The most traffic I've gotten on my blog was the post I wrote about Joe Allen and his disgraceful remarks about Local One members during the Broadway Stagehands strike. Some of the comments I received ranged from support of our union to upset Joe Allen employees ridiculing me for my stance.
Apparently, Joe Allen had written a letter of apology to Local One claiming he was taken out of context. I thought to myself, "How can some of those comments be taken out of context? They stand on their own without explanation."
Well I guess his letter didn't do much because this notice went out to all Local One members:
In the November 17, 2007 edition of the New York Times, Mr. Joe Allen is quoted as saying, “I saw them picketing the other day on 44th Street and thought to myself, 'That’s the hardest they’ve worked in years.'"
Mr. Joe Allen said that about YOU. The account Local One had for many years with Joe Allen was immediately terminated.
We are asking that all Local One members, their family members, friends and all other Union members BOYCOTT the Joe Allen Restaurant located at 326 West 46th Street.
His other restaurants include Orso, 322 West 46th Street and Bar Centrale, located above Orso. Also, Joe Allen Restaurants are located in Miami, London and Paris.
BOYCOTT ALL JOE ALLEN RESTAURANTS
His degrading and disrespectful remarks about YOU should not go without retribution. Please do not spend your hard earned money in any of his businesses.
After receiving the comments previously mentioned, I thought I might have overreacted. Now I know I was right. Why would Joe Allen apologize if he claims he was misquoted and taken out of context? Answer: Because he wasn't misquoted.
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5 comments:
Having worked on the stage as an artist for many years, I must say that I agree with Joe Allen. Being a stage hand is not that tough nor that taxing. While I am sure that the greedy theater producers would rather dispose of all unions and replace all live actors and muscians with holograms and pre-recordings (except for the star who has box-office draw) and recycle dead plots into tourist traps for susceptible visitors in order to maximize the earning potential of some horrible musical or play, they are no doubt underpaying stage hands. But let's face it. It is not as if you can't walk out onto the street, grab the first person you see and train them in 5 minutes to replace any of the stage hands at a moments notice. The only thing standing in the way of such conduct is the union and that is why there is a union to begin with.
You, sir/madam are yet another of the many who think they know everything and in fact, know nothing. And claiming that you are a stage "artist" yet believing anyone can be trained to be a stagehand in five minutes proves that you haven't set foot anywhere near a professional stage.
I would gladly train you to be a stagehand and take you from start to finish though a production process. The training would last a lot longer than five minutes, but I'd venture to guess that you wouldn't be able to last a week.
You can even go to the union office and look for employment. Contrary to popular belief, not being a member won't prevent you from getting work, but like I said, you wouldn't make it.
I tried to take a moment to see the side of "anonymous". I tried to understand what might inspire such a petty, jealous and ignorant comment. But I can't. I work as a stagehand. I am a lighting technician. I have a college degree. I have 10 years of intensive experience on the job. I have numerous industry certifications and qualifications. My job requires technical know how and intensive social and people skills.
Please try to replace me with someone off the street in 5 minutes!
Stagehands are a breed of talented people who live and breath the theater. They give up a traditional work week and they fully belive "the show muct go on" it is not a catch phrase, it is the life blood of our work. We are there to support the production so that the talented live performers can shine. No one pays to see a stagehand run the lights, we know that. But more times than I can count I have seen stagehands protect and assist performers so they can do their job safely! It is because there is respect and mutual admiration between the two.
I only wish "anonymous" who has supposedly "worked on the stage" had ever looked up to see who was there to support them. Thankfully I know that this opinion is a rarity in the job that I call my home.
If you can flip a burger, you can flip a switch. It is pretty simple really.
If there were any "switches to flip," I'd agree with you, anonymous asshole.
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