-rubbish rubbish rubbish this is rubbish
-ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN A UNION TO BE AN ARTIST
-you just don’t want to take resonsiblity for keeping your houses (theatres) in order (legal & ethical compliance)
-you don’t want change of any kind
-you don’t want to do the right thing
-ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN A UNION TO BE AN ARTIST
-you don’t care about the greater theatrical landscape
-you don’t care about the AUDIENCES
-you don’t care about the art and it’s role in society
-and did I say that ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN A UNION TO BE AN ARTIST
-you don’t want to abide by union rules – leave the union, leave now, leave forever
Armina, you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. You have adopted an idiotic, baseless, hysterical, antagonistic, adolescent war-cry, and you have been trumpeting it all over town and in the press and at meetings for months and months. You have no knowledge of what artists are and need, since you, apparently, are not one. You have no understanding of what this argument is about, because you seem to have no perception or powers of observation. You and I have worked side by side in LA’s 99-seat theater world, and I am shocked and disgusted by your vicious turnabout against your former colleagues, people who welcomed you into their family and gave you support and encouragement when you needed it. You are stupidly pretending to argue, vehemently and insultingly, about a cause of which you have little to no comprehension. These are real people, real actors, trying to do good work for their audiences, their communities, and for themselves and each other. Their own union is using the worst bullying and blatantly manipulative suppression tactics and threats in order to prevent them from doing so. Your arguments have no substance, only fake emotionalism and trumped-up indignation over a topic of which you have no grasp at all. You are contributing nothing but dramatic, hostile nonsense. Stop it. Do something else. Let the grown-ups take care of their own business. You run outside and play, and, perhaps, consider shutting up.
Wow! Rubinstein certainly sums up my reaction to the actress’ weird demands. We’ve had AEA since 1913 because it was a necessity for actors at that time and since. And Equity has been highly supportive of its membership since then, but not now. L.A. actors demanded the Waiver and then 99-seat Plan to meet its specific needs in L.A. County. 35 years ago. The Union was angry at the vote at the time, but recognized its members’ request. Now they have retracted that, in as sneaky and potentially illegal manner as can be.
Equity (my parent union), you may win this skirmish, but you unleash a mighty counter-power in the possibility of a breakaway new union, or the utter disgust of the majority of L.A.-based actors, taking Financial Core as a result of your nefarious acts against our membership out here.
As a theatre critic, I see how powerful L.A. theatre has become when the actors are unfettered. Should we all have a living wage doing what we do? Of course, but Equity’s trying to shut down most of the actor-run theatres out here is flat-out wrong and mean-spirited and won’t build paying theatre. Mr. Meisel’s extraordinary thinking in his article is accurately spoken and the (nasty) Financial Core will allow AEA to wake up to its members’ needs.
Thank you, Mr. Meisel, for having the courage to look this ugliness in the face and call it what it is. For reasons beyond my ken, our union, Actors Equity, has declared virtual war on its Los Angeles members. They have rigidly pursued policies that will ghettoize and eventually destroy our theaters, and they have done so unstintingly and remorselessly.
I was at the Sportsmen’s Lodge meeting. I heard, over the live feed, how gleeful New York members were at having once again shut out LA, intentionally denying us a voice. We will receive no empathy from our brothers and sisters there.
I encourage my true brothers and sisters – my community – to consider Mr. Meisel’s advice. AEA can only kill us if we lay down and let them. I, for one, am up for making a stand.
Ms. LaManna, shame on you. Bravo Mr. Rubinstein for saying it like it is. Ms. LaManna, you are a hysteric, you spout lies and untruths and have for a year now – you don’t care if you lie as long as it suits your agenda – in that way you are no different than one of the candidates in the recent presidential election. You are both an embarrassment to your own union and to the hard-working artists who make beautiful theatre in Los Angeles – theatre which, by the way, you have taken part in when it suited you, when it benefitted you. That of course is hypocrisy of the highest order. Your high school days are long since past, so perhaps it would be nice if you stopped behaving like a high schooler.
On a day that we’re mindful of thanks, I’m thankful I don’t live in LA. The cruelty, misogyny and outright venom on display that’s aimed at a woman who’s speaking her mind still remains staggering to me.
This is the “artistic community” you’re touting to the world? This? It seems to me a toxic, entitled, petulant mess.
While you hide behind your “art” to brand anyone who disagrees with you a “fake”, the next time you’re on a national tour getting a paycheck every Thursday, while you collect a pension and health insurance and get off the plane or bus that you’re not sitting on for 12 hours, before you walk to the set that’s been checked for safety, look in the union provided mirror and ask yourself… who’s the hypocrite?
The truth is you don’t have to be in a union to be an artist.
So, Happy Thanksgiving.
And, here’s how I feel about art:
Your art, what you do for you art, what you think your art does for you, what you think your art does for humanity, your chops, your artistic inspiration, your artistic expression, your soul, your artistic community, your artistic feelings, your warm ups, your artistic integrity, and your artistic abilities are NONE OF MY BUSINESS.
Mine are none of your business.
They are certainly none of the union’s business.
If any of that is an issue that you can’t resolve for yourself as a member of Equity, get out of the union or make it work as a member.
I second Mr. Dusold and Ms. LaManna’s comments and would like to add the following;
Mr. Meisel,
Your article is all union-busting as far as I’m concerned. And I would suggest you tread lightly in this area. You speak from both sides of your mouth for and against the actor and at the same time advocating for the producer!
What’s your financial stake in this?
Last Friday, Actors Equity negotiated with producers on Off Broadway shows for a five-year contract that will increase wages from 38 to 80% and here you talk about working for nothing or stipends and going backwards! An outstanding achievement in this atmosphere of fear and hopelessness!
This union is moving forward….FORWARD!
Are you in this union or not, sir? If not, you have no right to speak to this body regarding their actions or to its membership. Some have worked hard to get into it and are looking forward to contract work. And you speak of FI-Core!
Shame on YOU sir and your union busting!!!
As for the above comments on Ms. LaManna…I’m appalled at the tidal wave of misogyny, vitriol, and the attempt to dehumanize her. if you don’t lie her thoughts or opinions, fair enough, but you’re way out of bounds to belittle this hardworking individual who is looking out for ALL artists who want what they rightly deserve…compensation!
So whether you want to admit it or not, there has been a paradigm shift in this city my friends and Actors and Artists are going to get paid what their worth and it’s time you get on board with THAT message!
-rubbish rubbish rubbish this is rubbish
-ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN A UNION TO BE AN ARTIST
-you just don’t want to take resonsiblity for keeping your houses (theatres) in order (legal & ethical compliance)
-you don’t want change of any kind
-you don’t want to do the right thing
-ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN A UNION TO BE AN ARTIST
-you don’t care about the greater theatrical landscape
-you don’t care about the AUDIENCES
-you don’t care about the art and it’s role in society
-and did I say that ONE DOES NOT NEED TO BE IN A UNION TO BE AN ARTIST
-you don’t want to abide by union rules – leave the union, leave now, leave forever
Armina, you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. You have adopted an idiotic, baseless, hysterical, antagonistic, adolescent war-cry, and you have been trumpeting it all over town and in the press and at meetings for months and months. You have no knowledge of what artists are and need, since you, apparently, are not one. You have no understanding of what this argument is about, because you seem to have no perception or powers of observation. You and I have worked side by side in LA’s 99-seat theater world, and I am shocked and disgusted by your vicious turnabout against your former colleagues, people who welcomed you into their family and gave you support and encouragement when you needed it. You are stupidly pretending to argue, vehemently and insultingly, about a cause of which you have little to no comprehension. These are real people, real actors, trying to do good work for their audiences, their communities, and for themselves and each other. Their own union is using the worst bullying and blatantly manipulative suppression tactics and threats in order to prevent them from doing so. Your arguments have no substance, only fake emotionalism and trumped-up indignation over a topic of which you have no grasp at all. You are contributing nothing but dramatic, hostile nonsense. Stop it. Do something else. Let the grown-ups take care of their own business. You run outside and play, and, perhaps, consider shutting up.
Wow! Rubinstein certainly sums up my reaction to the actress’ weird demands. We’ve had AEA since 1913 because it was a necessity for actors at that time and since. And Equity has been highly supportive of its membership since then, but not now. L.A. actors demanded the Waiver and then 99-seat Plan to meet its specific needs in L.A. County. 35 years ago. The Union was angry at the vote at the time, but recognized its members’ request. Now they have retracted that, in as sneaky and potentially illegal manner as can be.
Equity (my parent union), you may win this skirmish, but you unleash a mighty counter-power in the possibility of a breakaway new union, or the utter disgust of the majority of L.A.-based actors, taking Financial Core as a result of your nefarious acts against our membership out here.
As a theatre critic, I see how powerful L.A. theatre has become when the actors are unfettered. Should we all have a living wage doing what we do? Of course, but Equity’s trying to shut down most of the actor-run theatres out here is flat-out wrong and mean-spirited and won’t build paying theatre. Mr. Meisel’s extraordinary thinking in his article is accurately spoken and the (nasty) Financial Core will allow AEA to wake up to its members’ needs.
Thank you, Mr. Meisel, for having the courage to look this ugliness in the face and call it what it is. For reasons beyond my ken, our union, Actors Equity, has declared virtual war on its Los Angeles members. They have rigidly pursued policies that will ghettoize and eventually destroy our theaters, and they have done so unstintingly and remorselessly.
I was at the Sportsmen’s Lodge meeting. I heard, over the live feed, how gleeful New York members were at having once again shut out LA, intentionally denying us a voice. We will receive no empathy from our brothers and sisters there.
I encourage my true brothers and sisters – my community – to consider Mr. Meisel’s advice. AEA can only kill us if we lay down and let them. I, for one, am up for making a stand.
Ms. LaManna, shame on you. Bravo Mr. Rubinstein for saying it like it is. Ms. LaManna, you are a hysteric, you spout lies and untruths and have for a year now – you don’t care if you lie as long as it suits your agenda – in that way you are no different than one of the candidates in the recent presidential election. You are both an embarrassment to your own union and to the hard-working artists who make beautiful theatre in Los Angeles – theatre which, by the way, you have taken part in when it suited you, when it benefitted you. That of course is hypocrisy of the highest order. Your high school days are long since past, so perhaps it would be nice if you stopped behaving like a high schooler.
On a day that we’re mindful of thanks, I’m thankful I don’t live in LA. The cruelty, misogyny and outright venom on display that’s aimed at a woman who’s speaking her mind still remains staggering to me.
This is the “artistic community” you’re touting to the world? This? It seems to me a toxic, entitled, petulant mess.
While you hide behind your “art” to brand anyone who disagrees with you a “fake”, the next time you’re on a national tour getting a paycheck every Thursday, while you collect a pension and health insurance and get off the plane or bus that you’re not sitting on for 12 hours, before you walk to the set that’s been checked for safety, look in the union provided mirror and ask yourself… who’s the hypocrite?
The truth is you don’t have to be in a union to be an artist.
So, Happy Thanksgiving.
And, here’s how I feel about art:
Your art, what you do for you art, what you think your art does for you, what you think your art does for humanity, your chops, your artistic inspiration, your artistic expression, your soul, your artistic community, your artistic feelings, your warm ups, your artistic integrity, and your artistic abilities are NONE OF MY BUSINESS.
Mine are none of your business.
They are certainly none of the union’s business.
If any of that is an issue that you can’t resolve for yourself as a member of Equity, get out of the union or make it work as a member.
I second Mr. Dusold and Ms. LaManna’s comments and would like to add the following;
Mr. Meisel,
Your article is all union-busting as far as I’m concerned. And I would suggest you tread lightly in this area. You speak from both sides of your mouth for and against the actor and at the same time advocating for the producer!
What’s your financial stake in this?
Last Friday, Actors Equity negotiated with producers on Off Broadway shows for a five-year contract that will increase wages from 38 to 80% and here you talk about working for nothing or stipends and going backwards! An outstanding achievement in this atmosphere of fear and hopelessness!
This union is moving forward….FORWARD!
Are you in this union or not, sir? If not, you have no right to speak to this body regarding their actions or to its membership. Some have worked hard to get into it and are looking forward to contract work. And you speak of FI-Core!
Shame on YOU sir and your union busting!!!
As for the above comments on Ms. LaManna…I’m appalled at the tidal wave of misogyny, vitriol, and the attempt to dehumanize her. if you don’t lie her thoughts or opinions, fair enough, but you’re way out of bounds to belittle this hardworking individual who is looking out for ALL artists who want what they rightly deserve…compensation!
So whether you want to admit it or not, there has been a paradigm shift in this city my friends and Actors and Artists are going to get paid what their worth and it’s time you get on board with THAT message!
I remain.
This excellent article matters even more now.