Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
#1Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:45pm
While I'd love for Ripley to win, as she's the most deserving, should we prepare ourselves for another upset of Raul-esque proportions?
americanboy99
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/06
#2re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:50pm
I was brushing my teeth this morning, and I thought the EXACT same thing.
I could see it happening. I would hate it for Ripley, but love it for 9 TO 5. That show was royally jipped. They deserve something, and I have a hunch that NORMAL will be taking score.
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#2re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:52pm
There are similarities, but you never know.
Janney and Pierce are well loved Emmy winning TV personalities.
Ripley and Esparza are Broadway stalwarts, but hardly as popular in the mainstream.
#3re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:52pmI thought that DHP fully deserved the Tony win over Esparza.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
americanboy99
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/06
#4re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:54pmMaybe, madbrian. But that role was so completely tailored to his talents and comedic style. But David was so phenomenal too.
#5re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:55pmMy gut tells me that Billy Elliot will get score.
#6re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:57pm
Not to get THIS debate started, but I thought Pierce was very much deserving of his Tony. I saw Pierce in LA (I can imagine he only got a lot better on Broadway) and Esparza in NY, and I always thought that even with Raul being the front-runner, it was Pierce that deserved the award.
I think this year it's different, 9 TO 5 doesn't seem to have much love from the Tony voters (CURTAINS was a Kander & Ebb show, the show was nominated for Best Musical, Pierce while known as a TV actor is known as a hard-working theater actor even before FRASIER), and Ripley has been around a lot longer than say Esparza had when he was nominated for COMPANY. While there are some similarities and it is most certainly a possibility, I think that Ripley will get her Tony.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#7re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:57pm
David Hyde Pierce was one of the best things about Curtains and completely engaging on stage in a show which I found simply "okay." Now, I loved Esparza in Company and would have loved him to win, but I didn't think DHP was undeserving, either.
I haven't seen 9 to 5 yet, but Ripley is amazing! I just hope all the voters see her fantastic performance.
americanboy99
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/06
#8re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:57pmI hope it doesn't. I would say both NORMAL and 9 TO 5 have stronger, more deserving scores.
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#9re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:58pm
I agree madbrian. David Hyde Pierce took a supporting role and made it a leading man. Raúl Esparza took a warm, interesting dynamic role and turned into a cold, steely unlikeable role.
I think it is down between Alison Janney and Alice Ripley. Could go either way.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
#10re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 1:59pmWe have to start thinking like the average Tony voter.
americanboy99
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/06
#11re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:01pmI think they might want to award 9 TO 5 with atleast something... and I'm pretty sure Best Actress is their only hope.
#12re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:04pm
Husk, couldn't have said it better myself.
And while Pierce did beat Esparza (and I say it again, I don't think Pierce's win had anything to do with him being a bigger name than Esparza, it had to do with the fact he gave the better performance), Victoria Clark won over Christina Applegate in 2005 and Mark Rylance won over Patrick Stewart last year, so Tony voters are not as ridiculous when it comes to voting for the acting categories as they are when it comes to giving the Best Musical award.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#13re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:05pm
I'm so tired of the Esparza/DHP debate and I wish we could have this discussion without going over it yet AGAIN because it's been over and done with for two years now and there's simply no point.
But, that being said.
Is there really as much of a consensus that Ripley will win as there was for Raul? If Janney beats Ripley, it could be due to some similar reasoning on the voters' parts, but that's the only way it could really be an upset of the same "proportions." I know the Times critics' predictions both went to her, which is certainly something, but I can't say I've really paid that much attention to the widespread opinions on this one. And then of course, there's the difference between, "I want her to win," "she deserves to win," and "I think she will win." 
#14re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:05pmAnd they don't have anyone from Billy Elliot to vote for in that category!
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#15re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:08pmnot at all. They didn't vote for "9 to 5" at all.
#16re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:19pm
Well...aren't the Drama Desk awards a bit of a predictor for the Tony Awards (the same way the Golden Globes are for the Academy Awards?)?
Raul won the Drama Desk Award, but lost the Tony Award.
Janney won the Drama Desk Award...
So I wouldn't say it's a done deal yet.
#17re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:22pmNot really. And not at all in this case, because Ripley wasn't up for it this year. Next to Normal wasn't eligible for the Drama Desks this season, because it was last year. (Alice lost to Patti.)
#18re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:23pmYeah, Janney won the DD, but Ripley wasn't eligible due to the 2ST production of the show, so that category isn't much of an indication except to say that Ripley's main competition is Janney.
#20re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:33pm
Yes, but Janney wasn't up against Ripley at the Drama Desks this year.
I think Ripley will win especially if there is a Billy sweep like at the Drama Desks. They will want to award Next to Normal somewhere, and that's its best bet since it's not competing with Billy in that category.
This doesn't have any correlation, but I still like to go back to the 2007 Best Actress category. Four of the five nominees at the Tonys had won Drama Desks for those same performances (Ebersole for Grey Gardens, McDonald for 110, Monk for Curtains, and Murphy for LoveMusik, with Laura Bell Bundy the only one to not win a Drama Desk for her Tony-nominated performance). Ebersole had won the Drama Desk the previous year but beat the other three current Drama Desk winners for the Tony.
I say anything's possible. But with the lack of love for 9 to 5 at the Tonys, I don't think they will feel the need to award it something just because. That would be where Next to Normal comes in. They would give Ripley the Tony as a consolation prize in the event of a Billy sweep.
~Steven
emilyfaye48
Broadway Star Joined: 3/19/09
#21re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:35pmI'm a HUGE 9 to 5 fan, but I'd be really upset if Allison won. Ripley deserves it so much.
Without bread we'd just be hungry
but without theatre we'd be dead
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#22re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:49pm
There's a world of difference between Ripley/Janney and Pierce/Esparza.
Give the award to Pierce because it is the only award I can give CURTAINS in good conscience. That is, the superior musical of the season, in every respect, was SPRING AWAKENING. COMPANY will win best revival, thereby making up for not giving awards to Doyle and Esparza.
Giving Ripley the Tony would be awarding someone who has been faithful to the theater for an entire career, in, arguably, their best performance to date, in a role built from scratch.
I don't know where I was going with this, but who cares.
And for the record: to me, the biggest shock on Tony night would not be a Janney win, but it would be an Esparza win. And I must say, I wouldn't be all that upset.
#23re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 2:54pmAlice Ripley is going to be like Christine Ebersole was in the 2001 Tony Awards. The Best Actress cateogry was the only one that THE PRODUCERS didn't have a nomination (but THE PRODUCERS took the other three acting awards). Hopefully BILLY ELLIOT will take the other three acting awards and Alice Ripley will win Best Actress.
#24re: Will Janney Pull a David Hyde Pierce?
Posted: 5/20/09 at 3:14pm
Exactly, WithoutATrace. The only difference I can see is that 42nd Street was going to win Best Revival anyway. I can see this category being Next to Normal's only win, so there's more pressure to award Ripley. But yeah, similar story. And I also hope Billy wins the other acting awards.
~Steven
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