Josh Groban made his Broadway debut in The Great Comet last year and Grobanites flocked to see it. But then last month he left the show and so did his fans. His replacement did not bring in the audience, so the producers hired Mandy Patinkin to replace him. When word got out, several theater people protested the decision and the Homeland actor dropped out. That controversy came at a big cost for the Tony nominated show. One so big, its last performance will be on September 3rd. Which makes you wonder if saving one person’s job was worth it, since now a lot more are out of work because of it? I think not.
When it comes to the former star, Groban had this to say about the closing on Twitter, “Broadway is better with this brilliant diverse show on it. Plain as that. See and support while you can. All my ❤️ to my comet family.”
After last year’s Tonys, it seemed like James Corden would be a shoe in to host the awards show again this year. Shockingly, he won’t be back. But, I love the new MC that CBS has choosen! It is Kevin Spacey. That’s right, he is swimming with the sharks of the Great White Way on June 11th.
I think he is a brilliant choice, but how does he feel about it? He said, “I was their second choice for ‘Usual Suspects,’ fourth choice for ‘American Beauty’ and 15th choice to host this year’s Tony Awards. I think my career is definitely going in the right direction.” The he continued with, “Maybe I can get shortlisted to host the Oscars if everyone else turns it down.” I have been thinking he should host Hollywood’s biggest night, so I am thrilled to see what he does with Broadway’s. What do you think of the choice?
James Corden and Neil Patrick Harris are not only Tony winners, they have also hosted Broadway’s biggest night. Yesterday, when NPH was on The Late Late Show, he challenged the host to a musical duet and only one man came out the winner. While the other one ripped his tight pants. Can you guess which one is which?
Back to the Riff-Off, they started it off with Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat from Guys & Dolls and then the man who met your mother sang Gypsy’s Everything’s Coming Up Roses. Up next he was all about Being Alive from Company while the CBS host held a note from Les Miz’s On My Own that none of us knoooooooooooooooooooooooooown he could do. If that didn’t turn you on, then them sexing it up will. JC shook his hips to All That Jazz from Chicago while Harris showed us what they are for singing Sugar Daddy from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a role he played on the Great White Way! As NPH declared himself the winner, Corden said he was retiring from singing Showtunes. Thankfully he decided to give it one more shot as they did a duet to Hamilton’s My Shot.
Hopefully, we will see this bit again because it is pure joy.
When Donald Trump was elected, those of us who are not Straight White Christian Men became afraid. We are afraid that his administration that is anti Women and Same-Sex rights and Freedom of Religion will create an unsafe environment for those of us who don’t look and act like the Vice President Elect.
Yesterday that man, Mike Pence, attended a Hamilton performance and the musical’s star had a message for him. Brandon Victor Dixon implored him to listen to what he has to say, “We have a message for you, sir. We hope that you will hear us out…Vice President-Elect Pence, we welcome you, and we truly thank you for joining us here at Hamilton: An American Musical. We really do. We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us, all of us. We truly thank you for sharing this show, this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men, women, of different colors, creeds, and orientations.”
Pence came into our house, and as a guest I hope he heard what we have to say. We want to America to keep moving forward and not backwards into a time where people of different colors, races, religions, sex and sexual preference were not allowed to be free. That is not asking for too much.
If you can’t handle what a man so eloquently had to say to you, then maybe you should not be a heartbeat away from being President.
Don’t send your goon, I mean President Elect Donald Trump, to do your dirty work. Do it yourself.
As we say in NYC, grow a pair! Because what Brandon Victor Dixon said is how most Americans feel and he did not say anything offensive or threatening or anything that warrants an apology. He spoke from the heart, something I don’t think you or your goon have.
And with that my tricorn is off to the cast of Hamilton!
UPDATE: Lin-Miranda Manuel Tweeted this response to his casts’ peaceful and inspirational message, “Proud of @HamiltonMusical. Proud of @BrandonVDixon, for leading with love. And proud to remind you that ALL are welcome at the theater.”
UPDATE 2: Brandon Victor Dixon had this to say to Donald Trump who told him to apologize to Pence, “@realDonaldTrump conversation is not harassment sir. And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen.” Amen!
Trump has a lot of nerve to ask anyone to apologize when he can’t do it himself.
Josh Groban was offered too much tuna at Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s Broadway show Oh, Hello, and the two old men asked the singer to sing an ode to the monstrous sandwich that was jiggling in front of him. Even though he was put on the spot, he was able to rise up to the occasion. Belting out, “Oh what an idiot I am, What a f*cking moron, This is entirely too much tuna.”
Now if you or I tried to sing those lyrics, we would sound like crap. He sings it and I would pay bucks to hear it over and over again. Who else could make the word f*cking sound so beautiful? Well besides Adele and him.
BTW Groban makes his Broadway debut starting next Tuesday in The Great Comet of 1812. Get your tickets now before it sells out.
