Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
#1Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:37pm
http://nypost.com/2017/05/04/will-kevin-kline-win-a-tony-award-without-campaigning/
Updated On: 5/4/17 at 10:37 PM
yankeefan7
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/14/12
#2Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:47pm
Personally I don't blame him, why should he have to campaign? It would be nice to think the performance of actor/actress was all that mattered to Tony voters and not whether they did media interviews.
10086sunset
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
#3Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:58pm
That's a bad job by the Times sending Soloski for the interview. While Kline has been known to be difficult, he's right not doing the interview.
#4Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/4/17 at 11:25pm
yankeefan7 said: "Personally I don't blame him, why should he have to campaign? It would be nice to think the performance of actor/actress was all that mattered to Tony voters and not whether they did media interviews."
Of course, Mark Rylance was still able to the win the Oscar last year despite the fact that he was never out campaigning.
massofmen
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/10/04
#5Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:28am
Makes me respect him even more (if possible). Artists that care about awards for art aren't artists.
#6Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:00am
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "
Of course, Mark Rylance was still able to the win the Oscar last year despite the fact that he was never out campaigning.
"
The theater community is relatively small and I'd wager most voters already know the nominees personally. I doubt "campaigning" makes any difference whatsoever.
Riedel and others are attempting to apply an Oscar concept (where Academy voters are spread out around the country and even world, and some of the nominees don't even open early enough for everyone to see them) where it doesn't belong.
#7Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 6:52am
I agree it is a fixed and small circle,and beyond that, there is no incentive. Winning the award will not affect the box office for the producer nor does Kline need it to validate his work.
#8Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 8:06am
10086sunset said: "That's a bad job by the Times sending Soloski for the interview. While Kline has been known to be difficult, he's right not doing the interview.
"
Not really. Soloski is a professional. I doubt she would have led off with, "By the way, I hated your play." Skipping out makes Kline look like a diva. But if he really didn't want her to interview him, he--or, really, his publicist--should have requested a switch.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#9Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 9:24am
I don't think it's a bad thing to care about awards. I mean, actors are constantly hustling. So, the award gives you a bit more leverage of what jobs to take, etc.
#10Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 9:50am
RippedMan said: "I don't think it's a bad thing to care about awards. I mean, actors are constantly hustling. So, the award gives you a bit more leverage of what jobs to take, etc.
"
Maybe if you're a young person at the beginning of a career. But folks like Kevin Kline and Bette Midler will never have to hustle for work again. They can afford not to care.
#11Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 11:12am
Artists that care about awards for art aren't artists.
Sure they are. If they create art, they are artists. Aligning with your own standards of morality has nothing to do with it. There are loads of artists who could be considered immoral for all sorts of reasons. Lots of artists get paid for their work. Some hope to get recognized by awards, reviews, Facebook likes, mothers lacking maternal instincts, what have you. Still artists.
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#12Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 11:22am
Maybe if you're a young person at the beginning of a career. But folks like Kevin Kline and Bette Midler will never have to hustle for work again. They can afford not to care.
Yes, tell that to Bette and that Hocus Pocus sequel she wants to get made. Or to Barbra and her little Gypsy project….
#13Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 11:25am
Tag said: "Yes, tell that to Bette and that Hocus Pocus sequel she wants to get made. Or to Barbra and her little Gypsy project…."
Is that the same thing as not having to hustle for work? That sounds like not powerful enough to get a studio to back their multi-million dollar pet projects. Bette can go on tour anytime she wants and people will show up.
#14Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 11:29am
haterobics said: "Tag said: "Yes, tell that to Bette and that Hocus Pocus sequel she wants to get made. Or to Barbra and her little Gypsy project…."
Is that the same thing as not having to hustle for work? That sounds like not powerful enough to get a studio to back their multi-million dollar pet projects. Bette can go on tour anytime she wants and people will show up.
"
Bingo. Not being able to get your pet project off the ground is not the same as hustling for work. And I highly doubt Bette winning a Tony would make any meaningful difference in a situation like that.
#15Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 11:55am
maybe he feels like he has enough Tonys
#16Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:17pm
It almost seems pointless to have to say it, but many times "great talent" speaks for itself. I would have loved to see KK in 20th Century or Pirates but I've seen him in other things. Alec Baldwin had him on his "Here's The Thing" podcast a few weeks ago and just to hear him speak of his career and how blessed he is, may help explain his approach to things like awards. He talks about being on things like soap operas (Search For Tomorrow) , tv (Cyrano), features (Big Chill, In & Out, many more) ..stage (Papp), etc.. I'm sure he would accept another Tony if he won.
(and in the ultimate headline irony, this article's " no campaigning for the Tony" becomes "the unintentional campaign for the Tony"; there you go)
#17Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:20pm
I mean, it's not like he's got such stiff competition in the category anyway.
#18Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:59pm
AC126748 said: "Bingo. Not being able to get your pet project off the ground is not the same as hustling for work. And I highly doubt Bette winning a Tony would make any meaningful difference in a situation like that."
exactly. sometimes I wonder how folks can be so disengaged from logic. Pet projects are about raising money. Anyone who thinks having a trophy is a consideration is delusional.
#19Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:05pm
wonderfulwizard11 said: "I mean, it's not like he's got such stiff competition in the category anyway.
Exactly. I can't even imagine who would win if he doesn't.
#20Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:08pm
Personally, I'd vote for Chris Cooper- I went back to Doll's House recently and his work in that last scene is really special. But yeah, nobody in that category feels like a standout of the season (and I feel like that's true of Kline as well).
#21Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:13pm
wonderfulwizard11 said: "Personally, I'd vote for Chris Cooper- I went back to Doll's House recently and his work in that last scene is really special. But yeah, nobody in that category feels like a standout of the season (and I feel like that's true of Kline as well).
I actually agree. I saw the show once in early previews and then went back to the last preview and couldn't believe how much better Cooper is. He makes the final scene just so great.
VintageSnarker
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/30/15
#22Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:58pm
massofmen said: "Makes me respect him even more (if possible). Artists that care about awards for art aren't artists.
What is this... RENT?
bear88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
#23Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 3:38pm
I never know how seriously to take Riedel's gossip columns, but let's just say it is all true.
The producers may be wrong about this, but they want publicity for their play.
The New York Times isn't going to kowtow to Kevin Kline. He doesn't get to pick his interviewer.
Soloski is a professional. She wrote a review, which is not the same thing as a profile. This shouldn't be a tough concept to grasp.
The column, presumably leaked by Kline's people, is a shrewd way to portray him as a cranky artist who doesn't care about awards or the dog-and-pony show involved.
The trouble with all of this is that everyone bemoans the difficulty of mounting a financially successful play, even on Broadway, where big stars like Kline appear. When actors in well-reviewed plays don't bother trying to promote them, how does that help?
#24Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 4:38pm
bear88 said: "The trouble with all of this is that everyone bemoans the difficulty of mounting a financially successful play, even on Broadway, where big stars like Kline appear. When actors in well-reviewed plays don't bother trying to promote them, how does that help? "
Reality check: the show is the top grossing play on Broadway, and is grossing more than 8 musicals. People go to see Kline because he is a great actor, not because he is doing a lot of interviews and glad handing with reporters. As I said before, this is just the sick American media being itself.
ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/14
#25Riedel on Kevin Kline's Lack of Tony Campaigns
Posted: 5/5/17 at 5:47pm
Maybe Kline was afraid of a situation like Holly Hunter at the Oscars where Roger Ebert was hosting a red carpet show and told her point blank that on his and Gene Siskel's show, they voted her nomination for The Firm as the year's worst. Her response was an icy, sardonic "What a lovely thing to say."
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