'Tonys to Press: Drop Dead'
Maybe I should've kept my mouth shut. Over the years, whenever I ran into chiefs of the Tony Awards, I often made a point to hail them for being the only showbiz peer-group award to permit journalists to vote.
At first, they were startled to hear that fact. "Really?" one of them snarled a few years ago. "Do you mean journalists don't vote for the Oscars, Emmys or Grammys?"
"No," I replied.
"Hmmm," he purred. "Fascinating."
Just two months ago when I conducted a Gold Derby video interview with Howard Sherman, executive director of the American Theatre Wing, he made a point of noting how I often bring up that point. Now comes word that the Tonys will no longer permit journos to vote. Coincidence?
"Tonys to Press: Drop Dead," reads a blog headline at BackStage.com, reflecting how journos take the news.
"After careful consideration, the Tony Awards Management Committee has determined that Tony-voting privileges will no longer be extended to members of the First Night Press List, commencing with the 2009-2010 season," reads an announcement from the Tonys.
No clear explanation has been given for the move. Tomorrow, when business hours resume, Gold Derby will contact Tonys chiefs to solicit their views.
Photo: American Theatre Wing
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"Avenue Q" winning is looking worse and worse to whom? That show hasn't gotten any less hilarious with time. Just because "Wicked" is a box office smash doesn't mean it deserved to win (and this is coming from someone who liked both shows). As a creative achievement, doesn't the brilliant writing of "Avenue Q" trump the catchy songs and eye-popping design of "Wicked"?
Posted by: AK | July 15, 2009 at 07:09 PM
Oh, I see, jtbwriter. You mean like Next to Normal. Or Billy Elliot. Or In the Heights. Or the revival of South Pacific. Or The Light in the Piazza. Yeah, shows like these won ABSOLUTELY NO AWARDS EVER because those evil critics were allowed to vote. Good riddance!
You know, you could just say, "I don't think the critics should vote for the Tonys because they didn't like Wicked," rather than trying to look like some smart commentator and instead ending up like an idiot. Shows with heart win about as often as they lose, but you're not going to notice this if you don't pay attention. Which, admittedly, is a lot harder than painting an entire profession with the broad, hateful brush you do.
Posted by: FormerTonyVoter | July 15, 2009 at 03:36 AM
My only problem with the press voting on the Tony Awards is the snobbish way they've always treated popular shows with a heart (Wicked, for example). If it has a beat, it must be "too populist! The disgusting way the writers cheered potty mouthed "Avenue Q" on to a Tony that should have gone to "Wicked" is just one of many mistakes that look worse as time passes. So I'm not sorry if the voting is only for those who might judge with the heart instead of what passes for a brain.
Posted by: jtbwriter | July 14, 2009 at 09:55 PM