"We must think about that one again," she told an interviewer in the vintage clip.
In a clip from the 1982 documentary “All by Myself: The Eartha Kitt Story” that’s been making rounds on the internet for years, the late “Santa Baby” singer is asked about the concept of compromising for love.
“But are you willing to compromise within a relationship?” the unidentified interviewer is heard asking Kitt in the beginning of the clip.
“Compromise? What is compromising?” Kitt asks as her facial expression becomes a wonderful combination of indignation and bewilderment. “Compromising for what? Compromising for what reason? … What is compromise?”
Kitt is seen clearly awaiting an answer before the interviewer provides more clarity to his question. “If a man came into your life, wouldn’t you want to compromise?” he asks.
The singer then raises both eyebrows at the sheer ridiculousness of the question before beginning to laugh hysterically and suggesting that such a thing would be “stupid.”
“A man comes into my life and I have to compromise? We must think about that one again,” Kitt said. “A relationship is a relationship that has to be earned, not to compromise for.”
“When you fall in love, what is there to compromise about?” she asks.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Question: Can anyone live with Eartha Kitt?
That’s not for me to decide.
That’s for someone who decides to live with me to decide.
Not for me.
Question: But are you willing to compromise within a relationship?
Compromise?
What is compromising?
Compromising for what?
Compromising for what reason?
To compromise?
For what!
What is compromise?
Question: If a man came into your life, wouldn’t you want to compromise?
(laughing hysterically, incredulous)
Stupid.
A man comes into my life, and I have to compromise?
You must think about that one again.
(laughing hysterically)
A man comes into my life, and I have to compromise?
For what?
Compromise for what?
For what?
A relationship is a relationship that has to be earned.
Not to be compromised for.
And that love relationship certainly is fantastic.
I think they are wonderful, I think they are great.
There’s nothing in the world more beautiful than falling in love.
But falling in love for the right reason.
Falling in love for the right purpose.
Falling in love.
Falling in love.
When you fall in love…
What is there to compromise about?
Isn’t love a union between two people? Or does Eartha fall in love with herself.
If you were to think about it… in terms of analyzing.
(Pause)
Yes.
I fall in love with myself.
And I want someone to share it with me.
I want someone to share me, with me.
Has that happened?
Many times.
In many ways.
