MURPHY'S FLAW - nypost.com

What, was the gossip columnist from Hell criticizing Donna Murphy's attendance? He did the same thing to Bernadette Peters, who proceeded to not miss a single scheduled performance for something like a year. He just likes to tear down whoever's on top because he's a spiteful prick.

Here, Here, the Count VonVoiceanth speaks da trooth!

Maybe we can start a thread of who Eddie Varley will never be able to work with in this town again

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Are you playing MAME, or Dennis as a boy?

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I agree with Voicenath. There was nothing wrong with the article. I was struck by this portion of this column;
"Of course actors get sick, and no one begrudges them the chance to make some money in Hollywood. But Murphy's absences have been too frequent and have come at inopportune moments.
Broadway likes its stars to be troupers. This is, after all, the industry that gave the world the adage, "The show must go on."

The problem is that performers (with few exceptions) don't subscribe to that adage anymore, and if I were in a show that is in danger of closing, I would do my best to make sure that I was there every night, and that I was promoting it as best I could. Murphy's absences and the loss of the Tony could close the show.

I'm rather amazed by the number of performers who act as if showing up for a performance is optional. Would these performers who miss a lot have the same "work ethic" when working in television or films? Of course not, because they would be fired or be held financially responsible for not showing up to work.

another fact is...should she lose that Tony...well, that show could close even sooner than anyone thought....

First of all, there are no understudies in film and television, so that's a moot point. I too hate it when actors feign "illnesses" because they want to throw there weight around (Raul Esparza)...but if it is, in fact, a genuine illness, why do people insist on having performers go to work and spread the damn bug around? How the hell does that help?

All that being said, Reidel is still a total schmuck that clearly has an issue with woman over 40 (theater legends, if you will) because I rarely see him going after others who have also missed alot of shows, who shall remain nameless.

On daytime television (where some of the performers work like Tonya Pinkins), they have the equivalent of substitute teachers who step in for a performer. The fact is that these kinds of absences are not tolerated. If you're sick, it doesn't matter. You work twelve to fourteen hour days. Would Murphy's illness have kept her from filming a pilot in Los Angeles? Of course not. She can get away with absences on the stage, but she can't get away with them in television or films. If there were a financial penalty attached to missing shows, I think we wouldn't have the need to discuss performers' absences because they wouldn't be missing.

Before attacking miss Murphy for her sickness and absences last week.....one should really find out the reason behind it. The woman had no voice last week....which is why she left midway through last Wednesday's night show and didn't return till Sunday. I don't think lipsynching her performance would have been impressive to the Tony voters either.

I understand that Murphy got hurt during the show (in her recent missing of performances).

The funny thing is NONE of you have ever starred in a show on Broadway to know how difficult it is to do 8 shows a week. In film and TV, you can stop. You can reshoot even. But on stage, you have to give your all for two plus hours. Try doing that when you are sick or hurt.

The truth is Donna hasn't missed as much as some people like to make it sound. When she wins on the 6th, it will be very deserved.


In addition, shows are also written much differently today--Ethel Merman could never have done Aida, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, etc. 8 shows a week successfully. Donna is not playing Ruth the way Rosalind did--Donna sings the crap out of it.

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Simple answer. It sells papers and has threads dedicated to it on message boards.

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a handsome and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "WOW--WHAT A RIDE!!!!""

Donna Murphy does not need to worry about Michael Riedel. She does, however, need to worry about the people who are talking to him. Let's face it. We all know who and what he is. And he's got a job to do...and he does it well. What's more distrubing is the attitude of people within the business who are talking to him and making these comments.

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