I like to think I’m pretty damn pretentious, but even I haven’t dropped the word “chapeau” in casual conversation.

But Aretha Franklin did.  Oh, yes, when asked by the Smithsonian this week to donate the hat she wore at Obama’s inauguration, she said:

“I am considering it. It would be hard to part with my chapeau since it was such a crowning moment in history”.

CONSIDERING IT?  THE SMITHSONIAN?  This, just months after she threw a big ole diva fit because Beyonce called Tina Turner “the queen” instead of her.  Honestly, Aretha, there comes a time in every soul diva’s life when she must weigh the size of her talent against the size of her ego and ask if it’s beginning to tip in the wrong direction.

I had to look up the word “chapeau” BTW, just to make sure that it meant “hat”.  And there it was, definition number one in Random House: “a hat”.  Not even some specific kind of hat.  Just, “a hat”.  Thank God we have that word.

Hat-man Luke Song just announced he’s creating a whole line of TWELVE Aretha-style big-bow hats to serve the general public’s need to embarrass itself with fashion.

You can buy the original hat now on eBay.  Pay homage to the hat with the hat pin.  Or just superimpose the hat on yourself and post in on your Facebook to prove once and for all to your boss that she should take away your Internet access at work.

PS: My Obama miracle toast arrived today.  God bless eBay.  Well packaged.  I think I may eat it.