re: Jennifer Holliday strikes again

[allofmylife]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 11:28am

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-jennifer12dec12,0,5329446.story?coll=la-headlines-entnews

She really seems to have no concept of how Hollywood works, or is living in some sort of dreamworld if she expects them to honor her in some way.

[D2]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 11:46am

Oh please! Enough already - Hollywood history is full of Broadway performers being overlooked when it comes to filming the shows they've created. Jennifer Holliday was phenomenal in the original production of "Dreamgirls" but she is a minor legend with one Broadway hit. What about Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Gwen Verdon, etc? Even Julie Andrews was overlooked when her two iconic Broadway turns were filmed.

Get over it, Jennifer. It was 25 years ago.

Updated On: 12/12/06 at 11:46 AM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 11:51am

I actually feel very sorry for her. It sounds like she has serious depressive issues.

[D2]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 11:54am

You're right, it does sound like she has serious issues. But those issues should be between her and her shrink. Her public outbursts about this are killing whatever credibility she has as a performer, and I imagine that anyone in a position to hire her would think long and hard before doing so.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 11:55am

"Holliday handles her own career — no agent, no publicist, no manager."

I think she suffers from depression and also a fake sense of reality; if she had an agent, then she would be aware of the career harm she is doing to herself right now...if the gay community is her biggest audience, she needs to know that the gay community is eagerly awaiting this film.

She should take a hint from Sheryl Lee Ralph, she is playing along and I saw a picture of her in the LA Premiere (looking amazing).

[WhoCouldBeBlue]

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

It amazes me that the people on these boards (along with others) are so quick to judge Ms. Holliday.

For crying out loud, just because Hollywood has purposely overlooked the many stars who originated roles on Broadway does not mean it's right!

I've read and listened to all of the interviews she's done and while yes, she has dwelled on the fact that she's not being recognized, I see nothing unjustified. Yes, she's in charge of her career and could have done more over the years to try and bring herself back into the limelight, that has nothing to do the fact that the RIGHT thing the studio should have done was to acknowledge her in some way, shape or form.

We do know they used HER voice in the trailers, which I found totally misleading and inappropriate.

They could have at least offered her a cameo role in the film or paid some attention to the voice that MADE Dreamgirls a success!

Hollywood is such a joke.

[mateo]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:14pm

Every article I have read, every television spot anywhere on Dreamgirls mentions the talented Ms. Holliday. She is very much NOT forgotten.


It would have been nice to see them serve her up a cameo- who knows if she would have accepted it though.

Or was she offered one?

[best12bars]

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

This is really sad.

Imagine for a moment MARY MARTIN carrying on like this in the press when the films of The Sound of Music or South Pacific opened.

Even the "loud" Ethel Merman didn't pull this when the film of Gypsy opened.

I can understand (possibly) a single candid slip of the tongue about feeling brushed aside, but she is literally on a publicity campaign now about it.

And that's crass, not class.

[Marlothom]

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

I recall that she was offered a cameo, but she didn't take it; though it may have been SLR as Deena's mother. At any rate, while I see your point (and Ms. Holliday's to some extent), she is defeating her arguments with her senseless banter about unrealistic things she should receive.

I wonder if they have taken the rights from her sing "And I Am Telling You" while the film is in high gear? To me, if she simply said that, it would be more powerful than her current rants. I say this not as an advocate of the Hollywood system, but as a member of the general public who is not impressed with her arguments. Didn't she say something like, why should I die as an artist?

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:19pm

I wonder if they have taken the rights from her sing "And I Am Telling You" while the film is in high gear?

I've heard the rumor but so far no one can give me any proof. I think that would be an ASCAP issue, anyway.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:19pm

This is ridiculous. I could barely get through that.

It's interesting that her "main source of income" has been performing And I Am Telling You... at different private events. Seems to me like she's gotten quite a lot from DREAMGIRLS.

[best12bars]

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

She's gotten way more mileage than Merman ever got from Rose's Turn.

[blueroses]

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

"Holliday said she was particularly heartbroken when friends told her that it is her version of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," the show's trademark song, that plays in one of the film's trailers. In other words, her voice is being used to sell a production that had shut her out."

I can see how that would be upsetting to her. Why not have Jennifer Hudson's version playing?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:25pm

Hudson's version hadn't yet been recorded. This was for the early teaser trailer.

[Marlothom]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:26pm

I think they only played her version during the TEASER trailer;

She may have waived her copyrights to her sound recording; and if she did not, she def. was paid for that, so either way she should not be so "heartbroken".

I also heard on the Williams interview where she felt the movie was pulling a "bait and switch" bec. they were using the Dreamgirls name and serving a new story (changes in the movie). I thought this was particularly unfair, since the owners of the rights approved all these changes to make a more compelling film.

[WhoCouldBeBlue]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:28pm

"I can see how that would be upsetting to her. Why not have Jennifer Hudson's version playing?"

Marketing. They knew when people heard Holliday's version, people would be drawn to it. If they didn't have Hudson's version recorded at the release of that trailer, they should have chose another song FROM the movie.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:28pm

If they used her version of the song ILLEGALLY, then she has a case -- not a public bitching session with the media. Either sue, or stop whining.

Personal irritation aside, this whole thing strikes me as sad and desperate.
Updated On: 12/12/06 at 12:28 PM

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:35pm

Was she expecting to be cast as Effie in the movie... I guess I'm just not understanding why she is making a big stink here.

And I agree, MYB.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:36pm

Holliday doesn't own the rights to the OBCR. Geffen does, and it's his film.

He used the recording ONLY for the teaser trailer before Hudson was cast.

And OF COURSE they want to shake the comparisons between Holliday and Hudson as quickly as possible. And they did as soon as they had their "film Effie." They know the comparison is inevitable, and as previously said, Holliday has already been mentioned in virtually every article and review on the film so far.

They're not "sweeping her away" so much as downplaying the inevitable comparison. This is the FILM and it's HUDSON as Effie now, and that's what they are promoting... and they want to focus on it.

They haven't exactly hired hit men for Holliday.

But if you had made a film that had adapted an iconic, legendary Broadway performance, would you be quick to bring the original actress back into the limelight and say, "Look, here's a side-by-side comparison?" Not likely.

Holliday, after all these years in the business, still doesn't understand that.

Updated On: 12/12/06 at 12:36 PM

[ILUVTOMG]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:39pm

was she really crucial to the show's success? i saw Dreamgirls on bway (and the revival) without her and, as far as i'm concerned, she wasn't missed. instead of being ungrateful she should be gracious and thankful that the films success is throwing a little much-needed attention her way. the real stars of dreamgirls are the shows gifted creators.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:46pm

Initially, yes, she was one of the main (if not THE main) draws to the show. She became a star overnight, and not only won the Tony for her performance, but a Grammy for the Best R&B Female of the year... for the Dreamgirls OBCR. Her name and her performances were on TV and radio.

Michael Bennett's name might have been the reason the NY crowds and theatre aficionados bought tickets initially, but it was Holliday that brought in the nationwide/worldwide audiences to see the show and turned it from a hit into a mega-hit.

But I agree that the show went on without her, and proved to have it's own "legs" to stand on.

In other words, this is a lesson that Miss Holliday should have learned some 20-odd years ago... "the show went on without her"... but apparently, this is new news to her.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:46pm

If Holliday was smart, she would use the film's hype and buzz to help her own career. I'm sad to see she doesn't have anyone to guide her because she really had a golden opportunity to jump start her career again. She needs to hurry up and sing "I Am changing" so it can happen.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:50pm

I feel bad for her in that they used her version in the early stages of the film's promotion. The fact that they used that song shows just how much that song was instrumental in selling the show and will could possibly be in selling the movie. I would assume that very soon, we are going to see more of Hudson singing that song. I have been reading the threads on this and not commenting much as I have been a bit out to lunch on it. Now I seem to remember hearing that the reason the concert version was not filmed was because David Geffen holds the rights. (Is that to the entire show? I am sure someone here knows the particulars on that!). I wonder if it was his decision to use her version in those early promos since he had a right to do so. I kind of agree that she should back off of "bashing" the filmmakers. I think she got her point across a while ago. I find it interesting that Ms. Ralph has come forward and said that she also has been "snubbed". I also find it interesting that the film studio is not commenting. This makes me think that there are possibly things we don't know. Either they actually did snub these two ladies or they made an offer to Ms. Holliday and she refused or, as it has been reported about her, was difficult and they decided not to work with her. In the words of an old Ashford & Simpson song "Nobody knows the inside"! (Except those involved, of course) But in the case of this movie and this song, it is hers. Hands down. Her deliverence of this song is what drew people to the show and even had people going after she left. We do showtunes at the bar I go to on Monday nights. The most requested song is Ms. Holliday doing "And I Am Telling You" from the My Favorite Broadway DVD. I hope she gets over this and moves on. She is a talented woman. And I do agree that she has some "personal issues" after reading these interviews. In my opinion, her best bet is to get off of the Dreamgirls bashing wagon immediately. Especially before the movie comes out because I would suspect that when moviegoers see the movie and hear Ms. Hudson, the comparisons between her performance and Ms. Holliday's are going to be made. And that's when Ms. Holliday could come back into the spotlight. At which point she should do it more graciously than she has been in the past few months. In any case, I see a preview of the movie next Thursday and can't wait! Just my thoughts and ramlings!

Updated On: 12/12/06 at 12:50 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/12/06 at 12:50pm

"Why is it necessary for them to wipe out my existence in order for them to have their success?" Holliday said. "It's scary that they can be so cruel. I know it's business, but why do they have to go to this extreme? I'm a human being. I need to work too. Why do I have to die to make them a winner?"

First of all, why is she entitled to be treated differently from any other actress who originated a role on Broadway, but not in the film version? I don't remember this kind of madness from Patti LuPone or Chita Rivera.

Secondly, that comment about her dying to make them a winner is incoherent and totally messed up. But the article does reference her previous suicide attempt and history of clinical depression, so I guess this kind of response is to be expected.

[Wildcard]

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

I'm paraphrasing here but Bill Condon had replied that just because someone makes his mark playing Hamlet 25 years ago, a new production doesn't necessarily need to recognize that actor when recreating that character later on. For crying out loud, Ms. Holliday was hoping she would play Effie in the movie! Also, he did not want the movie to become a "Spot the Dreamgirl" game which would be too distracting and take you away from the film. Loretta Devine is in the movie bec. she's appropriate for the scene she's in. Ms. Holliday's voice in that scene would be out of place.