Jennifer Holliday's decision/backlash- her response on the View

[Harpz2006]

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2017/01/18/Jennifer-Holliday-on-inauguration-backlash-You-wake-up-and-everybody-hates-you/3651484763246/

 

did anyone see her on the View yesterday? The way she explains her decision it kind of seems like she still actually wishes she were doing the performance! When she was like "oh and the gay community wrote this great letter" it kind of seemed like an afterthought... just thought it was an interesting watch because when you get to see/hear her actually speak on it, I sense a feeling of condescension/patronization toward people who are "not over" the election (comparing it to a girl unable to get over a breakup, etc.). Thoughts?

[Huss417]

Discussed in this thread. 

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.php?thread=1098552&page=9

[Sunny11]

She sounds nonpartisan or at least separates her politics from work.  She just saw it as a job performing for the president just like she did for most past presidents since Reagan. The withdrawal was due to  receiving a  level of backlash that she wasn't used to and not on a personal ideological basis. 

[Petralicious]

Wow, how heartbreaking, .She came across extremely hurt   She got death threats, called Racial names for agreeing to perform all for wanting to sing a song celebrating America.  Looks like Joy and Whoopi did not get the answers theywere hoping for from her.  Thank Goodness for Jedediah

[newintown]

A) Never, but NEVER believe everything a minor celebrity says about their life; and

B) We seldom love our divas for their brain power (ref. Donna Summer).

[chanel]

She said the comments were horrifying, but the real reason she backed down was a Daily Beast article quoting her past (positive) views on LGBTs, then calling her a hypocrite for doing the inauguration. As she said on The View, "I'm not a liar and I'm no hypocrite."

[uncageg]

I feel the social media backlash blindsided her. She said something to the effect that she didn't know everything that was going on. At first I thought, "Really?". I then realized that she was probably preparing to go into Color Purple around election time and was in the show after up until closing. Not surprised doing 8 shows a week and maybe not being a big social media person that she wasn't aware of the strong backlash. She quickly did though and pulled out. JMO

[newintown]

"Not surprised doing 8 shows a week and maybe not being a big social media person that she wasn't aware of the strong backlash."

Yes, Broadway actors, particularly one like Holliday, at the theatre for at least 24 hours a week, really aren't able to keep up with current events, like knowing that a significant percentage (possibly the majority) of their fan base, the LGBT community, feels that Donald Trump represents a threat to their freedom and safety. There really was no way for her to know that her fans would deeply resent any show of support of Trump, like singing for him at his inauguration.

By the way, Holliday began performances on October 8, so her prep time was done looong before the election.

[Susanswerphone]

She can choose to perform for whomever, whenever, wherever. I think she knows exactly what she was/is doing. If it weren't for her flip-flop on performing at Mr. Cheeto's inauguration, there'd have been absolutely no reason for her to be making the rounds on the talk-show circuit and giving interviews to everyone from Randy Rainbow to CNN. No one would be talking to, or about, her. So I give her props for pushing her brand.(Cue Andy Cohen in 3,2,1...)

But to feign ignorance on the issues and surprise at the backlash? Sorry, girl. I'm not buying it.

If you want to make amends, you could show up at Town Hall tomorrow afternoon. Now that you're not working in D.C.

 

[Petralicious]

Susanswerphone said: If you want to make amends, you could show up at Town Hall tomorrow afternoon. Now that you're not working in D.C.

 

 

"But i think she might be Pro-Life and they are not welcome

 

[uncageg]

newintown said: ""Not surprised doing 8 shows a week and maybe not being a big social media person that she wasn't aware of the strong backlash."

Yes, Broadway actors, particularly one like Holliday, at the theatre for at least 24 hours a week, really aren't able to keep up with current events, like knowing that a significant percentage (possibly the majority) of their fan base, the LGBT community, feels that Donald Trump represents a threat to their freedom and safety. There really was no way for her to know that her fans would deeply resent any show of support of Trump, like singing for him at his inauguration.

By the way, Holliday began performances on October 8, so her prep time was done looong before the election."

 

I know when she went into the show. I said she may have been prepping for the show around election time, not in the show.

So glad you are here to clarify what she should and should not have known at the time. However she clearly said she did not. And actors tend to be at the theater for more than 24 hours a week at times. Not to mention obligations outside of the theater itself. I work around actors and they are not always up to date on things.

 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

For a principal actor in a Broadway musical:

(2.5 hour show + half hour call + getting there earlier if you're a girl or The Phantom + a few minutes to get out of costume) = 3.5 hours x 8 = 28 hour work week. 

That's not even a full-time job.

[jakebloke]

Can't help but think this was all a strategic career move....and its working.  She's never been in so many news/media outlets.

[Mister Matt]

(2.5 hour show + half hour call + getting there earlier if you're a girl or The Phantom + a few minutes to get out of costume) = 3.5 hours x 8 = 28 hour work week. 
 

You think that's it?  It's not even accurate, not to mention extremely naive. 

[broadwayboy223]

Can we leave the poor woman alone? My god. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Mister Matt -

Of course it varies, but if you are not an understudy and do not have do a lot of PR, then no, being a principal in a Broadway show is not technically a full-time job. It's may FEEL like one, but it's just not.

[adamgreer]

Oh please. Regardless of how many hours she spent at the theater, unless she lives under a rock, she knew what was going on with the election and was very aware of the dislike for the Orange Asshole among her fan base (gays and blacks). That's not an excuse. Her castmates, particularly Erivo, seemed quite in tune to current events. 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Mister Matt said: "You think that's it?  It's not even accurate, not to mention extremely naive."

Here's the deal. There are people who work 40 to 50 hour work weeks and have a damn clue about this election and the crap this new administration has been up to. 

Also? She said, I believe in her View appearance, that her publicist talked to her post backlash. You're telling me the publicist didn't know what was going on? Is everyone on her team clueless? No. 

The excuse that "there's NO way" for a Broadway performer to be up to date in real world issues is hilarious. 

[qolbinau]

The woman voted for Hillary and she definitely did not have ill intentions. I wish we could forget and move on.

Lily Allen should sing this at the inauguration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFE6qQ3ySXE

[broadwayguy91]

ever since she mentioned on Show People that she doesn't take pain medication (at least, in terms of synthetically derived pharmaceutical drugs) to deal with her lupus symptoms, it's my head canon that she had a lapse of judgement when she decided to initially perform due to her brain being overscrambled by pain/ discomfort.

good on her and her management for realizing what a dumb move that would be to her career and public perception of her.

[SweetLips]

What a load of bull-dust.

Ms Holliday would NOT have received the first call---her agent would [have].

He thought about it, thought it would be a good career move as he had nothing on the books for her, then called Ms Holliday.

She thought 'Whoopee'[not Ms Goldberg] all those cameras and people--Let's DO it !

Then the s.it hit the fan...OK...let's NOT do it !

All those crocodile tears, just singing for the people !!--bull dust.

Some people just talk/tweet too much.

Guilty as charged.

 

 

 

 

 

[Petralicious]

the Hate and Intolerance on the Left has been exposed.

Kanye and Steve Harvey have also been honest about the ugly backlash and disgusting racial Epithets they have gotten from the left just for daring to have a conversation. Dr King would be heartbroken

[Dancingthrulife2]

Death threats and calling people racial names seem totally liberal... I'm starting to wonder if those who claim to have the "moral imperatives" on this issue are truly different from the effigy they are burning...

[bryan2]

GEEZ  She made a mistake...cut her a break she explained why for accepting and then rejecting.

LOVE HER!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Although her "I didn't know people were still upset about Trump because I've been so busy with my career" defense is odd to say the least, my impression at this point is that she really was oblivious to how upsetting her involvement would be to her fans. It was a poor decision, but at this point I think the offense she caused was unintentional and I actually kinda feel bad for her now. She was just too desperate to take a high-profile gig to even think rationally about it. She's gotten the message, let's leave her alone now.