BREAKING: New York Times Theatre Critic Ben Brantley to Step Down

MARY!

Aww the only theater critic I liked.

Stephen Trask....erm, pays homage.....

[quote]New York Times Theatre Critic Ben Brantley to Step Down

Well, at this point it's not like he had anything to do.

Right, R4, and BREAKING all caps generally implies a matter of importance and great urgency.

Except for OP and 6 potential job applicants with the least chance, wouldn't this new be all the same if you found out about it next Wednesday instead of RIGHT THIS FUCKING SECOND?

Sex scandal?

What's Trask's beef with Brantley?

R5 “Breaking” simply means of the moment news... nothing wrong with this thread title at all, especially considering the theater threads on DL that have run consecutively for something like 15 years. To many DL posters this news is noteworthy.

Your overly dramatic post would make its seem as though you’re more invested in this topic and better suited for the theater than you might think.

This was Trask's PS

PS. He will also be remembered for his transphobic remarks in his review of "Head Over Heels" and getting tossed out of K-Pop for making racist remarks about Asians. Oh, and passing out drunk during shows he was supposedly reviewing.

There's a petition pushing the NYT to hire a BIPOC to replace him

My, THAT was quick

^^^^ Please just not Margo Jefferson.

Using "BREAKING" for news like this is fun. If a BREAKING post isn't really breaking, that's fine, we're just Datalounge. I don't come to DL for real breaking news, and neither should you.

[quote]Currently the co-chief theatre critic with Jesse Green, Brantley's last day will be October 15

Also breaking: the sentence above is from Playbill, not the NYT.

Ben's review of " Follies"

I hope they don’t promote that Corsican dyke Vincentelli.

[quote]Please just not Margo Jefferson

I'm available!

What was Trask’s beef with him?

That's too bad. He was the only reviewer left in town whose opinion I respected, even if I didn't agree with him. He was consistent, unlike so many others who flip and flop.

Too many words

I hate it when he queens out and gets absolutely silly. His review of the Papermill FOLLIES was embarrassing. Good-bye and good riddance.

R7/R17 Not sure. If you find out let us know

Remember when Isherwood went out in a blaze of humiliation? You’d think that Ben could’ve made his exit at least a little bit dramatic for us.

please recap the ISHERWOOD exit / thanks in advance.. ... he bashes the NYTimes every chance he gets.......

Is there a BIPOC critic held in any esteem? Who would replace him?

Please not that sanctimonious, humorless twat Hilton Als.

Used to cringe when he read his reviews on WQXR radio in the monring. What a Mary voice! Friend used to call him "Sister Brantley".

Kal Ruttenstein of Bloomingdale's always referred to him as "that faggot who wrote about blouses for WWD".

R16 Louise, my dear, the only thing you are capable of reviewing is the ghost light!

Brantley is a fine writer and a very good critic. He has his blind spots, sure, but he's a total pro. But time for someone new. Helen E. Shaw is incredible at NEW YORK magazine, as is Vinson Cunningham over at THE NEW YORKER, but I doubt either of them can be poached. Cunningham is Black, too, which would be cool.

Soraya McDonald from ESPN's The Undefeated would be ideal.

Can you please elaborate, r22?

As I dimly recall Isherwood was revealed in emails to be accepting paybacks in exchange for a good review? Is that true?

[quote] Is there a BIPOC critic held in any esteem? Who would replace him?

Does it matter, as long as they're black? Even better, black and non-binary.

Here he is boys! Here he is World. Here's BEN!

I don’t understand the extreme feelings about him as a critics. He’s been fine. He likely wants to write books and such. There won’t be any NY Theater for another year so he’s stepping down now

How brave of Stephen Trask to write his attack only after the retirement was announced.

Every DRAMA QUEEN should go out with a bang!

What is Elvis Mitchell doings these days?

Sorry, didn’t notice the question had been asked before.

r35 why would anyone risk their livelihood when the asshole still wielded power?

I presume Trask is still pissed off about Brantley's pan of This Ain't No Disco.

Trask has nothing to be pissed about. That show was an enormous piece of shit and had no business being onstage.

Why are people convinced that he'll be replaced? What is the work that two full-time theater critics would be doing right now?

[quote] Trask has nothing to be pissed about. That show was an enormous piece of shit and had no business being onstage.

Totally agree. But while Trask is many things, 'forgiving' is not one of them.

They need to hire a trans sex worker of color or else my subscription will be CANCELLED.

I know Ben Brantley. This is sad, he's a very nice guy. (And surprisingly a total top and VERY well endowed).

I wouldn’t fuck him with Patti LuPone’s dick.

r45 why is this sad? Was he forced out?

Bring back Frank Rich.

What the hell is a BIPOC? A gender binary person of color or some new affectation?