Gawker
Sunday's newspaper coverage of the Broadway stagehand strike, the first-ever work stoppage in IATSE Local 1's 121-year existence, delivered news of an event designed mainly to break children's hearts and confound tourists who apparently cannot think of anything to do but see expensive musicals, Disney slop, and tired old revivals. (The strike undoubtedly traumatized scores of theatergays as well, but nobody's mentioning them). What's going on?
Neither the NY Times nor the NY Post quoted a single stagehand on the picket line, choosing instead to interview the tourists and would-be theatergoers roaming the sidewalks, who offered up pearls of wisdom ranging from "This is just terrible" (tourist from Japan) to "It's like crazy" (a security officer).
In both papers, there were photos of crying kids. (Listen: they're kids. Nobody even died from not being able to see "Mamma Mia!" Take 'em to the Madame Toussaud's or something. I guarantee you they'll bounce right back).
The Post headline included the word "tears" and ran a photo of a crying tot, deeming the strike "Grinchy." Boo-fucking-hoo. Some people need to make a living, kiddo.
And also, guess what? There's still Off-Broadway! And Off-Off Broadway! Ever try that? You might actually see something good! Sheesh!
[Disclosure: I am registered with, but not yet a member of, IATSE Local 764).]
Comments
This reminds me of the pandemonium wreaked by the great elf strike at the North pole in '84.
I blame LolCait.
Hooray! Unhappy tourists! I saw a group of little girls crying in front of Wicked yesterday and just laughed and laughed!
Heaven forbid there are any script writers that moonlight as stagehands. They are totally fucked.
There are still like eight Broadway shows that are running. Most if not all of the Disney ones, I believe. As well as Young Frankenstein. Hooray.
@atipofthehat: You're right to blame me. I only pay my three stagehands for a two hour day.
The staff at American Girls store must be psyched!
I might feel a lot worse if every fucking tourist they interview wasn't going to see awful, awful crap. I'd love a pullquote along the lines of, "I've been a Tracy Letts fan since Killer Joe, and now I'm bring deprived of August: Osage County. GODAMMIT."
Tourists refuse to leave the Times Square area to see theater. Apparently, unless their tickets cost them as much as another night in their overpriced hotel rooms, they don't see the point.
And actually seeing MAMA MIA! is potentially more traumatizing than pocketing the refund and taking the kiddies ice skating or some shit.
@ediebeale: "I came all the way from Fort Lauderdale to see the new Conor McPherson. Thank god Theresa Rebeck's new one is still on. Now, which way to TGIFriday's?"
Can we start a pool on which union strikes next?
Do personal assistants have a union?!?!?
[www.youtube.com]
6:30 - 7:46
@LolCait:
Watch out for that sandbag!
Gee, that was close!
@atipofthehat: and you would've gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for those crazy kids.
@baronessvonsnarky: Well, SAG/AFTRA in 2008 is quite likely. DGA won't strike.
Please everybody, come to Mary Poppins where I'm a lowly usher! Harass me! When I'm working the elevator, comment on how it's like being in the tower of terror! When I tell you to watch your step, make fun of me and then trip while you're making the joke and make me smile inside! Ask me if your children can have two booster cushions to sit on instead of one! Ask me if you can sit on the stairs because you don't understand that a standing room ticket means your fat ass has to stand for three hours! Take pictures doing the show so I have to pounce on you less The Maus crawls up my ass and eats me from the inside! C'mon, ya'll, come see a Broadway show! Merry Christmas!!!
@ediebeale:
The day they add an animatronic dog to OSAGE and replace all that swearing with wan musical numbers is the day the average Broadway tourist will give it a chance...
@TyraMale: :"during the show"-arrgh!
@TyraMale: and "lest"--Jesus--maybe I should stop fucking my secretary during dictation.
We need to round up a bunch of people with baseball bats and black jacks and go down there and bust some heads like in the good old days. I have been looking for a reason to fight some stage hands...
@drivenbyboredom: I occasionally kick the living' shit out of a Best Boy.
Good things authors don't have unions, although if James Patterson and Dan Brown wanted to go on strike and not produce anything for soem time, I'd happily let them.
@Carol Gardens: Actors Equity has a contract renewal in '08 as well... Without writers, actors, and theatre people are going to have to go to museums or read books for entertainment!
While it may be their first action in 121 years, it should be noted that they (and AE) honored the AFM picket line that shut down Broadway a few years ago instead of taking reporting pay. The AFM picket line is still the coldest I have ever been on. The only thing better than watching tourist kids from Kansas cry over the Lion King, is watching those tears freeze on contact to their pink little faces.
Europeans are probably more shocked that Americans still know what the hell a strike even is. The dailies are typically disgusting, but i'm waiting to see "Jail Em!" with prison bars photoshopped onto a photo of the Grinch ala Roger Toussaint.
I never understood why those elves up at the North Pole let that fat cat boss take such advantage!
Well, of course the press is anti-union: It's the producers who buy the advertising, not the stagehands.
Well, "Black Watch" was awesome. Too bad it's closing. It's too political for those tourrorists anyway.
@baronessvonsnarky:
Wimpy AEA will surely lay down and take it up the ass when our contract goes up.
I was just outside in Rock Center. I think the TKTS people sent all the tourists over here. It's hell.
anything that contributes to the misery of clueless wealthy tourists can only a good thing. it's ironic that the least deserving segment of society is what keeps these theaters in business. it's too bad it does not seem to trickle down!
@cmd: Tell me about it. We're a bunch of catbags, we are.
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