and the late Whitney Houston. Madonna doesn't come close. Speaking from his seaside pad in the ancient 3500-year-old Jaffa in Tel Aviv's south, Packer told News Corp Australia Carey's first ever concert in Israel on Tuesday night was one of the best he had ever seen.
Carey wowed the capacity crowd at the outdoor amphitheatre outside of Tel Aviv performing most of her big hits and connecting with the crowd with, by her own admission, her poor attempt at Hebrew and plenty of one-liner humour.
Packer could be seen off stage clapping and cheering wildly and even having a boogie. "Yes, yes, yes I loved it and it was a magic night," the 47-year-old Australian said when asked if he had had a good time.
"She's a genius and has had more no. 1 singles than any other artist. And she is not political, she is an entertainer. Everyone just loved her. They might not know she has not had an easy life but still went on to write more no. 1 hits than anyone else. I mean 18 number one hits, that is just so incredible."
"I mean who else is there? There is Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Not Madonna. Just Streisand, Houston and Mariah. I mean I'm not saying there is anything wrong with Madonna or Madonna's music but those three can sing five octaves. Madonna can't. Mariah is just incredible, amazing she really is." He admitted he knew many of her songs but not all of them.
Packer's reference to Carey not being political was in relation to the Israeli media's obsession with the left-wing activist group Boycott Disinvestment and Sanctions (BDS) who call on international artists to bar Israel. American R&B singer Lauryn Hill in May reportedly cancelled her concerts under pressure from the BDS lobby.
On the eve of her gig, Carey was questioned by the Israeli press whether the group tried to pressure her not to perform. "I haven't toured a lot in my life and I came here with my boyfriend James Packer a month ago and it was so exciting to be here that I decided I wanted to come back here and do a show," she said.
She added: "Nobody tried to pressure me, I did hear about it but I do what I want to do. I've always wanted to come here. I don't care what other people's political agendas are. I'm just an entertainer and I'm here. I'm happy to be here and I'm honoured to be here."
The Packer-Carey clan, including her two children Monroe and Morroco to former partner actor Nick Cannon, left Israel on Friday.
(Courier Mail)
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