ELAINE STRITCH !@#$% FURIOUS OVER CBS'S CRUELEST CUT

New York Post ^ | June 3, 2002 | MICHAEL RIEDEL

[Skooz]

June 3, 2002 -- A furious Elaine Stritch told CBS to "go f - - -" itself last night after the network cut to a commercial midway through her Tony acceptance speech.

The 76-year-old Broadway star - who won a special Tony for her hugely acclaimed one-woman show, "Elaine Stritch, At Liberty" - was thanking her producers when the orchestra started playing over her speech, a not-very-subtle signal that she had exceeded her two-minute time limit.

[Skooz]

Thought we could use something light and amusing about now.

[Silly]

I'm glad Stritch gave it to them. Just wish it had made it on the air.

[stripes1776]

Not only is Elaine a one-woman show, but a one-woman award ceremony as well.

[pabianice]

Well, there goes her Emily Post Award...

[spald]

Heck Elaine, AARP reveived over 90 million bucks during the Clinton Administration for activist programs. The Senate is run by the trial lawyers. Why not just SUE CBS for age discrimination?

New Show Title: "Elaine Stritch, At Liberty to B*tch and Complain and Moan" (now on CD).

[Redbob]

Actors and actresses performing can be hugely entertaining.

When they begin talking about themselves, they are hugely BORing!
Think Barbra Streisand.

[T. P. Pole]

I know CBS can't let people do the Gettysburg Address at the Tonys, but they should have given me my time.

Here's a woman that knows her history.

Umm, wasn't the thing that was notable about the Gettysburg Address was that it was followed by a hour long oration by somebody else? It address was so fast that the photographer didn't take a picture, thinking he had an hour to get the right shot, only to find Lincoln sitting down in three minutes.

[Hari_Seldon]

"I wanted to accept my prize with graciousness."

I see. Ignoring the rules regarding time limits, then telling CBS to f--- themselves for enforcing the limits that were clearly stated at the outset is really quite gracious, isn't it.

Belive me, I'm no fan of CBS, but in this case I don't think they deserve the criticism for suggesting that the two-minute time limit even applied to the great Elaine Stritch.

[alisasny]

I dont know about you but I found this woman to be a complete boor. I saw her 60 minutes interview months ago and they replayed it last night and she is so full of herself and I dont even find her funny.

This cursing just adds to her boorishness.

[Cagey]

She was featured on 60 minutes last night and was wonderful. She even managed to tell Morley Safer he's a wiseass.

[HeadOn]

I know CBS can't let people do the Gettysburg Address at the Tonys, but they should have given me my time.

I think the Gettysburg Address can be said in less than two minutes, if you hurry...

[stanz]

I thought she had enough time. She just wanted a one-woman show within a show.

[EggsAckley]

Elaine is an amazing performer, and is right to be offended by CBS.

[Skooz]

I'll get over it, but it'll take a few days.

Yeah, such severe trauma usually takes a while to get over.

[rintense]

I wish I could have seen it!!!!

[Happygal]

*LOL*...she sounds pretty spirited.

[Duckdog]

If they have a two minute time limit and she went over It is her own fault.

[Paul Atreides]

"It's pretty emotional for a woman my age to win a Tony, and to be cut down like that has spoiled it for me. I'll get over it, but it'll take a few days."

Stritch has been nominated for a Tony four times in her career, but never won until last night. "Winning is hard for me," Stritch said. "The work is easy; winning is hard. I wanted to accept my prize with graciousness. I was anxious to tell the audience what this means to me. But they rang the curtain down before the play was over."

It sounds like she wanted to launch into some sort of personal screed and got mad when they made her play by the same rule as everyone else.

[HeadOn]

Aw, man! I finally get a great comeback, and you beat me to it. I gotta learn to post faster.

[Phantom Lord]

News Flash to Elaine Stritch, The Gettysburg Address is less than 2 minutes long.