I did a benefit with Alice a couple of years ago… she struck me as shy and withdrawn.
To be honest, I felt like she was still living in the bubble many actors who achieve a degree of fame do… kicking her “Next to Normal” notoriety down the road as far as she could.
It’s weird, but I felt at the time, while we were in a strip mall restaurant in New Jersey for a scant few hours, that she hadn’t moved past it… it had so defined her .. that show… and I got the feeling the glory and high and was more confining to her than freeing.
I’ve lived there too. And while I was watching her during the sound check, I was grateful that I never achieved that kind of fame… most of the shows I’ve been in are famous. I’m not.
Every actor has to rebrand and redefine themselves to stay in the game and get The Next Big One to grow a career…. or even maintain one.
There are so many friends and colleagues of mine that don’t get to that Next Big Thing. I’m certainly one of them. It’s relative, but when you hit it way big you gotta top it. Some find other things to fill their lives.. other careers or lovers or puppies and find a degree of peace and fulfillment either in addition to or in lieu of a Broadway career.
Some stay in that place of their dream coming true … and run as fast as they can on the treadmill hustling for the Next Big One. And trying to live up to their reputation frozen in time.
I read this article this morning and, um… I was just flabbergasted.
There’s so much to unpack, but the first thing that struck me is the very mistaken commonly held notion that she’s a star and has some sort of agency .. both financially and emotionally.. to deal with this.
You know, stars just have a phalanx of people who work for them and crisis teams and money and press people and photo shoots and confetti …
She doesn’t. I feel for her.
This is not a fair fight.
This is clicky pop grievance that’s just looking for …?
I don’t know. I wish I did. I don’t think it’s worthy of a Daily Beast article.
Maybe empowering a group of admittedly mentally ill fans to get their 5 minutes of fame? Is this a let’s go on Tik Tok and get famous too thing? Maybe it’s turning the tables and making a woman the abuser? That’s a cool hook! Maybe a look at teenage angst? Payback ?
Who knows. But I think demanding an apology from her is just bullshit. That seems to be the hostage demand de jour. It seems to me if anyone sincerely wants an apology it wouldn’t be asked for in this venue. It’s not like she’s the Pope or something. They’d like their pound of flesh, please and thank you Daily Beast.
Regardless, she’s gonna pay the price. And that price may be ruining her life.
She’s gonna pay more of a price than a male Broadway star who was convicted of sex crimes with an underage fan in his dressing room… for doing nothing nearly as serious. Frankly, I’m still not sure what the hell she did.
He’s gone on to several more starring roles on Broadway, while being defended pretty much every step of the way by producers and directors. My hunch is she’s not going to get the same treatment.
Why is that? Why is there a multi million dollar musical jubilee opening on Broadway that’s a tribute to a pedophile?
If we’re supposed to believe the victims, Broadway is sure doing a shitty job of that.
Anyway, I’ve seen some crazy fan shit over the years of my career. I’ve seen actors get way too close to fans and benefit financially from it. Use them essentially. For big bucks. And ego strokes.
That’s always made me uncomfortable. It’s not a relationship on equal footing. It’s taking advantage of people who idolize you. Well, your performance. Not you.
The only thing I’ve ever owed anyone in theater is the best performance I can give. And then, I get to go home.
Did she cross the line with fans? Yes, I think she did. Some of this is a bit weird.. especially a video of who the fuck knows what in this article.
The line she crossed is she just should have gone home, and left her fan’s fantasies to themselves.
I have a feeling that will be happening more and more….
Robert DuSold 
Leave a comment