Michael Riedel on CNN... People Actually Being Rational About This Show- Page 2

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 4:57pm

I'd pay to see Disneyland Magic Man suspended from a 30-foot platform.

I'm not wishing injury on him or anything. I'd just like to see him suspended.

With a Spiderman mask over his mouth so he can't talk.

And no access to a keyboard.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 5:01pm

Why do I get the feeling that these people who are calling for SPIDER MAN to be closed don't care as much about actor injuries as they advertise themselves to be?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 5:08pm

Because they are advertising themselves. Nothing more.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 5:12pm

It is true, everyone likes to see people injured, it is a morbid curiosity thing built into human nature. Lots and lots of money gets made off of that notion. That is why many people watch NASCAR or the UFC. That is why people used to flock to see a public execution.
None of that changes the fact that Riedel was the wrong person to go to make any point at all about this show. He is already jaded. His opinion is marred by months and months of saying the show needs to close down. Even before it went into rehearsals he was saying this. Like I said, it is CNN's fault for getting the wrong guy to make the right point.

[James885]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 5:43pm

^^^

Ditto. How can anyone who's read Riedel's column in the last 4 months take anything he says regarding Spider-Man seriously? His credibility is shot because he's been raking Spider-Man over the coals almost since day 1.

And all this professed 'outrage' from DMM and some other posters on this board who are calling for Spider-Man to be closed and to have Julie Taymor's head on a stick is just a little extreme and actually quite funny.

Updated On: 12/22/10 at 05:43 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 5:55pm

Anyone who addresses Riedel as the voice of rationality is clearly not interested in unbiased reporting or credibility.

[hottieho13]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 6:26pm

Riedel is a drama queen but he does have a point.this show is a trainwreck as far as the technicalities go and it's too scary now.4 actors has been injured badly and I refuse to believe that performing on broadway is a high risk job,if that's the case heck,you may as well say walking out the front door and riding your bike down the street is high risk task too.cirque du soleil's shows have just as many "high flying"acrobatics as Spider-man and you barely hear about any performers in their shows getting injured left and right.Spider-man should be shut down and taken back to the drawing board stunt wise and story wise.

[dramarama3]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 6:59pm

Are you 4 years old?

[hottieho13]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 7:41pm

"Are you 4 years old?"

who me?

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 7:43pm

Is it me, or does Michael Riedel look like a child at Christmas every time he gets to talk about Spiderman. It's like the Christmas Gift for him that just keeps on giving!

TD

[hottieho13]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 7:49pm

Riedel reminds me of some creepy spider-man stalker .I think he comes every single night to see the show and in a way i think even though he's "NOT" giving a review of the show ,he's trying to say on the sly that the show stinks.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 8:58pm

He's not even pretending to not give a review. He called the show the biggest trainwreck he's seen in 20 years of being a theatre "critic".

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 10:57pm

No, not everyone. People who are sick and twisted want to see people injured (coughMIKERIEDELcough). The way that he joked about someone dying next....its disgusting. I do not wish to see people injured or getting themselves hurt.

The Jackass movies have brought in $333M. People want to see people get hurt.
Updated On: 12/22/10 at 10:57 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/22/10 at 11:01pm

The other thing that's weird is that he presumes people are buying tickets to see an accident. That's HIS ghoulish fantasy that he's projecting onto people whose heads he simply can't get into.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 12/23/10 at 5:41am

Exactly Namo. Riedel seems to get some sort of sick pleasure out of Chris' injury. As does Disney and many others who were against this show from the start.


And I stand by what I said. I think people who flock to see Jackass are a little sick and twisted as well. Maybe not AS sick and twisted and those who seem to be wishing for more injuries in a live theatre...but still a little sick and twisted.

[figaroindy]

Posted: 12/23/10 at 9:05am

from DMM "What the hell? What do you do for a living? If you found that it could possibly put you in a hospital or take your life, would you not speak up?

That kind of mentality is disgusting. Scaring actors into thinking that they have to PUT THEIR LIVES AT STAKE to keep a job through the Holidays?!?!?! "

Actually, DMM, I'm an accountant, and have also been an actor with professional theater and opera companies. I'm not "scaring actors" into anything. I SAID (and you mis-read it) that the ACTORS are the people who have to make the choice to keep the job (which is dangerous, just like fire-fighters, and that comparison was also apt). The opinions of people unattached to the situation are not important, and I think it's ridiculous to jump on one's moral high horse and pontificate on what "should" be done when one isn't involved in the show.

These people have jobs, and may want to keep them. If not, they can quit. And, if the show's a disaster, it won't run, and this will all be over then. But, it's not YOUR job to decide what's acceptable/right/reasonable/etc. Certainly not in this case, but also not ever for anyone other than yourself!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/23/10 at 9:49pm

Performing on Broadway isn't a high-risk job? THINK AGAIN!

The issue here seems to be the public's understanding of what a Broadway show IS.

Technically speaking, a "Broadway show" is ANY event held on a Broadway stage, whether it be a comedian's one-man show, a play, a musical, a Cirque du Soliel show, a dance show, a concert, etc.

A NUMBER of past "Broadway shows" have included "high risk" activity, including raked stages, extremely difficult choreography, flying, magic effects, pyrotechnics, swordfights, gun-shots (remember the actor in the UK who recently lost an eye due to a malfunctioning firearm?).

The reason SPIDER-MAN is having difficulty is because the performers cast to execute these stunts do NOT have the training to perform them. In addition, it is unclear whether or not the technical supervisors and crew have had sufficient experience in designing and executing similar stunts.

The argument shouldn't be "THIS ISN'T A BROADWAY SHOW!" because that is just silly. I give them kudos for attempting to bring something "different and new" to Broadway (whether you think it is "different and/or new" is your opinion). The argument -- or question -- should be "WHY DIDN'T THEY CAST ACTUAL, EXPERIENCED STUNTMEN?"

Wishing for the show to close is ridiculous. Instead, wish that they ALTER the show so that they can execute these maneuvers PROPERLY. The management of this show made mistakes. Duh!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/23/10 at 11:34pm

::I think it's ridiculous to jump on one's moral high horse and pontificate on what "should" be done when one isn't involved in the show.::


Where have you been all these threads, figaroindy? Here's hoping the deliberately exasperating DMM and the odious nomdeplume see what you wrote and take it to heart.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/24/10 at 3:40am

Frankly, I haven't even touched on the fact that working backstage at ANY show is inherently dangerous.

And it just increases 10 fold if there is any type of automated scenery. If you get in the way of that, you are toast.

[hottieho13]

Posted: 12/24/10 at 11:56pm

"Performing on Broadway isn't a high-risk job? THINK AGAIN!

The issue here seems to be the public's understanding of what a Broadway show IS.

Technically speaking, a "Broadway show" is ANY event held on a Broadway stage, whether it be a comedian's one-man show, a play, a musical, a Cirque du Soliel show, a dance show, a concert, etc.

A NUMBER of past "Broadway shows" have included "high risk" activity, including raked stages, extremely difficult choreography, flying, magic effects, pyrotechnics, swordfights, gun-shots (remember the actor in the UK who recently lost an eye due to a malfunctioning firearm?).

The reason SPIDER-MAN is having difficulty is because the performers cast to execute these stunts do NOT have the training to perform them. In addition, it is unclear whether or not the technical supervisors and crew have had sufficient experience in designing and executing similar stunts.

The argument shouldn't be "THIS ISN'T A BROADWAY SHOW!" because that is just silly. I give them kudos for attempting to bring something "different and new" to Broadway (whether you think it is "different and/or new" is your opinion). The argument -- or question -- should be "WHY DIDN'T THEY CAST ACTUAL, EXPERIENCED STUNTMEN?"

Wishing for the show to close is ridiculous. Instead, wish that they ALTER the show so that they can execute these maneuvers PROPERLY. The management of this show made mistakes. Duh!"

well then everything you do is high risk in that case!my issue is that why didn't they get people who are actual acrobats and stuntmen/women performers who had training for a show like this.yes,they should close,try to fix their mess with a better plot/story and get people who can actually do the stunts and i think we all know what a broadway show is or could be considered.everything in life has a certain amount of risk,every job has a certain amount of risk as well but would you say that the risk an actor may take is the same risk that a Firefighter,police officer,or a soldier in the army may take?acrobats too,since they are always way above the audience doing stunts in the air why not give them a call?yes an actor's job isn't always easy but not really one where you have to constantly pray to come back alive every night.unless your in this show i guess.
Updated On: 12/24/10 at 11:56 PM

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 12/25/10 at 1:42am

They can't "just get" people with acrobatic/flying training... they'll need to be members of the AEA, and most likely, they aren't.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/25/10 at 2:12am

"...my issue is that why didn't they get people who are actual acrobats and stuntmen..."

That's precisely what I said, so I am not sure what you disagree with?

DRSisLove -- yes, they can get non-union members. It would have to be with special arrangement with AEA. Technically speaking, they would be pure stuntmen and wouldn't dance nor sing. So they are a "specialty performer."

Equity-League contracts clearly state that if all options are exhausted to find AEA performers have failed, non-union performers may be cast by special permission.

[figaroindy]

Posted: 12/28/10 at 9:51am

Well - it's nice to be appreciated, Namo!

I'm not a New Yorker, just an Indiana boy...who loves theater. So I read a lot on here, but rarely comment. But, I couldn't hold back after reading all of DMM's spewage.

I'm actually in NYC tomorrow into Saturday, and would love the chance to see Spiderman if I can make it work, just for the opportunity to see what they've tried. I'm a "traditional musical guy" (love Brigadoon and Night Music, etc.)..but this interests me just for the technical stuff and the potential for being amazed. (I think Wicked's only interesting from a "spectacle" standpoint, I only find the music OK.) I think there's a place for all types of shows, music or spectacle and everything in between.

I don't wish people to be injured of course, but as we see, the actors (Natalie Mendoza) can make the choice to stay or leave without our help! And if someone's willing to try it, and feels they've been trained capably...then they should be allowed to do it.