I Peeved Paradise video

[groomporter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIaDLwYlouw

[Welsh Wench]

That's funny......and sad too.

Empty Hats could sing that and substitute 'Peterson' in there.

Yeah, we lost big time there.

So now Joni Mitchell is stuck in my mind.

[groomporter]

So... what has attendance been like at CORF in recent years? Are they're going through the same type of cutbacks in pay to cast made at MNRF a few years ago? This was apparently posted on Youtube just about a week before they opened this season

[groomporter]

Oops it's apparently a reference to the Pittsbugh show, I didn't realize Paradise was involved in that as well as Colorado.

[GirlChris]

So , for those of us who need a little context... what's Paradise and why are they peeved?

[groomporter]

Jim Paradise, my understanding is he is the majority owner of CORF and apparently a major player at the Pittsburgh show (a couple decades ago he used to be a partner in MNRF) Don't know why he is peeved, or whether the video is just sour grapes by a cast member whose contract was not renewed, but the complaints seem pretty universal to problems at big fairs

[groomporter]

So , for those of us who need a little context... what's Paradise and why are they peeved?

In other words I reposted it from elsewhere in part of hopes of getting some context

[arbcoind]

My home faire is PRF...I know Terry...The song makes perfect sense.  Thanks for posting it.

Gina

[Terry Griffith]

Thank you, Gina, for the back-up and thanks to Groomporter for finding and posting it.  Half of the verses were mine and it I performed and uploaded it to Youtube.

To understand and appreciate the song, someone would have to know what we have been through in Pittsburgh and know the original song "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchel.  It was not written to be appreciated by anyone outside but I'm glad it is understood by many here.  Over the last several years we have watched our beloved faire being taken over.  At first, it was just the owner and management staff.  Then, every year more and more of the talented people who made it the success that it was were replaced with others from the owner's other faire.  The cast and stage acts that worked so hard as a labor of love were disrespected to the point that they moved on voluntarily just to maintain some semblance of dignity.  The collective hearbreak hung in the air of the Shire last year and this year patrons will find a very different faire.

If I had written it bemoaning the fact that I am no longer there I would have to agree that it would be "sour grapes".  That is not the case.  It was written to give a voice to all those that have had part of their lives taken away.  I promoted the faire through my 40 to 50 local pub gigs every year.  The local rennies continue to support me in those venues and now I will be singing this song at all of them. 

My wife and I have lost a very important part of our lives but I have been a professional musician for 35 years before discovering the faire and that cannot be taken away.  Thank you all for being a part of that part of our lives.  We have made friends that we will never forget.

[groomporter]

Terry I'm very glad to get your side. I discovered your video through someone who posted a link and claimed have had similar unpleasant experience with Jim Paradise and Betty Spreen at CORF (hence my original assumption that it was CO related). It reminded me of a little comic that was anonymously posted backstage at MNRF a couple years back http://tinyurl.com/2bz2yyh

[Terry Griffith]

Thank you for sending that.  It will get a great reception in Pittsburgh.  Sometimes all you can do is laugh.

You can screw some of the people all the time and all of the people some of the time but sooner or later they'll all get together.

[oneill]

 Terry, your parody has so much merit!

[arbcoind]

Terry, you are welcome for the support.  Thank you for explaining our Shire's situtation.  We will miss you come August.

Gina

[Queen Bonnie]

 Good to know a bit of the story behind the great parody! I have always loved that song and your version touched me Terry!  Funny but sad too.Well done!

[Professor M]

My goodness, I had no idea there would be such a universal message in this song.  It was something we'd been talking about for the last few years, and I'm glad we finally got it written.  We were aware that performers at our "sister faire" in Colorado were enduring the same treatment, but I had no idea that other faires experienced the same thing.  While the circumstances are a bit sad, I prefer to focus on the positive.  We're having a good laugh now, and so many more of us have come together in fellowship.

Part of my frustration was over the notion that entertainers don't seem to matter.  So here is a song by those insignificant entertainers.  Enjoy.