chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
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Post by chazraps on Oct 21, 2014 15:26:47 GMT -5
Chris Rock showed up at UCB last night for a surprise unannounced stand-up set, but had to end it about a minute and a half into it because some audience members flatout refused to stop taking video of it with their phones.
It's an understandable reaction.
I've made a thread about it because Aparna Nancherla, who is easily a Top 5 stand-up in NYC right now, was the host that night and she posted this well-written piece about it to her Facebook. I thought it was funny and poignant regarding the situation and I thought you would all dig the read.
She writes:
I don’t usually write sincere posts on here, but “here goes” or whatever “people” “say” “anymore”. And this is not about my secret Scientology past (oops!), or my illegal Roomba family that I keep in a bunker in Poughkeepsie (hey guyz). Nope, this is even more serious. And it’s about comedy.
For a brief tiempo while the regular host (Leo Allen, no relation to Tim) is away being successful, I have the distinct privilege of hosting a New York show that is a bonafide institution, for newcomers and vets alike: it’s called Whiplash and it’s every Monday at 11 p.m. at UCB Chelsea. This show has been around for a long time, by comedy standards, and dates back in initial forms to Aziz Ansari and before that, the Ancient Greeks. I only mention this to explain what I was doing there, officer, so please unhand my laptop, thank you so much. So last night, something magical happened, as often happens at long-running, hot New York underground comedy shows. A special guest drops by unannounced! And it was a real crazy surprise! It was Chris Rock. I! Was! So! Excited! For! The! Crowd! To! Experience! Such! A! Treat!
I brought Chris up to a few open mic credits, etc. and obviously, everyone was ecstatic and it felt very cool and on-message with what live performance is about. (ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!) Then I went back around to watch him. He mentions that he’s there to work out stuff and then gets into one of his first bits. He gets out the setup and then suddenly addresses someone in the audience to put away their phone, because he can see them taping. Oh. No.
It gets worse. He goes back to start his joke again, momentarily thrown off, as he’s just there working on stuff. And then notices ANOTHER person taping him, a guy in the front row. It seems like the guy starts arguing with him a little, and then Chris gets fed up and walks offstage, barely over a minute or two after he got there. I guess as any successful multimillionaire artist might when they’re just trying to work on their craft and not have to be some show pony trotted out for the public’s consumption. It was heartbreaking. The stage is empty. I go out and we are all shocked. My brain is in full panic mode.
Someone announces that he’s truly left and I try to address and sit in the utter suck of the moment, and then attempt to remind the audience how many utterly fantastic comics are on the show that night (Nick Thune, Josie Long, Jermaine Fowler, Julian McCullough), and not to take out a couple people’s unfortunate behavior on the others. And the one guy who was taping in the front row left, and I think it was for the best. He seemed genuinely remorseful but I think he had ruined enough of the audience’s night that it was better that he didn’t stick around. And the rest of the audience really rallied after that point. Truly, they made it matter why live performance can be so important and special and unique and not some stupid video to throw on YouTube or SnapChat to your personal trainer.
I think I just wanted to retell all this because I think, in certain places, I assume audiences know the protocol of how to behave at a live performance show. But I think I take for granted, that with the Internet and smartphones and instant gratification, the lines have blurred between private and public space. Everything feels like fair game to post or tweet or ‘gram. But no. That’s not true. I know the Internet has made us feel like “Hey, you’re the main character in this super boring movie where you’re on your phone more or less the whole time, and everyone else is an extra here to embellish the story.” Many of us are guilty of it. We’re all becoming the devil. I know I’ve taken a picture of a sleeping person on the train and thought, oh goody, let’s see those likes roll in.
Comedy is a rather unique performance art form in that even in its creation, it relies on testing it in front of an audience. Not everything will work, but there has to be an implicit agreement to be there and be present for it. Trying to record things on your phone is a part of the time we live in. Some of us are so mindlessly on our devices all day that you might not even consciously realize how much space they take up in your lives. Nobody experiences anything anymore just for the sake of experiencing it. You know what’s cool about live performance? You were there for it. You got to hear something that was just meant for you. Not for hits or views or clicks. And artists make their living by their ideas. To take them and then get to decide what you want to do with them is unfair and a straight-up violation of another person. And that’s the thing. Chris Rock is a person.
This is all very diluted and not cohesive but these are my thoughts. Treat all people like they are people, respect art, try experiencing a moment without sucking the soul out of it. You can always *gasp* write about it later and what it meant to you (guilty) or *faint* tell it in person to friends so they can relive your experience of it. In the meantime, remember we’re all trying to share and make the most of this limited space and time we have here together. Don’t be a jerk.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 15:54:43 GMT -5
I've been mediating a bit lately on how having access to the internet so easily with smartphones is creating an ever-widening disconnect between web vs real life interactions and expectations. Which also relates to the classic virtual reality, Cartesian dilemma.
(all the "You" statements here aren't actually aimed at you - fyi)
If you have access to pretty much whatever you want, whenever you want it for free, where ever you are in the world with 4G or wifi - why would you ever tolerate the utterly draconian laws/mores/expectations of reality?
Either you have little patience for anything that isn't instantaneously delivered to six inches in front of your face, pre-tagged/catagorized/ready for sharing. By that I mean the idea of waiting for something or actually having to deal with other people who aren't a part of your heavily-curated, extremely filter-bubbled timeline (in which they pretty much already agree with everything you think, else wise you would have blocked/muted them) who may not think like you. So everything they say/do is so frustratingly unlike how reality is percieved online that you brush them off as jerks/fools/etc reducing them to 1 dimensional, easily digestible "tweets" that you could emotionally "swipe" down to delete.
Or you end up viewing reality as just another buzzfeed article waiting to be commented on, completely disassociating yourself from the idea that you are a part of this world and not just a conveyance for something to be shared on social media (like with Rock in the op's story). People are there for your entertainment. Their misery is your comedy (or chance for 15mins of internet fame) and the concept of humanizing someone who you're not FB friends with is totally outside of scope because if its not being broadcast, then whats the point.
I don't generally subscribe to the "entertainment causes violence/etc" theory, but I do think smart phones are very immersive and require people to take special care to realize that as "connected" as the internet is to real life, it is NOT real life. Technology isn't inherently evil, but people's complacency can be.
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Post by Michael Coello on Oct 21, 2014 15:55:37 GMT -5
Chris Rock showed up at UCB last night for a surprise unannounced stand-up set, but had to end it about a minute and a half into it because some audience members flatout refused to stop taking video of it with their phones. It's an understandable reaction. In Bizzaro World.
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,849
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Post by chazraps on Oct 21, 2014 16:01:31 GMT -5
Chris Rock showed up at UCB last night for a surprise unannounced stand-up set, but had to end it about a minute and a half into it because some audience members flatout refused to stop taking video of it with their phones. It's an understandable reaction. In Bizzaro World. No, super wrong. If someone asks you nicely not to film them, and they keep filming, it's totally understandable to walk away if you're under no other obligation to stay. Read the rest of the piece.
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Post by Pooh Carlson on Oct 21, 2014 16:03:07 GMT -5
Chris Rock showed up at UCB last night for a surprise unannounced stand-up set, but had to end it about a minute and a half into it because some audience members flatout refused to stop taking video of it with their phones. It's an understandable reaction. In Bizzaro World. Stand ups do this all the time where they show up unannounced to work on new material that isn't fully fleshed out yet, maybe doesn't have an actual punch line, to get new material going for a new tour or special. He doesn't want those jokes out before they're actual jokes. Nothing wrong with what Chris did.
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Post by Michael Coello on Oct 21, 2014 16:08:38 GMT -5
No, super wrong. If someone asks you nicely not to film them, and they keep filming, it's totally understandable to walk away if you're under no other obligation to stay. Read the rest of the piece. And the person who is filming, on the other hand, had no obligation to stop filming on their phone. Unless it was posted on the door or ticket that "No Cell Phone Use Allowed", then that person could have filmed as much as they wanted. So, Rock could have just dealt with it, like a performer of his statue is SUPPOSE TO DO, or he could wimp out, which is what he ended up doing.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 16:16:42 GMT -5
Chris Rock had every right to do what he did. I mean, he didn't want to be recorded so...he left.
A person has every right to not want to be recorded or photographed without consent and react accordingly when the recording doesn't stop. There's not any controversy here, I thought stuff like that is illegal in some places anyway.
Although, I don't like this slight undercurrent of "NEW TECHNOLOGY IS RUINING SOCIAL CONTACT!" though. I feel like we're beginning to sound like our parents with these nostalgia-tinted glasses on how everything was much better back in the day because we had "delayed gratification" or you had to talk to a person face-to-face.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 16:19:14 GMT -5
No, super wrong. If someone asks you nicely not to film them, and they keep filming, it's totally understandable to walk away if you're under no other obligation to stay. Read the rest of the piece. And the person who is filming, on the other hand, had no obligation to stop filming on their phone. Unless it was posted on the door or ticket that "No Cell Phone Use Allowed", then that person could have filmed as much as they wanted. So, Rock could have just dealt with it, like a performer of his statue is SUPPOSE TO DO, or he could wimp out, which is what he ended up doing. He dealt with it by walking away, which he is free to do - just as the camera guy was free to rudely continue filming despite being asked not to. Performers are not trained monkeys enslaved to the audience. They are allowed to stipulate the conditions by which they perform their craft. If a performer doesn't want to be recorded during this set, then he's under no obligation to not "wimp out" and stay. If a performer not wanting to be filmed during a live peformance makes him a "wimp" then I'd say that's a very strange definition of the word wimp. It takes more strength to stick to your guns and hold your own standards high, rather than cave and just accept someone else's rude behavior. To me, if he would have stayed after asking people not to record and let them record him anyway, would be "wimping out."
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Post by Mid-Carder on Oct 21, 2014 16:21:20 GMT -5
I will never understand this obsession with recording and taking photos of every single thing. I've been to concerts and live events where people film the entire thing through a phone. I may take a couple of photos but I'd always rather watch the thing than relive it through a video
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,849
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Post by chazraps on Oct 21, 2014 16:21:31 GMT -5
No, super wrong. If someone asks you nicely not to film them, and they keep filming, it's totally understandable to walk away if you're under no other obligation to stay. Read the rest of the piece. And the person who is filming, on the other hand, had no obligation to stop filming on their phone. Unless it was posted on the door or ticket that "No Cell Phone Use Allowed", then that person could have filmed as much as they wanted. So, Rock could have just dealt with it, like a performer of his statue is SUPPOSE TO DO, or he could wimp out, which is what he ended up doing. He didn't wimp out. The person filming has the obligation to not be a dick. Rock was essentially doing him and everyone in that audience a favor by giving them an exclusive surprise and the person filming decided to just be an entitled prick and ruin the show for everybody.
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Post by Michael Coello on Oct 21, 2014 16:27:49 GMT -5
And the person who is filming, on the other hand, had no obligation to stop filming on their phone. Unless it was posted on the door or ticket that "No Cell Phone Use Allowed", then that person could have filmed as much as they wanted. So, Rock could have just dealt with it, like a performer of his statue is SUPPOSE TO DO, or he could wimp out, which is what he ended up doing. He didn't wimp out. The person filming has the obligation to not be a dick. Rock was essentially doing him and everyone in that audience a favor by giving them an exclusive surprise and the person filming decided to just be an entitled prick and ruin the show for everybody. Again, where is this obligation for the guy with the phone to stop, other that Rock telling him? And you know, if Rock was the consummate performer he wants to be, he would be able to handle this situation in a comedic way. Treat it like aq heckling, and disarm that person verbally enough that they would just stop recording. Or use it to vamp a bit and get in the rhythm, which was the intention. This is Richard Pryor shit right there. you know, you're right that Chris Rock had the right to just walk out, but that was not the best thing to do. Really, Mr. Bigger and Blacker? Mr HBO Special? Mr. Legend of Comedy? You can't handle one guy with a camera phone? Come on!
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Post by bluemeii on Oct 21, 2014 16:30:03 GMT -5
He didn't wimp out. The person filming has the obligation to not be a dick. Rock was essentially doing him and everyone in that audience a favor by giving them an exclusive surprise and the person filming decided to just be an entitled prick and ruin the show for everybody. Again, where is this obligation for the guy with the phone to stop, other that Rock telling him? And you know, if Rock was the consummate performer he wants to be, he would be able to handle this situation in a comedic way. Treat it like aq heckling, and disarm that person verbally enough that they would just stop recording. Or use it to vamp a bit and get in the rhythm, which was the intention. This is Richard Pryor shit right there. you know, you're right that Chris Rock had the right to just walk out, but that was not the best thing to do. Really, Mr. Bigger and Blacker? Mr HBO Special? Mr. Legend of Comedy? You can't handle one guy with a camera phone? Come on! It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 16:32:11 GMT -5
He didn't wimp out. The person filming has the obligation to not be a dick. Rock was essentially doing him and everyone in that audience a favor by giving them an exclusive surprise and the person filming decided to just be an entitled prick and ruin the show for everybody. Again, where is this obligation for the guy with the phone to stop, other that Rock telling him? "Hey man, I'd appreciate it if you didn't record me with your phone." Is that seriously not enough of a reasonable expectation? I guess Chris Rock expects more out of people than your average Joe, but to me that seems like MORE than enough of an obligation to treat someone like a person.
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Post by Michael Coello on Oct 21, 2014 16:33:14 GMT -5
Again, where is this obligation for the guy with the phone to stop, other that Rock telling him? And you know, if Rock was the consummate performer he wants to be, he would be able to handle this situation in a comedic way. Treat it like aq heckling, and disarm that person verbally enough that they would just stop recording. Or use it to vamp a bit and get in the rhythm, which was the intention. This is Richard Pryor shit right there. you know, you're right that Chris Rock had the right to just walk out, but that was not the best thing to do. Really, Mr. Bigger and Blacker? Mr HBO Special? Mr. Legend of Comedy? You can't handle one guy with a camera phone? Come on! It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on! Well, then I hope no one takes his picture or films when he's ready, or else he'll bail on his next TV special. Or cough, he might call security! I can't believe people defending him. This is some old Axl Rose type ego shit, man!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 16:35:25 GMT -5
It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on! Well, then I hope no one takes his picture or films when he's ready, or else he'll bail on his next TV special. Or cough, he might call security! I can't believe people defending him. This is some old Axl Rose type ego shit, man! Celebrities are human and expect to be treated with the same respect non-celebs receive. If that's 'ego shit' then I've got a ton of stories about working with bands and performers you'd HATE.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 16:36:01 GMT -5
Again, where is this obligation for the guy with the phone to stop, other that Rock telling him? And you know, if Rock was the consummate performer he wants to be, he would be able to handle this situation in a comedic way. Treat it like aq heckling, and disarm that person verbally enough that they would just stop recording. Or use it to vamp a bit and get in the rhythm, which was the intention. This is Richard Pryor shit right there. you know, you're right that Chris Rock had the right to just walk out, but that was not the best thing to do. Really, Mr. Bigger and Blacker? Mr HBO Special? Mr. Legend of Comedy? You can't handle one guy with a camera phone? Come on! It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on! Also, Chris Rock is not known for destroying hecklers is he? Dealing with hecklers is not some badge of honor. Its something comedians are FORCED to deal with because they want to get paid for their set. If they're working for free and/or are just dropping in to work stuff out there's no reason for them to put up with it or even deal with it. I 100% guarantee you that most comedians (except those that specialize in hecklers - a minority I'm sure) wish they could do the same thing and just walk out rather than actually have to instruct a fully functional adult human how to behave in public. They'd much rather perform the piece they've been working on.
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Post by bluemeii on Oct 21, 2014 16:37:23 GMT -5
It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on! Well, then I hope no one takes his picture or films when he's ready, or else he'll bail on his next TV special. Or cough, he might call security! I can't believe people defending him. This is some old Axl Rose type ego shit, man! It was some test material for what I'm assuming is a new tour or maybe a new special. Perhaps he was just there to test it out on a small audience. What everyone is supposed to give away their material for free to the world now cause of some glasshole, or entitled douchebag with a camera. This isn't ego this is protection of his material. Got no problem with how he handled that. If it was a normal standup of his previously seen material that'd be one thing. This is unreleased material, which he has every right to want to not get out yet.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2014 16:40:30 GMT -5
And - not for nothing - if he wasn't a celebrity I'd expect the same treatment for him. If you try to record anyone - actor, writer, director, postal worker, drivethru cashier - and they ask you not to, you should stop recording them. Its your obligation as a member of the human race to respect other people's wishes (as long as its not hurting anyone else or they're committing a crime, etc etc).
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Post by Magic knows Black Lives Matter on Oct 21, 2014 16:41:56 GMT -5
It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on! Well, then I hope no one takes his picture or films when he's ready, or else he'll bail on his next TV special. Or cough, he might call security! I can't believe people defending him. This is some old Axl Rose type ego shit, man! SO, by that logic, if I were to run into you and film you with a camera (after you have specifically asked me not to), it's totally cool for me to disobey your wishes and keep filming you? In what world did Rock have any kind of obligation to let people film him here? It was an unadvertised appearance. No one paid a dime to see him because they had no idea he was even gonna be there. It's not like he was telling people to stop breathing his air or laugh at all of his jokes. All he simply asked was for people to stop filming which is something that a lot of comedy clubs ask fans not to do. What, is it really THAT hard to just sit back and enjoy a special treat without having to whip out your phone?
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Post by 'Foretold' Joker on Oct 21, 2014 16:46:11 GMT -5
It was absolutely the correct way to handle things. Guy was there to work on some unreleased bits. Douchebag wanted to film. Asked the guy not to. Entitled prick wouldn't stop so he bailed. No violence, no scene. Said f this and left. What you think Mr. Bigger and Blacker HBO Special guy is him 24/7? Come on! Well, then I hope no one takes his picture or films when he's ready, or else he'll bail on his next TV special. Or cough, he might call security! I can't believe people defending him. This is some old Axl Rose type ego shit, man! You obviously do not attend the theatre or opera as this kind of behaviour would get you thrown out. It's disrespectful to both the actors and your fellow audience members. Same applies to live stand up comedians especially if they ask the person to stop filming them as they working on new material. Not only did they make Chris Rock leave they also ruined a possibly once in a lifetime opportunity to everyone else in attendance. Aparna Nancherla and Chris Rock are firmly in the right here not the moron with the phone camera.
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