'Memphis' predictions that were fantastical-ly wrong- Page 2

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:08am

I don't think I've ever mentioned Memphis on this board..or any other...but it's one of the very few shows I walked out on during intermission. I thought it was awful...but it doesn't surprise me it won the Tony. It's probably the show that's most likely to do well on tour.

But seriously, who has time to weed through threads to find specific examples like that?

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:08am

Winning the Tony Award for Most Tourable Musical doesn't make it a good show.

Gloating as if some higher authority ruled over the board's disagreement about its quality overestimates the legitimacy of the Tony Award election process.

Also, fantastically doesn't have a hyphen in it. In fact, I'd venture to say most adverbs don't have hyphens before the "ly." Updated On: 6/15/10 at 09:08 AM

[boardwalker2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:11am

This could apply to any one of the many threads on this site. One more ain't gonna hurt it.

I don't disagree Marquise. However I haven't seen a thread (although they surely exist)that targets posts by specific posters. While I absolutely respect Wayman's opinion, it's his listing of those who didn't agree with him that I find personally objectionable. Nothing more.

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 09:11 AM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:31am

We have a large number of members here who are relatively young (some still in High School) and at that age everything has to be either terrific or terrible. There isn't a lot of gray area. Also they tend to be impatient and they want a show to grab them the moment the curtain goes up and if they aren't engrossed within the first 30 seconds, out come the i-phones and the texting begins.

There is also a snottiness, like being the first to predict a closing, a flop, a disaster is some sort of badge of honor.

Well it's not.

And Tazber, I have to say that I take this board seriously. It can be a great source of information (and, unfortunately, misinformation) and I find much of the useless, idiotic and pointless threads irriatting but I just ignore them.

If someone here posts an actual review describing a show's strengths and weaknesses they have my full attention. An idiot whose posts consist of comments like "The show sucks" is not worth wasting my time or knowledge with.

[Patash]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:38am

I'm pretty much an outsider here, and don't visit this site often. I guess part of the reason is that so many posters don't really discuss or analyze shows, they merely spout off everything as major statements of how bad or how wonderful things are -- without any justification for their statements.

In fact when I have sometimes expressed my opinion, clearly stating it was only my opinion, I seem to get raked over the coals for daring to have an opinion different from a few of the "experts" here.

So I find it amusing that the OP in this case listed a few of those pronouncements -- none of which seemed to indicate an "in my opinion" tone, but rather "what I say is RIGHT" tone.

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:54am

"There is also a snottiness, like being the first to predict a closing, a flop, a disaster is some sort of badge of honor."

That is so, so true. I find this so appalling. Also, those who think it's a badge of honor just to attend a first previe, as if that somehow invests them with a certain worthiness. Or one person whose maturity level seems about that of a five year old who cheers when a show he hates closes, or exults that he can say he saw a one week flop. Unbelievable!

Honestly, I commend Wayman for taking the time to hold up a mirror to the whole lot of them. If it teaches them some humility- a rarely practiced virtue nowadays- he will have done them, and this board, a great service.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:57am

Shut up, Wayman.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:04am

Frontrowcentre, I always take what you have to say seriously. You are a wonderful poster whose knowledge of recordings I deeply admire and respect. And there are others who I take seriously also.

But that's not quite what I meant. There is a difference between taking the board seriously to learn and share, and taking the board seriously to the point that you feel personally insulted when people slam a show you love. The latter is, imho, childish and non-productive.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:07am

Oh true, I would never feel personally insulted by anything posted here.

And to those who were offended when their posts from months ago were unearthed by Wayman, well if you don't want something like that to happen don't post your "predictions."

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:20am

The topic is smug, immature and incredibly petty. And I must admit, somewhat satisfying. I don't endorse the behavior, but I can certainly sympathize with it. Had Memphis walked away empty-handed, I'm fairly certain we would have seen far worse happening on the boards. Though it can be very healthy, nobody likes to eat crow and they hate the chef even more.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:21am

And to those who were offended when their posts from months ago were unearthed by Wayman, well if you don't want something like that to happen don't post your "predictions"

So true! And would they have had an issue with the thread if there comments were unearthed to prove their predictions were right? I'd say not. They're bothered because their predictions were W-R-O-N-G and it's here in black and white not only staring them in the face but here for everyone to read and refer back to.

Own up to it. You were wrong. Updated On: 6/15/10 at 10:21 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:25am

Tony Awards and packed houses don't change the fact that I fled MEMPHIS at intermission.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:27am

Ok. I didn't like Spring Awakening. So?

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:31am

This is the creepiest thread ever!
Who saves quotes like that?

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:34am

Totally missing the point Mister Matt. So, you didn't like Spring Awakening. Totally your right, what people are taking issue with are the posters and their self righteous predictions on the success or failure of a show (a) without having seen the show (b) based on biased gossip (b) not backing up the "predictions" or opinions.

Just saying the show sucks and you don't like it and leaving it at that doesn't cut it and is laughable. No one respects opinions like that.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:35am

The Memphis Mafia!

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:37am

Who saves quotes like that?

This isn't the first time or the last time a poster on this board has "saved" or "dug up" past comments or quotes made by others to prove a point. Nor do I believe it will be the last. It's not like Wayman is stalking anyone, he was just making a point and using the facts to back it up, which I might add many posters here on BWW fail to do.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:52am

Marquise - I was just responding to Yankeefan's post. I don't think anyone was making a claim that if a show wins Best Musical, it means everyone has to like it, so I wasn't quite sure what it had to do with the discussion.

[boardwalker2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:56am

"Honestly, I commend Wayman for taking the time to hold up a mirror to the whole lot of them. If it teaches them some humility- a rarely practiced virtue nowadays- he will have done them, and this board, a great service."

I hold the mirror up to myself first and foremost. Chances are, if I see something in the mirror I don't care for, I will see that flaw in others too. If I find the flaws in myself and change them, good for me. If I see the same flaws in others and accept them without reservation knowing that I too have flaws - that's humilty. Humilty is not rubbing peoples noses in their opinions (no matter how forcibly or authoritatively they are expressed) because you disagree or were right about an issue. That's ego.

If Wayman were to teach anyone humilty, as you suggest, he might start with himself. The loudest roar of victory he could have produced - would have been his silence. That would have been humilty.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:14am

I totally agree with everything FrontRow said in his posts.

I'll also add, that when I first joined this board I liked a certain show which some people on this board not only trashed (and probably hadn't seen), but took to name calling the show's fans. The show's demise was "predicted" again and again... and it's still running.

Earlier this year, some nattering nabobs of negativity predicted the early demise and failure of A View From the Bridge. (It recouped after how many weeks?)

Whatever. I've learned it makes no sense to argue. Life's too short and the real drama should stay in the theater where it belongs.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:17am

Those posters might have been wrong in their predictions, but it doesn't take away that Memphis is mediocre at best.

[NBC]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:26am

Own those opinions/predictions, people! Your only mistake is not predicting how lackluster the rest of the season would be.

(Count me as one of those who left Memphis at intermission.)

[YeahBaby]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 11:37am

I don't think anyone should be suggesting that Wayman "hold a mirror up to himself."

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:10pm

Wayman also admitted on ATC that he actually PRINTED OUT certain Memphis posts that were now proven wrong. As we know, posts on ATC only last for 2 weeks. But still, as I said earlier, it comes off borderline pathological.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:20pm

The loudest roar of victory he could have produced - would have been his silence.

On a message board? LOL Since when has BWW ever been about the fine art of humility? And where is the humility lecture when the rest of the crap is being hurled.

I hold the mirror up to myself first and foremost. Chances are, if I see something in the mirror I don't care for, I will see that flaw in others too.

That sounds like you have a problem with projection. So, it's really no surprise you assume everyone else does as well.