First of all, I'm disappointed in the turn of events here. Everything has been mostly professional until the last couple of pages. That's all just yucky.
I absolutely won't stand for anybody blatantly talking about other fans, however I assumed that discussions otherwise were only of opinion or hearsay which is why I haven't said anything about that. As was pointed out, I am a moderator here and I am bound by the rules of MC. The rule is we can't talk about the personal lives of the performers or be ubercritical of their work unless it is also constructive.
On a professional level, you can consider that folks who auditioned did so out of disrespect for the performers who've been around forever and a day. I auditioned, but not out of disrespect for their tenure and talent but for a job doing something I love. Everything I know points that they won't be out of a job--problem is: If the job isn't there they don't get work. Right now, MHC is not planning ANYTHING for them to work in except appearances, and being a part of The Diz they aren't going to take suggestions for shows/movies/specials.
The people we admire and love from all these years won't be losing their jobs to these newcomers (frankly, Diz had folks down there for the workshop and ultimately had no idea how to use them when the weekend was over--except that some of the final ones they kept from the few they brought down had already worked with the Muppets in the past).
On the other hand (get it?!), those of us who know something from someone will end up posting what we know but we cannot divulge our sources. While someone is saying soemthing in their post it may be of the opinion of someone else or it may be the knowledge someone else has pointed out. We can also ignore the fact that if someone posts something correctly and deny it. I would deny my sources if it protected them, darn tootin'; on the other hand, it could be someone I have no connection to. Thing is, on the 'net nobody's gonna know!
That was a long way to say that if someone posts of their opinion or hearsay it's not necessarily slanderous, but we shouldn't say things as a fact if we aren't for sure. And, there again, we can suggest our opinions of what we think or know without calling out particular names, and definitly will hopefully stop folks from seemingly calling each other out. It ain't pretty.
So, is what anybody is discussing here from either side of the argument even sure that what they are saying really is of fact or opinion? I use these as an example since they are the most posted names in this thread: Kynan could be posting things he knows but some other parts are opinion; Overunderaround is posting some opinion and could know something, too. On the other hand, who else has posted with opinion or knowledge? Who has it and won't share because they don't want to be in the discussion? It's the whole "Are ghosts real?" question: What do YOU think? We can talk in circles all day long if it's real or not, but it's left up to the final person to decide. Arguing a topic doesn't help anything, responding with "Why I believe..." and leaving it there is probably the best way to gain peoples' attention and respect. I don't want folks to fuss about all this mess.
The whole argument is one big circle and folks can argue the point all day for or against the whole audition thing. When it boils down to it at this time: The auditions have happened, all 3 cities were visited (along with SW) and the Orlando Muppets Workshop has happened.
MHC has no idea how to use the Muppets (apparently, as we haven't seen anything yet but appearances), and that being the case there are no jobs--without the jobs the tenured performers are without work and that is not because of the very few who were kept after the Orlando Workshops. I believe that STM believes in what it stands for (not just Kynan but all who have signed the petition) and is a group dedicated to a purpose. But, when all this comes around (here I go back into the whole "circle" discussion again) everything they wanted to see NOT happen has happened already and I think a new vision for the group should take place.
And you can bet that whatever you've read or heard from SW people, they weren't on that trip with MHC for those auditions just to vacation. I'll bet very soon you're going to start hearing about their auditions and the whole screening-down process. Why? Because they, too, are a corporate entity. Question is: When they get those folks auditioned and chosen, will they know what to do with them?
I see the argument from both sides and understand all opinions (and since I'm still sleepy this morning and in a rush to get my day started most of what I said may be hypocritical or sound like Dr. Seuss--or I may never have explained something correctly).
I'm just under the opinion that there is a happy medium, one that can be discussed without all the tension. There's got to be a more positive way to post our opinions and suggestions to gain attention and move people in our individual ways of thinking without all the fussing.
besides the fact that it would be just WAY too much work for me, I can't edit posts, delete posts, or restart this thread because too many people on such a hot topic would be disappointed and accuse me of favoritism or bigotry (?), so I hope we can go forward with this discussion and everyone please not be accusatory or attack each other on any level.
There are professional and positive ways to discuss something without falling apart, gang. When it boils down to it, we're all fans of one man's work and that's what brings us here--not the arguments and not the discussions of who is right and who is wrong.
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