Last week I had the pleasure, along with the other Speed-the-Plow producers, of seeing the cathartic production The Piven Monologues: A Collection of Internet Comments Related to the Controversy Surrounding Jeremy Piven's Abrupt Exit from the Broadway Production of Speed-the-Plow Due to the Alleged Illness of Mercury Poisoning from Over-Consumption of Sushi down at Joe's Pub.
What was interesting to me about the production, besides my personal connection to the material, and my fondness for the work of its wunderkind director, Alex Timbers, was that the dialogue was made up entirely of actual comments about the sushi scandal, taken from internet chatter on websites of all different shapes and sizes (a similar construct to My First Time, which I have another personal connection to).
It was another example of what I call "Theater 2.0."
And the good news is that this playlet was more fun than a fish fry.
Unfortunately, the party pooper (also known as Piven) ended the fun the next day when he slapped The Public with a cease and desist letter, threatening to sue.
Sigh.
I wrote a long blog about my feelings regardingThe Piv's premature e-lawsuit-ulation, and where exactly I think he ranks on the douche-o-meter.
Unfortunately, my lawyers advised me not to post it.
So, I'll just say this . . .
To the writers of The Piven Monologues:
It would give me great pleasure to produce your show . . . but only if we do it in LA.
And we can give the proceeds to this charity.
Give me a call.
(In true "The show must go on even in the face of legal action" style, The Public is going ahead with the second performance of The Piven Monologues. More info here.)
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
6 Responses to I wrote a blog about Jeremy Piven. My lawyers told me to not to post it.
Leave a Reply
MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS
Email Me
Subscribe in a Reader
Ken’s Top 5 Reads
Purple Cow: Transform Your Business...
Seth Godin
buy now
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
Seth Godin
buy now
The Commercial Theater Institute ...
Frederic B. Vogel & Ben Hodges
buy now
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Robert B. Cialdini
buy now
Producing Theatre : A Business Guide
Donald C. Farber
buy now
Count me in as a token level investor.
I will token level do something! Tell me what you want me to do! but i’ll definitely support the writers by buying a ticket.
This really needs to be a musical!
i think we all know where he ranks on the douche-o-meter
Hysterical!! And I love the idea of a musical. Where do I send my $25 bucks? Hey … don’t laugh, it worked for Obama!
MY quote of the day: “regardingThe Piv’s premature e-lawsuit-ulation, and where exactly I think he ranks on the douche-o-meter.” Awesome!
Theater 2.0, as in Charles Mee’s collaged The Trilogy: Imperial Dreams (Orestes 2.0, Iphigenia 2.0, Agamemmnon 2.0)?