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Right wingers can't go left on "Avenue Q"
It's too bad that right wing wackos don't have a sense of humor, because they are missing out on a lot.
This week Mark Belling, the high priest of right wingers in Milwaukee, was in full fury over "Avenue Q," the outstanding production of the Broadway play which is being staged at Skylight Music Theatre.
Belling had gotten a call from some humorless listener who said he cancelled his subscription to the Skylight because of a reference to Scott Walker during the performance.
In the Broadway production there is a line in a song that mentions George W. Bush, and suggests that he will soon be gone. It's funny.
In the Skylight production they changed the Bush reference to Scott Walker. They wanted to use the best-known politician in the state and that' s Walker, hands down. It was funny.
But Belling took off about the liberal arts community and how they always make fun of conservatives; how the poor conservatives just keep getting beat down and don't have a place in the artistic world.
Then he said that "Avenue Q" was a "gay play" and that if people wanted to protest they just shouldn't go.
Geez, Mark, and your listeners, you are so out of your league on this one it's not even funny. It's clear you have no idea what this play is about.
It's like the old joke: What do you get when you combine a lack of knowledge with no sense of humor?
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hardgeminiguy75 | Oct. 13, 2012 at 3:38 p.m. (report)
I saw "Avenue Q" at the skylight. The Walker line received great laughs. And, yes, it was funny. Belling gives Milwaukee a bad name--anti Gay, Black, Latino, etc.. I once listened to his show when it first was on but could not stand his bigoted mind so have not listened to it sense. Like it or not mr. Belling-- AVENUE Q is a great musical. The Skylight produiction was fantastic!
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JacksonPark | Oct. 2, 2012 at 3:27 p.m. (report)
Ohfortheloveofgod... the musical has been around since 2003(!). Honestly - it takes 9 years to get angry about a show? Give me a break already.
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Davy | Oct. 1, 2012 at 8:22 a.m. (report)
I'd like to add, that I saw Avenue Q at Skylight this past weekend and it was fantastic, hilarious, and well deserving of all the praise it's been getting and more. While the audience was in stitches consistently throughout the show, the Scott Walker line received a roaring bout of applause and laughter that even surprised me. Based on crowd reaction and ticket sales (standing room only at this show) I don't think Skylight in any way is second guessing their choice with the line. I think this humorless Mark Belling fan was more upset that he was surrounded by a crowd of people that might not be what he's used to seeing at the yacht club.
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mikeb | Sept. 30, 2012 at 6:45 p.m. (report)
asintree,
I'd be interested in hearing why you think the "arts" are entitled to government funding. Sure, it has benefits, but so do many other things that the government doesn't fund. Why is the arts different?
Arts groups should understand that a big portion of the donations, ticket sales, and other support they get come from people with conservative beliefs. So, if you want to keep offending 50% of the audience, they have to understand that some people might actually take offense.
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asintree | Sept. 29, 2012 at 9:43 a.m. (report)
If that disgruntled conservative wants to know why right-wingers consistently get bashed by the arts, he should take a look at his parties record when it comes to funding for the arts. And censorship. Period.
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