Twitter Watch: Betty Buckley - 'Sick & Tired' of 'Broadway' Critique on AMERICAN IDOL

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On Twitter, Betty Buckley had this to say @BettyBuckley:

"OK, I just have to say this: I am sick & tired of Randy Jackson bashing what they think is Bway singing! It's soo ludicrous! I have yet to see or hear anyone sound remotely like they are a theatre singer on Idol!! And, further, theatrical singing encompasses every kind of sound, voice & style. He doesn't know what he's talkin' about!!"

Buckley, a 1982 Tony Award winner for her performance in CATS, continued by saying: "And by these constant disses he is tellin' Amer. kids that Bway is some kind of inferior art form. Next to jazz, Broadway is the only indigenous Amer. art form & with respect, 'Dog', your opinion is whack & uninformed! I mean, I respect Randy Jackson & everyone certainly has their own likes & dislikes, but THIS constant diss of 'Bway' sounding, to his ear, singers is just so ignorant & stupid that I literally cannot comprehend the producers allowing such mendacity in his remarks! Beyond idiotic!!! And when Steven Tyler remarked, 'They learn that', I thought I was gonna scream!! All human voices have vibrato in one form or another! This constant STUPID reference is beneath contempt & I gotta say, too, that all big 'rock/pop' shows these days are frickin' THEATRE! SOOO, Nigel Lithgow & company, in a world that includes an increase in the popularity of musical in general in theatre, film & television America Idol needs to WAKE UP to the truth, voices are voices, singing is singing in all forms, styles & genres. These categories have nothing to do with anything.

"The Record business in general is in big trouble & why for frickin' sake would you the creators of 'Idol' risk losing & demeaning any well intended audience. You respond to a singer because you hear their soul or you do not! ENOUGH!! I'VE HAD IT!! O, while I'm at it. The use of melisma comes outa African American church & made most popular by Mariah Carey & comp. but mindless use of melisma does NOT a great singer make if it is random & without a true emotional intiation! I've really had it, people! Someone tell Lithgow!

"Thanks for the 'Amens', Tweeties & Dopeys. Spread the word, please. Do not let these poor kids be so propaganized by a pop bass player with some pop recording success be the arbiter of what constitutes a supposed "good" singer! ENOUGH!! Aaaand....'world peace'. ; ) Oh, & one more thing: Broadway is a place, not a style. At one time, in early days of classic Bway, Rodgers, Hamerstein, Hart, Lerner & Loew Gershwin, Tin Pan Alley & company one could say there was a style, a consistency in construct. But not any more.

"All kinds of composers and singers and styles on Broadway. And that's been true since the 60's. I would venture to say that the 'Dog' & powers that be don't get much. Write them, people, & tell them how absolute off frickin' base this is! x"

Buckley guest starred on ABC Family's hit show Pretty Little Liars in August 2011. Last winter, she co-starred in Dallas Theatre Center's smash hit ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. She's arguably best known for appearing on Broadway and in London in hit shows such as SUNSET BOULEVARD, CATS, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and 1776. She appeared in the 1976 film version of CARRIE as Miss Collins in addition to starring in the 1987 Broadway production as Margaret White.

AMERICAN IDOL producer Nigel Lythgoe (@dizzyfeet) responded to Buckley's tweets, saying: "I don't believe I have ever dissed Broadway either in IDOL or SYTYCD. As far as I am concerned it is a Mecca for talent. I totally understand your point. The problem goes beyond Randy. 'Broadway' has been adopted as a style of singing and dancing. I guess in the UK we we would call it a 'show' voice. I agree GaGa, Freddie Mercury great show voices. You, Chenoweth, Katherine McPhee. I will certainly speak with Randy. I had the pleasure of seeing your outstanding performances in 'Cats' and 'Pippin.'"

Buckley then responded, "I so appreciate all you have brought to television. I'm a huge fan. The singers Randy doesn't like wouldn't work on Bway either. You are a man who is bringing dance in all forms to our culture. You have done more for the art of dance that any impresario in many, many years. You have brought respect, love & reverence & true knowledge to the art forms of song & dance. That education for audiences is priceless. Please ask Randy to correct his statements. It really is very insulting to the form of Mus. Theatre & most importantly is educating so many young people to think of 'Broadway' as inferior & uncool. Thank you for your kind comment."

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