An ATC Rant

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 12:53pm

One of the many reasons that I gingerly post on ATC is because I'm sick of the bitter people who post there and seem to revel in disagreeing with people's opinions by insulting them and calling them names AND without any fact or knowledge to back up the insults. A bunch of wanna be know it alls...still I cruise there and post occasionally when I can handle the attacks.
I have to say that everyone who reads the main BW boards knows that I happen to like Sondheim and Lane and am a fan of their current production, the Frogs though I do recognize it is not everyone's cup of tea.

That said, I read ATC this a.m. and found two really weird posts.

The frist was from a person who doesn't really like Lane and especially doesn't like him in a leading role...went to the show anyway and then posted that he (SURPRISE) didn't like it. I told him that based on his previous posts about Lane I could have told him to save his money because it was OBVIOUS he would hate the show. What's that about?

The second post was from someone who posted in advance to find out where the stage door was and was fortunate enough to find Lane coming out and got his autograph and picture...but didn't say if she liked the show. When I asked her if she enjoyed it, she answered that she didn't like it...but I guess going to the stage door afterwards and getting the picture and autograph of a star whose show you hated is still really exciting. Just hope she didn't start the conversation by saying: your show really sucked but I'd like your autograph anyway and oh, can you take a picture with me?

Is it just me or is the world off its rocker? Perhaps it's just ATC gone bad!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 12:55pm

I agree with you to a point, however, just because she didn't like the show doesn't mean she didn't think he was good in it. Also, it's Nathan Lane - the likelihood is that she was a fan before she went to see THE FROGS.

[robbiej]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 1:17pm

I happen to know the guy you're talking about (who thinks lane is not a 'leading man') and though he can be harsh in his criticisms, he is actually very smart and quite a nice person.

I also recently met someone else from there quite by accident. I cannot stand his online personality, but found him thoroughly likable in person.

Fascinating how this net thing works

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:19pm

I don't dislike the guy from ATC...my point was that he has said frequently and often that he doesn't care for Lane so why buy expensive theater tickets to a show you most certainly will hate and then post that you hated it? That was my only point.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:20pm

Rathnait - I don't have a problem with someone looking for an autograph and picture...but I did find it odd that she didn't even post whether she liked the show until she was asked...but did post that she got the autograph and picture as if that were the whole point of going in the first place.

She's entitled to her opinion and didn't like the show but seems young and naive when it comes to theatrical commentary and analysis anyway...so take it from the source, I suppose.

As I said...just ranting.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 3:33pm

"If liberty means anything at all, it means the right
to tell people what they do not want to hear."

— George Orwell, 1945

SamIAm...we all have the right to our own opinions, whether you like it or not. Just because you are a Nathan Lane fan doesn't mean everyone has to be. I respect him as an actor, but I don't particular like him, but I have my personal reasons for my feelings. You need to learn to let things roll off your back and not get so insulted by others comments unless they are personally attacking you or your family. Do you think Nathan Lane really cares what this person is saying???

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 4:10pm

You miss my point - I have NO problem with someone not liking Lane...my point is that people buy tickets to shows that everyone else can even tell they won't like and they say they didn't like the show. That's all.

I have no stake in whether someone likes him or not and am mature enough to understand that people don't. I don't happen to like Hugh Jackman, but I didn't buy a ticket to BFO and then say I hated it either. THAT is my only point.

[Plum]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 5:02pm

Maybe (and I'm probably being naive here, but who knows) that person was hoping to have his or her mind changed about Lane and the show. I know that every time I go to a show, I hope it's going to be great. I think most people have the same mindset.

Or maybe I'm a hopelessly Pollyanna-ish dork. :)

Anyway, personal insults and cattiness are definitely not the exclusive territory of ATC. The past week or so on the OT board should have proven that pretty conclusively. Get a bunch of strong and contentious personalities together and you're going to get fights. It's a fact of life- and not such a bad one, if you ask me. Updated On: 8/20/04 at 05:02 PM

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 5:08pm

discourse and intelligent, well expressed opinions are a GOOD fact of life. Catty, nasty, meanspirited comments are NOT

As for your theory...it may be that that is the case in general and I agree that you do want to give another chance to performers and theatrical styles in hopes of developing an understanding or liking for them but in THIS case...the guy has FOR YEARS said he didn't like this performer. Sorry to have started this firestorm...it's really not that important. Just odd that someone would buy a ticket to be tortured by something or someone they KNOW they don't like.

[Plum]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 5:19pm

Well, there are a lot of people who see every show on principal. And there are also many people who don't pay much for tickets at all. *sigh*

I wish I were rich. Or connected. Or both.

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 5:26pm

discourse and intelligent, well expressed opinions are a GOOD fact of life. Catty, nasty, meanspirited comments are NOT

I couldn't agree with you more Sam. I love getting some news off of the ATC board, but the bitterness there can really give you a belly ache after a while. Too often I get the impression that some folks feel that being snide and bitter is a goal they strive for. (Everybody wants to be a Danny). I'm certainly not wealthy (far from it) so I have to be very discriminatory about which shows I see. There are some I wouldn't cross the street for - even though they may be very popular with others. The point being that you won't read anything from me about them here or in ATC. On the other hand, when I go to one that I think I will like and end up being disappointed in it, I'll say so.

Maybe there's a lot of them out there, like Danny, who don't have to buy a ticket and therefore feel free to go to shows they know they won't like and then blast them here on the web. I just don't see the point in it.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 6:29pm

Yes, this guy (unlike Danny - the 'I got it free and hated it' king - paid for his ticket in ADVANCE with an aversion to Lane...so...go figure.

Anyway...I respect his right to his own theater taste but still say that even if I GOT a ticket free, I wouldn't want to sit through 2 hrs plus of theater I knew I would hate. If I wasn't sure...SURE...if I wanted to try it...SURE...but just to give you an example, I wouldn't walk across the street to see Michael Crawford...free ticket or not.

That's just me, I guess. Anyway, it's an interesting question as to whether if you had all the money in the world or free tickets to everything...you would go to SEE everything. Opinions?

[Jon]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 7:52pm

I rarely see a show I don't like - because I usually know in advance whether I will like something, based on doing a little research - reading reviews and articles, etc.

I don't like ABBA songs, therfore, no matter how much you try to convince me, I am NOT going to like Momma Mia. I know not to waste my money. I know I would not like Dracula, because I don't like Wildhorn's music, and the subject matter doesn't interest me.

I'd rather be able to say, "I spent a week in New York and saw six shows - I liked all of them" than "I saw ten shows and hated half of them". I don't have the time or money to waste seeing crap.

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 8:30pm

Anyway, it's an interesting question as to whether if you had all the money in the world or free tickets to everything...you would go to SEE everything. Opinions?

Well, as I said before - I wouldn't. My life has some value to me. Even a 'free' ticket to a show means a few hours out of your life. There's other things I can do with the time.