[Dixielandjazz] Re: Art & Jazz & Audience/woody allen

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

Me thinks it does not matter two diddley's and a damn whether or not Woody 
Allen can play the clarinet or not, nor any better or worse than anybody else.

He is a celebrity and will attract an audience to pay fifty dollars to see 
him go to the bathroom if nothing else.

He could also no doubt draw a tremendous paid attendance crowd to his funeral 
from the mere fact that he is a celebrity.   

None of it makes him a good clarinet player, he is a widely recognized actor 
and comedian who has proven he can even can attract a following to a court 
house.

Steven Segal who was a famous movie star in the 70's is also a decent Bass 
Guitar player, but who knows it? almost nobody, but you can put his name up in 
lights outside any live music club in Los Angeles or Hollywood and he will draw 
a crowd of folks willing to pay to get close enough to him to say they were 
actually in the same room with him.

William Shatner makes singing commercials for priceline dot com, does that 
make him a good singer?  He also gets paid far more to do so than many competent 
professional singers can make in a year.  He could not carry a tune in a 
bucket with a lid on it.

Woody Allen the clarinet player and Woody Allen the celebrity who can get 
adoring applause just for walking onto the stage or into the room from devoted 
fans or just plain star stuck folks, is a far cry from being reviewed as a 
serious artist and musician of historical magnitude or importance, at least in my 
opinion.

I could probably get the same attention by doing brain transplants on my days 
off. :))

Like Woody really needs the gig huh?  Or is it he just wants to work to keep 
the fellas in the band working?  Could they command the same cover charge if 
Woody called in sick or had to take a leave of absence to do a movie?  Me 
thinks not.

Cheers,

Doubting Thomas Wiggins

Same goes for may other celebrities.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins