AVE Q - What do you think about?

[Loge]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:37pm

Ok, I'm not trying to be negative or start trouble, but I have some legitimate questions about Avenue Q. While I enjoy some of the songs, I find two major things about the show unbelievably lame and unoriginal - those being the inclusion of Gary Coleman and the character of Christmas Eve.

Gary Coleman, as a super selling his stuff on Ebay? Come on - even I could think of that. I hate this being part of the story, and really avoid these tracks on the cd.

Christmas Eve. I find the whole accent thing to be very lame...because that's how the show generates a large percentage of it's laughs. I don't know...I'm not overly politically correct, but we saw this in the film "16 Candles" and it was done better.

So, take out these two factors, and what would Avenue Q have?

The more I listen to this cast recording, the more I dislike it! The songs were cute at first, but with each listen, they become, quite frankly, lame.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:39pm

im guessing that youre a wicked fan. am i right?

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:39pm

well, to each his own...

[Loge]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:42pm

Sort of. I like Wicked, but that wouldn't prevent me from liking anything else. I am sure seeing Avenue Q is a big part of it (which I haven't done), but I just think it's weak to rely on a very weak story (Gary Coleman) and an Asian-American accent to generate a large majority of your laughs.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:43pm

Why would one have to be a Wicked fan in order to not like Avenue Q? There are people out there who don't like Avenue Q for reasons that are totally seperate from Wicked.

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:44pm

I'm a simple person. I have my complex/deep moments, but sometimes I just want to laugh at something cause it's, well, FUNNY. What's wrong in that? I connect with teh characters in Q better than the witch or some other character.

It's a fun show. Quit your gripping.

[Craig]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:45pm

"(which I haven't done), but I just think it's weak to rely on a very weak story (Gary Coleman) and an Asian-American accent to generate a large majority of your laughs. "

There's your problem right now. What makes you think that the majority of laughs come from these two characters? Gary Coleman, while integral is hardly the central focus of the show...

[Loge]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:45pm

Exactly. Do I like Wicked better than Avenue Q? Very much so. But, I like many other shows better than Wicked. I think people think it because of the battle for the Tony.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:45pm

But if people quit griping then we wouldn't have a board.

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:46pm

interesting -- I see your questions and the overtness of the show and characters to be what makes it work....

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:46pm

Here is my opinion. I think it is fun and funny and I like it a lot. BUT, I think a lot of the songs were written for the "Shock" value and none of the songs are "brilliant" (at least what people have set the bar for on this board). But, like I said I really like Q so I am not bashing on it. I am just saying.

[Loge]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:48pm

Well, I think the inclusion of puppets is pretty cool..but like I said, at first, I was loving the CD, because it was so fun. I can enjoy it for being fun, but in terms of all the critical appraise it's getting, I am starting to lose understanding for that. I just think true comedians can find other humorous outlets than someone's accent and Gary Coleman.

[Craig]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:48pm

Ok, I'm not going to "defend" Avenue Q, but for those that have listened to Fine Fine Line and can tell me it isn't "smart" go ahead...

[FabalaCohen]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:49pm

Look, I don't have the whole recording, but I find Ave. Q a lot better than Wicked. And I really don't find the Gary Coleman and Christmas Eve characters that funny. I find myself laughing harder at "If You Were Gay" rather than "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:50pm

Actually, to tell you the truth....I think "Fine, fine, line" is actually the best song from the show with music and lyrics. I think it is gorgeous.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:50pm

i agree craig, that score is VERY good in my opinion.


btw, there is more to composing a good show than turning out the rangiest most complicated musical piece ever heard.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:51pm

I find myself enjoying the more "serious" or "emotional" songs than I do with the ones where they are trying to be funny.

To me, Fine Fine Line and Fantasies Come True are much better than Everybody's A Little Bit Racist or If You Were Gay.
With that said, The Internet is for Porn is genius...not so much that it hasn't been done before (a lot of the jokes Avenue Q uses have been done to death) but for it's execution.

Updated On: 12/7/04 at 03:51 PM

[Loge]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:51pm

Oh, there is some very clever writing within it. My questions are mainly what people think about the inclusion of Gary and the accent of Christmas Eve being used to generate laughs. Not the rest of the show. I think most of us on here could think, "Hey, why don't I have Gary Coleman as a character, who is a super, and he has to sell his stuff on Ebay to make ends meet?" And then, think, "What, that's pretty lame" and move on. But, someone, this found it's way into a critically acclaimed show?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:52pm

"Gary Coleman, as a super selling his stuff on Ebay? Come on - even I could think of that."

How many has-been child celebrities have wound up as supporting characters in Broadway musicals played by the opposite gender? It was a daring and risky move that actually is quite funny in the show and paid off.

"Christmas Eve. I find the whole accent thing to be very lame...because that's how the show generates a large percentage of it's laughs."

The accent IS funny (Margaret Cho's impersonation of her mother gets some of the biggest laughs in her stand-up) and the show encourages us to laugh at something society tries to stifle. The show is modeled after Sesame Street which was a pioneer show in multiethnic casting and racial blindness. Everyone's a Little Bit Racist is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to that and would be less humorous without her accent (especially the final line). Rod is gay and sounds extremely effeminate. Not all gay men sound like that, but part of what Avenue Q is about is the truth upon which stereotypes are founded (racism, homosexuality, college students, has-been child stars). Since the show makes fun of itself, it's not offensive, but funny. If it's a critical and financial success and wins multiple awards, how lame can it be?

Take out those two things and Avenue Q would not be Avenue Q. What would you put in their place that would work better?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:53pm

exactly, matt

[pab]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:54pm

Loge, I think that you should just see the show and that might help you understand how everything fits. I liked the show from listing to the CD and I then saw the show a few months later and liked it even more. Some people have to actually see a show on stage to fully get what's going from the recording and how it all works on stage.

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:55pm

Having seen the show, I can tell you categorically that the sublime Ann Harada got the laughs she did for the entirety of her characterization...not just because of an accent.

Although I have some reservations about AVE. Q, I must say that on its own terms, it's perfect. And I laughed a GREAT deal.

[Corine2]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:55pm

I will defend Avenue Q.
Honey,
You need to see the show. You need to see Stephanie, John and Rick perform with the puppets. It is very POWERFUL.
I think the whole score is beautiful especially Purpose and Fine Fine Line.
No other show has moved me like Q. It is very meaningful and beautiful.
Before you knock it. Go and see it.
When I heard the cd (before seeing the show) I did not feel the same way.
It is all about what Stephanie and John do with it.
It is brilliant, touching, funny and my heart belongs to Q.
Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez deserved that Tony. I still think that Steph was robbed from hers.
Saying you don't like a show that you have not seen does not make sense.

Now get out there and see Q.
Updated On: 12/11/04 at 03:55 PM

[Craig]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:55pm

May I remind everyone posting here that the person who raised the issue has NOT see the show yet.

As for "I could have thought of that"

The best ideas are often the simplest. Sure - you could have thought of it. But you didn't....

[Loge]

Posted: 12/7/04 at 3:56pm

Did I say I was a writer? No! Do I have a legit question? Sure! All I'm saying is Gary Coleman has been made fun of a million times and Asian-American accents have been used to generate laughs in a dozen movies and onstage. It's not original.