LuPone Issues Response To Showstopping Vegas 'Texting' Incident- Page 8

[winston89]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:16pm

Matt, I have two friends who were working at The St. James during the run of Gypsy. From what they told me Patti was no where near as nice to them as she could have been. Thus they weren't doing things that Patti asked the usher to do just to spite her. Things such as standing in a line across the front row during Rose's Turn etc. The group mindset was if she wasn't going to be nice to them, why would they go out of their way to be nice to her?

If I worked at the box office during Gypsy and she had one of her signature hissy fits then I would be more then happy to give someone a refund. It doesn't matter if it is LuPone at a performance of Gypsy or Richard Griffiths during the run of The History Boys. When people pay for a ticket they pay to see the person play a particular character not to break it.

I remember being at a performance of Rabbit Hole, which, if you don't know is a VERY emotional play specially at the last scene. During said scene someone's phone went off. Cynthia Nixon and her acting partner were having an emotional exchange when it happened. But, like the professionals they are they stopped, didn't say anything, stayed in character and when the guy shut up his phone pretty quickly they both took a deep breath and continued as if nothing happened. Now, that is professionalism if I have heard of it.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:25pm

That sure was professional of your friends. :/

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:31pm

It's not about "niceness" it's about doing their jobs. Patti's job is not to make nice-nice with the ushers. But, the ushers are expected to keep the house unde control to a degree. Not doing your job just to spite someone else is cause for termination IMO. There are so many people out there w/o a job who would be perfectly willing to do as they are asked.

I'm not excusing Patti's alleged rudeness. But they were out of line.

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:38pm

Patti does not perform to make friends with people, yes she has her moments but doesn't everyone? you guys are taking this WAY TO FAR. hands down people don't need to text or something while seeing her! i flew 2000 miles from fl to Vegas to see her and if someone was beside me texting i would of been mad! the person doing it was a row behind us, but still DON'T come see the greatest singer/actress of our time if you're gonna sit there in text! Patti called their bluff so GO PATTI ! <3

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:41pm

Matt, I have two friends who were working at The St. James during the run of Gypsy. From what they told me Patti was no where near as nice to them as she could have been. Thus they weren't doing things that Patti asked the usher to do just to spite her. Things such as standing in a line across the front row during Rose's Turn etc. The group mindset was if she wasn't going to be nice to them, why would they go out of their way to be nice to her?

Wow. Immature AND unprofessional. How nice was Patti supposed to be? What are the parameters and how were they addressed to Patti? Or were they ever addressed at all? Methinks not. But it certainly says a lot about the professionalism to be expected of the house staff in Broadway theatres. So basically, they were not willing to take extra measures to see that 1) people adhere to the rules they are already supposed to be policing and 2) help prevent another outburst from the stage, because they prefer vindication for expectations they placed on a performer of which she may have been unaware? Sorry, but this really undermines the whole argument that it isn't Patti's place to police the audience and to take care of the situation offstage with the house staff. Clearly, in the case of the St. James theatre anyway, it sounds as if the house staff were not going to do much about it. We all have to work with people we don't like. That is not an excuse. The "group mindset" sounds like a bunch of teenagers who have yet to learn how to address conflict, which is exactly what ushers should be trained to do.

Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:41 PM

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:44pm

To call her the greatest singer and actress of our time is just hilarious. Who's time anyways? Are you judging by her performance on the TV show "Life Goes On" or her topless scenes in "Summer of Sam"?

At one time her voice was good, but now it's worn and she needs to get real and so do her fans. Much like Liza's ridiculous voice, the gal just doesn't have it anymore.

I've known some people who worked with Patti and have confirmed what a nasty person she is. She likes to pretend she is professional but in reality she is anything but. Just a spoiled diva who thinks she is better then everyone else. This is why she finds it hard to get work. Because all the "stories" we hear about her are true. No one in their right mind (actors, stage managers, etc.) wants to have to deal with her. That's why Patti and her gay friend Mandy get along so well...they are both neurotic egotistical lunatics.
Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:44 PM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:44pm

Patti does not perform to make friends with people

Exactly!

Patti barely makes nice-nice with the fans who pay to see her perform. Is anyone surprised to hear that she doesn't with the ushers?

What is she supposed to do? Invite them to slumber parties where they braid each other's hair and play mad libs?

Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:44 PM

[fbueller]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:47pm

"It's not about 'niceness' it's about doing their jobs. Patti's job is not to make nice-nice with the ushers. But, the ushers are expected to keep the house unde control to a degree. Not doing your job just to spite someone else is cause for termination IMO. There are so many people out there w/o a job who would be perfectly willing to do as they are asked."

I'm not sure I follow your logic. It's not the responsibility of the audience to make nice with Patti. But Patti is under contract and should be expected to perform. Unless an audience member has a heart attack or ventilation components fall from the ceiling, the show should and must go on!!!

Since Patti is continually interrupting her shows and often breaking character, she should be fired! There are many deserving performers who are just as talented and who would certainly act more professionally than Patti. I hope it continues to be difficult for her to get work.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:47pm

To call her the greatest singer and actress of our time is just hilarious. Who's time anyways?

Yeah! Who is time more than one anyway?

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:47pm

And if a performer can't even make a little bit of nice-nice with the fans, I think that tells you what kind of a person they are.
Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:47 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:49pm

And if a performer can't even make a little bit of nice-nice with the fans, I think that tells you what kind of a person they.

Yeah! That tells me what kind of person you.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:51pm

fbueller, I'm not really sure where you're going with that. I was specifically referring to ushers refusing to do their jobs because Patti wasn't "nice" to them. My post had nothing to do with stopping the show.

Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:51 PM

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:52pm

Sorry sweets, edited my post before you got a chance to post your snide remark. Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:52 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:53pm

Sorry sweets, edited my post before you got a chance to post your snide remark.

That's ok. It was still fun. Besides, you seem to be a huge fan of snide remarks.

Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:53 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 12:54pm

Just wanted to add what was edited and changed so my response wasn't too confusing.

Updated On: 6/24/09 at 12:54 PM

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:13pm

Love her or Hate her (I love her!) she makes an excellent point and i agree 110%

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:28pm

Who were your friends, Winston? PM me. Updated On: 6/24/09 at 01:28 PM

[PattiAnnLuPWNS2]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:30pm

wow. "Flyingmonkey1223", you are really an angry person. You don't like Patti? AVOID HER and everything associated with her. Don't spread the hate.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:41pm

I worked at the St. James and Patti never asked us to stand in a line in front of the stage to spite us. She asked that the ushers come down to the front of the house to watch for cameras only during Rose's Turn. In the case of the orchestra ushers, we stood to the sides by the curtains, and in the mezzanine, by the large vases up at the rail.

Winston didn't say Patti was trying to spite the ushers, but that the ushers refused to do it to spite Patti. Because she wasn't as nice to them as she could have been. And according to him (or them, I suppose), you were part of the "group mindset".

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:43pm

Yes, I'm sorry, I misread that and have altered my post.

I was? Patti never spoke to me, but she was polite to everyone I spoke to. She wanted things the way she wanted them but she wasn't blatantly rude to anyone.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 1:44pm

Mister Matt wins this thread, in my opinion.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:01pm

No, I don't like Patti and to be honest, I'm not an angry person and could really care less about what Patti does because in my eyes she is not deserving of the praise she gets from the mostly middle aged lispy queens on this board.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:04pm

...I'm not an angry person and could really care less about what Patti does because in my eyes she is not deserving of the praise she gets from the mostly middle aged lispy queens on this board.

I don't know what people are talking about. That doesn't sound angry at all. It is merely bigoted and offensive.

[PattiAnnLuPWNS2]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:08pm

It sounds like you do care, because you are taking every opportunity to bash her. Just go away. Like really. Your presence here is toxic.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 6/24/09 at 2:08pm

It's the truth. Sorry if you find that bigoted and offensive.