What is a Leader? One Off-Broadway Producer Doesn't Know

On this special day for our America, on this day when we ask ourselves how best we may reconsecrate ourselves to our nation's work, I was shocked and saddened to receive an email, then a phone call, from a leader of the Off-Broadway community. I won't use his/her name because he/she suffers from one of those tragic, monumental egos that causes him/her to lash out, rather like a tormented child, whenever he/she sees something written about them with which they take issue.

In this case, it was a response to an item in my Arts Advocacy Update of two weeks ago. The item was published in Bloomberg News and I took issue with the source the writer used in his lede -- the producer in question. Given the headline of the story, it seemed strange that said producer would be the first source mentioned. That the producer could neither fathom my criticism nor the joke I made based on a quote from that producer that referenced a 1980s game show -- and that the producer had his friend leave a negative comment anonymously on my blog -- just astounds me. Calling me up and yelling at me, telling me that he/she will use any power at their disposal to hurt me -- well, that's just extraordinary. Not to mention sad, unprofessional. I imagine there's at least one legendary producer, who he/she supposedly knew well, who would be turning over in her grave if she knew about this.

The point is, this is not leadership. This is cowardice. And I hope he/she gets the help he/she needs.

And, by the way, I don't fear him/her. I fear for those who are victimized by him/her more and more every day. For I know that he/she is no leader. He/she is an animal -- for animals, rather by definition, have no class.

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