How anyone cannot love Whoopie is beyond me. I didn't like the ones that won this year but I still found the show entertaining if only for the performances and Whoopie.
I just got around to watching them on my Tivo. Horrendous. There really ought to be a law against Whoopi Goldberg going anywhere near Broadway. How embarrassing for the Broadway community that this woman actually has a Tony! She was just gruesome. Thank God for Tivo. I resorted to zipping past anything that she was in, and just checking up on who won, and watching most of the numbers. Although I bailed on Grease (I just can't take anymore of it), and Passing Strange, which just never went anywhere, and Sunday in the Park With George, which I've always hated. Liza looked great, but she has absolutely become a caricature of herself. Between she and Glenn Close, neither could pronounce the title, South Pacific.
My opinion is this was one of the BEST tonys ever!! (: I was thoroughly entertained and enjoyed almost every minute of it.
The Tonys ARE in part an advertisement for out-of-towners to come to New York to see broadway shows; and to give a taste of the shows for touring shows, too. If it were just to be a "dignified" honoring of the best on broadway there would be no point in having the show be a nationally televised show.
I thought Whoopi was fine. My all-time favorite host of the tonys was the elegant Angela Lansbury.
I loved that there were so many musical numbers and clips from the plays as well (albeit I wish they had been performed live).
Apparently, you haven't seen too many. I've seen them all, and Whoopie, forcing herself upon every single second of the show, was just horrendous. She stinks! You're right about one thing, Angela Lansbury along with Julie Andrews, were the best Tony hosts, ever. Whoopi is anti-class.
I enjoyed the Tonys thoroughly; one of the best in the last several years, in my opinion. (Note the word "opinion," duckies. Does it ring a bell?)
And I found Whoopi delightful--irreverant without being arch, warm without being dull.
Pal Joey has a point, though: whom you watch with determines to a large extent the experience you have. And also your attitude determines a lot. If you're looking for things to hate so you can dash to your keyboard and impress everyone on BWW with your barbs, then that's the evening you're going to have.
I loved Whoopi, thought the show moved along very well. If anyone has illusions about award shows not being self serving, they are delusional. All award shows are put on for the purpose of promoting their own interests.
That being said, the Tonys are my favorite award show and I watch it every year.
Granted, her performance wasn't consistent, but she's a popular entertainer who actually likes Broadway shows enough to help to promote them. She's a theater person just like all of us here. She's doing something most of us can't do, which is to try to muster up some interest in theater from the general public.
Her heart is in the right place. A for effort.
Peace.
Itty Bitty Geisha?
Toyland?
Gypsy Pasadoble?
Just a few popular favorites...
As far as "entertainment value" this year was far better than recent neighbors.
Borstal---Those lyrics are Tony-worthy. They was ROBBED. ROBBED, I tell ya!
The Tonys have been better in previous years, to be sure. I think the '80s had the best overall shows, with those lengthy tributes to Kander & Ebb, Sondheim and Herman... when Angela Lansbury was host (with BOTH class and humor). I even loved it the year Kathleen Turner hosted better (with Once on This Island, Grand Hotel, etc.). Ah, the good ol' days.
But this one was VERY GOOD.
I really wish they'd move them out of Radio City, though. That barn swallows up any resemblance of human beings, and turns everything into "big theatah."
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
I think the '80s had the best overall shows, with those lengthy tributes to Kander & Ebb, Sondheim and Herman...
I'll give you the Lansbury and Turner years were excellent, but the previous years were amongst the worst. Ten hosts (including Susan Anton) and their little talent show segments where they would perform musical numbers from random shows for no real apparent reason other than as filler. Anyone who thinks this year is embarrassing needs to see those little gems.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
For the past two years I have seen the TONYS live and it was an incredible evening of theater.
I don't agree with you. Whoopi was the best host I can remember. She was funny and charming and there was a great flow between awards.
The TONYS ARE INCREDIBLE and the event this year was stronger than last year.
The Passing Strange number lost a lot this year. They should have done What's Inside Is Just A Lie. Colman would have made you laugh!!! Updated On: 6/21/08 at 11:40 AM
I was there in person, too, and it was an AMAZING night.
ALL of it- performances, host, outfits, atmosphere... Electric and exciting.
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS