'Memphis' predictions that were fantastical-ly wrong

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:34am

Now that the Tonys have been handed out, let's revisit some of those predictions and pronouncements that were made in the fall about 'Memphis' on this message board. Thanks to the archives, they were easy to find. See if these bring back memories.

Without a Trace: 'I give it 1-2 months of performances.' (9/27)

Adam Greer: 'Will it even last that long at this rate?' (9/27)

Massofmen: 'If it makes it to xmas, it will close in Jan.' (9/27)

Testing1232: 'I would be shocked if this show did not close shortly after the reviews come out.' (9/27)

Adam Greer: 'Chad Kimball will soon have yet another flop to add to his resume.' (10/14)

IWannaBEaSedaris: 'Eek, poor Memphis. It is sad that the first new musical of the season is going to crash and burn. ... They will all be unemployed within the month.' (10/14)

Blaxx: 'I see this fading into oblivion.' (10/19)

WiCkEDrOcKS: 'Me thinks MEMPHIS might be forgotten by the time the Tonys roll around in like seven/eight months.' (10/19)

And there are more from spring, like where Adam Greer predicts that neither Chad nor Montego would get Tony nominations, etc.

Anyway, happy hunting in the archives. And hockadoo!

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:37am

Do you have issues? Do you get off on rubbing it in our faces? Are we on the playground in elementary school?

Seriously, wtf? Enjoy your haughty little routine. Anyway....you would have had a higher Tony predictions' score if you didn't predict your little beloved Montego Glover.
Updated On: 6/15/10 at 12:37 AM

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:41am

All of those statements were made before we all saw the disaster this season turned into.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:41am

Wow. Someone has way too much time on their hands to spend the night digging around the BWW archives looking for old posts. Is this really that important to you?

I have an idea, Wayman. Look out your window. See all that stuff out there? That's the real world. Step away from the computer, go outside, maybe interact with some real live people, and leave the internet world behind. It's time to let this go.
Updated On: 6/15/10 at 12:41 AM

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:42am

My friend and I were just talking about how we thought it would close quickly after seeing the first preview in September. The fact that it is still running and won Best Musical proves that this is the weakest Broaday season in two decades. (in case anyone cares, I have seen MEMPHIS six times so far)

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:47am

Good job Wyman! Some of these people have a big ego and it's good to quote them on their BS.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:51am

Do you get off on rubbing it in our faces? Are we on the playground in elementary school?

Well AdamGreer kind of did the same thing about Next to Normal. In fact, it's in his sig right now.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:54am

In all fairness the guy was just pointing out that those posters were all wrong. It's all there in black and white. Funny how some people can dish it out here and yet can't take it. Truth hurts, doesn't it?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:58am

Agreed.

[philly03]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:02am

I agree... it's many of those posters that have their "I'm never wrong" attitude,... it's funny to see them have it back in their face.

I, too, especially love adamgreer who is fast to denounce the OP but pretty much did the same thing in his sig!

[julesboogie]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:04am

Loves it! Eat Crow!!

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:07am

But AdamGreer is not some obsessive stalker N2N fan who hangs out daily at their stage door. I do hear that's what someone in this thread does with their beloved show. There's a difference between someone being a passionate fan and someone truly devoting all of their energy to a certain show. Sometimes it comes off borderline pathological.

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 01:07 AM

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:09am

Does it really matter WHO did it. It's there to see. It would be the same thing if anyone else posted it. I wouldn't doubt all these predictions were posted in the same one or two threads...

[chellie]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:33am

...so people were wrong. And?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:40am

I, for one, think this is hilarious!

...Just not for the same reasons WaymanWong seems to find funny.


My prediction was wrong and I did not think the show would last this long.
To be honest, it's always somewhat reassuring to see ANY original musical win so many Tonys and outrun most people's expectations.
Good for MEMPHIS. Really.
I did not like it but the critics enjoyed it overall and the voters saw something in it enough to give it the biggest award of the night.
Okay. Caught up to speed? Good.
Moving on...
Updated On: 6/15/10 at 01:40 AM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 6:01am

Bravo!

Brilliant, Wayman.

The lesson here is not to waste time predicting the future. Just say whether YOU like a show or not and why YOU feel that way. That is essentially what professional theatre reviewers do.

I recall reading all these negative comments and predictions that started appearing as soon as previews began. These posters were gleefully predicting a bloodbath when the reviews came out and when the reviews were largely favorable (7 raves, 10 favorable, 2 mixed, 2 negative, 1 pan) they blamed the critics for going easy on the show!

To be fair, the personal and highly emotional reactions to this or any show are valid, but instead of posting WHY they didn't like a show or how they feel it fails they just predict doom and gloom. (Massofmen predicts closings for every show and when they don't close by his predicted date he just moves the date up. Well, every show will eventually close so what's the purpose of that??)

It is not up to critics and reviewers to predict a show's commercial future. (Although for years Variety tried to predict a show's economic outlook in their reviews, but they were wrong more often than right.) That can only be determined by ticket buyers.

[MeggilyWeggily08]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 7:09am

I must say that I enjoy it when people put down a show and act like they know everything and then are proved totally wrong, but I think rubbing it in peoples' faces and taking the time to dig through old threads to find the quotes is a little...unnecessary.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 7:26am

This thread is both immature and makes Wong look like a two year old.

I had no part in the Memphis bashing or loving, but to keep a record of specific insults? Honestly, you take this board way too seriously.

It would be one thing (although equally immature) to comment on how all the Memphis haters were wrong blah blah blah...., but an actual individual poster comment hit list?

Dude, aren't you supposed to be like some sort of legitimate critic? How can you ever expect anyone to take your opinion seriously after you post something like this?

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 07:26 AM

[Jason Bennett]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 7:40am

Wayman, be careful, you appear to be one of the very, very few who have a brain on this board. That doesn't go over too well...

[boardwalker2]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 7:44am

Agreed Taz. My first reaction after reading Wayman's post was that it was immature. It reminded me of my little brother poking me and saying over and over, "told ya so, told ya so."

I'm glad you liked it. But, no one needs to be told they were wrong because it's still running. I would think the people who predicted its closing know this already. So the purpose of this thread could only be to gloat. What a waste of space.

I saw Memphis. I didn't like Memphis. The fact that it won the Best Musical Tony is just a confirmation of how bad this season has been on Broadway. I for one am looking forward to next season.

[Elke]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 8:22am

Let it rest, Wayman... It is clear that a handful of people are not able to say "Hey, I really disliked the show, but I admit that my prediction was wrong". Too bad.

Memphis won and the show is pleasing audiences night after night. And that's what counts. Here's to a long and healthy run at the Shubert.

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 8:26am

It still sucks.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 8:28am

It's not that people can't admit that they were wrong. It's that all of those predictions Wayman cited were from September or October. At that point, everyone assumed that Addams Family was going to be good and that it and American Idiot would sweep the awards. MANY people changed those predictions after actually seeing those shows. So it's really not a matter of anyone being wrong; it's a matter of using irrelevant information.

[Marquise]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 8:31am

So the purpose of this thread could only be to gloat. What a waste of space.

This could apply to any one of the many threads on this site. One more ain't gonna hurt it.

Again...TRUTH HURTS.
Updated On: 6/15/10 at 08:31 AM

[singtopher]

Posted: 6/15/10 at 8:58am

It's not that people can't admit that they were wrong. It's that all of those predictions Wayman cited were from September or October. At that point, everyone assumed that Addams Family was going to be good and that it and American Idiot would sweep the awards. MANY people changed those predictions after actually seeing those shows. So it's really not a matter of anyone being wrong; it's a matter of using irrelevant information.

You said it better than I did.