broadwayfever u beat me to posting this...and this IS encouraging news for SMASH and NBC...people are watching the show and if one were to add the total same night viewers to the DVR viewers, SMASH would be a solid show in the ratings for NBC...are they paying attention to this?...
A few pages ago, people were taking offense at the HIT LIST storyline for its parallels to RENT.
What on Earth is wrong with it?
They're doing a show about Broadway and are using multiple types and events that actually exist in Broadway's history. Things like this do and have happened on Broadway. Since they aren't actually plagiarizing anything, what's the problem? The 'rising star dies on the eve of his success' storyline is supposed to be Larson's from now on? What's the logic behind the outrage? They aren't telling Larson's story without his estate's permission -- not by a long shot.
Personally I think it's a glimmer of a hope that NBC hasn't just come right out and announced anything on top of the fact they are back to showing previews for the next week.
I think it was back around page 101 that Phyllis wrote about how the characters don't mention the obvious Larson/Kyle similarities, even though RENT obviously exists in their world.
I think this is what bothers me most about this storyline. SMASH has consistently combined real-life theater people/shows with fictional ones, but in this case they seem to be trying to have it both ways. RENT kind of existed before, in that people referred to it as a certain type of musical, but the backstory of Rent, and what happened to its creator, apparently never happened? Because otherwise it makes absolutely no sense that no one on the show is noticing the parallels.
Even if there is nothing legally wrong with this storyline, I still find it offensive - because it takes a genuine tragedy of American theater and uses it to advance the plot of this seriously flawed TV show. It seems like the writers just couldn't be bothered to think up anything original, so they decided to use Larson's story. I would be very interested to hear what Rubin-Vega and Martin thought about this. Martin did look pained during his scenes under the big RENT poster (I wonder if that was his?)
Other than this serious (for me) problem, I thought the episode was OK. My favorite part was actually Tom serenading Kyle with "Vienna" - I thought it was rather sweet.
Rubin-Vega and Jesse L Martin discussed the storyline with Josh Safran in advance.........
"I'm very close to all those people," Safran noted. "Daphne, Jesse — the reason why they're on the show is I love them so much and I really wanted to work with them."
Before moving forward with Kyle's death on Smash, Safran made sure that the reference to Jonathan Larson felt appropriate.
"I sat down with Daphne, I sat down with Jesse, we talked about it," he said. "I wanted to make sure it didn't feel like we were exploiting reality in any way. And they both understood — this is a story and it happened. It's art imitating life. It'simportant, and it keeps the story out there." Their input, as it turns out, was essential.
"If Daphne or Jesse had said, 'We feel like this story is in poor taste,' or, 'We don't think you should do this story,' we'd pull the plug on it," Safran said. "Also, because I know them from back in the day — I lived with them … I think they also felt like I had a connection to that history, and what I was doing was writing my life, in a way."
Also I didn't realise Safrans ex is Anthony Rapp, the original Mark Cohen
As I said Phyllis while he & I were discussing this issue on Facebook during the show on Saturday:
Maybe in this bizarro world Jonathan Larson lived, continued writing RENT, made it far less exploitable and it closed before June so it couldn't have won the Tony. Because remember....all you have to do to win a Tony is stay open until June.
Not going to lie: I love Smash in all of its trash-camp glory.
That being said, my attorney instincts got the better of me while watching on dvr the most current episode. As Julia ***spoiler*** leaves the Gatsby project at "NYTW," I couldn't help thinking: DON'T ANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE CONTRACTS??? I'm sorry, I just can't believe how characters are exiting projects with impunity and without consequence.
Though I digress...back to enjoying exceptional junk tv.
Play Esq. - Hadn't you noticed, SMASH exists in a world with no lawyers, agents or Equity? Three-quarters of the absurd plot points on this ridiculous show wouldn't happen in real life because of them. Even that stupid faux edgy announcement to the audience before "Hit List" about it's okay to use your cellphone because "we don't own this show any more than you do." The show/theater's attorneys wouldn't allow that; it would let people argue that you waived copyright protection!
I just realized that the Smash finale and "Behind the Candelabra" will be airing the same night. Don't these two pretty much have the same demographic?
"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney
We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".
Ha, you were right, she really is! keeping those boys on the hook like that!
FINDINGNAMO, SNAFU, THEATERDIVE, JORDANCATALONO, LIZASHEADBAND, PALJOEY: You all claim to "IGNORE ME" I wish you would and stop constantly commenting on my posts. Thanks ......................................................................................................................................
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...Ukraine Girls really knock me out, they leave the west behind..........................