-"Flop" is a term invented first by the Hollywood trade magazines...-
They may have adopted it to use as a catch phrase. But they didn't invent the term. It originated in popular culture, in its figurative meaing of failure, in 1893, long before the Hollywood trade papers existed. And it meant then ,as it does now, in every dictionary you can find :"complete or utter failure."
I can't find one site online that mentions the idea that it refers to financial failure, let alone is limited to it. But I find dozens of sites that define it as complete failure. Because the Hollywood trade papers use it that way, doesn't mean that's what it means in the theatre world. To some it might, investors maybe. But there are just as many who don't use it that way, as is proven by the amount of arguments between theatre people in chatrooms about it. But this is a battle that's been going on in chatrooms since chatrooms began. So, I'll just agree to disagree. Sorry to drag this on...just a pet peeve of mine.
Born To Reign - I did understand what you were saying. I wasn't at all surprised either that it was closing. In fact, I'm kind of pleased that it's closing on a high note instead of dragging itself out to a slow, painful conclusion. I was just objecting to someone else's use of the term flop in relation to a show that was, as you said, successful on so many levels.
Art has a double face, of expression and illusion.
Updated On: 7/2/07 at 04:29 PM
