Laura Benanti's Comment on MY FAIR LADY

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:15pm

"Hard pass. That's what they said to me. I'm pouring one out for myself."

...ouch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3NNU906Po (see 1:09)

Updated On: 5/21/18 at 03:15 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:17pm

“Home for the holidays.... is not a real show” YASSSSS! Drag them Kween!

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:18pm

Call_me_jorge said: "“Home for the holidays.... is not a real show” YASSSSS! Drag them Kween!"

That's the only one that made me genuinely laugh out loud in this video. Otherwise, I didn't think she was at normal Benanti wittiness here.

[evic]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:19pm

What a waste of 2 minutes. She is NOT FUNNY or clever.

[JennH]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:20pm

1. I was waiting for that inevitable salty joke about MFL we all knew would come, and I was far from disappointed LOLZ. 

2. While I have no idea why they were including non musicals aka the concert style things, I did find her comments hilarious, regardless of how I did enjoy H for the H quite a bit, because Springsteen and Rocktopia aren't "real shows" either so...

Updated On: 5/21/18 at 03:20 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:23pm

Her MFL comment was all in good fun, but I would definitely love to see her replace Ambrose - yes, replace - or even tour with the show, but I know she's got her mommy duties and probably would rather not travel.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:46pm

The rumor I heard (grain of salt) was they did not want a "funny" Eliza who went for the jokes in this production. Laura is a pro at getting laughs and I actually think Ambrose was directed to stay away from the yucks. Don't get me wrong, she gets some laughs, but she's clearly not going for the big ones.

[EllieRose2]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 3:48pm

Wow, that was not funny at all.  

[enjoyable2]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 5:20pm

[Bwayornoway]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 6:29pm

not sure the point of this... not funny

[Elegance101]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 6:52pm

As a fan of hers, these videos are never that funny. You have to sift through the cringeworthy ones ("The Band's Visit" is about a band that is visiting...someone) for one or maybe two actually funny comments. I'm not sure if they should keep doing this every year.

That being said, I loved the My Fair Lady comment. At least she's able to make fun of herself and laugh about the fact that it didn't go her way. There aren't many actresses who would publicly reference something like that. She even made fun of her divorce with Steven Pasquale in one of these. I appreciate that.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 6:58pm

I always look forward to this every year but sadly it wasn't the best this year. But I really think that's more because it was not a very good season. She didn't really have much to work with. A meh season gives a meh recap. People should go back and watch past years of this as they have been much better in the past.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 7:44pm

Scarlet Leigh said: "I always look forward to this every year but sadly it wasn't the best this year. But I really think that's more because it was not a very good season. She didn't really have much to work with. A meh season gives a meh recap. People should go back and watch past years of this as they have been much better in the past."

How funny she is has nothing to do with how good a season has been or the quality of the shows. It's only about the titles of the show and how well she can quickly make fun of them. She just really wasn't very funny. "Summer... is not winter". Could anyone here not have come up with that?

Updated On: 5/21/18 at 07:44 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 8:02pm

nasty_khakis said: "The rumor I heard (grain of salt) was they did not want a "funny" Eliza who went for the jokes in this production. Laura is a pro at getting laughs and I actually think Ambrose was directed to stay away from the yucks. Don't get me wrong, she gets some laughs, but she's clearly not going for the big ones."

This further proves to me that this production of My Fair Lady is ridiculously misdirected (by a director who I love very much).  This is a painfully unfunny production of My Fair Lady.  Ambrose is not funny... at all.  She gives us a very weak, pitiful Eliza that lacks all comedy.  I like the political route that Sher has taken, but it is possible to be political AND funny.  Also, anyone that saw Benanti in Gypsy will tell you that she certainly does not just play the jokes.  She's a truly brilliant actress who could've grasped the dramatic, political side of Eliza, while also getting all the comedy.  I think Ashley Park and Betsy Wolfe could've done the same thing.  Hopefully this beautifully designed production lives on long enough to see them step into the show at some point.

Overall, Sher doesn't convince me with this production that he cast the best people in the audition room.  I mean, Freddy goes flat on the top notes of Street every single time.  I know that there are other actors in New York who could sing the part better and give a less stiff portrayal.  Same for Eliza.

 

[massofmen]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:34pm

The funny thing is that she porbabky had 5-10 different answers for these and THESE were the best ones....soooo think about those that didn't make the cut

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:39pm

I don't think she plans them ahead of time. I think they just throw her the name and she says the first thing that pops into her head about it.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:44pm

And she becomes a tree!

[OlBlueEyes]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:47pm

I don’t know how sensitive Laura is beneath her New York exterior, but if she is sensitive and did come close to landing that role, it might have distracted her from her usual spontaneity.

That would have been a career-defining moment, getting that role. Maybe not that many chances left for a role that can raise you to the top of your profession.

I thought Sher had Ambrose fast- tracked for the role. Do directors have to hold pro-forma auditions anyway? Laura Osnes also admitted auditioning.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:55pm

nasty_khakis said: "The rumor I heard (grain of salt) was they did not want a "funny" Eliza who went for the jokes in this production. Laura is a pro at getting laughs and I actually think Ambrose was directed to stay away from the yucks. Don't get me wrong, she gets some laughs, but she's clearly not going for the big ones."

I think this video serves to prove that Benanti can definitely be un-funny. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 11:09pm

I thought it was funny.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 11:13pm

I'm probably one of the few who thought she was in a totally different comedy in METEOR SHOWER. She wasn't funny at all. (And I loved her Comedy in SHE LOVES ME.)

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/21/18 at 11:15pm

It’s a fun one minute video. Some of you need to lighten up.

The MY FAIR LADY comment was fun. She could’ve been saltier. Even if she wanted to replace Ambrose, I don’t know if Sher would cast her in this production.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 2:03am

GeorgeandDot said: "Overall, Sher doesn't convince me with this production that he cast the best people in the audition room. I mean, Freddy goes flat on the top notes of Street every single time. I know that there are other actors in New York who could sing the part better and give a less stiff portrayal. Same for Eliza."

The sad thing about the structure of the industry is that the "best people" probably didn't even get into the audition [callback] room for Sher to see.  That said, I loved this cast and found no fault with Freddy's vocals and thought Ambrose was phenomenal.

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 6:56am

"Hard pass.  That's what they said to me.  I'm pouring one out."

I'm not familiar with this use of the phrase "hard pass."   I take it to mean turning someone down regretfully because you like their work and what they have to offer... is that right? 

If so, I'd say Laura was being humble and sweet rather than arrogant and snarky.

The whole thing was funny in a typically adept Benanti way.

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 5/22/18 at 7:10am

henrikegerman said: "I'm not familiar with this use of the phrase "hard pass." I take it to mean turning someone down regretfully because you like their work and what they have to offer... is that right?"

It's "an unequivocal rejection with no possibility of a later change of mind." It's an absolute no.