Avenue Q + South Park = ???- Page 2
Avenue Q + South Park = ???
#25A respectful reproach
Posted: 6/22/04 at 1:54amName for me one show on Broadway (bonus points for recent years) that has actually given a religion a "bad rap". Provoke thought? Yes. Ask questions? Yes. Make us laugh at the humourous truth in life? Yes. But, attack a religion? Name one.
Updated On: 6/22/04 at 01:54 AM
#26A respectful reproach
Posted: 6/22/04 at 1:59am
its bobo.
Broadway is changing, i know that.
I dont know shows nearly as well as you do, that would be pretty senseless of me. And im not saying its going to attack it. Im saying its going to blow up a certain image of one small aspect that "ignorant" people will use to identify with the church
For example, the only thing i know about the lifestyle of chinese imigrants is from flower drum song. its nor unreasonable to worry that people will do the same thing about the church
Its Aberqurque NM for me. Speaking Spanish. Be Back September 06.
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#27A respectful reproach
Posted: 6/22/04 at 2:04am
Without getting into everything in your post (which strikes me as an extreme overreaction to something that hasn't even been written yet and that, AGAIN, we have no clue whether it indeed has anything to do about Mormons), why are Mormons above being made fun of? I've seen nearly episode of South Park and they have repeatedly made fun of gays, Jews, blacks, Asians, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Native Americans, Canadians, Ethiopians, Catholics, Protestants, the handicapped, the mentally-challenged, the elderly and major figures from Christopher Reeve to the Pope to Barbra Streisand to JFK, Jr. (a week after he died) to various Presidents. They are equal opportunity offenders and NO ONE and NO GROUP is off limits.
The thing about Parker and Stone is that while superficially it may seem that they are simply mean-spirited (and once in a while they cross that line) the undercurrent and subtext -- the "moral" of the story" -- in most instances is that all those labels and stereotypes that we as a society assign to people aren't nearly as important as who the individual is inside. There's a reason they've won the GLAAD media award for presenting gay positive images for characters like Big Gay Al -- on the surface, he's an effeminate stereotype, but underneath the show celebrates him for who and what he is and the other characters accept him without apologies. The same with Jimmy and Timmy, two of the handicapped characters -- yeah there are some running jokes that come as a result of their disabilities, but they are as equally accepted and embraced as any of the other characters on the show. Is there some reason Mormons should be in a special excluded category when Stone and Parker have used every single other religious and ethnic group as the subject of humor.
And what about the "Avenue Q" guys? Do you encourage a boycott of that show because there is an Asian character who speaks stereotypically or because of some of the polically incorrect jokes against various groups in "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"? Or is the show OK with you since it doesn't say anything about Mormon people?
And no, I don't see any need whatsoever for the creative team to meet with church representatives before embarking on the project. Sorry, but they're not doing a documentary and one silly little musical, no matter how popular it may or may not become could ever be powerful enough to harm the reputation, respect and standing of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or its members. You might have a point if this were a segment to be aired on "60 minutes" or CNN or a story in the New York Times -- sources the public does use to help them form opinions on various subject matter -- but I wouldn't be too concerned about messages being disseminated from Broadway theatres.
I can't speak for anyone else and I don't mean to be disrespectful, but not only will I not boycott the show, I plan on being among the first in line to buy a ticket...... and I promise not to think any less of Mormons after I see it, since I'm not in the habit of forming my opinions about social, ethnic, religious or political groups based on what I see in a Broadway musical (and I think that's also the case for the vast majority of the theatre-going audience).
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 6/22/04 at 02:04 AM
#28A respectful reproach
Posted: 6/22/04 at 6:51am
Hey guys, you are taking this theme too much seriously...
Nobody expects the spanish inquisition!
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
Broadwaylilhead
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/03
#31Q
Posted: 6/22/04 at 9:30am
I for one am extremely pissed at the upcoming 'Dracula', because it portrays the undead as a sex-crazed cult. I for one believe that there are all kinds of undead, prudish and sex-crazed. In fact... Frank Wildhorn should consult with a representative from the undead before this show opens. I hear that Dick Clark is waiting for his call.
sh*t.
Get a grip people.
Hamlet's father.
#33Q
Posted: 6/22/04 at 12:39pm
I don't know why I'm adding my voice to this heated argument, but here goes....
First, Marx and Lopez have stated on video that they plan to treat the religion "with love." Check out the post-awards interview on the official Tonys website.
Second, we don't actually know (and I highly doubt) it's going to be Mormonism (?). Actually, I'm pretty sure it's going to be JUDAISM - during that video interview, they said it's not the first one you think of, it's the OTHER one - then they mention something about a temple. Again, check out the video. Wait a minute, maybe it's Buddhism....
Third, I don't see how anyone could be seriously offended by Avenue Q (except maybe Republicans, but they deserve it 
). It's very equal-opportunity satire: just check out 'Everyone's A Little Bit Racist' (sung by a multicultural cast to boot). It's just as goodwilled-teasing as the Producers. And as an Asian, I LOVED Christmas Eve! It's not playing into a stereotype, but mocking the stereotype! It's like The Simpsons and all the characters of Springfield: they're not making fun of certain groups, but making fun of the common _perception_ of those groups!
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
#34Q
Posted: 6/22/04 at 12:49pmBlueWizard is right. We don't know that it's Mormonism. It could be any religion- Islam, Judaism, Mormonism, Buddhism, Confucianism(sp??), etc. So when it's definite what religion it's going to be, then we can all complain about it. Until then, we shouldn't complain (though I understand why some people are upset about it because it may poke fun at their religion).
I have my books and my poetry to protect me...
Updated On: 6/22/04 at 12:49 PM
wickedrawbrt
Stand-by Joined: 3/26/04
#35Q
Posted: 6/22/04 at 12:57pmBoborunstheshow, Matt Stone and Trey Parker have already handled the Mormon religion on South Park. It was done with respect and humor. I think you should watch that episode before rushing to defend your faith against two men who clearly have a fondness for the Church of Latter Day Saints. It was also freakin' hilarious!
broadwaystar2b
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/28/04
Dawg
Featured Actor Joined: 5/27/04
#38Q
Posted: 6/23/04 at 10:46am
This is now completely off-topic, but I cannot let this go without making a comment. I now have two friends...scratch that...HAD two friends who were both Mormon and both homosexual, and because of pressure from their families and their condemning religion, I had two Mormon friends who BOTH killed themselves, so I think you're defending the wrong religion in the wrong place. And just so you know-people don't all of a sudden "turn gay" while on their mission, people are born gay and perhaps for whatever reason they decide to come out while on their mission, but you and your church need to figure out that people are not making a choice there and it's not like changing your hair color. And for that reason, I say what better religion to poke fun at than one that is so quick to make judgement against someone for something they have no choice in???
I'm saying a little prayer that this musical not only makes fun of the religion but skewers it in a Michael Moore Fahrenheit 9/11 kind of way.
Updated On: 6/23/04 at 10:46 AM
Dawg
Featured Actor Joined: 5/27/04
#40Q
Posted: 6/26/04 at 12:54pmReally? Wow. Do you have a link?
BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner
HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."
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