Broadway Tried to Blacklist Joan Rivers One Last Time
Joan Rivers may have died last week but her propensity for getting blacklisted is apparently alive and well.
The Broadway League—which orders theaters to dim their marquee lights in tribute to recently-deceased stars—was reportedly all set to ignore Rivers' death, claiming the Tony-nominated actress "did not meet the criteria" for the ceremony.
The move was met with incredulity from theater owners and fans.
Nor was the League's reasoning entirely clear: according to the Times, when reporters asked yesterday if the decision was "a close call, Charlotte St. Martin declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the committee's work. She also declined to identify the committee members."
But it seems they underestimated Rivers, her fans, and her theater roots. Not to mention, the woman's funeral was practically a Broadway production. According to the AP:
Before the league's reversal, 10 theaters — out of 40 — were set to break with the league and dim their lights. And theater producer Tom D'Angora had started an online petition asking the league to reverse its decision. It had attracted more than 5,000 signatures before the league changed its mind.
By Tuesday, the League had reversed its course, and the lights were dimmed Tuesday night at 6:45 in Rivers' honor.
[image via AP]