It's time to talk about Bootleg culture, kids.

[Sondheimite]

Listen, I love a good bootleg.  I'm pretty unapologetic.  I understand the arguments against bootlegs and they're very valid though I think many people are not aware that many performers/creatives are watching/listening to the same bootlegs that many of us are.  This can dissolve into a discussion on the morality of bootlegs and I'm sure it will.

BUT FIRST (and I'm amazed that I have to even say this in year of our Lord Bob Fosse, Two Thousand And Eighteen):

Why would anyone think it was okay to post a link to a bootleg, even more so... a bootleg they didn't record themselves, on a public Broadway World message board thread?
 
Last night, someone posted the link the Laura's My Fair Lady performance on this site.  Publically.  The person who posted it did so in complete disregard to the fact that they could have gotten the person who recorded it in huge legal action by posting the link publically on an industry site.

It is selfish, thoughtless, and egotistical to post a link to a bootleg on Broadway World.  I understand everyone here wants to look like the cool kid with the most connections and I understand the temptation to straight up share a link in a thread in order to give off that cool connected kid image.  But it is such a short sighted and idiotic move to do so.  The person who recorded the link could get in serious legal trouble due to internet showboating, is that worth it?  It's also straight up a d!ck move towards Laura to post an early recording of her on one of the most visited industry sites.  If you think Big Wigs from Broadway don't refresh these boards all the time, you have no knowledge.  

If you want to continue to have bootlegs, there is a reason that most of it takes place in private groups.  Send it over a Private Message, send over facebook, send it over an email.... but don't post the link on Broadway World.  We're better than that as a community. 

Most of you don't remember when we couldn't even post links to youtube on this site.  You are risking moderator crack down and stricter rules ALONG WITH risking the site itself, as the owners could get in trouble for you having links to bootlegs posted on here.

If you want to still have bootlegs to enjoy, enjoy them without being an @$$h013. 
It's like Weed educate:  it's polite to share a joint if you're in a small circle of friends but it's foolish to go out onto the street and scream, "I GOT WEED IF ANYONE WANTS SOME!!!"

Now go watch an Aura Spider Woman, you crazy kids, and argue about this post bellow.

 

[Bwayfan292]

I agree 1000% with this post. If you find a bootleg on your own, enjoy it but my rule is never speak about it. The level of stupidity to post a bootleg of a first preview in a thread is beyond me...

[Fosse76]

Not to get too deep into this, since I didn't see the post or the link, but it should be said: owning a bootleg video is not illegal. For the person who owned or shared the original bootleg to be in any type of legal trouble, the rights- holder would have to be able to prove (s)he made the recording her/himself.

[DooWahDiddy]

Is that true?  To use the OP's metaphor, what if you were caught with weed (in a non-legalized state)?  Would you be okay if you hadn't made it yourself?  What if it was something even more criminal, like child pornography or something?  Wouldn't you be in trouble even though you didn't film it yourself? 

I didn't see the link either and don't own any bootlegs, but I'm curious about this statement of ownership and responsibility.

[Fosse76]

We are talking about bootlegs of broadway shows, so that falls under intellectual property rights. Those are civil statutes. Controlled substances and child pornography are criminal offenses. They aren't even remotely comparable.

[Catsbroadwayfan]

Still, posting a first preview bootleg on a public thread is tacky and a huge no no. The mods remove threads if we even mention theres a bootleg. Its disrecpetful, if you happen to pass one and feel like watching, do it. Just don't talk about it.

[Rainah]

It's disrespectful both to the people on bww (for all the reasons listed) and to the culture of bootlegs themselves. It's like the golden rule, guys. Do. Not. Post. Publicly.

I do like the comparison to going out and shouting about weed. While most people won't condemn you for indulging in private, that's where it should stay.

[scripps]

I remember the days sitting next to friends who would boot a show on cassette tapes and have to artfully disguise that they were flipping the tape during intermission or even during one of the acts. Did these tapes ever see the light of the day outside of that moment or when I was at the Edison with a friend who just had to share her latest obsession with me, a new musical at NYTW called "Bright Lights Big City" starring some hot young thing named Patrick Wilson? 

Don't post this stuff publicly kids, <<edited by BWW staff>>.

[CedricOates]

From what I remember, unless if can be 100% proved that the person who posted the link actually filmed it, there are no legal grounds.

[haterobics]

CedricOates said: "From what I remember, unless if can be 100% proved that the person who posted the link actually filmed it, there are no legal grounds."

Depends on what you mean... there are grounds to shut down Facebook groups that post them, websites that promote them, etc. Plus, most people online (especially on Facebook) come right out and say they are the ones who recorded it, so it doesn't take much sleuthing.