STATE YOUR GRIEVANCES VIA EMAIL:
- (Producer) Jill.deforte@msg.com
- (Producer) Larry.sedwick@msg.com
- (CEO of MSG) jdolan@msg.com
- feedbackradiocity@msg.com
OR VIA CALL:
- AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists) at 212-675-1003
The auto-reply from msgguestservices@msg.com is as follows:
We received your email regarding the participation of the Radio City Rockettes in the upcoming presidential inauguration.
The Radio City Rockettes, one of the most celebrated and enduring American brands, have performed at Radio City Music Hall since 1925. As treasured national icons, the Rockettes have taken part in some of the nation’s most defining and uniquely “American” events - such as Super Bowl halftime shows, the Rockefeller Center tree lighting celebration, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades and presidential inaugurations, including in 2001 and 2005.
We are honored that the Rockettes have again been asked to perform in the upcoming inauguration festivities, which represent not only the president, but the entire country. Please be assured -- it is always a Radio City Rockettes choice to perform in a particular event and they are never forced to perform in any event, including the inaugural. For a Rockette to be considered for an event, they must voluntarily sign up. In fact, for this coming inauguration, we were oversubscribed, with more Rockettes’ requesting to participate than we have slots available.
We are sorry you don't agree with who the country selected to be the next president, but we will be proudly watching our world-famous Radio City Rockettes at this historic event, as they continue their tradition of celebrating the very best of America.
Sincerely,
Joe Picco
The Madison Square Garden Company
To which I personally replied:
Dear Mr. Picco,
Your response (while appreciated for its timeliness in auto-reply) is sterilizing and discouraging in so many ways.
First and foremost is the disregard it appears you and MSG have in preserving the good name of the Radio City Rockettes.
You are 100% correct that the Radio City Rockettes are one of the "most celebrated and enduring" American brands. The Rockettes have carved their way into people's hearts and minds as a cultural institution that represents joy and celebration. It is because of this reputation that so many citizens (myself included) are confused and upset that the Rockettes would take such an enormous risk in destroying that reputation in participating in this presidential inauguration. The fact that so many performing artists have refused to participate should be indicative enough of how important it is to preserve a good name. Why isn't that a red flag for you?
You can list the Super Bowl, Rockefeller Tree Lighting, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parades as examples of the Rockettes providing their image to American events, and no one will argue that. But there is nothing American about this upcoming presidential inauguration. To use "air quotes" around the word "American" (as you did above) still does not come close to sufficing. What makes you and the Rockettes "honored" to participate? You say that you "proudly watching our world-famous Radio City Rockettes at this historic event, as they continue their tradition of celebrating the very best of America."
Please provide me a detailed list of what aspects of the "very best of America" are being celebrated with this presidential inauguration:
Is it the xenophobia that makes you proud to participate?
It is the misogyny that makes you proud to participate?
Is it the violent rhetoric against women that makes you proud to participate?
Is it the disrespect for veterans that makes you proud to participate?
Is it the racism that makes you proud to participate?
This is not the "very best of America." To pretend that the Rockettes' participation (voluntary or not) is acceptable is to normalize something that is far from normal. The majority of the American people, especially the New York City citizenship, do not see this inauguration as normal.
Your reputation as a brand (not the reputation of the individual dancers who may have volunteered already) is at stake. Do you understand that? While my family may be a handful of people, my network of NYC friends reaches into the thousands, and we all share the same conclusion: The Rockettes have lost our business. And you can bet that our voices of descent will reverberate over the next 12-months, when the Rockettes choose to high-kick at Radio City Music Hall next Christmas.
The respect your brand will lose in participating in this presidential inauguration is immeasurable. The respect your brand will gain by publicly refusing will be monumental.
