Walden Freeman: Booed offstage.

walden freeman

That's right, your's truly went to his first ever open mic last night. It was a room filled with emo kids and skinny goths and overweight girls who were singing showtunes between poems. Well, that is, when these people were actually inside. I saw more cigarettes smoked by the front door than I normall would at the casino.

Then, shaved head, slim and muscular Walden Freeman went up onstage in jeans and a polo shirt. As people realized I was next to read, the applause almost completely diminished. I got about seven lines into my poem "hi-def dictionary" when two girls started booing and telling me to stop being a "poser" and "let the real poets read." Undaunted, I forged onward for about another two lines before the entire place was heckling me and I walked offstage and out the door.

I thought my poem was a pretty solid piece. I still think it is. I honestly feel like I was only booed because I did not fit the stereotypical depressed young adult or dirty hippie look that literally everyone else had. I stuck out like a sore thumb. What's this? A well-groomed jock writing and reading poetry? We'll show him how much more open-minded we are than him by not even giving him a chance and booing him.

For the record, nobody else was booed. At least not when I was there (about 50 minutes).

Is this normal?

Steve Dunne

i stand and applaud your willingness to get up on stage and perform. don't worry about those who don't understand. stick with it!

walden freeman

Thanks man!

I just thought it was fucking weak. I mean, I'm very open to criticism, but, I feel like I was just targeted because I didn't fit the "look" of the others there, which is ironic on so many levels that they're not even worth delving into.

ClutchTheDawn

By the sounds of it, I would have stood out in that crowd as well. the difference is, i would have probably chickened out in that situation. you didn't and that says a lot about your character. you weren't booed because of your poem, and that doesn't say much about the character of the crowd.

redmosquito10

I've enjoyed pretty much all of your poems that I've read, and I've definitely seen similar things happen before. One of my friends at my college is actually studying poetry as a major, but doesn't fit the "stereotype" of that person at all. As an experiment he read the same poem at a place that sounds a lot like where you were, and then again at a more diverse club that has a mix of ages and whatnot. No response whatsoever at the first club, applause and invites to come back at the second. Some people are more interested in appearing artistic than in the actual art itself. what can you do

walden freeman

You know, it makes a lot of sense. It's fucking tragic that art is a marketable entity these days. Yeah, wear converse sneakers and a studded belt and dye your hair and wear glasses with thick frames. You'll automatically be a good poet. I've probably been writing poems for longer than quite a few of those schmucks, and some of their poems were the kind of poetry I'd write when I was 16 and had my heart broken by every girl who dumped me after a week and when I lost my wrestling matches in high school.

I mean, it doesn't matter what walk of life you come from . . . if you can observe what's around you and put it down in a heartfelt manner, I respect you. I didn't boo anyone. I didn't heckle anyone. Wow, you're all so unique, and yet you all look the same. Of course, I'm automatically close-minded because I don't *LOOK* like an artist. Irony is brutal and silent.

prism

if they're so preoccupied with you not fitting a certain image that they have stuck in their heads that they can't even listen to your words and poem, then i certainly wouldn't take any booing or criticism of theirs that gets thrown at you to heart.

keep going with it

FinsburyParkCarrots

Sounds like you walked in on a clique. Their opinion means nothing.

walden freeman

But, Mr. Carrots, if you and everyone else agrees with me, aren't we also then a clique? We are more meaningless than we had thought.

No wonder nobody listens to poets.

:-(

Dylan Stone

walden freeman wrote:

But, Mr. Carrots, if you and everyone else agrees with me, aren't we also then a clique? We are more meaningless than we had thought.

No wonder nobody listens to poets.

:-(

I'm in no clique. I'm just a fan.

Booed off stage! By fat chicks singing show tunes and lame ass emo poseur freaks? While reading high def dictionary?????!!!!

Well....I think you know how I feel about that. I would have put those people in their place if I was there.

OBVIOUSLY it wasn't the right scene for you.

I'm curious...what state are you in?

(Sorry to hear that, dude. You kick ass. )

walden freeman

GTFLYGIRL wrote:

I'm in no clique. I'm just a fan.

Booed off stage! By fat chicks singing show tunes and lame ass emo poseur freaks? While reading high def dictionary?????!!!!

Well....I think you know how I feel about that. I would have put those people in their place if I was there.

OBVIOUSLY it wasn't the right scene for you.

I'm curious...what state are you in?

(Sorry to hear that, dude. You kick ass. )

I thank you, as always, for the kind words.

I am from the lovely southern tip of New Jersey. This place is truly misunderstood.

FinsburyParkCarrots

walden freeman wrote:

But, Mr. Carrots, if you and everyone else agrees with me, aren't we also then a clique? We are more meaningless than we had thought.

You'd know if this place was a clique, if people completely ignored this thread and bumped every other one of their favourites to the top.

walden freeman

I am guilty of never giving you all the praise you deserve. I really do enjoy all of your writing. I just sometimes have a hard time figuring out what I should say. I feel like if I just give general good comments, they lose their meaning after a while but, there are some ultra-talented writers on this board.

ClutchTheDawn

just curious, as I am new around here, have you posted high def dictionary here?

Felicity

i am a fat chick.i do not sing show tunes.i leave that to the glorious gay men who colour this world so beautifully,artfully sketching outside the lines whenever possible..

my being fatter than gisele bundchen does not garner me tom brady(retched wife/mother leaver!),but assures me that those who love me do so because i am a wonderful woman,loving,warm,open,virtuous,joyous, sexy..

i have attracted the most amazing people,even though i pack larger breasts,broader hips,and thicker thighs.. and they have always made me feel so beautiful.. like a renaissance painting,like a symbol of fertility,like a full moonchild.. (you know what i mean)

those bad fat chicks,shame on them,they're missing the art and beauty of the freeman..

i would love to smother you..

chadwick

That was a pritty shitty thing for them to do. I understand what you are saying about the not fitting the typical way ppl think a writer of poetry should be and look. This happens to me quite alot. Like a dude fulla tattoos should not be writing poetry. "He's to badass to be a poet" or something off the wall is how they think.

walden freeman

ClutchTheDawn wrote:

just curious, as I am new around here, have you posted high def dictionary here?

Yeah, like, maybe a week ago I think. It's probably a few pages back by now. It's decent.

walden freeman

Felicity wrote:

i am a fat chick.i do not sing show tunes.i leave that to the glorious gay men who colour this world so beautifully,artfully sketching outside the lines whenever possible..

my being fatter than gisele bundchen does not garner me tom brady(retched wife/mother leaver!),but assures me that those who love me do so because i am a wonderful woman,loving,warm,open,virtuous,joyous, sexy..

i have attracted the most amazing people,even though i pack larger breasts,broader hips,and thicker thighs.. and they have always made me feel so beautiful.. like a renaissance painting,like a symbol of fertility,like a full moonchild.. (you know what i mean)

those bad fat chicks,shame on them,they're missing the art and beauty of the freeman..

i would love to smother you..

There is nothing worse that a person singing fucking showtunes really loudly. I remember in HS all the drama club kids would do that in the halls. Yeah, congrats, you have a nice voice. Seriously. But, nobody wants to hear it. You didn't see me doing double leg takedowns in the hall because I was a good wrestler, did you? No, so stop fucking singing. Ugh.

But I agree with what you're saying. I looked completely different from all of these people. Still, I was respectful and polite and I treated them all nicely because, I don't know anything about them other than how they look. Then, I get up on stage and start getting booed and heckled. Sorry if I'm not a *REAL* poet.

depopulationINC

Man that sucks.
Those clubs are generally very narrow minded to newcomers, especially if you don't "fit the picture"

Don't let it stop a return visit. give it a a few shots. if you put yourself up there after being there a few times the reception might be better.

ClutchTheDawn

finally strolled back to page 4 and read "high def". if anyone had actually listened, you would not have received the response you got

catefrances

walden freeman wrote:

That's right, your's truly went to his first ever open mic last night. It was a room filled with emo kids and skinny goths and overweight girls who were singing showtunes between poems. Well, that is, when these people were actually inside. I saw more cigarettes smoked by the front door than I normall would at the casino.

Then, shaved head, slim and muscular Walden Freeman went up onstage in jeans and a polo shirt. As people realized I was next to read, the applause almost completely diminished. I got about seven lines into my poem "hi-def dictionary" when two girls started booing and telling me to stop being a "poser" and "let the real poets read." Undaunted, I forged onward for about another two lines before the entire place was heckling me and I walked offstage and out the door.

I thought my poem was a pretty solid piece. I still think it is. I honestly feel like I was only booed because I did not fit the stereotypical depressed young adult or dirty hippie look that literally everyone else had. I stuck out like a sore thumb. What's this? A well-groomed jock writing and reading poetry? We'll show him how much more open-minded we are than him by not even giving him a chance and booing him.

For the record, nobody else was booed. At least not when I was there (about 50 minutes).

Is this normal?

it was the polo shirt that did it.


kudos for the cojones it took to put yourself out there.

Grasshopper

I'm a highschool football coach..i don't really fit the mold of a stereotypical musician... it's kind of funny ill give people a disk with some of my stuff on it... most people don't listen to it and pretend like they did or ask me, "who did you say this was again?"