Threaded Order Chronological Order
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 06:20 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - portenopete 06:06 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
|
|
|
| In the subject of denying who they were, this actually happened in the locker room of a gym in 1999: ME: Are you who I think you are? BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL: Yes. I’m Charles Manson. |
|
| reply to this message |
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Last Edit: Delvino 11:41 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
| Posted by: Delvino 11:40 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - KingSpeed 06:20 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
|
|
|
| For a couple of decades I went to an upper west side gym that had scores of celebrities, many in broadcast journalism and media, but actors, sometimes stars (I took aerobics taught by Janine Turner before she did Northern Exposure and entered right wing punditry; Sesame Street's Maria, Philip Casnoff and wife, Roxanne Hart, were often in my classes.) Almost everyone of note was left alone -- small club, small pool, small locker rooms -- but when we got big celebs, like Raquel Welch after Woman of the Year, we'd stare. She would smile back -- usually in sunglasses. We always hoped she'd sign up for the cardio -- you had to, not enough machines. So that we might hear someone call out, "Welch!" Never happened with her, but did with Tim Matheson. I love NY. | |
| reply to this message |
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: AlexanderKat 03:33 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - Delvino 11:40 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| I saw "the Raquel smile" too even under the worst of circumstances. Unfortunately, true story here. I was seated in a restaurant at a table next to Ms. Welch's. At one point two women, who must've heard she was there, actually walked right up to her table to get a close look at the actress. And within hearing distance, I heard one woman loudly say to the other, "Hey, we look better than she does" (which was far from the truth). Of course, my attention and others were drawn to Welch's reaction who nodded to them and gave them a big huge smile. I adored Welch after that. I've often wondered if peoples realize their rudeness when in the presence of a celebrity? I've seen times when people will silently walk within a foot of someone and just continue on. It's as if their curiosity hath no bounds. So I guess rudeness is rudeness regardless of who the person is. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| There was serious talk of Welch doing "Lady in the Dark" | |
| Posted by: Delvino 10:35 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - AlexanderKat 03:33 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| Who else recalls that chatter, pre-internet? When Welch took over Woman of the Year, it was covered as a reminted career. She made it work in new ways. I saw her early -- very early, when she went on during Bacall's two-week vacation. It was stunt casting, but she pulled it off. Whatever one thinks of the show, it's a sizeable role, with many play-like book scenes by Peter Stone, one big dance number, and a fair number of songs. Though for my money the most sparkling musical comedy Tess was the short-lived Reynolds, Welch's presence had its own electricity, if not that of a triple threat. There was speculation that an overdue revival of Lady in the Dark would be a good fit. It sounds bizarre now, and to me, in my youth, it sounded bizarre then. Her return in Victor/Victoria did not result in the same kind of "reminted career" talk, and the run was uneventful. As a woman pretending to be a man, she was/is an unlikely candidate. Perhaps that was the casting joke, but suffice it to say, not a good one. Could she have played Joanne in Company? Maybe. I saw Jane Russell, arguably a Welch of her time. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: There was serious talk of Welch doing "Lady in the Dark" | |
| Posted by: tedlefdes 10:53 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
| In reply to: There was serious talk of Welch doing "Lady in the Dark" - Delvino 10:35 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
|
|
|
| Raquel Welch played the title character in the film version of Myra Breckinridge | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: portenopete 10:24 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - KingSpeed 06:20 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
|
|
|
| That's very funny! He's a lovely man. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: lonlad 09:25 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - portenopete 10:24 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
|
|
|
| That's a brilliant reply actually since your question doesn't really give the person being questioned much of an out. How does he know who you think he is? And what if he's wrong? Or you are? Stokes is one of the loveliest people out there. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) | |
| Posted by: toros 11:20 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - lonlad 09:25 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| Although it's a completely separate consideration from the quality of their work, the most gracious stars I ever met were Brian Stokes Mitchell, Cherry Jones, Julianne Moore, Norm Lewis, Annaleigh Ashford, Mandy Patinkin and David Hyde Pierce. The least were Santino Fontana, Heather Headley, Lauren Bacall and Alan Cumming, but I'm willing to give them all the benefit of the doubt... | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) | |
| Posted by: BruceinIthaca 04:43 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) - toros 11:20 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| I second Cherry Jones. We were both waiting in line for the rest room at BAM (different lines) after a matinee of Lesley Manville in "Ghosts." I said hello and thanked her for her work. I especially thanked her for being a role model for young queer acting students--that you can be out and have a career (this was a number of years, before EVERYBODY was out! Joke). She was gracious and humble--classy and warm. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) | |
| Posted by: writerkev 06:23 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) - BruceinIthaca 04:43 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| When I saw the “On the Twentieth Century” revival, my row was almost completely empty. (Kristin Chenoweth was out, ugh, so perhaps people didn’t stay, or maybe it was simply early.) In any case, my seat was on one aisle, and at the far other end of my row, also sitting alone, was Karen Ziemba, with no one between us. I nodded to her, smiled, and gave a little friendly wave, then I sat down and opened up my Playbill. Next thing I know, she’s moved over to the seat next to me and says “If no one sits here, can I sit next to you?” She was utterly sweet. We had a really nice conversation before the curtain and during intermission. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| Most Gracious... Lena Horne and Marian Seldes | |
| Last Edit: SCH 01:58 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| Posted by: SCH 01:43 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) - toros 11:20 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| Speaking of the most gracious stars, I'll never forget when I went to see Lena Horne in The Lady and Her Music. I must have been about 14 or 15 years old. There was a small group of us gathered at the stage door after the show, and it suddenly began raining, which thinned the crowd down to even fewer of us. Lena Horne had the doorman bring all of us who were still waiting inside and into her dressing room where she signed all of our Playbills and very graciously spoke to us for about 10 or 15 minutes. It was a very special moment. I'll also never forget how absolutely lovely and gracious Marian Seldes was the few times that I met her. Each of the times I had the opportunity to speak to her she clasped my hand in hers and looked so deeply into my eyes that I felt like there wasn't another soul in the room. She gave her absolutely undivided attention to every interaction. She was just as charming and gracious and genuine as could be. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Most Gracious... Lena Horne and Marian Seldes | |
| Posted by: kieran 02:44 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: Most Gracious... Lena Horne and Marian Seldes - SCH 01:43 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| Definitely Seldes - and Irene Worth. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| Very nice - Estelle Parsons actually started up a conversation with me | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 02:22 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 02:18 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: Most Gracious... Lena Horne and Marian Seldes - SCH 01:43 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| Estelle Parsons started talking to me in an elevator on the way up to see my old excellent voice teacher years ago. I had pushed the button to my teacher's floor, and she said "You're going to that man up there?... You're a singer!. I said "Yes, and you're an actress"... (minipause)... "A famous actress!". I got a little understated "Yes" from her. Then I smiled, and we started talking about something or other. I remember either that time after my lesson or another time she said hi and was very happy playing with her grandchild down in the lobby. She seemed like a very nice and down to earth lady. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL | |
| Posted by: peggylopa 08:06 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
| In reply to: Very nice - Estelle Parsons actually started up a conversation with me - PlayWiz 02:18 pm EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| Waiting for the Ladies Room at intermission, the woman in front of me turned and I realized it was Shirley Knight. She looked at me and smiled, so I thanked her for her wonderful work. She touched my hand and thanked me. She immediately took the attention off of herself, and told me how excited and proud she was that her daughter Kaitlin was starring in the show. So very gracious!! | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) | |
| Posted by: portenopete 11:40 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter (and the most and least gracious "stars" I ever met) - toros 11:20 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| "I'm willing to give them all the benefit of the doubt..." That's how I feel. I forgot I'd had a chat with Cherry Jones after DOUBT and she was so gregarious and unpretentious. I got to spend an afternoon doing a scene in a movie with Miss Bacall and she was mistakenly under the impression that I was more of a somebody than I was and she was pretty pleasant to me, but everyone else on set found her a challenge. I really regret not peppering her with more questions about her career but I was deeply intimidated. But I still think it's cool I got to sit in a director's chair next to Lauren Bacall (and her dog) sitting in their director's chairs! |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: portenopete 10:47 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - lonlad 09:25 am EDT 03/22/22 | |
|
|
|
| I agree. I met him once at a VoiceOver tryout and he could not have been more gracious and friendly. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: BruceinIthaca 07:38 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - KingSpeed 06:20 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
|
|
|
| Nice! | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
Time to render: 0.066451 seconds.