An offer they couldn't refuse
I had to send some of my guys with the cauliflower ears and bent noses over to Cirque du Soleil yesterday to put the kibosh on their plans to present Ovo in Greensboro, NC from April 20 to April 24 and Charlotte July-6-10 and Turok in Raleigh in June.
But let's face it, such highbrow entertainment was too gay for North Carolina anyway.
Cirque du Soleil believes in equality for all. It is a principle that guides us with both our employees and our customers. We behave as change agents to reach our ultimate goal of making a better world with our actions and our productions.--Cirque du Soleil
The new HB2 legislation passed in North Carolina is an important regression to ensuring human rights for all ... Cirque du Soleil believes in equality for all.
--Cirque
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and rock star Bruce Springsteen have canceled concerts in the state in protest of the law. Singer Cyndi Lauper said she would donate the profits of her June show in Raleigh to efforts to repeal it.
Cirque said online and phone ticket purchases for the canceled performances will be automatically reimbursed, while individuals who bought tickets in-person must return to the point of purchase for refunds.
We sincerely hope that the customers that have purchased tickets for our performances in North Carolina will understand our motivation and we look forward to performing in North Carolina when this issue is addressed.
--Cirque
Personally, I like Lauper's approach. Use North Carolina money to fight North Carolina's bigotry. But that doesn't jibe with my Mafiosa ties, so we do what needs to be done.
Comments
Secret smile, Robyn.
Secret smile. They still have more lessons to be learned in NC. Good resta weekend!
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Too Gay!
You do realize that one of the largest gay owned businesses in the world is in Greensboro, NC, Replacements Ltd.? That we have a huge gay community in this state and all of us gays and straights have been fighting this crap for years? You do realize this entire bill was snuck through in the middle of the night without the people knowing don't you?
I left Daily Kos to get away from this type of hit piece diary. I was assured that Causcus99 was better than that.
Everyone in North Carolina is going to suffer because this garbage was passed without our support. So laugh it up fuzzball. North Carolina, the home of William Barber and Moral Mondays, is nothing but a joke to outsiders who have to feel morally superior to someone.
A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world. Oscar Wilde
fuzzball?
The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.
Fuck you too.
As a transwoman born, raised and living in NC, you can go fuck yourself. As michelewln said, we're the ones that have to deal with this shit and don't need you condescension. And I've been dying for Cirque du Soleil to come to Raleigh, but I guess I can just go fuck myself because our governor is an asshole?
While I understand the reasoning behind these moves, to act all superior and like it doesn't hurt those of us in NC who are already being hurt by backward ass laws is disgusting.
Kay, I have close friends and family who are gay
Honestly, I know of none who are trans. I am sure they exist, but are reticent, even today, to come out.
Without much more base or knowledge, I was willing to support any and all boy, girl, and transcotts of NC, if only to rub it into the face of their TeaBuggered governor. Frankly, I did not sit back and think about the impact of the protests and boycotts on those who live there. I should have. But I did not.
Thank you for opening my eyes. Thank you for educating me. Thank you for impressing upon me how you are being hurt twice, not just by your auto-lobotomized governor, but by our economic reaction to his bill.
Please forgive me my ignorance.
Boycotting & the fallout, PastorAgnostic
I always wonder about the little people who're affected by boycotts. I never dared say so OT, but, when you boycott a company, what happens to the people who have to be laid off? When you boycott a state or city, there are consequences that I've never seen mentioned, like the average Joes & Janes and how their lives were impacted - the fallout.
Then OT there's also the cherry topping to a shit sundae - the regional/state-based bigotry. The calls of, "You get what you vote for", " They deserve it because they voted for X person as their X", "Well, it's X (state, region, city, etc.), so what do you expect?" It's maddening, and sad, especially when they get recc'd up.
I didn't vote for the repukes who ruin my state, but I get the attacks, just the same. I have sympathy, and empathy for the normal people in NC. They're suffering already, and get the added fallout too.
To be fair
To be fair, it wasn't the boycott I'm most upset about but the gloating attitude towards the boycott that Robyn took. The information could have been reported without
and the mafia jokes.
While I understand being angry...
what would you have them do? They and others are trying to force the governor through economic means to stop discriminating against the people of North Carolina. Does it suck that that also means that the people are deprived of entertainment and business? Of course it does.
But a majority of people voted for this Governor and presumably supported this bill - so I don't think you should take it personally when someone talks about North Carolina. We all know that each state has progressive people no matter how red, and gay people, trans people, native people, etc. But its the actions of the majority that are being criticized here.
Would you rather that Cirque de Soleil came and thus tacitly approved of the Governor's actions? I'm asking seriously, not being critical.
Pls see my comment re getting what your state voted 4 HaikuKitty
And, Cirque could do what Cindy Lauper is doing. All artists and orgs could do that, and the shit bill could be wiped out.
P.S. my comment is directly above yours, at least for now. Someone might add some space between them by the time I post this, though.
Edit: to correct spelling of haikukitty in subject line
I think there's some misplaced anger going on in this thread
It's NOT the authors fault that NC has become the laughingstock of much of the sane world.
The fault lies with the people who voted these bigots into office. The people of North Carolina.
Fix your own house before you start throwing rocks at others.
You rail against one who brings the news. You rail against those who choose to take a stand in a manner that they think most appropriate and that they believe will have the greatest impact.
If you can't go to the circus, talk to the circus, talk to your government. This author had nothing to do with the circuses decision.
Is the circus too gay for NC? Given the results of your elections and the legislation passed by the people NC has elected, Hell yes it appears the circus is too gay for NC.
I believe your anger is misdirected, please read the authors essay again and reflect upon if your anger is properly directed.
I'm all open ears here if you care to enlighten me.
With their hearts they turned to each others heart for refuge
In troubled years that came before the deluge
*Jackson Browne, 1974, Before the Deluge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SX-HFcSIoU
I have no problem with the one bringing the news
I have no problem with the one bringing the news except when the one bringing the news acts like it's a big FU to us living in this state and they're taking a victory lap over it.
Love that Cindy Lauper. . .
. . . is donating proceeds of her concert to the effort of repealing the bass ackwards law.
I've always loved her, wackiness and all. I love her even more now!
I seriously think she has the right idea - great idea, actually! Others should follow her lead.
Cyndi Lauper is an amazing woman
and a true friend to the LGBT community. Her outspoken activism on our behalf goes way back to when that sort of thing wasn't necessarily good for a performer's reputation with mainstream audiences. Cyndi has always stood by us with genuine and sincere support for our causes. And then there is the fact that she is just a damn good artist. She has been underrated by many people over the years, but she really is a very talented writer/performer and her body of work has withstood the test of time.