An Unfortunate Choice

[InfiniteGirl]

An Unfortunate Choice#0

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:15am

Wasn't "Razzle Dazzle" a rather unfortunate choice to play as a tribute to the great artists we've lost last year. I don't think of Arthur Miller (or Jerry Orbach, or Fred Ebb, or John - I mean Cy Coleman) as 'big bamboozlers'beading and feathering' us cause they 'got no talent' but put 'stardust in our eyes'.

Les Moonves, on the other hand, who got more reaction shots than James Earl Jones - that's some serious hocus-pocus there. Witness the promos for new Fall shows.

[ashley0139]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#1

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:17am

They changed/left out a lot of the words, though. Don't remember if those particular ones were in there or not.

"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife

[nmartin]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#2

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:39am

Jesse L. Martin's performance and the choice of song were unfortunate, as was most of the Tonys last night. I was really disappointed.

[hawkeyemania]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#3

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:42am

You can tell Jesse has been out of it for a while, even if he is filming RENT the movie.

In the words of Mr. William Morris Barfee, "In my whole life I have only been able to breathe through one nostril and today is no exception!"

[ChrisLovesShows]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#4

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:46am

The "got no talents" was definitely left IN.

InfiniteGirl, I agree. What an awful choice. What were they thinking??? Just dreadful.

"Do you know ChrisLovesShows?" "Yes. Why, yes he does!"

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 10:46 AM

[erinrebecca]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#5

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:46am

It was a deliberate choice (and an obvious one!). Jesse was asked to sing it as a tribute to Jerry Orbach, because Jerry was the original Billy Flynn, and Jesse obviously spent years as his partner on L&O.

[apdarcey]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#6

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:48am

jesse said the only reason it was that song was because he was doing it as a tribute to jerry o as he was his partner on law and order.

[ChrisLovesShows]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#7

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:51am

Still, they could have re-worked the lyrics skillfully to make it a "tribute" to Jerry AND to all of the other deceased artists.

"Do you know ChrisLovesShows?" "Yes. Why, yes he does!"

Updated On: 6/6/05 at 10:51 AM

[James2]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#8

Posted: 6/6/05 at 10:55am

I liked Jesse's performance. A lot. More than the Franklin/Jackman performance.

My avatar = A screencap from Avatar, arguably the greatest animated show of all

[november]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#9

Posted: 6/6/05 at 11:21am

I did as well, the ending was a bit sour but the sound was bad

[leomaxfrank]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#10

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:16pm

I just think he counted wrong as he was holding his last note and it caught him off guard, causing his pitch to waver and/or fall. It was a shame - I like Jesse.

But I won't live alone in a house of regret.

[jezzebelle]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#11

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:19pm

Yes, it was completely bizzare, omitting the fact Jerry was the orginal Billy Flynn. The lyrics were just not really appropiate to a memorial type of thing. Perhaps another song from Chicago or something else, would have more appropiate ?

[munkustrap178]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#12

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:22pm

I was completely baffled when they started singing "Razzle Dazzle." If they wanted to do a song that Orbach originated, something like "The Lullabye of Broadway" or "Try to Remember" would have been far better. I think they should have done a song to remember everyone - not just Orbach - and in that case should have performed "How Do You Say Goodbye?" or "Thank You for the Music."

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[ken8631]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#13

Posted: 6/6/05 at 12:38pm

I thought that was the strangest part of the show - no real lead in, and sortof ended abruptly. Not really a tribute.

[CurtainUp]

re: An Unfortunate Choice#14

Posted: 6/6/05 at 1:47pm

Ooh!! Lullaby or Try to Remember would have been AMAZINGLY effective. Razzle Dazzle is probably related to bhis most famous role, but it doenst help when the character's a sleazebag. Try to Remember could have been tear inducing.

Rosencrantz: "Be happy - if you're not even HAPPY what's so good about surviving? We'll be all right. I suppose we just go on." - from Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead