Dirty Rotten Egos and All Shook Up- Page 3

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:20pm

Staying on this subject, I once heard Paul Newman used to sign autographs but stopped after a fan asked him to sign while he was relieving himself @ a urinal. No idea how true it is but if it is, I somewhat understand although those not guilty suffer with the idiot who asked him

[broadway86]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:25pm

As far as I know, Newman still signs. That's still pretty creepy.

[wendy72]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:28pm

Paul Newman does not sign--he is notoriously anti-publicity and goes out of his way to let fan know that. He one told friends of my fathers " the zoo is down the road" because they were staring in his direction.

Joanne, however, is gracious and lovely.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:30pm

amourdujour, their job is exactly that. To entertain and make people happy, as you said, through their art. That doesn't include anything off-stage, as far as I see it. You said it yourself, so I don't see what the problem is.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:33pm

Emcee, you wouldn't be too happy if Raul did that...but I understand.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:35pm

No, I wouldn't at all, but I understand that it's not their job. In one of my posts before, I said how grateful that the experiences I've had meeting actors have become some of my favorite memories - he's included in that group, for which I consider myself extremely lucky.

Then again, I probably wouldn't approach an actor forty-five minutes before curtain, because I'm simply too shy, among other reasons.

I've seen one of my favorite people in the entire world not sign. I think nothing less of him as a performer... and over a one-time disappointment, I think I have it in my heart to let him off and not whine about it.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:37pm

I have a feeling it might have been the 11 people....just a hunch...lol

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:43pm

You are right...I would never approach an actor that close to a performance, as well.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 8:58pm

broadway86-

I'd bet anything that it was a joke if/when he scoffed and rolled his eyes at the stage manager. He works too closely with these people to have such an attitude as you say someone said he had. I just can't see him doing that.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:08pm

I'll add something to what Em said--I don't think it's fair for anyone to judge a performer on whether the one time you saw them they were nice or signed. Yes, actors should love what they do and appreciate fans, but that certainly doesn't mean they should be forced to sign/take pics every single fan that asks them. We all have to remember sometimes we all have those days where we don't wanna talk with people, sometimes we're too exhausted to do anything, etc. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt, as I've seen not only in broadway but baseball, fans who will say so-and-so never signs just because one day he didn't sign, then again he signs more than any other Yankee(Jeter if you're lost).

In terms of Norbie, I'm with the he's usually very gracious club. Everytime I've been at the stage door he hasn't left until every single person had an autograph or a picture that they wanted. That in itself definitely puts him way up in my book.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:14pm

Ahem. Norbert's been as sweet as sugar both times I've met him, but there certainly IS a possibility that he's not so sweet away from the fans and the limelight. I hate to rain on parades, and everyone knows I like my rose-colored glass, but it IS a possibility.

It's also a perfect possibility that he is a great guy all-around and that this incident was just on a bad day. Truth is many of us will never know for sure.

Updated On: 5/15/05 at 09:14 PM

[Becky]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:23pm

OMG - I didn't even think about there being 11 people. Not sure why that didn't click.

Geez. 11 people heading towards them? This isn't even a discussion at this point. I'd run back in too. No question.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:26pm

11 people could be the size of a small after-show crowd. Expecting them to stop *especially* so soon before curtain is kind of absurd.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:34pm

"Kind of absurd?" Extremely absurd! 11 people rushing at you while you're eating and catching a breath of fresh air could be a bit daunting.

Although it's never a surprise to see the one poster in this thread reiterating yet again that people like Butz and Scott should be GRATEFUL because this is THE JOB THEY CHOSE so they really have NO RIGHT to decide that there are times when they are less psyched about being charged at by fans, no matter how big the crowd.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:38pm

Okay, Emcee, I know it's a bit much for me to think that b/c Norbert is always sweet to me that he's like that all the time. I just can't see him disrespecting a stage manager like bway86 says someone said he did.

[broadway86]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:43pm

"He works too closely with these people to have such an attitude as you say someone said he had."

No, no. I was there when it happened. It is certainly possible that he was having a bad day, but it certainly didn't seem like a joke.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 9:44pm

I was trying to be gentle, Namo. Hell, I'd flee like nothing else if eleven people came up to me while I was just standing around.

Also, betty, even if the stage manager bit is true that doesn't necessarily mean that he's not a nice guy, either, I didn't mean for it to sound like I felt that way; a lot of people have tense relationships with stage managers. It's not an easy job. My point in saying this is that, in truth, as much as we think we may know about these people, it may not always be 100% accurate to be like "oh, I've met so-and-so ten times, and they've always been an absolute doll." We don't really know them, much as we'd like to think we do, and much as we'd like to think all of them really are as sweet as they put themselves up to be. We don't know anything of their personalities besides what we see firsthand, and we don't know if that's real. I feel like a lot of times you can tell when it's genuine and when it's not, but that's another issue.

Updated On: 5/15/05 at 09:44 PM

[TGIF]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 10:03pm

No one will ever win the debate over if actors should or shouldn't sign. I, for one, would never *expect* a person to do it, but I do think it is smart PR.

I watch "celebrities" who sign TONS of autographs everyday (Spamalot boys, Jeff Goldblum, Denzel, etc) and you can tell they know the drill. I was passing through Shubert Alley on last Saturday and Goldblum was out signing so I stopped and watched for a bit. One guy had around 10 things (some I would bet made it to E-Bay) and others he asked for "messages to be written" like "oooh write this." I thought it was an absurd amount of stuff for one person to ask to be signed, but Goldblum did and smiled the entire time. It truly impressed me. He made conversation with everyone who was there.


But seriously, a dozen of you heading over 45 minutes before curtain? I would run too. Who knows, you might have wanted one group picture or 11 individual ones. That would take more than a minute or two. So close to curtain, it was a smart move.


Edit: Final/Summarizing thought - Should they sign? Sure. Do they have to? NO! Is it smart for their career? Definitely.

Updated On: 5/15/05 at 10:03 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 10:09pm

All I was saying, as was M, was that they could have been civil. They didn't have to sign a thing or take a picture. Just don't be rude and make people feel bad. It's just as easy to say with a smile, "Sorry, we have to go in now, but we'll be happy to sign after the show."

[broadway betty]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 10:12pm

Emcee-You're totally right, we don't know what kind of people they really are away from the theatre. What I'm saying is that when he interacts with fans, he treats them with so much respect and kindness.

Oh, the drama! Alejandra said it best-"It ain't BWW if there's no drama!"

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 10:13pm

M said this is what they said "Sorry, we have to go get ready for the show, we can't stay out here anymore."
Now that could have been nice or pushy and rude but it still seems with eleven people coming up so close to curtain to be an acceptable response.

[Corine2]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 11:02pm

Rait,
And I met your close friend on the 104 bus and she was very gracious.
A wonderful lady.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 11:12pm

Remember how civil the Beatles were when charging fans came running after them all throughout A Hard Day's Night? They didn't stop and sign and take pictures. They ran like the dirty rotten egotists they were. Supposedly, being popular was what they wanted. But their behavior showed otherwise. They just RAN when they were way outnumbered. HOW DARE THEY?

Well, two of them are dead, and after all, they deserve it for running away like that.

[romanov]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 11:25pm

Without a doubt, they handled that badly. Unless they want to, itis not an actor's job to sign autographs and pose for fan pictures. However, it is everyone's job to be pleasant. 7:15 is not close enough to showtime to warrant a mad dash to the wings.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/15/05 at 11:27pm

It's enough time that they need to get in costume/makeup and things. Maybe they *were* just about to go in, we don't know. And honestly, such a statement is open to BROAD interpretation. Maybe the person read it as nasty just because it wasn't the response they wanted. Somehow, I don't read that as particularly bitchy.