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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 12:36 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:29 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - Deirdre 11:59 am EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| A lot of celebrities go to eat at Joe Allen to avoid autograph-seekers and just enjoy their meal. I thought in the past I had read that their staff was well-trained to deal with interlopers. I recall I once arrived to meet my cousin, announced her name to the maitre d', and then I was being taken toward Lucille Ball's table! I didn't want to bother her, rushed back to the maitre d's desk, and my cousin retrieved me, as we were sitting at a table just on the other side of the aisle next to Ms. Ball's party. A couple of women coming up the aisle, when they saw her, turned inwards away from Ball's table toward us, and whispered "There's Lucille Ball" to each other, acknowledging, but basically leaving her alone. Btw, a young man did join Ms. Ball's party, so I guess they were expecting someone around my age to join them. Ms. Ball looked great -- such red hair! Plus as I glanced over during the meal, she seemed very business-like. No one but the waiters approached them. I think if a celebrity sees friends there, or if someone knows them, Joe Allen's is a place to reconnect, but as far as autographs or trying to give someone a picture/resume, that would seem verboten and unwanted. Funny story: my cousin said years ago whenever she went there she saw Jack Gilford. She once mentioned to a friend that this particular time was the first time Jack Gilford wasn't there, and who should just then appear but Jack Gilford! |
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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Posted by: boyartist 01:45 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - PlayWiz 12:29 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| True New Yorkers do not bother celebrities, I'm proud to say. When I first arrived from the swamps of Northern Florida, I was always thrilled to see a celebrity in person. I worked at Tiffany's, so, I saw at least one a day. Just seeing these famous faces was enough for me. Years pass, and I find myself in the company of some famous names, and it's interesting to see how the public reacts when encountering a famous face. Most people are polite. When I exit a stage door, it's amusing to read the faces of the fans behind the barricades. Someone once blurted, " Oh, that's nobody!" I might be offended, if it weren't so amusing. Meanwhile, back at Joe Allen, if you spot a celeb, and you catch their eye, just smile. It's the easiest compliment you can bestow. |
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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 01:12 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 01:12 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - PlayWiz 12:29 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| I've never been to Joe Allen's when I did not see celebrities. I think there are exceptions to the rule of leaving diners alone, but they should be rare. I remember going to the very first preview of 'Sunset Blvd," (the first iteration). Alice Ripley was there afterwards. I just passed her table, she was drinking coffee I think, and told her how wonderful she was. It was the first preview, and I thought it was okay. She was very grateful and most pleased to be recognized. It's worth noting: the Alice Ripley of that preview wasn't the star she is today. So my point may be rather weak. | |
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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Last Edit: writerkev 01:38 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| Posted by: writerkev 01:37 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - Delvino 01:12 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| I've generally found that if it's someone like an Alice Ripley who would be recognized only by people like us, and you give a simple "Ms. Ripley, I love your work," or something of the kind, they generally are pleased (or even surprised) to be recognized. I really think I made Greg Jbara's day once by saying hello as I was leaving a restaurant. As long as you make clear you aren't invading their space or sticking around, I think it's a good experience for them. It's different for the household-name famous, because they get it all the time. I might nod and smile in the direction of, say, Jessica Lange, but I'd never say anything. You certainly never want to take up any amount of anyone's time, especially when they're trying to eat. | |
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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Posted by: mridley2 12:28 pm EDT 05/21/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - writerkev 01:37 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| Agreed. A handful of times I have spotted celebrities in the audience of a show. I rarely go out of my way to speak to them but when I have it always has and will be a quick "Hi Mr or Ms so and so. I enjoy your work." Or hope to see you on stage again soon. I find in general they are very pleasant and appreciative of the kind words. | |
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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Posted by: allineedisthegirl 02:54 pm EDT 05/21/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - mridley2 12:28 pm EDT 05/21/18 | |
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| Many years ago I toured with a children's theatre. Quite often I would be recognized on the street and sometimes got greetings along the lines of "You STINK!" db |
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| Ive only had 3 encounters | |
| Last Edit: dramedy 05:01 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| Posted by: dramedy 04:59 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - writerkev 01:37 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| I saw roger bart late one night passing on the street and i wished him luck at the tonys (for charlie brown) I saw henry winkler on the street (he was in the performers.) And he quickly turned his head, so i just walked on by. Kind of funny since he seems super into fans on better late than never. The third was leonard nimoy at the back of a theater during intermission and i would have said something about how much i like his work, but he was giving everyone the evil eye and not to bother him. Considering how often i go to ny and that I live in san fran, i rarely see anyone famous off the stage. But beware chris pine, i am a pinenut |
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| re: Ive only had 3 encounters | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 01:49 am EDT 05/22/18 | |
| In reply to: Ive only had 3 encounters - dramedy 04:59 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| I was considering telling the story of a friend's experience with Henry Winkler, and now you've brought him up so . . . My friend Kevin and I saw Urinetown back when it was at ATA. Directly in front of us were Joan Rivers and two friends. Directly behind us was Henry Winkler, alone. At intermission I went to the men's room, and when I came back, Kevin was chatting with Henry Winkler. Later he told me that Winkler had started the conversation. He said to Kevin, "This is great, isn't it?" And then they talked. In general, I agree with what's been said. Under the right circumstances, which does not include when someone is eating (not even if the person is alone), it can be OK to say something short and sweet to a celebrity (at least some celebrities). It's always good to make it as clear as you can that you're not looking for any significant interaction beyond just having a chance to quickly say to the person "I love your work" or something like that. I can probably count on the fingers of two hands, with a few fingers left over, the number of times I've approached a celebrity to say something, and I've had some very nice experiences. Another friend once went over to a celebrity when this very famous person was eating. We knew our friend was going to do this, he told us he was going to do it, and we should have stopped him before he did it because when he came back, he said that the celebrity had made it quietly clear that he was annoyed with having been interrupted while he was eating. |
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| Many More Encounters (long) | |
| Last Edit: BroadwayTonyJ 11:05 am EDT 05/21/18 | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 11:02 am EDT 05/21/18 | |
| In reply to: Ive only had 3 encounters - dramedy 04:59 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| It probably depends on where you stay in New York, how much you walk around the neighborhoods, how early you get to the theater before a show and what your routine is, and how often you do rush lines, but I've literally crossed paths with dozens of actors, directors, playwrights, and politicians over the years (1989 through today) in New York, London and Chicago. I've even been seated in the theater (or at a table or in the same booth) next to people as diverse as Joe Mantello, Hal Prince, Donna Murphy, Victoria Clark, Ali MacGraw (twice on the same trip), Kitty Hart, Seth Rudetsky, Matthew Morrison, Michael Park, and probably others I've forgotten. Joan Rivers literally bumped in to me at the Broadhurst for 700 Sundays -- my partner and I were in standing room -- and gave us both a piece of red string licorice to munch on. Before a show, I was joined for a cup of coffee on different occasions by Edward Albee and Pamela Myers. I encountered both Chita Rivera (in Chicago) and Bernadette Peters (in New York) when they were walking their dogs -- Chita's little puppy kept jumping on my partner's leg so she let him hold the dog for a bit. I met Hugh Jackman once when he was jogging with a friend of his. I ran into both Michael Urie and Tom Wopat when they were riding their bikes -- Urie wears a helmet and Wopat does not. I spoke to both Neil Simon and Elaine Joyce in the lower level of the Friedman when I was there to see The Assembled Parties. Last year on the same trip I ran into both Michael Bloomberg (lower level of the Shubert) and Chuck Shumer (at LaGuardia). And then there was the time last spring when Michael Faist and his girlfriend were out very early one morning (probably around 6:00 AM) and kept walking past me and a bunch of my friends who were in line for standing room at the Music Box. I was first in line and I got the impression that he wanted to talk to me -- eventually he whispered something in his girlfriend's ear, she came up to me and asked me if I wouldn't mind talking to her boyfriend because he wanted to ask me about something. He was pretty shy and incredibly polite -- he even introduced himself. I said, "Dude, I know who you are -- I caught your show off-Broadway last year and I've even seen an interview of you on TV." He wanted to know why so many of us were lined up that early when the box office wouldn't be open for another 4 hours. So I explained to him about how standing room works. |
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| re: Etiquette at Joe Allens | |
| Posted by: bmc 04:11 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
| In reply to: re: Etiquette at Joe Allens - writerkev 01:37 pm EDT 05/20/18 | |
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| If the saw horses are out, I will sometimes ask performers to autograph playbills; I have always thought requests in a restaurant are verboten. The only time I did otherwise was after attending the Nathan Lane Revival of Forum .Out side the theater, there were two lanes of pedestrian traffic, going in opposite directions. I saw designer Tony Walton and, without thinking Said, "I loved the new Set", (the curtain accidentally rose on Tragedy tonight) He said thank you. Two ships passing and I don't think he minded as we both kept walking. | |
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