"The Stupidest Sentence in New York Times History"

[emmline]

Mr. Lloyd Webber is often referred to as the Shakespeare of his time with musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Well, for limited definitions of "Shakespeare", such as "British
man who writes stage settings of Public Domain stories", then yeah.
But then, that applies to W.S. Gilbert and Tim Rice, too...

Yes, true. But you know...Shakespeare largely reached the almost mythological status he now enjoys(well heck, I hope he enjoys it...) as a western literary icon in the centuries following his death. At the time he was what--a reasonably popular writer for the theater, producing popular diversion for the citizenry. I realize that not everyone enjoys Lloyd Weber productions as much as I, but I think one could fairly apply that same contemporary description to him. We won't know whether movies starring Gwyneth Paltrow with no clothes on will be made about ALW for a couple hundred years or so.

Still, that being said, the NYT statement was a silly one.

[Jerry Freeman]

We won't know whether movies starring Gwyneth Paltrow with no clothes on will be made about ALW for a couple hundred years or so.

And for that matter, would anyone want to see a movie starring a two hundred something Gwyneth Paltrow with no clothes on?

Best wishes,
Jerry

[jsluder]

... with syllables like "Bloom" and "field" in his name.

Hey. How did you know that? Wooooow. I've been underestimating you all these years...

It's the web feet...kinda throws ya off!

Most people say the web feet put them off.

[TonyHiggins]

I was at my mom's this weekend. She had a catalogue of Christmas gifts from Ireland. First class kitsch all the way. Anyway, there was a Feadog whistle with the comment that it is regarded as the Rolls Royce of tin whistles. No joke.
Tony

[Flyingcursor]

I saw a woman on TV the other night who'd be ugly if she weren't so pretty.

[Chiffed]

Mr. Lloyd Webber is often referred to as the Shakespeare of his time with musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Well, for limited definitions of "Shakespeare", such as "British
man who writes stage settings of Public Domain stories", then yeah.
But then, that applies to W.S. Gilbert and Tim Rice, too...

Yes, true. But you know...Shakespeare largely reached the almost mythological status he now enjoys(well heck, I hope he enjoys it...) as a western literary icon in the centuries following his death. At the time he was what--a reasonably popular writer for the theater, producing popular diversion for the citizenry. I realize that not everyone enjoys Lloyd Weber productions as much as I, but I think one could fairly apply that same contemporary description to him. We won't know whether movies starring Gwyneth Paltrow with no clothes on will be made about ALW for a couple hundred years or so.

Still, that being said, the NYT statement was a silly one.

I believe that the amount of musical content in Shakesper's comedies is greatly underestimated.
On another note, at least there was no bear-baiting in Evita.

[djm]

a movie starring a two hundred something Gwyneth Paltrow with no clothes on?

Hey, I saw that one.

djm

[Mitch]

Every now and then one actually finds information on the information super-highway!

Let's go back to the Slate article - the connection was made between The Bard and Llllllloyd-Webber (is that pronounced Clyde?) These are both keen and successful businessmen!

priorities guys!

This makes them both on a par with my patron saint of music - Phil Collins:

Can he sing? yah - heard better
Can he play piano? only if you swallow how he builds his mistakes into his arrangements
Can he play drums? Can he park his Roller on the bottom of his swimming pool? But seriously, Joe Morello he aint, Chad Whakerman he aint - I'll give him a so-so.
Can he write good songs? There's 1 or 2 great songs in Mr Ed the talking horse. (if only he could get a good jockey!)

Can he do biz? Well now, let me tell you a story:

Back in the 80's the technical team working with Pink Floyd got a grooooovy idea! How about a stage spotlight that can move around by remote control? And they worked it all out!! (clever lads) - now all they needed was some cash and support to get this great idea into the marketplace to make them all rich! Along comes Phil and sez "Yeah OK - you can squander my millions, but 51+% is for yourse truly at ante time, And I run the show." The tech guys wiped the bovine perspiration off of their upper-lip area and quickly signed the papers.

Phil got busy hiring lawyers and nailed some salesmen's scrotums to coffee tables and went wide (bard-like).

About that time, I had a little travelling R&R band scooting about the southern continent, we often got production gear from the local "big-time" production house. All of a sudden, they got too expensive for my budget and I asked them why? They said "ah well, we had to deal-into Varilight - you know? The spotlights that move around by remote control? We had to get them to compete in the television scene. And the VL company took 40% of our operation in payment - this made it necessary put up the prices." (subtext = "our leach-like somnambulent directors do not wish to reduce their lifestyles at this time"). Second subtext "Have a look around - can you see anyone NOT using Varilight?" ergo 40% of the global production market - now, THAT's Shakespear! (get the pentameter there )

So, sorry Slate, you have oxymoroned yourself. Then again, I lurve self efacement! It is one of the truly genuine human expressions and the only one I have come to trust.

Hey-ho. value everywhere - in amongst shattered windscreens and techno-gravel - "Diamonds on the soles of our shoes".

[Innocent Bystander]

So that would make him the Attilla the Hun of the Business World...

[Mitch]

So that would make him the Attilla the Hun of the Business World...

Ahh the good old days ... sigh ... If only we could plaster hundreds of living peasants into collumns in this day and age ... hang on, that was Ghengis <silly me> I get all my role models a bit mixed up these days.

Role models are great so long as you remember - it's just an act you gotta take you're shoes off before yer socks.

If you take off your boot and find another boot, you're already famous. Obscurity is bliss