He Won't Be Fired
He Won't Be Fired
A Director
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/18/07
#1He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 6:47pm
https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/amar-ramasar-west-side-story-statement.html
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#2He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 6:55pm
Of course not. Was there any doubt?
#3He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 6:55pm
No matter what side you are one here you have to admit that their statement is reeeealllly bad. It is far to business and shows no humanity for the POV of the other side of the line. This will do nothing to make the issue go away for them because if anything this is going to make it worse.
I am waiting for the moment that someone that is a big enough name in the Broadway community to man up about speaking their mind on it without caring about the backlash. Who will be the first one that is too big to be blacklisted to open the door?
Kitsune
Broadway Star Joined: 12/29/06
#4He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 7:01pm
It's unsurprising that he won't be fired. However, I'm choosing not to buy tickets to West Side Story for my spring NY trip (despite the fact that it's one of my favorite musicals).
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#5He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 7:04pm
Their loyalty is to their employee.
And of course he wont be getting fired, they have no grounds.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
gibsons2
Broadway Star Joined: 8/26/19
UncleCharlie
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/26/16
#7He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:19pm
Did anyone not already know this from the previous comments?
#8He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:23pm“Hi guys we know what happened but since it didn’t happen with us we don’t care and we don’t care that people are protesting either and we don’t care about victims” is what I’m getting from that. This statement is absolutely horrid lol
#9He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:28pm
They don’t necessarily lack grounds for termination...but they’re making a decision that was obvious from day one.
At this point, why waste our breath. This production will be forgotten in 20 years, as will Ramasar.
I am big. It’s the REVIVALS that got small.
Alexander Lamar
Broadway Star Joined: 2/16/16
Dolly80
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/11
#11He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:34pm
The statement by the anonymous cast member in support of the protesters and Waterbury is heartbreaking.
All cast members should be consulted in a confidential way and asked if they want him removed from the show. This is grossly unfair on the young cast making their debuts and not wanting to get themselves blacklisted.
JSquared2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/23/17
#12He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:52pm
Dolly80 said: "The statement by the anonymous cast member in support of the protesters and Waterbury is heartbreaking.
Heartbreaking—-and already determined to be completely fabricated. Sloppy reporting, as usual.
Islander_fan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/14
#13He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:53pm
GiantsInTheSky2 said: "They don’t necessarily lack grounds for termination...but they’re making a decision that was obvious from day one.
At this point, why waste our breath. This production will be forgotten in 20 years, as will Ramasar. "
It’s totally ok that the producers stand by their decision to cast Amar. And yes, they knew what happened at NYC Ballet. But, what happened at the ballet does not, nor should it have any impact on anything he does on Broadway.
If what he did was while working in a Broadway show and not the ballet that would be one thing. However, this isn’t the case. Say that the producers fires him as a result of the protests. Amar would have a damn good chance of being reinstated once he goes to AEA. Point being this didn’t happen on Broadway so to have him get fired for something that happened elsewhere wouldn’t be good grounds to so.
Also, the protests really need to stop. This issue is a pending court case. I could see there Being an issue if the verdict was not a reasonable one. But, people are acting as if that already happened when it has yet to do so. Waterbury, by going to these protests, ain’t doing herself any favors. In fact, her protesting and comments she had made can come back to bite her once the case starts
#14He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:40pm
In other news, the Looney Tunes have issued a statement of support for Pepe Le Pew.
And for my Hispanic or Japanese friends, the World Martial Arts Tournament would like to remind you that Master Roshi is “of a different era” and please stop boycotting them.
#15He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:45pm
He shouldn't have been cast in the first place, and the fact that the producers were so short-sighted will leave a permanent stain on this production. While it may not impact ticket sales, there's always going to be a footnote, made permanent by their statement, and likely noted somewhere in the reviews.
I want to see the show, but I won't pay for a ticket to a performance when he's there. In fact, I've heard Ricky has been excellent understudying him recently, so it's even more of an incentive to see it with he's not there.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
#16He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:48pm
Islander_fan said: "Also, the protests really need to stop. This issue is a pending court case. I could see there Being an issue if the verdict was not a reasonable one. But, people are acting as if that already happened when it has yet to do so. Waterbury, by going to these protests, ain’t doing herself any favors. In fact, her protesting and comments she had made can come back to bite her once the case starts"
I’m curious when did YOU became her lawyer?
I feel like this new statement shifts a lot of blame onto Actors Equity for standing by Amar....
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Updated On: 2/13/20 at 10:48 PM
#17He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:22pm
"While we support the right of assembly enjoyed by the protestors..."
Who wrote this statement, the Grand Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha?
#18He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:32pm^i mean... not a huge name by any measure, but Rachel Zegler has been pretty outspoken on the issue.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
trpguyy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/25/05
#19He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:06am
HogansHero said: "he cannot be fired for a non-criminal act that is not employment related and not a breach of his employment contract. Would you want to be subject to dismissal under such circumstances? Think, folks, think."
Very well put - succinct and accurate.
It begs the question - do the protestors realize they’re actually pushing for him to be bought out of his contract? To get paid to do nothing?
#20He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:15am
HogansHero said: "Luminaire2 said: "That’s a bad statement.
Imagine if they said:
“This guy murdered someone once, but it wasn’t with us.. so it’s fine”...
Like it’s an absurd statement."
The only absurd statement I see is yours. Murder is a crime, and would be grounds for dismissal (were it not moot anyway). Here, having hired him (something we are free to criticize, protest, boycott because of), he cannot be fired for a non-criminal act that is not employment related and not a breach of his employment contract. Would you want to be subject to dismissal under such circumstances? Think, folks, think."
Wrong. Just because it’s not viewed as a crime currently does not mean what he did was right, or that it won’t be a crime in the near future. The point is it’s a bad statement. These protests are never going to get him fired, but we protest to ensure producers and directors know that they need to cast better. They can do better.
I have managed restaurants. If someone applied for a job, and we were going to hire them, and then one of my staff told me they had shared nude photos of other staff at another restaurant, and it was proven then it happened... I most certainly would not hire them.
Tag
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/19/05
#21He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/14/20 at 12:29am
What, if anything, this protest will do will curb future producers from hiring him.
Although, in this business who knows (ie. look at Barbour doing Phantom...)
#22He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:29am
Luminaire2 said: "Wrong. Just because it’s not viewed as a crime currently does not mean what he did was right, or that it won’t be a crime in the near future. The point is it’s a bad statement. These protests are never going to get him fired, but we protest to ensure producers and directors know that they need to cast better. They can do better.
I havemanaged restaurants.If someone applied for a job, and we were going to hire them, and then one of my staff told me they had shared nude photos of other staff at another restaurant, and it was proven then it happened... I most certainly would not hirethem."
Yes, you are wrong. First, no one said it was right; that is not the issue. Again, I beg you to think. We do not allow termination because we do not think what someone did is wrong. Would you want to be fired on that basis? Second, even assuming it became a crime in the future, that future law could not be applied to him. That would be ex post facto. Unconstitutional in this country (and all civilized countries). Third, it remains to be seen what effect these protests have. (My guess is zilch.) Finally, again, please think. What you describe is a situation where someone has not been hired and is not hired because of information that makes them an undesirable hire. That is not the scenario here. Seriously, do you think that is an analogous situation? Ramasar was contracted. He cannot be terminated unless he breaches that contract. You really can logic through this; please try.
GreasedLightning
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/11/14
#23He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:41am
HogansHero said: "Luminaire2 said: "That’s a bad statement.
Imagine if they said:
“This guy murdered someone once, but it wasn’t with us.. so it’s fine”...
Like it’s an absurd statement."
The only absurd statement I see is yours. Murder is a crime, and would be grounds for dismissal (were it not moot anyway). Here, having hired him (something we are free to criticize, protest, boycott because of), he cannot be fired for a non-criminal act that is not employment related and not a breach of his employment contract. Would you want to be subject to dismissal under such circumstances? Think, folks, think."
This.
I thought this was common sense, but I guess not.
WestEndGal
Broadway Star Joined: 6/25/18
#25He Won't Be Fired
Posted: 2/14/20 at 1:43am
Whichever way you swing on this I think it’s an absolutely awful statement which reads like it was written by lawyers, which it no doubt was!
I think everyone knows legally Ramasar can’t be or is not going to be fired, so this statement just misses the point entirely. It’s the fact that Ramasar engaged in sexually immoral behaviour with apparently no consequences to himself or his career, and WSS is basically saying “we’re not bothered because what happened didn’t happen on our turf”. I’m not out here saying he should never again work in the industry, but I think there should have some element of him having showed he was sorry for what happened and that he had learnt from it before he was so openly welcomed into another show. This doesn’t seem to have happened. WSS should never have hired him in the first place, but they did clearly with no moral compass and should expect they’re now going to get a backlash. It clearly is not going to make any difference to overall sales, but I’m glad if the protests at least make TPTB uncomfortable af.
