Worst Speech of the Night?- Page 5

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 3:51pm

But yes, I do agree that saying something is THE WORST is just unfair. What's the guage? I just think it's fine to say what worked and what didn't work. I think what was memorable about Sally Field's YOU REALLY LIKE ME speech that is continually lampooned is it's what people are really thinking and no one would ever ever ever say in public. her slip was showing and they weren't going to let her forget it.

Updated On: 6/12/06 at 03:51 PM

[tgrabon]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 3:52pm

John Llloyd Young: Work that stuff out about your dad with a therapist not 60 million people.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 3:52pm

This isn't in reference to an acceptance speech, but... Paul Rudd. His presenting, do any of you think it was scripted? I personally don't think it was, and respect the fact that he covered it by just being able to giggle at himself about it, and not get too frazzled...

[cpnchicago]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 3:53pm

Having not seen the show, I found Beth Leavel's speech kind of odd. I was actually relieved to see on this board that she was making some sort of nod to her character because my husband and I did not "get it" at all. His comment was that even for a Broadway actress, she was rather dramatic. I was just a little uncomfortable.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 3:53pm

I'm glad others felt the same way about Hoff's speech. I didn't expect him to win. But I was REALLY touched when he did win. It really made me want to see the show, and experience his performance. And I really wanted to give him a hug after that speech..

[treyisthekiller]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 3:55pm

i cant believe john lloyd young's name is even being brought up on this board, he had one of the best speeches the whole night. everyone else's was just thinking people that helped them, JLY's speech connected with a lot of people, and gave a sincere tone to the whole audience.

Oprah should be president. (Im laughing a lot on the inside right now)

[sunflower12063]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:01pm

Garland Grrrl is right about my high horse...and I've have gotten down from it.

If I don't like a thread I should just stay out of it. I do promote free speech for all!

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:05pm

I agree that JLY's speech was one of the most touching. He really did seem a little shell-shocked but he pulled it together. You have to realize that is heart was pounding out of chest. His speech was not selfish, it was touching, unique and heartfelt. I could not even imagine losing my mother especially at a young age. He is really lucky to have stepmother who assumed the role and brought him up well. I had the opportunity to meet him and he is really a sweet, down to earth person.

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:05pm

Um excuse me? Attention starved? Oh I don't THINK so. She has plenty of credits, has been paying dues for a long time and is a warm, funny and caring person, who has been on the verge of tears at the very mention of her nom since several days ago, last time I talked to her.

She makes people laugh. That is her gift and that is what she does best, and yes, there is plenty of scenery to be chewed along the way, but she *did* in fact honor her fellow nominees which was very classy. She spoke quickly because she was NERVOUS!


At least she wasn't long winded like some of the Brits were, in their usual why-use-one-word-when-thirty-will-do mode.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:08pm

I don't think it's personal. We just want to comment on the Tonys and be part of it. Who looked great, who looked awful, I just love it all in terms of entertainment. But I have to say, Hal Prince's speech was really stingey.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:16pm

"I was performing for crowds of 13,000 at the Muny when I was 8. I am over all that oh-i'm so shocked business."

Good for you. No doubt, your speech will be brilliant. However, not everyone is you and they will most likely react differently when the moment comes.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:23pm

I'm not making a comment about the speeches, but commenting on someone saying Julia didn't walk the red carpet and arrived after the show had started. She was on the stage (next to Oprah) when the 60 presenters ascended from the stage at the beginning of the broadcast.

[InTheKnow2]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:30pm

re: Worst Speech of the Night?
Posted On: 6/12/06 at 01:06 AM

First off:

"That second rate diva didn't even have the courtesy to show up on the red carpet. She arrived after the show had started."

As someone who was there I will state that this "diva" you speak of did not arrive after the show had started (kind of hard to do and still be in the opening sequence)

Second:

"Maybe, since she wasn't nominated...and was only a presenter, she had class enough to not make an appearance on the red carpet and upstage everyone else who should have been the center of attention tonight...unlike Oprah."

Although I agree regarding Julia's class in leaving the red carpet for the nominees, Oprah is not only a celebrity but was a nominee herself (the producer is after all the one who receives the award) therefore it makes perfect sense for her to walk through the front door with pride.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:34pm

I felt the speeches were all over the place. They always are. The speeches that everyone remembers are the personal ones or different ones. (The frantic "WOOOOHOOOO!" of Cuba Gooding Jr.) No one ever remembers the rattling off of names. (unless she forgets to thank Chad Lowe.) Actors attempt to say something memorable and they are almost always hit or miss. (Fiona Apple at the Grammys, anyone?) I see what JLY was trying to do. It just didn't work.

[HamletWasBipolar]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:40pm

and back in community theatre at age 9

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:42pm

If I ever won I would have to be the total nerd and thank my speech coach. lol

[HamletWasBipolar]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:45pm

I've always like the bit in Merrily when Frank says. " I'd like to thank all the people that turned me down, so that I could win for this one."

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:48pm

I thought Paul Rudd was adorable.

Christian Hoff made me cry until the "womb" comment, when I just went, "Eh?!" But I just figured, he's pulling this out of his a**, and he's excited, so it didn't bother me all that much.

I too thought JLY sounded... scripted. He still made me cry, but... he was accepting an award for being a talented actor, hee. To me it felt like he had to FORCE out a meaningful moment to use in his speech, but once he found it, he performed it very well.

Oprah didn't bother me, I really don't see why there's so much Oprah-hate. When LaChanze thanked her, it made me smile... when LaChanze mentioned her children, etc., it made me smile. I didn't see anything wrong with her speech.

Beth Leavel made me want to vomit.

[Henry Farnam]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 4:52pm

Ok, I wasn't going to get involved in this, but after reading the posts, I feel like I had to - not to trash anyone's opinion, but just to add another perspective on it. Take it or leave it. Above all, though, remember that they were told to keep things personal by the Tony's at the Tony luncheon. Which really means "if you list off a boatload of names, we WILL be cutting you off; but if you give a personal story, we'll try to let you go as long as possible to at least finish your story".

John Lloyd Young: Who cares if it was rehearsed or not? Actors spend their whole entire lives/careers memorizing lines and preparing to be up on stage ready to go. Why should an awards ceremony be any different unless someone has had a lot of improv experience and is good at winging it off the cuff? Not every great actor is great on their feet without knowing what they're going to say. Whether it was rehearsed or not, JLY obviously felt VERY strongly that he had something to say to his father in a very public way. His father and he have a lifetime together, and from the sounds of it, much of it had been at odds, with two people not understanding each other. Winning this award (or even being nominated if he did write the speech ahead of time) apparently took him back emotionally to when his father and he weren't at odds over lifestyle and career choices. Anyone who has a military father will tell you that it's VERY tough when they choose something in the arts as a career path. Most lifetime military guys don't understand it, find it weak and probably even "sissy" (which is what a friend's military father told him about successful singing career). People have to remember that the parents DO share the success of their kids when they win awards - they were the ones who raised them, fed them, clothed them, educated them, got them their acting lessons or dance classes, etc. Some had parents that believed in them, others had parents who disgusted by the arts as a career for their kids. But deep down inside, most people want that acceptance from their parents and to have them be proud of them. Obviously that was a HUGE issue for JLY last night. On the FLIP side, though, it was a poor choice to not say something about the other cast members, production team, etc. A simple point out to the audience and a "this couldn't have happened without all of YOU involved, I'm just one part of this whole thing" would suffice. But he shouldn't be slaughtered for it, though. You have to realized that you have a clock that is there to watch in front of you when you're up there - as well as a conductor with the baton raised ready to cut you off. How many of YOU could be in that kind of pressure situation where the anticipation of the award announcement is about to make your head explode, then finding out your name has been called, and then getting up in front of ALL of your Broadway Peers and having to say the right thing, knowing that whatever you DO say will be forever on film and forever remembered or quoted. He might have fully planned to say something about the production people that helped make his success - but it got away from him. If he never planned to - then it was a poor choice, definitely. But away from the theater, we ARE talking about a human being with an entire life that he's lived filled with experiences and emotions and relationships. Just cut him a break. I can PROMISE you that his Agent/Manager/PR people are doing MAJOR damage control today about not mentioning anyone in his speech. And I can also promise you that he's been told by umpteen people how wrong that was. And remember, until you walk in their shoes and have been up there yourself, you really DON'T know what the experience is like and if you'd do any better.

LaChanze: Duh, you HAVE to thank Oprah. She not only dropped her money into it, she lent her name to it, which is more important than a million dollars. My sister is a publisher with a major publishing house and they BEG to get Oprah to even mention a book once. One word from Oprah and a book or a product sells like crazy and becomes a huge money making success. The producers of TCP know that and so do the actors. Without her name (and money), no show - no Tony - no jobs for ALL of those people, etc. Who cares if it was expected or not - it was the right thing to do. Pure and simple. The other producers know that as well. Behind closed doors they may say "damn, I put in more to this than Oprah did!", but out there in public, they know that Oprah's name guaranteed a Broadway run longer than a minute or two. Because whether we like it or not, if those tickets aren't sold, the show will close - pure and simple - no matter HOW great it is. Not to mention, you REALLY don't want to be on Oprah's bad side. Again, like I said before - there's a LOT of pressure that leads up to that moment.

Julia Roberts: You KNOW she knows the buzz about how much people hated her performance in the show she's in. You KNOW she knows that the theater community is watching her thinking "you don't belong here Hollywood Star". You also know that whenever she's up on stage at an award show anywhere else (i.e., the Oscars or Golden Globes) that she's one of the reigning princesses of that world. I work and live in Hollywood - and trust me, she is adored and respected by all. Never heard one bad word from people who actually WORK with her on set about her. There are some you're ready to kill after a day of shooting - Julia Roberts isn't one of them. So anyway, you KNOW all that was going through her head. The poor girl must have been scared out of her wits to walk out there KNOWING all that stuff. It was only right for her to acknowledge in an understated way that she respects and looks up to the stage actors of Broadway. It was her way of saying "I know I'm out of your league". But remember, not every Broadway star can do what she does either - I can't name many (or any, actually) that can guarantee a box office that is in the hundreds of millions. If we all support the creative community, we all should also realize that Julia Roberts is the reason that hundreds and thousands of creative people have gotten work. And why wouldn't she want to experience live theater? She's obviously heard that there's nothing like the instant gratification of a live audience and the fulfillment of creating a role that you play night after night. Remember, when she filmed Pretty Woman, the minute a scene was shot and wrapped, she never got to do it again. I know SO many film actors that wish they could experience a certain role or certain scenes or certain characters over and over. So cut her a break - she should have said something, and I think she did it in her own way.

Beth Leavel: Unless you've seen Drowsy Chaperone, you wouldn't get why her speech was so funny. And in some ways - isn't she honoring the character that brought her the Tony award? She's been playing that character for a long time (remember, the show had a good pre-Bway run) - it's easy to slip into your character at a moment's notice when you're THAT familiar with it. She was obviously enjoying the fun of the moment. And did you really think that she thought she'd win? I'd bet money that deep down inside she didn't consider herself a front-runner. Not when you have more emotionally charged roles like Sophia and Shug Avery to compete with. She obviously just wanted to have fun with the moment. A moment that I would bet she never expected to happen.

Hal Prince: Yeah, what WAS that? That's the problem with pre-taped speeches. They never resonate with the pure emotion of being there in person. And I'm sorry, but why in the world couldn't he fly out for the night? Is missing one day of Phantom rehearsals going to make or break the Las Vegas show? They could have made Sunday and Monday a dance rehearsal day. Unless, of course, he isn't in the health to do that much travelling. But in that case, someone should have paid for a private jet for him. Lifetime achievement - that's a big deal. I think it's wrong to miss it unless you have health reasons. And if that's the case, then I take back everything I've said.

Bob Crowley: a little unappreciative maybe? "yeah, thanks for the award, but if you people were worth anything, you'd have given me one for something else" What WAS that about anyway?

"less talen than a chorus boy" - someone on this board made that comment. that was an unfortunate choice of words. Some of the most talented people in this country are chorus members of Bway shows. Have YOU been to an audition and seen what it's like to compete with hundreds of people who look exactly like you, sound like you, etc.? You watch someone like Dennis Jones dance and then tell me that the chorus boy is the least talented in the cast. I know what you were saying the point you were making, but it's a really disrespectful comment to make about those rank and file performers who are SO talented and have to live in the shadows of the stars.

There you go. Take it or leave it. Just one man's opinion.

Hey, anyone that wants to come on my radio show and debate this subject - we'll be doing a Tony wrap up show this coming Sunday. Would LOVE to have this thing debated live on the show.

Broadway and More Radio Show Link

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 5:15pm

Oh Bob Crowley...he designed the sets for Tarzan and was nominated for those as well, and that's why he said he thought he should have won the award for the other one. I thought it was funny, but that's just me. Maybe it's because I watch a lot of British T.V.? Or because I thought it was obvious he was joking?

And I think LaChanze didn't mention her second husband because it would force her to mention her first husband, who died in 9/11, and perhaps she didn't want to go there.

I couldn't say who gave the worst speech, but the best was definitely Frances de la Tour. Hands down.

Updated On: 6/12/06 at 05:15 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 5:17pm

Henry, you wrote a book! for the record, I did see Drowsy and still thought Beth's speech was ridiculous. She won for playing herself. Lisa Kron and Chita Rivera didn't have that opportunity. She did!

[ahimsa]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 6:21pm

Henry, I compliment you for taking the time to insightfully review the speeches that have people talking today.


I appreciate you speaking up for the gypsies. I agree wholeheartedly

[I<3bway]

Posted: 6/12/06 at 10:54pm

Wow, I just thought JLY's speach was very touching. I mean, who cares if he didn't thank his fellow castmembers and what not!! I'm sure he's done it already at other award ceremonies anyways! I thought it was heartfelt when he could only think of his parents during his speach. Also, for all of you people who are talking about the way he shouldv'e spoken, well whatever. I thought his speach was one of the best during the night. I'd love to see you guys go in front of six thousand people without a speach ready and see how you would react.

And to the one person who made that therapist comment, screw you!! It's not like he's the only person to ever say something such as having his mother passed away when he was young. Look at other celebrities, alot of them admit saying they have used drugs or alcohol or have gotten arrested before. It's just so stupid making it into a big deal, so you can shut the hell up about that!!
Updated On: 6/12/06 at 10:54 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:33am

"I thought Paul Rudd was adorable.

Christian Hoff made me cry until the "womb" comment, when I just went, "Eh?!" But I just figured, he's pulling this out of his a**, and he's excited, so it didn't bother me all that much.

I too thought JLY sounded... scripted. He still made me cry, but... he was accepting an award for being a talented actor, hee. To me it felt like he had to FORCE out a meaningful moment to use in his speech, but once he found it, he performed it very well.

Oprah didn't bother me, I really don't see why there's so much Oprah-hate. When LaChanze thanked her, it made me smile... when LaChanze mentioned her children, etc., it made me smile. I didn't see anything wrong with her speech.

Beth Leavel made me want to vomit".

I agree with most of your observations Overthemoon.

[RuprechtJr.]

Posted: 6/30/06 at 10:12am

Does anyone else notice that people who have Jersy Boys pictures are all defending JLY's speech and saying that it was touching? For some reason, the word "biased" is flashing in my head.