callin' it all out!

[taminelson]

"don't go to thursday night awesome, go to kazillionaire...it's funnier"

says phil infront of people in line to buy tickets for thursday night awesome.

!!

kazillionaire is awesome and it very well may be funnier....but...

phil, i love you. but dude. i know those were your friends you were saying it to...but...

what i love about the AIC is everyone being so supportive of everyone elses bs.

don't say that infront of paying customers. let's make a mental note not to do that.

i'm calling you out because this behavior is bad business and i am a watchdog (total bitch).

kisses.


ps to phil: you may now launch into anything i have done ever to misrepresent the AIC.

FIRE.

[improvstitute]

Props to Tami for calling it out. That just can't happen. Phil...you have to sell what people want, not what you want. We all work hard to promote our shows. The last thing we need is someone on the inside saying don't go see this. Nothing against Kazillionare at all. I am sure it was great, but we are trying very hard to build the AIC's reputation. You weren't around when we had no market share and no rep. It SUCKED GIANT COCK. Please don't start turning people away that have come to see us even if it is for another show that is really good. So much of our audience is there because of word of mouth. Two people can easily turn into 10 or 20 with one positive recommendation. We need that!!! Live and learn, brotha.

[kaci_beeler]

The Thursday Night Awesome was pretty damn funny tonight, in my opinion, and I've seen like the past 3 or 4 TNAs.
And it was a little sad that the audience wasn't bigger.

I once overheard Maestro being called a "Newbie playground" when compared to Whirled News Tonight at the box for some customers. Not so cool.

[shksprtx]

I once overheard Maestro being called a "Newbie playground" when compared to Whirled News Tonight at the box for some customers. Not so cool.

I haven't seen Maestro, and I am myself a "newbie" to the AIC, but I have some credentials backing me up and wanna play Maestro myself...so what gives with that? Does this mean I will be forever derided for eventually hopefully participating in a Maestro? And who decides upon these nomenclatures anyway?

Seriously, though, having managed the box office at TAMU-Commerce for a year and worked the one at Texas Tech for a semester or two, I can state unequivocally that the kind of remark referenced above is unprofessional, unneccesary, and hurtful to the general goals and aims of the organization.

On the one hand, box office workers could be instructed on such matters, which might make it harder to find people willing to take that job. On the other hand, if nothing is done, the problem may spiral out of control.

I suggest a middle-ground approach. In the box-office packet, make a note that, should the situation arise that multiple shows are running and a patron asks which show is better, the correct response is a sincere shrug followed by an "I have no idea, as I've not seen either."

It may be a blatant lie in some cases (or not, since I haven't seen a whole lot of improv since I arrived in Austin), but it's better for business...

So that was more than two cent's worth...

[valetoile]

I think a better answer would be "They're both really good. A is a fast-paced ompetitive games, and B is an immersive story experience." or if you don't even know that much, "I haven't seen them, but I know both groups put on really good shows. You'd probably enjoy both. In fact, these shows are both playing again on these dates, so you CAN see both!" If you seem excited about what you're selling, it rubs off.

[shksprtx]

I think a better answer would be "They're both really good. A is a fast-paced ompetitive games, and B is an immersive story experience." or if you don't even know that much, "I haven't seen them, but I know both groups put on really good shows. You'd probably enjoy both. In fact, these shows are both playing again on these dates, so you CAN see both!" If you seem excited about what you're selling, it rubs off.

And that's why I recommend the "shrug" technique.

Whether the box office personnel has seen a given show or not, they have the ability to recommend ALL shows by simply shrugging and saying, "I ain't seen it, but I heard it's funny."

[ratliff]

Tami is of course absolutely right about this in principle. I was there, and I will say in Phil's defense that I assumed he meant the comment in a humorously self-serving way, given that he was wearing a red jumpsuit that identified him as part of the Kazillionaire team. I took it more as good-natured tweaking of the TNA people there than any serious attempt to change anyone's mind. But Tami was there, too, so if she read it differently it probably wasn't that cut and dried.

As far as things that might be affecting the gate at the Hideout, I think this particular incident ranks pretty low on the list. As someone who's still paying more often than playing, I heartily agree that there's plenty of room for improvement, including more professionalism in and around the box office, but I feel a little bad that Phil's going to come home and turn on his computer to find himself at the bottom of this dogpile. He probably shouldn't have said that, but I don't really think that people are finding their way all the way to the Hideout box office only to be dissuaded by overheard comments.

[phlounderphil]

Sorry AIC. I was smiling and jokingly said "Kazillionaire is better"...

...because it is.

I'm no stranger to not being supported by this community and to BEING supported by the community. I also do everything I can to bring people in to see our shows (even the ones I am not in). I love this community, and I love how supportive we are for eachother, Kazillionaire and Thursday Night Awesome BOTH has small audiences tonight, and that's never good. But bitchin' at me for a joke is NOT the answer to the question of how we fill seats.

And to Kaci, I've only described Maestro as a "newbie playground" jokingly with Andy Crouch. And I sell many tickets to both WNT AND MAESTRO when I sell those tickets, and I sell them fairly, I tell people what they are going to see. I tell them that Maestro is shortform games similar to Whose Line and Whirled News Tonight is a news satire from Chicago with a lot of "very experienced people" who know what they're doing. I've said many times when asked, that both are fantastic shows and I recommend both, depending on your style. However, if someone else would like to join me in the box every saturday night and make sure of that, I'm inviting you to do that now.

Sorry for making a joke to my friends.

Thank you John Ratliff for getting my back.

I'd think it would ALMOST be obvious that everything I say is a joke.

From now on I'll remember to keep the jokes INSIDE the theatre and not out where the innocent and unsuspecting public or the fragile egos of improvisers can be damaged by them.

Thanks for pointing out my huge glaring mistakes. I hope this doesn't hurt me when AIC award nominations roll around.

;)

Love you fuckers
-Phil

[phlounderphil]

DISCLAIMER: The above post was not at all sincere, it was simply a "I can't let my ego be hurt by this direct attack on me by several people I know and respect" (I don't respect Kaci though). The following post is my more "sincere" response to Tami's complaint.

Dearest AIC:

I would like to apologize to Tami (and Jastroch who was also in the booth) for making a joke at the expense of Thursday Night Awesome. As I've told several people, Thursday Night Awesome is one of my favorite shows at the Hideout, I always love being a part of it, and I do my best to spread the good word of the show. I made a small joke about Kazillionaire being better, and probably didn't realize that there were that many paying customers (who weren't improvisers) at the box office.

I actually walked back into the theatre and told Doug that I wish I could've seen Thursday Night Awesome because I really wanted to see Rachel play guitar and sing "sarcastic love songs" as was advertised, and I always love seeing Coldtowne play.

To the members of the AIC, please realize that I care very much about us and the Hideout making money (especially the Hideout, because it might close soon). And there are plenty of ways for me to prove that, and I started to type some of them here and they just sounded pretentious, and I hate sounding pretentious. (But you can go check the AIC's financial records in March for a bit of proof).

And I'll still care about the AIC even after Tami (and others) attack me in such a blatant and ridiculous manner. Because I realize it's a stupid attack for a stupid reason. I work my ass off for our community (and for Sean's theatre), and I (like most of us) don't get thanked much. So reading this was just plain peachy for me and it made my night.

I am truly sorry for any offense taken by what I said, I really didn't mean it. And I promise that I'll just shut up next time.

Please know that it was all in jest.

Sincerely,
-Phil

[Andy P]

This is dangerous. Please be careful. Turn back now if at all possible.

[taminelson]

whoa.

[taminelson]

phil baby, don't be so sensitive.
this wasn't a PERSONAL ATTACK. honey lamb, sweetfeet, dollface, sailor.
how many times to i have to say i love you to make you realize i love you?

huh? i LOVE YOU.

here's this: i get that you were joking with your friends...but did everyone else know that? i don't know. i don't know anything. i think it's safe just not to (EVEN IF WE ALL GET IT) make cracks about shows around the box office.

that't it. let's all know how to handle ourselves at the box office.

OVER.

[acrouch]

Yay forums!

I don't love Tami or Phil or any of you guys, but I like you all very much. And I'm a big fan of emailing people privately with specific feedback and posting more general statements on public forums.

[nadine]

phil baby, don't be so sensitive.
this wasn't a PERSONAL ATTACK.

Tami, that was a personal attack. And public too. It's hard for someone not to be defensive in the reaction.

I think we all have faults (like I'm tactless) and criticisms of others, but it would've been better to talk privately to the person if they really wronged you. And maybe air it publicly after several avenues have been exhausted.

I see Phil work box office all the time, and I applaud him for it. And he's cool. And so is Tami.

[Marc Majcher]

(Drama deleted)

I care very much about us and the Hideout making money (especially the Hideout, because it might close soon).

Wait wha what? Is this the jokey too, or is this a real thing? I don't know what's true any more!