Patti Murin takes on BWW Chat Boards... — Page 11

If it was more like 10 years ago, that was me! Weird, because you never know who anyone is on here.

I remember reading these boards a while before joining. I remember actually being afraid to join because I felt that with all of the knowledge I had about theater it was nothing compared to what people knew on BWW. I finally joined after just reading, lurking, around the boards for a few months.

Back then these boards provided a wealth of information and I found myself reading through threads well into the night, just to find out things I never knew. Like I look for Whizzer's comments on first previews these days I always looked for Margo Channing's comments. Back then if I posted something I wasn't sure about or was wrong, I was nicely corrected and educated about a subject. When I first started posting I was welcomed with open arms, so to speak. I tried to never be nasty and I think over the years I became a regular part of the "family". Anyone who has been on these boards for a very long time may have read some of my posts where I have opened up about personal things on the off-topic board and have gotten support and good feedback. I have even written for this site. But these days, I don't feel as comfortable doing so as the level of nastiness and sarcasm has tripled here.

I remember back when I joined the nasty boards and posters where over on ALL THAT CHAT. People here were proud that we didn't have their nasty reputation. Our members were not the ones being quoted for their nastiness. I was even asked if something I posted could be quoted in the Wall Street Journal. And it was. But here we are now with the same rep that they had over on the other boards. I know people who have stopped posting here because of it. I don't know or really care what the nasty/snarky people get out of being that way on here. I get so tired of scrolling through the nastiness to get back to the subject in a thread. Or having to scroll through nasty exchanges over people's opinions.

These boards have changed, and not for the better. (I feel like my next sentence should be "But, because I knew you"!) But I am still here. Wishing at times that these boards would get back to the same as they were when I would sit and read them for hours enjoying the conversations and wealth of information without the nastiness. Some of that still exists but not nearly as much as before. If I had just discovered these boards within the last year or so, I probably would not be posting this right now as I would not have joined. As always, JMO.

"If I had just discovered these boards within the last year or so, I probably would not be posting this right now as I would not have joined. As always, JMO."

Not just your opinion, uncageg. Mine as well. Likely many others who are just quietly giving up and moving on without comment. There are a lot of old timers that used to post frequently that I seldom see any more. Also, in this thread, Margo139 said:

"Patti is awesome for calling people out by name, she should have called more people out that have constantly ignored the rules on this website. Such as people who have wished death on other people, harass others in private messages, and who use sexist, racist, and bigoted language. They should be banned and blocked immediately. "

To be fair, Murin has mishandled this. This reminds me very much of the insane backlash of Hunter and Jen's ill-thought-out "Bring Back the Tonys". The rest of what Margo139 said is true. There are posters in this thread that have repeatedly suggested to other posters that they should commit suicide. This isn't Datalounge. We're better than this.

Ms Murin went about this the wrong way, and is very naive. She's spoken without thinking and said some foolish things. The response is an ugly, out of proportion grab bag of mockery and personal attacks.

This basically started out as a call for civility. Lay off the personal attacks, and the name-calling. That really shouldn't be too much to ask on a board dedicated to theater and community.

Updated On: 3/11/16 at 04:47 AM

After reading her post, she seems like a lovely girl, but her reasoning is whiny and childish. Yes, I understand she might have an insecure nature, is disappointed about her flopping show and is fully caught up in emotion.

But the fact is that people can have any opinion they like and discuss it. Yes, also opinions that you don't like because they are about a show or colleague of yours. If you can't handle it you should either stay out of the business or stay away from the internet in general. Internet and showbusiness are not some guarded safe little worlds where you are protected from everything. There will always people you don't like or attitudes you can't stand.

Now, I agree with the part that people on here get too snarky at times, and more than once I have been annoyed by people on here. But the key is to not get too emotionally involved. See the fun of it. Discuss if you like, stay away if you don't.

I really like a good discussion with some protest and fireworks, either about facts or personal visions and if I think that any opinions are based on ignorance, there are many fun ways to reply to that person. No need to play the victim role like she does.

Just be glad that there is a place where people actually say what they really think. That is quite refreshing if you ask me.

Updated On: 3/11/16 at 06:23 AM