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"OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
Three Billy Elliots Enter, Only One Leaves
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johnnypotatoes
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
I'm usually the last person to make complaints like this, but you seem to be basing this joke on an assumed equation of gayness and pedophilia, in kind of a disturbing way.
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@johnnypotatoes: No, the joke is that they're all worked tirelessly and shuttled around in the van. Any pedophilia reference was inferred by you. So.
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KristaJulieva
06/08/09

@Richard Lawson: If you look at the comments, at least half of them are based around a suggestion of pedophilia. I'm glad the original joke wasn't meant the way johnnypotatoes took it to mean--but I don't think the he (and I) were the only ones to have misinterpreted, by a long shot.
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Thatcornellguy
06/08/09

@johnnypotatoes: thanks captain obvious
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johnnypotatoes
06/08/09

@KristaJulieva: How was it meant, then?
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@johnnypotatoes: See the episode of The Simpsons when the yo-yo people visit the elementary school.
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TillieHarper: Negress in Sheep's Clothing
06/08/09

@Richard Lawson: When I think of vans and children my mind immediately reverts to Stranger, Danger! training. I start seeing lost puppies, long brown lincoln continentals, strangers bearing candy, and men who ask for directions beckoning me ever-closer to their vehicles.

So, any adult/van/child joke is lost on me.
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@TillieHarper: We the Blacks...Niggmata (I Have Holes in My ...: Well, that wasn't the joke I was making, and I'm not exactly going to steer away from making references to adults, vans, and children just because someone might read it as a molester joke.

Ain't my fault where y'all take it!
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Aatom
06/08/09

@Richard Lawson: If you tell a joke, and most of the audience misinterprets it, it might not be that funny. Just an observation.

It doesn't help your case that Elton looks like he's about to eat those children.
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@Aatom: A pretty bitchy observation.
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City_Dater
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
Sir Elton John poses happily with the only other Tony winners who make him look tall.
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TedSez
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
Elton Jonas
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TableNine
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
35 Years Later, Elton John Considers Letting The Son Go Down On Him
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LVP
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
Which one was the real winner?
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@LVP: [gawker.com]
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SaraRueful
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
I'm no longer in NYC so I haven't kept up with Broadway AT ALL. So can someone tell me why three people play one role? Is it in the musical, written that way, or is it child labor laws and they have to switch off?

Also, doesn't this make it seem that "best actor" (or whatever) really goes to "best-written part"? Surely not all three of these guys, at once, were equally more awesome than everyone else. I mean, I HOPE they are -- I would hate to see the Tonys become like the Little League teams that give a trophy of some sort to EVERY player -- but it seems unlikely.

Just pondering.
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@SaraRueful: They share the role equally throughout the week. It's a really exhausting, dance intensive part for a 14 year old kid, so that along with child labor laws dictates that they can't do eight shows a week. The three kids who shared the role in London won the Olivier together, so there was precedent. Basically all three were great and are weird prodigies, so it went to all three.

It's kind of like when Alice Ripley was co-nominated a few years ago when she played one half of a Siamese twin in Sideshow. Two different actors, but sorta the same part, and thus considered one performance.
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SaraRueful
06/08/09

@Richard Lawson: @Tardy: Servicey! Thank you!

(P.S. to Richard -- don't know if you go back and look at old stuff, but your off-duty banning last night made me smile.)
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@SaraRueful: I will not tolerate "Who cares?" comments, whether I'm on shift or not.
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City_Dater
06/08/09

@SaraRueful: @SaraRueful:

What Richard said, squared.
Billy would be a demanding role even for an adult performer, who would not have Algebra homework to finish backstage.
The children in BILLY ELLIOT (including the chorus of girls who play Billy's dance classmates) are doing amazing work for performers of any age.
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Nice Beaver
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
"We actually call them 'sodas' where we live."

"No, I said 'poppers.'"
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contradicto
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
Later, kids, I'll show you my rocket man.
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jbwan
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
hold me closer tiny dancers...no, closer.
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Kid Twist
06/08/09

@jbwan: Ha
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Steverino Begins
06/08/09

@jbwan: FTW.
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KristaJulieva
06/08/09

In reply to "OK, Now Get Back In the Van."
Um. Harsh?
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Richard Lawson
06/08/09

@KristaJulieva: Really?
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Xylo
11/14/08

In reply to Three Billy Elliots Enter, Only One Leaves
The movie still haunts me, so sad and beautiful.
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Steverino Begins
11/14/08

In reply to Three Billy Elliots Enter, Only One Leaves
I think all 3 of them should play Billy Elliot simultaneously on stage. It would be like one of those old Nintendo games where you eat some weird flower and then you have "shadows." None of the other actors would acknowledge this conceit, which would make it even sadder. Also, they'd be dressed in red, white, and blue to symbolize the UK flag.
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Spirit Fingers
11/14/08

In reply to Three Billy Elliots Enter, Only One Leaves
They look quite joyous and, dare I say, carefully color coordinated. I also believe the one on the far left to be actually flying. Someone check him for fairy dust.

Uh, I meant that in a purely Peter Pan kind of way, really, um...okay.

[Elephant in room brays loudly, steps on Spirit Fingers' head.]
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Hey_mikey
11/14/08

In reply to Three Billy Elliots Enter, Only One Leaves
A few thoughts: Someone should break it to them that it will not always be thus, with a quickness, so they pick up more skills and thus avoid a shocking (to them) loss of station later in life

Second - show business is galaxies better than actually working, no matter how much sadness you try to Didion into the mix. These kids know actual adulation. Do you? Will you ever?

Well, for you Richard the answer is yes you have and yes you will, but I'm talking about me, me damn it! Hey_mikey could have been a star too, if only mother hadn't stopped paying for MY tap lessons. But, noooooooo. I had to do my math homework. I had to go to schoooool. And for what?

Well, actually - for fairly comfortable life, all things considered. I digress. Clearly. Um, okay. I'll, uh, I'll just go now. Thanks. Bye.
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drunkexpatwriter
11/14/08

@Hey_mikey: My general feeling is that if I ever have a son I'm going to tell him to forget about school and spend as much time learning how to play guitar and basketball as possible - because those careers seem much more secure than the stuff they prepare you for in school.
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morninggloria
11/14/08

In reply to Three Billy Elliots Enter, Only One Leaves
The only way I'd ever see Billy Elliot is if Rahm Emanuel played the eponymous role.
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