Billie Joe Armstrong last night

[newintown]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:29am

Did anyone else get the impression that he was mocking and disdainful of the theatre world in his Idiot intro last night (in spite of his compliments to Mayer)? Or merely full of himself?

Second question: does anyone else get embarrassed for musical theatre performers when they rock out like they think they're rock stars (like the cast of Idiot)?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:31am

I got the impression that he was stoned.

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:35am

Billie Joe Armstrong sounds like a tennis player's name.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:38am

I think he swung and sorely missed on trying to make a joke. That was not the first time he read from a prompter, let's be serious. He went on to really credit Michael Mayer and the cast so I am convinced it was really a poorly-conceived joke. BJA never struck me as that smug/mocking/disdainful when I have seen him perform or in interviews in print/TV. He seemed really unsure on how to project to an audience where he knows a handful of people and I really do not think he earned any new fans at Radio City with the remarks, unfortunately.

Second question. No, unless it is really terrible music.

Updated On: 6/14/10 at 11:38 AM

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:52am

yes
yes-not during the performance necessarily but those faces they were making backstage walking to the stage were so stupid.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 11:58am

Having meet Billie in formal and informal events, I will tell you he is not the smug person in Green Day. If anyone in the band has an occasional smug streak, it's Tre Cool (though I still think the world of him). I think more than anything Billie simply hated the teleprompter. He's not used to it. I know first hand he has a great deal of respect for the Broadway community.

Secondly, it's a rock musical, that's the whole gig. If you don't like it, don't go see the show, but don't piss on the cast for doing their job.
Updated On: 6/14/10 at 11:58 AM

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:00pm

My only bitch about these rock acts, in their self aggrandizing, self absorbed, self promoting manner...is that they come to Broadway looking to legitimize themselves and make a big splash, whereas on the opposite side of the entertainment spectrum; why can't Broadway have 5 minutes for a production number at the Grammy Awards? The theater award is always given off camera, in order to maintain an evening of rap and rhythm and blues which I am not into. So Green Day has a Broadway show running? Big effin deal, I couldn't care less. Why would I care when most other awards shows don't give us time of day.

I think last nights' audience made too big a stink of the opening number with Green Day performing which is something you will see on any other awards show, whether it's MTV, American Music Awards, the Grammys or whatever have you. If I have to sit thru that crap and see it win awards in my domain, then I demand 5 minutes or more at the Grammys for Broadway, Classical, and every other genre which gets snubbed out of live air time.

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:03pm

Sorry PitPro, the Grammys and the Oscars have amazing television ratings. The Tonys do not. In order to try and get viewers to watch, you have to show what viewers outside of the theatre world know. If you want the Tonys on TV every year, you'll have to accept five minutes of the show devoted to something famous worldwide, and not just famous to New York City, between 40th and 55th.

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:04pm

sad but true

[newintown]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:09pm

And of course, as Americans, it's our patriotic duty to care about nothing but ratings and profit. To try to talk of anything else is akin to introducing Schopenhauer into a conversation with a goldfish.

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:16pm

Fame corrupts people, and makes them self centered. Look no further than precious Lea Michelle.

I'm not saying that agree with the Tony people for bringing in as much pop culture as they do. But I think to disregard it completely because the theater community feels threatened by the unfamiliar is closed minded and immature. You can't close your eyes, plug your ears, and wish away the fact that Broadway has commercialized. It's not going to change a damn thing.

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:20pm

Agreed, but I don't have to like it. It won't kill Lady Gaga to sit thru 5 minutes of A Little Night Music at the Grammy's just as it didn't kill me to have to suffer thru AI's turn at the show last night. Elton John has been a presence on Broadway for so long, you'd think he'd do more to get one of his shows some major ABC airtime on the Grammys, wouldn't kill him to try. Furthermore, I'm not talking all nominated cast albums performing, just one so the rock audience can get a taste. C'mon, they're showing up on my stage expecting courteous attention, it's the least they can do in return, you know?

[jrnelson90]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:27pm

ABC? CBS. They get to control 3 of the 4 awards shows (why else do you think they had Green Day on? They are in bed with them from the Grammys.)

I would love to see theater on "popular" TV more, such as when Colbert had Fela! on. And yes, Elton could do more, and should do more.

I actually don't think Gaga would be opposed to musicals, it might actually just be her cup of tea.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:34pm

He did come off as a total as*hole. The whole show seems just so fake.

[silversurfer2]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:52pm

"My only bitch about these rock acts, in their self aggrandizing, self absorbed, self promoting manner...is that they come to Broadway looking to legitimize themselves and make a big splash,"...
PitPRo--The same thing can be said for the film stars who swoop in season after season.
Jrnelson90--I agree with you. IMO--AI is a great stage experience, but it is NOT for everyone. I met Billie Joe, and I have to say, he is a very grounded,sweet man, who is very humbled by Broadway. I am really sick and tired of the hatred on these boards towards AI , the cast and the creative team. I just don't understand it. Yes it's loud and in your face, it's meant to be...it's a ROCK musical, not HELLO DOLLY. If that isn't waht you like, then don't go! Go see the rest of the 'Typical' Broadway fare such as PHANTOM, CHICAGO, MAMMA MIA....and the rest of the "Tired" lot.
Updated On: 6/14/10 at 12:52 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 12:57pm

I really didn't see what the big problem was...

[Ariella]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:07pm

I didn't either.

Green Day has repeatedly said that the musical is one of the highlights of their career; Armstrong was certainly not using the Tonys to give Broadway the middle finger.

The American Idiot/Green Day performances livened up a stodgy evening and they played to the cameras well (giving the telecast some decent moments), and I certainly wouldn't criticize the cast's enthusiasm. The prevailing vibe at American Idiot is rock concert, so they may as well rock out during their Tony performance and be true to form.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:23pm

Most of you dweebs would never have survived punk rock.

[newintown]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:33pm

Oh, sweetie baby kittycat, I remember real punk very well - Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones stuff. Green Day, by comparison to the real thing, is The Archies.

But you're missing the whole point of the discussion, and I have a feeling that you're doing so with a sense of purpose.

This is not about liking or disliking punk (or rather punk manqué); this is about perceptions of the quality of the work, which are, admittedly, subjective.

But to identify opposing points of view (and those who express them) as stodgy or dweebs is just jejune, reductive, and unhelpful to a continued discourse.

[philly03]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:39pm

I thought he made himself as a disrespect for the Tonys/Broadway.

I feel so awkward watching them in the theatre, so TV wasn't any better!!

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:42pm

"Oh, sweetie baby kittycat, I remember real punk very well - Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones stuff. Green Day, by comparison to the real thing, is The Archies."

Well now you've done it! I am going to run to the corner listening to Dookie on my iPod in complete crying hysterics with that comment!
Updated On: 6/14/10 at 01:42 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:44pm

Does anyone have a transcription of his speech and can illustrate just how he behaved so abominably?

Anyone?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:45pm

BECAUSE HE'S AN INTERLOPER!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:49pm

Oh, Phyll...I love it when you get all CHILDREN OF THE CORN on our ass!

[strummergirl]

Posted: 6/14/10 at 1:52pm

It was not so much what he said but how he reacted to what was written on the teleprompter. In the past we have seen other performers react to the corny things they had to say but the particular line he reacted to struck a nerve.