daniel kreps, writing in rolling stone magazine on saturday: e street band guitarist steven van zandt called upon lin-manuel miranda to apologize to mike pence for the hamilton cast<u+2019>s speech to the vice president-elect following friday<u+2019>s performance. . . . although van zandt tweeted that <u+201c>everyone who is sane disagrees with [pence<u+2019>s] policies,<u+201d> he argued that a broadway show<u+2014>or anywhere where art is performed<u+2014>is not the proper venue to <u+201c>bully<u+201d> an audience member. <u+201c> hamilton made a mistake. audiences shouldn<u+2019>t have to worry about being blindsided like that. theater should be sanctuary for art to speak,<u+201d> van zandt wrote. <u+201c>lin-manuel is a genius. he has created the greatest play since west side story. he is also a role model. this sets a terrible precedent. completely inappropriate. theater should be a safe haven for art to speak. not the actors. he needs to apologize to mike pence.<u+201d> van zandt reiterated that he is staunchly against donald trump and pence<u+2019>s policies<u+2014><u+201c>nobody on this planet disagrees more with everything pence represents,<u+201d> the rocker said<u+2014>but likened the hamilton cast<u+2019>s curtain call speech to the <u+201c>same bullying tactic<u+201d> employed by trump during his presidential campaign. <u+201c>it was the most respectful, benign form of bullying ever. but bullying nonetheless. and by the way, human rights must be won, not asked for,<u+201d> van zandt said. <u+201c>when artists perform the venue becomes your home. the audience are your guests,<u+201d> van zandt continued. <u+201c>it<u+2019>s taking unfair advantage of someone who thought they were a protected guest in your home . . . a guy comes to a broadway show for a relaxing night out. instead he gets a lecture from the stage! not a level playing field. it<u+2019>s bullying. you don<u+2019>t single out an audience member and embarrass him from the stage. a terrible precedent to set.<u+201d>
notable & quotable: the <u+2018>bullying<u+2019> at hamilton - wsj
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