Sophia Caruso departs Beetlejuice - Page 7

[Kad]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 10:32am

I think the extent to which fan gifts to actors have become a thing is mind boggling. It’s a lot of... stuff, and it’s stuff that many actors don’t have space for, or have use for, or, frankly, isn’t very *good*. I’m sure many actors discard most of the stuff they received or lock it away in a storage unit somewhere. Caruso just made the possibly ill-advised move to, yknow, say the quiet part out loud: that she is totally willing to get rid of these gifts from strangers she never expressed any desire to receive in the first place.

But come on. The expectation that an actor is going to treasure every single thing fans send them is selfish and unrealistic.

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 1:23pm

To me, it feels like "regifting" etiquette. Yes, actors get a bunch of stuff from fans that's basically junk and they simply don't have the space or the desire to keep it all. But just like it's tacky and a little insensitive to regift something where the original giver will see, I think this was tacky and insensitive to sell gifts to raise money for an album. I'm not against regifting or even reselling unwanted gifts, but I do think it's unkind to do it in a public way, which is what this was. 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 2:18pm

Frankly, I think it’s more gross that her mother is the one who has been chosen to be thrown under the bus for it.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 2:28pm

How this whole situation doesn't make clear how ridiculous "stage door culture" has become is really... something. If you give someone something... anything... PARTICULARLY SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW... that's it. You're not loaning them something from your private collection. You made or bought a thing. You gave it away. We're done. You don't get to live in that person's life in perpetuity... checking up on your "gift" year after year. There's no implication of a relationship because you've given A STRANGER something they didn't ask for.

 

[pollster2]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 5:01pm

The Reddit post is getting ugly. Someone asked for a gift she gave Sophia back and a poster called them out on how ridiculous a request that is.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 5:16pm

KJisgroovy said: "How this whole situation doesn't make clear how ridiculous "stage door culture" has become is really... something. If you give someone something... anything... PARTICULARLY SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW... that's it. You're not loaning them something from your private collection. You made or bought a thing. You gave it away. We're done. You don't get to live in that person's life in perpetuity... checking up on your "gift" year after year. There's no implication of a relationship because you've given A STRANGERsomething they didn't ask for.

Thank you!  A LOT of the more "obsessive" fans think that if they make eye contact with an actor (let alone give them a "special gift", they're BFF's for life.  The reason so many actors now get car service home in their contracts is because there are SO MANY examples of these people stalking the actor back to their home to find out where they live -- and then waiting for them to comer and go on a regular basis.  

 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 5:56pm

The apology got so many downvotes that it's hardly visible to those unfamiliar with reddit, so:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/g1gbcd/sophia_anne_carusos_mom_is_selling_fan_gifts_to/fngf3ds/

[notsovirginmary]

Posted: 4/15/20 at 8:36pm

People are posting constant comments about this on Sophia's instagram - and then they are angry when they are deleted.  I find the mob mentality and constant cyber harassment disturbing.  What are they hoping to accomplish? I feel sorry for this girl. The reddit gossip about her firing gets spread about as if it is fact. People post speculation about her mental health, her relationship, her friendships. It's incredibly invasive. 

[bwaywrldmember6853]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 12:06am

I find this whole thing so disturbing. I feel terrible for Sophia and her family. Beetlejuice’s fanbase is toxic to say the least. I find it disgusting that none of her co-stars tried to put a stop to the blatant cyber bullying she endured after departing the show.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 12:30am

bwaywrldmember6853 said: "I find this whole thing so disturbing. I feel terrible for Sophia and her family. Beetlejuice’s fanbase is toxic to say the least. I find it disgusting that none of her co-stars tried to put a stop to the blatant cyber bullying she endured after departing the show."

Just a question ... why do you feel terrible for them? They decided to earn some money, and it didn't go over well. Right now I know families whose lives revolve around the daily call to update them about a loved one in the ICU or nursing home. 

I feel like the timing was terrible. A lot of people are unemployed, sick, afraid, broke, right now and her mom comes online trying to sell Beetlejuice memorabilia not for charity but for her daughter's recording? It's awful timing and tacky. 

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 1:02am

bwaywrldmember6853 said: "I find this whole thing so disturbing. I feel terrible for Sophia and her family. Beetlejuice’s fanbase is toxic to say the least. I find it disgusting that none of her co-stars tried to put a stop to the blatant cyber bullying she endured after departing the show."

I agree with this sentiment

[brettystar]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 2:11am

Whilst we will most likely never know what happened to lead to her abrupt exit, it appears that her Beetlejuice experience hasn't been the greatest for Sophia Caruso.

I hope that lessons are learnt and that everyone ends up happy in the end and that careers aren't ruined.

In regards to the way her mom intended to sell her gifts, I personally think it was a bad move from a PR perspective.  I mean we all get gifts we don't love and may even re gift but we would be unlikely to do so in a fashion that may offend the giver of the gift irrespective of how well we know the gift giver.  

Her mom has apologised for her error and would appear to also agree that the way she went about it wasn't the classiest move.  I am sure Sophia could earn much more money a lot faster by simply doing personal cameo messages.

I wonder whether her Manager was consulted about it before it was posted.  Surely they would have seen it was a bad look.

Updated On: 4/16/20 at 02:11 AM

[JuneJune]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 3:57am

notsovirginmary said: "People are posting constant comments about this on Sophia's instagram - and then they are angry when they are deleted.I find the mob mentality and constant cyber harassment disturbing.What are theyhoping to accomplish? I feel sorry for this girl. The reddit gossip about her firing gets spread about as if it is fact. People post speculation about her mental health, her relationship, her friendships. It's incredibly invasive."

I didn't know that people were flocking to her instagram about the reselling, but I'm hardly surprised. Some Beetlejuice fans need to learn some boundaries; the majority of them being younger doesn't excuse them for harassment or not respecting an actor's privacy. Not just referring to Sophia here, I've noticed a lot of crossed lines, mostly with Alex Brightman and Kerry Butler.

Regardless of what happened with the show and her, I disagree with needing to burn her at the stake for this. Cancel culture is terrible. Even if think it wasn't a good choice of her to resell fan goods (whether she was actually involved in this decision or not), she already took apologetic actions—well, sorta...and shouldn't be interrogated for it. Crass, sure, but it's not like she was committing a hate crime...

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 9:20am

"A lot of people are unemployed, sick, afraid, broke, right now and her mom comes online trying to sell Beetlejuice memorabilia not for charity but for her daughter's recording? It's awful timing and tacky."

Do you know their financial situation? She's certainly unemployed. I don't see why in a time like this it's tacky and not. Like. Survival? How would you even know? Why is it any of your business?  

[Fosse76]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 9:38am

KJisgroovy said: "Do you know their financial situation? She's certainly unemployed. I don't see why in a time like this it's tacky and not. Like. Survival? How would you even know? Why is it any of your business?"

Caruso's mother made it everyone's business. And making an al um is hardly a guarantee of financial security for survival. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 9:58am

Some teenagers/young adults are lovely people. Some are brats.  Sophia, apparently, falls toward the latter end.  Doesn't take anything away from her talents.  You can be appalled by her actions (as we are by a lot of teenagers) and still be amazed at the amazing talent that girl possesses.  This whole thing reminds me of the vitriol toward Lea Michelle's reported brattiness during Spring Awakening. These are just kids trying to find their way in the world, not even a normal world. They have so much time to grow (or not) Give them a chance. 

[darreyl102]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 10:23am

"I wanted to help Sophia By surprising her and selling items she had left at the house That I thought she no longer wanted."
It seems that the mom says in her apology that Sophia didn't know about this. If true, than the mom is more at fault for the bad decision then Sophia herself.

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 10:34am

Owen22 said: "Some teenagers/young adults are lovely people. Some are brats. Sophia, apparently, falls toward the latter end. Doesn't take anything away from her talents. You can be appalled by her actions (as we are by a lot of teenagers) and still be amazed at the amazing talent that girl possesses. This whole thing reminds me of the vitriol toward Lea Michelle's reported brattiness during Spring Awakening. These are just kids trying to find their way in the world, not even a normal world. They have so much time to grow (or not) Give them a chance."

FWIW, Lea Michele has been on Broadway for almost 10 years (Les Mis, Ragtime, Fiddler on the Roof) by the time Spring Awakening came around.

[notsovirginmary]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 11:00am

poisonivy2 said: "bwaywrldmember6853 said: "I find this whole thing so disturbing. I feel terrible for Sophia and her family. Beetlejuice’s fanbase is toxic to say the least. I find it disgusting that none of her co-stars tried to put a stop to the blatant cyber bullying she endured after departing the show."

Just a question ... why do you feel terrible for them? They decided to earn some money, and it didn't go over well. Right now I know families whose lives revolve around the daily call to update them about a loved one in the ICU or nursing home.

I feel like the timing was terrible. A lot of people are unemployed, sick, afraid, broke, right now and her mom comes online trying to sell Beetlejuice memorabilia not forcharity but for her daughter's recording? It's awful timing and tacky."

I can feel empathy for people going through unimaginable tragedy and a young woman who made a mistake (or whose mother did) who is now being "canceled" by a hoard of angry fans. Someone whose entire reddit account is just posts dissecting Sophia's actions and relationships replied to her mother's apology claiming that Sophia has ruined every opportunity given to her. The assumed knowledge and lack of boundaries is just crazy. 

It doesn't matter if this was tacky and tone-deaf or if she exhibited diva behavior. We shouldn't treat people like this. 

Anyway, I'm long out of high school (and college!) and have been out of the internet theater fandom for a while (I remember the Lea Michele drama well). I fell down an internet hole with all of this and it's pretty disturbing what social media has perpetuated in terms of fan culture.  

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 11:59am

KJisgroovy said: ""A lot of people are unemployed, sick, afraid, broke, right now and her mom comes online trying to sell Beetlejuice memorabilia not forcharity but for her daughter's recording? It's awful timing and tacky."

Do you know their financial situation? She's certainly unemployed. I don't see why in a time like this it's tacky and not. Like. Survival? How would you even know? Why is it any of your business?"

She specifically said it was to raise funds for Sophia's new album. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 12:11pm

"People are posting constant comments about this on Sophia's instagram - and then they are angry when they are deleted.I find the mob mentality and constant cyber harassment disturbing.What are they hoping to accomplish? I feel sorry for this girl. The reddit gossip about her firing gets spread about as if it is fact. People post speculation about her mental health, her relationship, her friendships. It's incredibly invasive."

Yeah, it's horrifying and incredibly disturbing. 

 

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 12:49pm

"She specifically said it was to raise funds for Sophia's new album."

Which is her livelihood? Is a gofundme somehow more appropriate? Even if any of that mattered... why does anything think they have control over someone's choices in this way? Would it be better if she had just thrown everything in the trash? 

Updated On: 4/16/20 at 12:49 PM

[Owen22]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 3:46pm

quizking101 said: "Owen22 said: "Some teenagers/young adults are lovely people. Some are brats. Sophia, apparently, falls toward the latter end. Doesn't take anything away from her talents. You can be appalled by her actions (as we are by a lot of teenagers) and still be amazed at the amazing talent that girl possesses. This whole thing reminds me of the vitriol toward Lea Michelle's reported brattiness during Spring Awakening. These are just kids trying to find their way in the world, not even a normal world. They have so much time to grow (or not) Give them a chance."

FWIW,Lea Michele has been on Broadway for almost 10 years (Les Mis, Ragtime, Fiddler on the Roof) by the time Spring Awakening came around."

Dude. I was talking about her real age not her Broadway age. She was 19 when she was having Diva Fits in Spring Awakening. Try to keep up.

 

[MannPhan24601]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 8:25pm

Somebody said on a FB group she was charging $225 an hour for a virtual vocal lesson instead of selling that stuff . I would pay $225 for a lesson from somebody like Sutton Foster or Kristin Chenoweth but not somebody who's 2 years younger than me

 

EDIT: See she's doing it for Broadway Cares. At least it's for charity  Thought I saw somewhere Alex was doing a virtual workshop for 75 . 

Updated On: 4/16/20 at 08:25 PM

[Broadway Buddy]

Posted: 4/16/20 at 9:56pm

MannPhan24601 said: "Somebody said on a FB group she was charging $225 an hour for a virtual vocal lesson instead of selling that stuff . I would pay $225 for a lesson from somebody like Sutton Foster or Kristin Chenoweth but not somebody who's 2 years younger than me



EDIT: See she's doing it for Broadway Cares. At least it's for charity Thought I saw somewhere Alex was doing a virtual workshop for 75 ."

Yup! Alex is indeed doing doing master classes for teens for $75-90. I agree. Not going to pay for somebody to teach me who is not trained to teach and is very close in age. It’s ridiculous

Updated On: 4/16/20 at 09:56 PM