The Official "I HATE BROADWAY.COM's WORD OF MOUTH" Thread
#2
Posted: 4/14/07 at 12:31pm
They make me wretch.
I understand Broadway.com's reasoning and all, but couldn't they at least attempt to find a few people with a little theater literacy?
I understand Broadway.com's reasoning and all, but couldn't they at least attempt to find a few people with a little theater literacy?
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
#3
Posted: 4/14/07 at 12:38pm
Their purpose is to make the shows appealing to people who are idiot enough to drop $22 per ticket in service charges by buying their tickets on Broadway.com. So I'd say the Word of Mouth folks fit the bill to a T.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#4
Posted: 4/14/07 at 12:40pm
The GG one is laughable.
As is the Inherit the Wind one.
Really all of them are hilarious (and not in a good way).
As is the Inherit the Wind one.
Really all of them are hilarious (and not in a good way).
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
#5
Posted: 4/14/07 at 12:44pm
What bothers me is that they only have on teenage person on there. The majority of the people seeing shows are middle-aged women.
Updated On: 4/14/07 at 12:44 PM
#6
Posted: 4/14/07 at 1:06pm
"What bothers me is that they only have on teenage person on there. The majority of the people seeing shows are middle-aged women."
Because they represent the biggest chunk of the ticket buying audience.
Because they represent the biggest chunk of the ticket buying audience.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
#7
Posted: 4/14/07 at 1:52pm
There are NO male teen types. I'm guessing its beacause those of us who do like theatre don't buy our tickets from Broadway.com.
I see the logic in the Word of Mouth Reveiws, but I hate that they've ELIMINATED not only critical reveiw, but now their reveiws are EXCLUSIVELY Broadway! Critic aren't always right, and people should decide for themselves, HOWEVER, they are an important component in an artform. They help keep the quality of what the artform produces up and in many ways, keep it an artform. I wouldn't be so against it if they still had professional critics to supplement the Word of Mouth people.
It says . . .
Q: Why did you do this, Broadway.com?
A: For years we have watched as professional theater critics (ours included!) slam shows that audiences love and swoon over pieces that bore audiences to tears. We think that by showing real people's opinions, we're providing the most useful information possible to help you decide how to spend your hard-earned money when choosing a show.
Read . . .
We are going to indulge in the age old joke that isn't really as true as people think about how critics don't know anything and completely eliminate them, and as such, eliminate a crucial step in the system.
Not to mention, again, they don't reveiw Off-Broadway. Seeing as they are a big ticket broker amoung tourists, I would hope they would continue to reveiw (which is in many ways promotion) the several EXCELLENT Off-Broadway shows which could NEVER DREAM of moving to Broadway, for one reason or another.
I see the logic in the Word of Mouth Reveiws, but I hate that they've ELIMINATED not only critical reveiw, but now their reveiws are EXCLUSIVELY Broadway! Critic aren't always right, and people should decide for themselves, HOWEVER, they are an important component in an artform. They help keep the quality of what the artform produces up and in many ways, keep it an artform. I wouldn't be so against it if they still had professional critics to supplement the Word of Mouth people.
It says . . .
Q: Why did you do this, Broadway.com?
A: For years we have watched as professional theater critics (ours included!) slam shows that audiences love and swoon over pieces that bore audiences to tears. We think that by showing real people's opinions, we're providing the most useful information possible to help you decide how to spend your hard-earned money when choosing a show.
Read . . .
We are going to indulge in the age old joke that isn't really as true as people think about how critics don't know anything and completely eliminate them, and as such, eliminate a crucial step in the system.
Not to mention, again, they don't reveiw Off-Broadway. Seeing as they are a big ticket broker amoung tourists, I would hope they would continue to reveiw (which is in many ways promotion) the several EXCELLENT Off-Broadway shows which could NEVER DREAM of moving to Broadway, for one reason or another.
I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!
#8
Posted: 4/14/07 at 2:01pm
Critic aren't always right, and people should decide for themselves, HOWEVER, they are an important component in an artform. They help keep the quality of what the artform produces up and in many ways, keep it an artform.
Broadway.com could care less about the artform. They want to cheat tourists out of their vacation money. That is the sole purpose of their site. It is not to be informative or insightful about shows on Broadway.
Broadway.com could care less about the artform. They want to cheat tourists out of their vacation money. That is the sole purpose of their site. It is not to be informative or insightful about shows on Broadway.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#9
Posted: 4/14/07 at 2:22pm
Oh I agree, but it saddens me. I used to really like that site,(Before I found BWW I went there everyday) but now its just a mess.
I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!
#10
Posted: 4/14/07 at 2:58pm
I can't stand them. I was writing an article for my Journalism class on theater critics and I mentioned them and how much I don't like them. Though, more eloquently than saying "I hate Word of Mouth." But no, I do not approve.
#11
Posted: 4/14/07 at 3:06pm
I feel that they are too easily impressed by, for lack of better word, theatrics...
What a night! I was in more laps than a napkin!
#12
Posted: 4/14/07 at 3:09pm
Ditto Ashbash1990, I'm waiting for the "Wicked is the best show I've ever seen" review!
#13
Posted: 4/14/07 at 4:57pm
Wasn't it Randy who said that HIGH FIDELITY was the best show she had ever seen on Broadway?
Damn the critics. Real folks know what they're talkin' about!
Damn the critics. Real folks know what they're talkin' about!
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#14
Posted: 4/14/07 at 5:06pm
Their Inherit the Wind "reviews" were quite disturbing.
#15
Posted: 4/14/07 at 5:13pm
In the whole sceme of things it sounds very good on paper. Normal people talking about shows...but what seems to be the problem is that they found very random people. I really don't care that the boy who looks like young tarzan thought the beast was scary or the grandma had to close her eyes because of the nudity in spring awakening or the lawyer did not like the law jargon in ITW.....I just feel it did not work the way they planned it.
for fierce, fabulous and fun times visit eric mathew's world.
http://ericmathew.blogspot.com/
#16
Posted: 4/14/07 at 5:32pm
I think the idea is just fine. I don't think it works on a Broadway website as the only source for reviews. In my opinion, the people that these reviews should be directed at do not go to these websites like we do. I do think that their reviews are very good for the casual theatregoer. And I just watched the one for "Grey Gardens" and did not find it "laughable". They said the same things a lot of people on this site have said and even what some reviews said. Just not in the exact words. This feature on Broadway.com would be fine if they still included professional reviews, including reviews by someone at Broadway.com. And I say that if you "HATE" something so much, stay away from it! JMHO
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
#17
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:15pm
If all of us put on a show that was basically a plate of dog crap on the stage of a Broadway house with a singing chorus the flies into the rafters doing a kick line, I bet they all would love it. I really hate their reviews, but their idiotic coments really make me laugh.
Oh, and remember how we all laughed at that guy that was a morticiner. Well, they've changed that and have re-written his job title to make it seem unlaughable.
And to respond to Broadway.com's reasoning, the people that saw shows that would make moronish idiots like Cat bored to tears, shows such as Doubt, The Light in the Piazza and Grey Gardens love them. They're intelligent people. Intelligent theatre audiences. They don't see touristy pieces of junk like The Pirate Queen and Wicked.
Oh, and remember how we all laughed at that guy that was a morticiner. Well, they've changed that and have re-written his job title to make it seem unlaughable.
And to respond to Broadway.com's reasoning, the people that saw shows that would make moronish idiots like Cat bored to tears, shows such as Doubt, The Light in the Piazza and Grey Gardens love them. They're intelligent people. Intelligent theatre audiences. They don't see touristy pieces of junk like The Pirate Queen and Wicked.
Updated On: 4/14/07 at 06:15 PM
#18
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:36pm
Audrey- "Raul is tasty"
-I believe that is all that needs to be said on the merit of these reviews.
-I believe that is all that needs to be said on the merit of these reviews.
"I wouldn't let Esparza's Bobby take my kids to the zoo...I'd be afraid he'd steal their ice cream and laugh."- YankeeFan
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee
"People who like Sondheim enjoy cruelty."-LuvtheEmcee
#19
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:41pm
I like the idea of the Word of Mouth section, but it's not fair to have it appear on a news site that doubles as a ticket provider.
Broadway.com is never going to have any of these people give any negative opinions on the shows they see because then their customers won't buy tickets to them (the guy that they had consistently bash "The Pirate Queen" went and recommended it at the end anyway.) You're always going to get a spinned perspective and that defeats the purpose. At least the critics are straight forward.
Perhaps this feature would work better on an unbiased site like Broadway World.
Broadway.com is never going to have any of these people give any negative opinions on the shows they see because then their customers won't buy tickets to them (the guy that they had consistently bash "The Pirate Queen" went and recommended it at the end anyway.) You're always going to get a spinned perspective and that defeats the purpose. At least the critics are straight forward.
Perhaps this feature would work better on an unbiased site like Broadway World.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 4/14/07 at 06:41 PM
#20
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:45pm
Plus, all of those people on there were selected because he had, in the past, purchased tickets through Broadway.com.
So already, their intelligence factor goes WAY down.
So already, their intelligence factor goes WAY down.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#21
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:48pm
Are these people getting comps?
#22
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:49pm
I HATE WORD OF MOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I speak for all of us when I say that we could dance circles around these people if it was us on that panel. And no six-year-olds, dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I speak for all of us when I say that we could dance circles around these people if it was us on that panel. And no six-year-olds, dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you.
--Cartman: South Park
ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
#23
Posted: 4/14/07 at 6:50pm
Of course they're comped.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
#24
Posted: 4/14/07 at 7:33pm
this thread is hilarious. yeah, those reviews are pretty basic and not very appealing. i don't know who would actually take time to watch them. they're not very valuable.
#25
Posted: 4/23/07 at 9:00pm
bump
Butters, go buy World of Warcraft, install it on your computer, and join the online sensation before we all murder you.
--Cartman: South Park
ATTENTION FANS: I will be played by James Barbour in the upcoming musical, "BroadwayWorld: The Musical."
Tickets From $59
Tickets From $71
Tickets From $71
Tickets From $95