I briefly interrupt my two and a half day hiatus with some important and shocking news:
If you care about the arts, and if you want to see how truly despicable some purported “Christians” are, check out Mike Daisey’s blog. Apparently, as Daisey was in the middle of performing, eighty-seven members of a Christian group walked out en masse and spilled water on Daisey’s ONLY copy of his outline.
Daisey also has a YouTube video of this.
As a person who has written, staged and performed theatre, my greatest empathy goes out to Mike Daisey, who should never have experienced such rampant cruelty. The faceless cowards who did this are no better than the ghouls who burned the Great Library of Alexandria. And I hope that he can comes to terms with this horrible event in the best manner possible. Fortunately, as seen on the YouTube video, he responded to this incident with good humor.
[UPDATE: The Boston Globe's Geoff Edgers has done additional reporting. Contrary to Daisey's assertions, the group was not a Christian one.]
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Birds of Paradise by Diana Abu-Jaber: Forget Franzen and Eugenides. If you're looking for a social novel that counts, Diana Abu-Jaber is the author you're looking for. Building from the free-form exploration of consciousness and identity in Crescent and the gripping procedural structure of Origin, Abu-Jaber's latest novel is her finest, equally fluent with gutterpunk culture and smarmy real estate men. It has been suggested by The Washington Post's Ron Charles that you will likely gain some pounds while reading this novel. This is certainly true. Abu-Jaber's description of food is so precise that it often made me want to do more cooking. But I very much admired the way in which Abu-Jaber presents all her characters as unwitting victims of rough capitalism, which permits them some dignity even as they perform terrible acts.
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Sad/enraging as that is, why does he only have a single copy? That just seems stupid.
The Great Library of Alexandria should have been so lucky to have someone their pouring water on the flames!
I personally thought it was pretty funny. It was what he needed to kick some life into that show. Take this opportunity to toss out those old notes, let go of the baggage and float above it all.
He should be fine. His life isn’t over.
By the way, some stories are coming out that it wasn’t a Christian group. I know that possibility ruins the fun, but life is filled with more than open bigotry towards religious groups.
I disagree with the two ignorants who replied.
These christians, as mike says, broke the bond between performer and audience; it is most common courtesy to have at least have the basic tact to not disrupt a performance.
For, what is the point of paying money to see a show you hate– just to ruin it!? Just to destroy someone’s works? If you don’t like it, get your stupid ass OUT.
His show, finally sold out. Excited he was at the time, but while performing to his otherwise polite audience, suddenly people flock towards the door..Well, when your hopes are brought up, and then someone hatefully destroys your art…This, I think, is sabotage of the most cowardly, immature, and rude way.
Kudos to Mr Daisey. I’ve been involved in performances (as an actor or as an audience member) where the disruption was a cell phone ringing or the popping of gum (or whatever) and the performer couldn’t pull him or herself back into the piece. Anyone who thinks it is easy, has absolutely no idea.
Think of it this way: if you are a surgeon and someone takes away your access to a scalpel, how do you do the surgery? While the comparison might sound fishy to some, we get medical attention because we might NEED to do so. We may go to a church because we are searching for spiritual enrichment and we NEED to do so … and we go see live entertainment because we NEED to do so. While some might take issue with the form or content of the entertainment, the same can be said with the content, translation, interpretation or LEADERSHIP of the particular church/house of worship. And my understanding of the situation was that one of the group TOLD Mr Daisey they were a Christian group realizing soon after that it was a school group. (His blog notes this.)
If Mr Daisey, or a group associated with that Mr Daisey, decided to make a point and by going to a church service and interrupted a sermon by walking up to the preacher and pouring water on his paper because he disagreed with his/her interpretation, wouldn’t people take issue with that? I assume so, but wouldn’t Mr Daisey or whoever be within his/her right to do so according to this “Christian” or “educated” example set for him?
My son was there
One thing most people are missing. It seems to me, Mr Mike Daisey, knew before he posted on youtube, who this group were and came from. In the info area of the clip It states 87 members of a Christian group. why?
I talk to him about this in messages ,he said he had posted before he knew who they were. It does not look that way to me . The one that puts the clips on youtube, are able to pull their clips, and repost, They can remove comments and block viewers from making a comment. Which he did to me.
Day of walk out 4-19-07
Talked with Cindy L. from the public school and the man the poured water David 4-20-07 acording to news papers and his site.
Youtube shows posted 4-21-07.
Why? After reading much about Mr. Daisey and his followers. I think I have the answer.
Seems as he forgave 1 and punished 86 others lets not count the other 11 adults just the 75 kids that were 14-17 years of age.
He heard there cries with their comments .
They were public high school kids from s. California .there for choral competition.
To date 5-14-07 more info still shows Christian group. He said 4-21-07 is a repost .but he did not amend info even if posted on the 20th. 3:40 pm . he talked to lady ,Cindy L. from the school, in the am of the 20th .what some will do in hopes of making money and fame.
Sad/enraging as that is, why does he only have a single copy? That just seems stupid.