'Not Legitimate Reviewers' Says SPIDER-MAN's Cohl

SPIDER-MAN's lead producer, Michael Cohl spoke exclusively to Entertainment Weekly and told them that "Any of the people who review the show and say that it has no redeeming value are just not legitmate reviewers, period. It's hard to have people that don't get pop culture reviewing a pop culture event, isn't it?"

Earlier today, spokesperson Rick Miramontez gave an exclusive statement to Entertainment Weekly about his reaction to the show's reviews. What'd he say? "The PILE-ON by the critics was ridiculous and uncalled for. Their actions are unprecedented and UNCOOL!" Click Here for the EW piece. 

Last night's reviews of SPIDER-MAN turned out to be the most negative in recent memory. BroadwayWorld.com has a complete round-up of all of the reviews here, as well as our own critic, Michael Dale's 'nonReview' take that he'd be bucking the trend and waiting for the show's official opening on March 15th to weigh in. 

About the critics coming in early, a spokesperson for the production,Rick Miramontez said yesterday that "This pile-on by the critics is a huge disappointment. Changes are still being made and any review that runs before the show is frozen is totally invalid."

BroadwayWorld.com reached out to several critics to ask and confirm that they'd be interested in seeing and re-reviewing the show, around the time of its official opening on March 15th and all of them told us that they absolutely would be. Many of them noted this in their early reviews as well. 

We've reached out to the production to ask if critics, including those who ran early notices, would be invited to see the 'completed show' and have not received an answer at press time. 

Of course the debate about the show continues on the BroadwayWorld.com Message Boards as usual.