On the Propriety of Booing

[X DM]

The deal to take Star out of competition was signed and sealed before the 93' Season was over. It was all about the opportunity not what happened at DCI. The thought at the time was that at some point they would return eventually.

As for 93' connecting with the audience, the fact that there is still an incredible amount of interest in that show tells you they connected with people, both in a good way and a bad way. I've never seen a show split an audience like that one, boos and standing Os all at the same time. The judges seemed fine with it and the way it was performed as they dominated the field save for a handful shows that season. Even with hindsight I doubt that anyone on that design staff would change a thing. Experience of a lifetime for the members and an instant classic. Who cares about the score.

When Mark Sylvester used to work at Star, he used to say that if there is something in a show that makes us uncomfortable or that you don't understand, hang on to it. It is just new to you, and it just might be something really cool.

( Since this is a thread on The Cadets, I'll chime in for the newcomers here and for proper context that the judges selected The Cadets as DCI Champions in 1993)

Edited August 12, 2007 by X DM

[DrumCorpsFan27]

But that's just the thing; the "boos" of the casting directors were aimed directly at Chris Imperioli for his own performance. Not at anything his agent did, or his publicist, or his wardrobe designer, or anybody else. At him and the job he did, however well or poorly. That's the difference between the kind of booing we're talking about (aimed at Hopkins, not his corps) and booing aimed directly at a performer, athlete, whomever, who just isn't cutting it. Such "succinct vocal disapproval" is fine when it goes directly to the source. IMO, booing the Cadets because of something Hopkins did, or the fact that people don't like what the design team came up with, doesn't. Not only does it miss the mark, but it creates even more ill will for the unintended target.

The OPs stance is that the members of the 2007 Cadets knew exactly what they were getting into and so booing them was appropriate. He further said that the '93 Star and '05 Cadets were doing something brand new and so the members were not aware of how it would have been received, therefor, inappropriate to boo. I am willing to bet that the OP would tell you now that it will be OK to boo the members of the 2008 Cadets if a similar production is fielded.

Mind you, this is my interpretation of the OP's opinion, not necessarily my own, but he has caused me to think.

[DrumCorpsFan27]

Hmmmm.... well, if the Cadets felt comfortable shoving their narration down the crowd's throat, perhaps they deserved some feedback. I have great respect for the talent of the corps, but come on. The narration was horrible. It was on the verge of all out parody. It was like the Mormon kids from South Park. It distracted the crowds. It literally (and I mean literally LITERALLY, not in the current usage) made my 1 1/2 month old niece cry at semifinals, something which no other corps did. It pandered to anyone who got (or is still getting) picked on for being a band geek. Unless somebody can honestly tell me that the Cadets didn't know about the narration until they had invested too much time and money into the season to bail out, I think they deserved the lesson in consequences that only the crowd was up to giving them.

It was very distracting, which was really too bad. There was a very good show going on behind all that talk.

[2000Cadet]

No. Calling people "all types of names" is not the high road in any situation. You should calmly and politely ask them to stop and then report them to the ushers/security if they persist. Write letters to DCI in complaint if nothing is done about it. Verbally assaulting people is not the right resolution anymore than booing a corps because you disagree with their show concept. If anything, verbal assault is more wrong, since calling people "all types of names" could be a crime in some areas.

Oh please. If they were so rude to boo and heckle a show, what makes you think they would respond in a good way to someone politely asking them to stop? Writing letters probably won't stop it because, as you said in one of your posts, booing has always been around. So spare me the advice.

Edited August 12, 2007 by 2000Cadet

[IRMO]

Ya know, I've been thinking a lot about this whole situation since Thursday night, and reading the OP is very much a "wake-up call" for me. DCI is not what it used to be when I became a fan, not because of the shows that "push the envelope", but because the audience reaction has changed from simply not applauding at things you don't like, to booing and shouting things like, "give the kid a gun already" (and before anyone says that it was just one fan, the laughter that followed the remark was loud enough to be heard in the theaters).

So, as a director, I will no longer be selling the activity to my students and recommending to my students that they march Div 1, because I will not subject any of my kids to these "symptoms of DCI's schizophrenia". Anyone who is a HS director, ask yourself this- if you were at Quarterfinals or were in a theater, would you want your kids to be on the field with The Cadets?

I made a similar point earlier and I wholeheartedly believe after Thursday night that the booers are doing just as much to ruin this activity as they claim GH is.

It's hard to blame people if they were never taught how to act responsibly in public. I blame my generation for raising a bunch of hoodlums who never heard no and have no respect for themselves let alone others.

I dont care what year it is or what corps is on the field it is never appropriate to boo artistic performers.

[2000Cadet]

So, as a director, I will no longer be selling the activity to my students and recommending to my students that they march Div 1, because I will not subject any of my kids to these "symptoms of DCI's schizophrenia". Anyone who is a HS director, ask yourself this- if you were at Quarterfinals or were in a theater, would you want your kids to be on the field with The Cadets?

And this saddens me because I am sure there are a lot of talented students in your band who would do well in this activity. I agree with you not wanting your kids to have to go through what the kids in Cadets had to witness on Quarters. I hope something happens next year that will change your mind about the whole thing.

[DrumCorpsFan27]

I won't boo in the stands because I don't want it to seem I'm booing the performers, but if there was a way I could boo George directly, I would lose my voice. You can say all you want about how he looks out for the safety of his kids...this is true. I'm just sick and tired of his smug attitude. Do you ever notice how he comes out and inspects the field hours before his corps comes on? In San Antonio and Atlanta, he's walking out on the field by himself 7 or 8 corps before his. He also did it in Charlotte, although it was because of field concerns, hence the sandbags and staff spray painting hashes. It's like he has to make an appearance so EVERYBODY sees him walking around talking on his cell phone. If you watch him closely, he'll talk for a minute, then dial another #, talk for a minute, then dial another #. Who is he talking to? The fact that he bowed to the crowd on Thursday night when they were booing proves my point. His ego is as big as his hair.

Flame away everyone.

This I believe!

[DrumCorpsFan27]

( Since this is a thread on The Cadets, I'll chime in for the newcomers here and for proper context that the judges selected The Cadets as DCI Champions in 1993)

And rightfully so, IMO.

[2000Cadet]

I won't boo in the stands because I don't want it to seem I'm booing the performers, but if there was a way I could boo George directly, I would lose my voice. You can say all you want about how he looks out for the safety of his kids...this is true. I'm just sick and tired of his smug attitude. Do you ever notice how he comes out and inspects the field hours before his corps comes on? In San Antonio and Atlanta, he's walking out on the field by himself 7 or 8 corps before his. He also did it in Charlotte, although it was because of field concerns, hence the sandbags and staff spray painting hashes. It's like he has to make an appearance so EVERYBODY sees him walking around talking on his cell phone. If you watch him closely, he'll talk for a minute, then dial another #, talk for a minute, then dial another #. Who is he talking to? The fact that he bowed to the crowd on Thursday night when they were booing proves my point. His ego is as big as his hair.

Flame away everyone.

Yeah but everytime he has inspected the field and said something about it, something was done about it. I don't see a "smug" attitude. If you have marched, you know how dangerous a field could be. From holes in the field to hills appearing out of nowhere, if you are not careful and not sure what is on that field, you could either hurt yourself or take a tumble. So I think he is right for inspecting the field. He only appears to have a smug attitude because you choose to take it that way.

Edited August 12, 2007 by 2000Cadet

[X DM]

After Thursday night's antics by the director of the Cadets, much discussion was had regarding the crowd's reaction to his display and to his group's performance. After much introspection, I have come to realize that this is merely a symptom of DCI's schizophrenia. Just think about it: Before 1993, for the most part, the only real boos heard at a drum corps show were clearly aimed at the judges. For example, on several occasions at shows I attended (especially in the 80s), the announcement of the score and placement for the Madison Scouts was met by vociferous booing, which was replaced within seconds by thunderous applause. The clear message: "Judges, you f’ed up; get it together! Scouts, you deserved better; great job!" Although the implication was that they should have placed higher than another corps, it was never interpreted (or, at least, meant to be interpreted) as "Hey, other corps: You suck!", and no one thought twice about it. Well, at least no one with any intelligence.

The first example of actually booing a corps, as others have pointed out, occurred in 1993 with the Star of Indiana. But that's also the first instance of DCI's growing schizophrenia becoming apparent. I will admit: I booed that show. Did I boo the members of that corps? No, I didn't. There had been no evidence from Star's previously well-designed shows that they were about to produce such a lump of manure. And, up until that point, the audience (and most corps members and staffs) still believed that drum corps was a youth activity. I booed the staff of the Star of Indiana, and especially the design team. The American Heritage Dictionary defines "boo" as "to express contempt, scorn, or disapproval", and that's exactly what I did with Star's 1993 show: I expressed my contempt for their design, my scorn for the faux artistry of their visual program, and my disapproval of the musical philosophy demonstrated by their book (or lack thereof). Did the members perform their show with excellence? Yes, but if a sculptor crafted a realistic-looking piece of excrement out of marble, it’s still a piece of excrement, even if excellently rendered.

After that instance in 1993, booing a particular corps (as opposed to the judges) mostly disappeared. Pockets may have occurred, but not like we saw with Star. Why? Yes, corps were "pushing the envelope" from a creative standpoint, but they were doing it within the confines of the audiences' expectations. No show made such a leap from the expected as Star's did, until Cadets 2005. And despite the audiences' overall rejection of the design choices of the Cadets that year, the judges rewarded them with the title. Who could have seen the provocative effect this would have on DCI's schizophrenia?

You may be wondering: "DCI's schizophrenia? What are you talking about?" The American Heritage Dictionary defines "schizophrenia" as "A situation or condition that results from the coexistence of disparate or antagonistic qualities, identities, or activities." And that describes exactly the current state of affairs in DCI. Most (if not all) of DCI's current problems stems from the fact that it doesn't know what "drum corps" is anymore. At various times, and for various reasons, DCI (as emblematic of the activity as a whole) holds itself out as "a youth activity" (emphasis education), as "art", as "entertainment", and as "a competitive sport". However, decisions are made based on the perceived emphasis at that time, not due to an organized and focused approach, creating a jumble of confusing, and often contradictory, principles.

So, is it appropriate to boo a corps? It depends on what you believe the emphasis should be. If drum corps is still truly a youth activity, then the answer is easy: No, booing is inappropriate. No one, not even the worst, most heartless person, would go to a concert given by their local school and boo the 4th graders who are just learning music and are attempting to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on their flutophones. While the Cadets are light years past that scenario, if the emphasis is education and they are students, then the attempt, any attempt, should be cheered. Unfortunately, as an activity, this has not been a youth activity for quite some time. Yes, there are individual corps that exist as singular youth activities, but as long as a corps turns away kids who aren't as experienced or talented in favor of a "better" performer, they have lost the right to be considered a youth activity, and the "protection from booing" that goes along with it. Accordingly, as a personal example of how I implement these differences, you will never hear me boo corps like the Colt Cadets, Mystikal, or Capital Sound. However, I will not hesitate to boo the Cadets, the Blue Devils, or the Cavaliers if their show (or performance) dictates it. Conclusion: Booing of a youth activity should be inappropriate, but, unfortunately, few corps meet the definition of a youth activity and thereby deserve not to be booed by drum corps audiences.

What if you believe the emphasis should be on art or entertainment; is booing appropriate then? This is definitely a harder case to make. Do people boo at movies they disapprove of? Not usually. Instead, they show their displeasure by advising others not to pay the money to see it. But that analogy doesn’t work for drum corps, because you can’t financially express your opinion about one show: So you didn’t buy a ticket to the show; is it because you don’t like corps A or one of the others performing (or more than one)? How can anyone differentiate? It’s impossible. And that’s before you throw in all the other possible variables (maybe you didn’t go to that show because it was too far away, or you had other plans, or you couldn’t afford it, or you didn’t know about it, etc.). A better analogy is provided by stand-up comedians. When you go to a comedy club, there are usually several comedians performing their routines that night, and booing and heckling a comedian who sucks is commonplace. “Well, they’re professionals; they can handle it,” you might argue, but it happens to amateurs as well. Don’t believe me? Just stay up late some Saturday night and watch “Showtime at the Apollo”. Even the definition provided above for “boo” was followed by the following example: booed the singer off the stage.” Conclusion: Whether booing an artist or entertainer is appropriate is not clear, but it definitely happens on a regular basis. Deal with it.

Finally, the easiest case is if you believe that the emphasis should be on competition. Anyone who has ever been to a sporting event knows that booing the opposition is practically an American pastime. And since this appears to be the primary emphasis these days (as evidenced by DCI’s new branding initiative “Marching Music’s Major League™”), no one should be shocked. Indeed, why did the Cadets perform the show that they did in spite of the palpable disapproval with their show design? Is it because their director is concerned with their education? Clearly not (unless he wants to teach them about derision). Is it because it’s entertaining? Again, clearly not; the “libretto” is simplistic and inane, and the “performance” of the libretto is so dreadful even Dorothy Parker would be incapable of giving it the drubbing it deserves. (How their Music GE and Ensemble scores can be so high is the second greatest mystery the drum corps world has ever known, only behind the mystery of how their Visual Performance scores can be so high year after year despite the blatantly crappy technique.) Is it for the art of it? Unless the director and staff of the Cadets have changed their organizational philosophy recently, I can attest to the fact that the sole motivation for their design decisions is to give their members “the best shot to win a title.” Clearly, the Cadets, as an organization, believe the emphasis should be placed on competition. Conclusion: If you want to play in the majors, you’ve got to grow some cojones or go back home.

Overall, it is clear that booing is an appropriate response to the abomination that is the Cadets 2007 show. Which takes us back to 2005: That year, people booed the Cadets for the same reasons they booed Star in 1993; i.e. they were booing the design team and staff of the Cadets, not the members. But what happened? The judges put their imprimatur on the show by not only handing them the title, but all of the captions (and subcaptions) as well. The message (doing their best Ellsworth Toohey imitation): “We, the judging community, hereby declare that everyone who thinks they know anything about drum corps is wrong, and that the Cadets 2005 show is what we want in the future. Trust us; it’s for your own good.” So, the next year, the Cadets brought us more of the same crap and once again scored well, despite the increasing discontent and increasingly vocal opposition. Now, the 2007 season rolls around, and the Cadets once again decide to show us that they know more about what drum corps is and should be. The problem is that, at this stage, no member can claim ignorance and lay claim to the pass that the members of 1993 Star and even 2005 Cadets receive. If you know enough about the Cadets to be willing to pay the exorbitant fees to march there, then you know enough about their design philosophies; you’ve made your choice, and that choice is to place your stamp of approval on it as well. So, thank you Cadets, for accomplishing the Toohey goal of making everyone equal: First, we booed the judges (and DCI), then the design team and staffs, and now even the members are fair game. Thank you for taking this once-grand activity, steeped in the traditions of honor, respect, duty, and camaraderie, and dragging it down to the vulgar levels of an SEC college football game. “Embrace the suckiness!”

Dan Baker

Outstanding insights here Don...... In an earlier post last week, I acknowledged that booing is the byproduct of the venue and how DCI is marketing themselves these last few seasons....." ESPN"...... "Major Leagues"...."shoot out at the ok corral"...... performers trumpeted now as "athletes "...... have the endurance of " olympic competitors"....... lets wire a percussionist to demonstrate his heart beats "as fast or faster than most athletes" snd lets PROVE IT FOR THE AUDIENCE with an accredited heart specialist from a Univ....... we are told that " the competition is really beginning to heat up " from the Semi's...... lets.show a clip of Bobby Knight who loves Drum Corps too......did Rondo tell us the competition is REALLY heating up ?..... and so forth.

When we put the " teams " as we call them now in an outdoor stadium, market " the Summer Music GAMES it to ESPN, and stress the intense competition level ( " These Corps are just getting better and BETTER every year " says Rondo ), and we liken them" to well conditioned athletes"....... then why oh why are we suddenly now surprised that we now are beginning to hear some boos at these competitive " Games " in the outdoor football stadium venue ? Your typical ESPN sports fan must be scratching their head at what all this fuss is about regarding a brief moment in a 4 hour competition of a smattering of....... Gawd forbid....... a boo.

So yes, there is some apparent " schizophenia " like actions at work here. DCI wants to liken Drum Corps and its marchers to toughtened athletes. They want them adulated like athletes at colleges and universities. But as we know, 17-22 year old college athletes are ROUTINELY greeted with catcalls, boos, ridiculing signs, and worse etc all designed to give the home team an advantage and make the opponent become rattled. DCI wants the adulation for their competitors, but as for an occassional boo ?..... well, these are really Band kids here so lets be real sensitive here with them and not hurt their feelings. Can't have it both ways folks. If Drum Corps wants to see themselves as tough and strong "athlete like" competitors, then they are either going to have to learn to blow their nose, wipe their eyes and get real, or else drop the sports and athlete analogies in it's future marketing altogether. That's my 2 cents worth anyway.

Edited August 13, 2007 by X DM