Dear Hunter Foster, Meredith Patterson, Chris Sieber and Anyone Else With Internet Access — Page 17

The one thing that you ALL seem to be missing is that ive heard ALL of you refering to the fact the Tony Awards Votes mean very little when so much polotics is involved. After Memphis won so many said that it won because of road voters, the most commercial show to tour etc etc

However now people are saying his equity awards idea is knocking the winners?

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The equity awards idea is stupid because Hunter didn't think about the logistics of such a thing. How are the equity members who are, you know, actually employed in a show, going to see these shows and vote? It's not like film or TV where they can mail you a screener and you can watch at your leisure. Plus, given Hunter and his ilk's previous statements about not even seeing CZJ's performance (despite his claim that she was "worse in the theater"), it's highly doubtful he, Jen, and Meredith could be counted on for anything resembling integrity. Rather, it would resemble something like those 7th grade student council elections- a popularity contest where they could all pat themselves on the back.

Jen Cody already demonstrated that she doesn't have an integrity by blabbing about that she's a Tony voter and who she did or didn't vote for.

It would, however, give Jan Maxwell the chance to add some Equitys to her bag. They'd go nicely with all the Tonys she's got in there.

I think we should have the "Quity's" and have them broadcast on Ovation and open every year with Little Sally (SPENCER KAYDEN) handing out the awards while movie stars are kept in a medieval torture device suspended above the real "stars" who can throw fruit and bits of cheese at them all night.

Funnily enough, Spencer Kaden (who was not only magnificent in every incarnation of URINETOWN, but is also a truly marvelous human being) won Equity's Clarance Derwent Award for her performance as Little Sally.

I still remember standing outside on a hot August day telling Spencer that no matter what happens, should the show move, they had to keep her...even if they got rid of the rest of us.

And that's EXACTLY what happened. I'm a real Cassandra that way.

Its not against the rules to talk about who you voted for, i actually liked how honest she was about who she voted for. She could have said she voted for CZJ to make it sound better for herself but she didnt.

How on Earth would it have made her sound better if she said she voted for CZJ? It would have made her look like an idiot considering she was bashing CZJ in the same post. "She was such an arrogant bitch at Gypsy of the Year and her awful performance didn't deserve the Tony- but I voted for her!"

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You will get no argument from me. It was actually written for her...tailored specifically to her talents. Other people do it...and do it well. But, like John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig, it is just different when performed by the person it's meant for.

Yes, someone proposed a "Best Performance by a Celebrity" category- and that suggestion is even worse than Equity Awards. Because it's saying "Film Actors Are Different and Don't Deserve to Be Judged Based on the Same Standards as Stage Actors". And nearly all of the film actors nominated this year have had considerable stage experience. And, at the rate Broadway is going, that category would be filled with nominees while a "Best Stage Actor" category would be devoid of anyone.

An awards system is inherently flawed and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do. It's flawed because the voters are- voters will be biased on a personal level or based on their own best interests. And an Equity Awards will be terribly flawed.

Besides- Equity already gives awards. Awards that are arguably more meaningful.

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It would also seem, again, that this "Equity Award" idea is about controlling by Mr. Foster and his wife who gets to be in the Broadway community. With the exception of the voting pool (equity members)the only difference is that they seem to want a ceremony where they can control the presenters, etc. I.E., their version of the "Broadway community". Which to their minds (at least this year) does not include people giving excellent performances on Broadway. I also thought it quite telling that Ms. Cody's public bashing of CZJ extended to CZJ complaining that she was tired at the Easter Bonnet. As if her not giving true deference to a fund raiser (albeit a worthy one) that Ms. Cody is very involved in after being a lead on Broadway eight shows a week somehow disqualifies her from the "Broadway community."

This whole discussion just gets more embarrassing and brainless by the minute. Truly astounding. Just shameful.

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Like i said, my main thing with the Tony Awards is getting the awards for things like the Lifetime Achivement Award and Book award etc back in the telecast. Hunter has the same opinion on that, so i agree with him.

Some ideas are gonna work, some are not, i agree with some, i 100 percent dont with others.

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