A Note About Reviews On Here

Look, I don't claim to be "a reviewer". I'm an actress who is lucky enough to actually be able to live as an actor, affording a studio apartment on the Upper East Side in the city she grew up in, who has family in California and has a place to crash when she goes on a shoot, if the producers are broke (often the case). I see a lot of theatre and film when I have the time in between work, and I have opinions. I am very picky about what I enjoy but only because I believe that actors need to really work up there - not just show up and wait for their cue.

I have several pals in shows right now. Two friends in particular, who are on stage, one in a showcase, one in a bdwy gig in NYC; both of them got reviews. One got both good and bad; one got mostly bad - but they were both damn good. Both of them said to me: "When you have your little blog and call yourself Bitchy Actress, and you write reviews about things, do you have to be so mean? Don't be such a bitch!" etc etc - of course this was after they recently received bad reviews themselves and were sensitive. Beforehand they thought what I wrote was absolutely hilarious. They still do, but one just emailed a little while ago all bent out of shape from a review received from another idiot like myself who happened to also put her down for her physical appearance. If she really reads the review, she should take it for what it is: nothing more than an audience member with access to a computer and a few people who allowed him space on their site to say something. My other friend got panned by several people - but hell, let's face it; very few reviewers out there are actual writers themselves; and most of them are people who wanted to be actors, SUCKED, and so they started critiquing theatre instead. I mean, hell - does their opinion really matter? Does mine?

No.

So yes, I get a kick out of being a "Bitchy Actress" - fun schtick. But I'll tell you what: I'll never, ever trash an actor/actress for what they look like. I'll talk about their acting...because that's something that I do know...something that I care about. Too many actors get work because they are pretty or because they are blowing someone behind the right desk - NOT because of their talent. I write it as I see it...but not to hurt people. Maybe to open their eyes that they need to take an extra acting class or perhaps deal with their fellow actor...and maybe I say it in a way to be humorous to everyone. Especially if I see other actors getting nothing from that actor. Nothing is more infuriating than that for an actor...or to recognize it happening in front of you as an audience member who happens to make their living as an actor.

Take the young Claudio I talked about, below. He's a handsome young man - he can say the words easily and well; but it's the character development behind the good look that makes me cringe. So I'll talk about that. Or last year's train wrecks for the same company with a few of the actors who really were more of a detriment to the shows. Why? Because they were not dealing with their fellow actors they way they should (and because I heard that one of them was such a diva backstage, with so many actors complaining that he was telling them how to act; that is such nonsense! someone like that NEEDS to be slapped - verbally, if necessary).

But when it comes down to it, nothing that any blogger, reviewer, or...well, take your pick, really means a thing.

Christ, they said about Katherine Hepburn once: "Ms. Hepburn's emotional range goes from A to B." WTF???
About Liza Minelli: in the 70's a lovely reviewer compared her to an ugly dog.
About Marlo Thomas: also in the 70's one "reviewer" spent so much time talking about her plastic surgery (some New Yorker reviewer who probably had more than Marlo) that she left about three sentences for the actual review.

Some of us up here write as tongue-in-cheek; some write with that but also with the intention of opening the eyes of people to how ridiculous the industry is - or if a particular production sucks to high heaven.

And then, there are some people that make my little gimmicky name of Bitchy Actress seem like a compliment; they are truly mean, mean people, with no reason behind what they do except to hurt...and perhaps tear down because their favorite actor or actress did not get good reviews or there is a vendetta...or they are jealous. This industry is made up primarily of those kind of people; have no illusions of "the kindness of strangers" in this business.

So - for future knowledge to my friends who know who I am who read this, and to those who think of me as a cunt who has a penchant for witty banter, (or an illiterate fool, take your pick but keep the cunt part in there since it's fun) - I say this: I give credit where I honestly think credit is due, and I will pick someone's acting apart if I think they suck and especially if they suck and also try to hurt other actors...I have an ear to the ground for gossip and I hate evil people; especially those who can't act but who somehow get work despite the fact that they are backstabbers - they will get my poisoned pen faster than you can say "fuck me". But I will never tear someone up for physical features, or if their acting is so-so. I may suggest they take lessons...but never tear to shreds.

I save the shredder for those well-deserving, who are either making lots of money for giving us (and their fellow actors) so little; or who are really bad people who also suck.

Hey, Brando was a PRICK - but one of the best actors ever. And you can't argue that.