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New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
Theater Critics Lack Job Skills To Survive Depression

Media Bubble: Ben Brantley Can't Find A Gay
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NoelleBlue
01/27/09

In reply to New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
Down Val Kilmer Way goes this one. Tons of talent, bad behavior, horrible reputation on the rise.
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katastic
01/27/09

In reply to New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
Also, the producers are filing a grievance against Piven with Actor's Equity.

That's right, Piven! The UNION'S after you now! Yeahhhh! We're gonna...we're gonna fine you or something. Or like, send you a letter! A strongly worded letter! Yeaaaaahhhhhhh, what now, beeyotch?!!
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Uncle_Billy_Slumming
01/27/09

@katastic: I wish this blog would let us assign various levels of funny to posts. Or maybe just one level, represented by a smile, that gets bigger the more people click on it.
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dado
01/27/09

In reply to New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
He then called Piven's mercury tale "one of the worst excuses I have ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, seen."
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Kid Twist
01/27/09

In reply to New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
When does J.Lo join the cast?
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MrInBetween
01/27/09

In reply to New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
Now this IS a news flash: William H. Macy can act circles around Jeremy Piven.
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saythatscool
01/27/09

In reply to New York Times Says 'Nyah Nyah' to Play-Abandoning Jeremy Piven
Ben Brantley then went home and told his 13 year old daughter that it didn't matter none of the cool kids came to her birthday party because she could have just as much fun with just the fat girl who eats her feelings and "Brace-face" Joblonski.

Ben Brantley is a lonely man.
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MissNormaDesmond
11/02/08

In reply to Theater Critics Lack Job Skills To Survive Depression
Who knew the guy from the "OMG Shoes" video was a theatre critic?
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unclevanya
11/02/08

In reply to Theater Critics Lack Job Skills To Survive Depression
Riedel himself is one of the biggest reasons that NY theater critics no longer wield any power, or are considered a part of the community. He's a weasel who lives for dishing the dirt behind the scenes, and can't be bothered with frivolous details like, oh, what's the play about?

Watch the staged critics' roundtables during the recent documentary Show Business; he's the only one who has nothing constructive or illuminating to say. He doesn't want to be Addison DeWitt: he wants to be some bastard combination of Walter Winchell and Matt Drudge. And he fails in both directions.
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forwardmotion
11/01/08

In reply to Theater Critics Lack Job Skills To Survive Depression
His expression on that photo is cracking me up--- It says, whooooaaa reviewing theater isn't all bling bling! Watch out I'm RAGE IN A CAGE.
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drunkexpatwriter
11/01/08

In reply to Theater Critics Lack Job Skills To Survive Depression
Wait, the fired Star Ledger critic is bitching that he actually had to work instead of going to parties? And he admits that he's a clueless buffoon?

You know what, fuck that shit. I was a reporter for 10 years in New Jersey and had to do a lot more unpleasant things than talk to striking actors. Has the dude ever had to do "cop checks" or go to fucking municipal budget meetings? What about working election night calling 105 year old vote counters in weird counties? Or talk to the family members of murder victims or write obituaries on Christmas day

What a dick this dude is.

"Misled" my ass.
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BookishLookish
11/01/08

@drunkexpatwriter: Wheat from the chaff. Good riddance to him.
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drunkexpatwriter
11/01/08

@BookishLookish: Seriously. Fuck that dude. Journalism is supposed to be hard work and it's often dull hard work.

I have no fucking sympathy for a dude who got a theater reviewing job at one of the highest paying newspapers on the East Coast and then bitches that he actually has to work - and seems to think that learning how to use new technology is beneath him.
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BookishLookish
11/01/08

@drunkexpatwriter: Have you seen the documentary about Toots Shor, it's called "Toots"? As an old newspaper man, I think you would find it fascinating. Not sure if Netflix goes over to France, but check it out.
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BookishLookish
11/01/08

@BookishLookish: And by "old," I mean "old school," of course.
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SarahHeartburn
11/01/08

@drunkexpatwriter: Eh. Work is had and dull. It's the results that thrill, albeit briefly.
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drunkexpatwriter
11/01/08

@SarahHeartburn: Agreed hence why I don't see why this dude is bitching.

The only times I don't find work hard and dull is when I'm writing "reviews" for really pretty escorts. And even describing imaginary sexual encounters with them gets old if I have to do it for more than about two days in a row.

But, Jesus Christ, how hard could a theater reviewing job be? Compared to all the other drudge work that journalists have to go through - it's a snap.

And these guys make a fortune because they are considered featured writers. I remember the day I found out that the highest paid writer on the Gannett New Jersey staff was the television writer.

This was after I'd spent three weeks working 12+ hour days covering a really long and involved and sad murder trial that sucked the soul out of me.
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Perhaps Not
11/01/08

@drunkexpatwriter: Ya know, Mike Sommers is a really sweet guy, he's clearly joking in the quote, and we should probably give him a break since he just got laid off.
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drunkexpatwriter
11/01/08

@PerhapsNot: I'll take your word for it, but back in the day when I was competing against the Ledger there was a fairly high asshole quotient among the reporting staff, so my first instinct is to assume he was being serious.

That said, there was a fairly high asshole quotient at the papers I was working for as well, so please don't take this as a dig against the Ledger per se....
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