HOME ALL THAT CHAT ATC WEST COAST SHOPPIN' RUSH BOARD FAQS

LOGIN REGISTER SEARCH THREADED MODE

not logged in

Threaded Order | Chronological Order

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: ryhog 05:12 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: To all the irate posters below - JayBee 03:59 pm EDT 05/06/15

The issue is not his opinion about the show but his bigotry as manifested in those opinions. I really don't think most people would want to be in the position of defending that. But who knows?


reply to this message |

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: TheOtherOne 05:17 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - ryhog 05:12 pm EDT 05/06/15

"The issue is not his opinion about the show but his bigotry as manifested in those opinions."

Perhaps, but he is very clear as to why he does not care for Tesori and Kron's writing, and hence the show.


reply to this message |

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: AnObserver 08:34 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - TheOtherOne 05:17 pm EDT 05/06/15

Maybe he thinks Tesori and Kron are lesbians? Haha. Kidding.


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: Singapore/Fling 05:43 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - TheOtherOne 05:17 pm EDT 05/06/15

He's also clear on his disdain for the source material, and while he never overtly says anything homophobic, the review drips with homophobia.

It's just this side of hate speech.

There's this strain of relativism that is plaguing our society these days, which states that each person is entitled (that word again) to their own uniquely valid opinion, and this point of view tends to disregard the beliefs being espoused in favor of the espousing of beliefs.

It's nonsense. Hate speech is hate speech. And John Simon is getting about as close as he can to said speech without actually stating it directly. And I for one won't take that lying down. Laying down. Lying down.


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: chrismpls 07:09 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - Singapore/Fling 05:43 pm EDT 05/06/15

particularly when he equates being a lesbian with being "boyish." I guess we can assume no editor gets near his copy?


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: ryhog 09:04 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - chrismpls 07:09 pm EDT 05/06/15

editor? that's funny. he's writing for the equivalent of a pennysaver. their only editors read the classifieds.


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: To all the irate posters below

Posted by: Singapore/Fling 07:53 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - chrismpls 07:09 pm EDT 05/06/15

boyish and more boyish!

I couldn't really tell if he meant that Emily Skeggs was the better of the two at being a lesbian, or he disliked her more because she was such a lesbian. Or both.

At least Adult Alison is too busy shouting out caption to actually engage in lesbian romance. Which he hates so much he had to quote half the song.


reply to this message | reply to first message

Is it generational?

Posted by: portenopete 06:12 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: To all the irate posters below - Singapore/Fling 05:43 pm EDT 05/06/15

As a gay man of 50, I find I am not nearly so quick to label bigotry as "hate speech". I have been reading John Simon for over thirty years and was aware of a distaste for most (if not all) things rainbow, but I never felt an impulse to silence him or demand his resignation.

I think there are bigger fish to fry that make a difference across far greater canvasses than the New York theatre review-reading world. His is the opinion of an educated but egregiously dogmatic Eastern European who has refused to change his principles in the belief that it would diminish the whole point of having had them in the first place. He's of another era and the most effective action one could take would be to ignore him.


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: Is it generational?

Posted by: ryhog 09:15 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: Is it generational? - portenopete 06:12 pm EDT 05/06/15

as a gay man of the same approximate era, I don't find the need to label bigotry as anything. I'm not prosecuting him for a crime; if we agree it's bigotry that really should be all we need to know. I do not support repressing his or anyone else's free speech; in fact, I come from the school where having a bigot speak is actually a good thing, because it allows the rest of us to address his heinous words. That said, I do have an issue with sanctioning those words, something that prevented me from buying NY Magazine for many years, that has caused me to criticize the drama critics for allowing his filthiness to taint them and that certainly keeps me from clicking the website of some penny ante newspaper that has, for whatever reasons, chosen to give bigotry a platform.


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: Is it generational?

Posted by: Singapore/Fling 06:32 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: Is it generational? - portenopete 06:12 pm EDT 05/06/15

The older I get, the more that I realize everything is generational, in every possible direction.

In terms of Simon, I agree with you about ignoring him. And considering who he writes for, most people are ignoring him as well.

But since it turned into a statement of opinions and their validity to be held, I felt inclined to say something. I will gladly ignore John Simon, but I will not stand by as his point of view is tolerated.

(is that silly? possibly)


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: Is it generational?

Posted by: portenopete 07:21 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: Is it generational? - Singapore/Fling 06:32 pm EDT 05/06/15

"is that silly?"

I wouldn't characterize it like that. It's good to be passionate about things. I tend to err on the opposite side, but I wouldn't argue that my way is the right way. I tend to eschew conflict and disharmony because my constitution can't handle it :).

But tell me: where exactly IS this review? I Googled john+simon+fun+home and couldn't see it.


reply to this message | reply to first message

re: Is it generational?

Posted by: Singapore/Fling 07:51 pm EDT 05/06/15
In reply to: re: Is it generational? - portenopete 07:21 pm EDT 05/06/15

The original post contains the link.


reply to this message | reply to first message


All That Chat is intended for the discussion of theatre news and opinion
subject to the terms and conditions of the Terms of Service. (Please take all off-topic discussion to private email.)

Please direct technical questions/comments to webmaster@talkinbroadway.com and policy questions to TBAdmin@talkinbroadway.com.

[ Home | On the Rialto | The Siegel Column | Cabaret | Tony Awards | Book Reviews | Great White Wayback Machine ]
[ Broadway Reviews | Barbara and Scott: The Two of Clubs | Sound Advice | Sound Advice Upcoming Releases CDs/Books/DVDs, etc. | Off Broadway | Funding Talkin' Broadway ]
[ Broadway 101 | Spotlight On | Talkin' Broadway | On the Boards | Regional | Talk to Us! | Search Talkin' Broadway ]

Terms of Service
[ © 1997 - 2015 www.TalkinBroadway.com, Inc. ]

Time to render: 0.088450 seconds.