No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

A Celebration of Sinead O'Connor and Shane MacGowen

Wednesday night we produced a show at Carnegie Hall which I am very proud to have honored two great Irish singer-songwriters who past-away recently—Sinead O’Connor and Shane MacGowen of the Pogues.   We raised $70,000 for Pen America, a wonderful charity supporting free expression.   The reviews of the show have been overwhelmingly great, the buzz from the music still palpable; but in these daze of acrimony in politics, world conflicts, and societal norms, nothing is simple and everything is a trigger.  

I thought I would share this email exchange with a patron, one of handful of notes I received following the show via email (and yes, social media was even worse.)  I’ve XXXed the name obviously, but I feel sharing this might demonstrate to some people that it is time to turn down the temperature, let’s all take a little chill pill and create a more peaceful world.  To receive a note from someone I don’t know lecturing me on what I did wrong, that I am not a “good jew” is not something I can discard and ignore, no matter how thick skinned I’ve become.  I’ve read and reread her note to me, along with the others that came in post-show and believe sharing this will help diffuse some discomfort.   

My response to the complaint email below:

From: Michael Dorf <michael@citywinery.com>

Subject: Re: Last night.

Date: March 21, 2024 at 10:21:36 AM EDT

To: XXXX

I am very sorry to read your note.  If you were not so accusatory, hostile and angry towards me personally, I might consider a refund.     In fact, my empathy towards what is clearly some sad trauma that has been triggered around this horrible situation in Israel and Palestine further wants me to simply apologize and not give a more complicated response.   But, I need to Ms. XXX.  I don’t know you, but you’re a fellow human, a fellow Jew, and a patron who wanted to see some great music last night. I owe you a little more.  

What you really need to understand is that my politics were not on display last night.  City Winery was not taking any position in the horrible Israeli/Palestinian situation.    I’ll do that when I march in Union Square or discuss at my Passover Seder.  Last night we honored two incredible songwriters and raised money for Pen America—an organization whose mission is about Free Expression.    Last night was a fundraiser giving 100% of the net proceeds to an organization that protects the freedom of artists to write and express themselves.   PEN America is fighting book banning, gag orders for educators, among so many assaults on the freedom to speak.  Are you suggesting I should have censored what the artists would say or do on the stage?  The exact opposite of the cause which you were supporting last night. 

City Winery’s job is to provide a platform for artists to freely express themselves.  We worked very hard to set the stage for the performance of songs from Sinead O’Connor and Shane MacGowen and booked an incredible line-up.  Each artist chooses a song, we worked out the technical arrangements for a short window of time on stage.   In the 35 years of producing shows, I’ve never told an artist what they can and cannot say on stage.   Last night, they got their 5-7 minutes for the slot and hope they don’t go overtime singing, talking, dancing, etc.  Our focus is putting on a good show and hope to God, we don’t go into overtime with the Union.  My only issue with “speaking” is going into overtime penalty wages with the stage union.  I don’t mean to make light of your concern, but I will never tell an artist how they should express themselves.  I only might nudge them if they run over time. 

Ironically, on an evening supporting free expression, to ask for a refund because people did just that—speak freely, is almost funny.  But the caustic insults to me personally and to City Winery for working hard to put on a great show raising important charity money, because of the troubled and unneeded trauma that has been passed down to the world from Abraham thousands of years ago is simply wrong.  Pointing fingers, throwing insults, yelling at people just pours more fuel on this sad fire.    Read your note again, last night was not a "pro-Palestinian rally”.  You really wanted us to have security not allow the public to “wear those offensive red hand pins”.  Please.  City Winery will never do that, and I hope our country never tells people what to wear, what say, what to do with their own body, or any choice they make (with exceptions for public health or violence priorities).  I might even agree with much of your positions, I wear dog tags that say free the hostages.  But I will never tell another person they shouldn’t speak their mind—especially of artists on an evening supporting free expression.  

With Shalom,

Michael 

On Mar 21, 2024, at 9:16 AM, XXXX@gmail.com> wrote:

I want my money back.  I came to Carnegie hall to hear a tribute to two musicians. And I was enjoying myself for a bit.  But then what I  got was a pro Palestinian rally…. That is before I walked out. How despicable and complicit you are. Sinead spoke out against the Catholic Church who had been complicit in sex abuse and I’m sure she was influenced by her time spent in Magdalene house so a very personal issue to her.  And, although she was a sad and deeply troubled person eventually converting to Islam etc. …I got her.  She MAY have supported and loved last night… although it’s hard to believe since she was victim of abuse.   You on the other hand have become a useful and might I add the most despicable type of useful idiots… instead of using the opportunity to ask your guests not to wear those offensive red hand pins ( do you even know what it represents?? You need to do some research here) and enlighten them about its murderous violent Jew hating origins.  I saw you clapping all the way through. (You are soooo cool) That is till I walked out.  Did you care about offending your Jewish audience ?  Perhaps you could have asked all your cool musician friends about the pins that were missing for the recent brutal killings in Nigeria (did u read about that on Christmas Day?) or Syria or Yemen or you could have  asked how many saturdays they spent down at the Chinese embassy protesting for those poor Uyghurs …and …what about the kurds (30-40 million of them abused violently and constantly by Turkey and Iraq Iran). They deserve a peaceful home. What about them??? All the co religionists of the Palestinians. ( hmm lets see what’s different here???)  Perhaps if you subtly pointed out the hypocrisy…. Instead all you social justice warriors came down on the Jews in one big happy group.  And you Michael ,you gave them permission.  It was a missed opportunity where you actually could have done some good.   Instead, I and the uniformed audience got a lecture on geopolitics, genocide hah ( Oct 8 that could have been accomplished) and occupation ( nary a Jew in sight in Gaza since 2005). I loved “I see two sides” ( was that cat power) but … No mention of the hostages. Or the aggressors in all this. None. Erased…. And it matters.  

We spent a lot of money on those tickets. Including after party.  I  would like it back and I will donate it to a pro peace organization that promotes freeing the Palestinians from Hamas rule and one that demands that Hamas surrender and release the hostages.  With those two simple and of course morally correct things to demand there will be peace tomorrow. I guess that’s what you and your audience want?  

Michael, if the haters, of which there are many, ever come to find you they won’t care even slightly about your self loathing morally bankrupt clapping and posturing …you will be a Jew through and through.  You know how I know this?  Because of all the peace loving Gaza helping kibbutzniks that were butchered raped murdered in their beds on Oct 7…and of course those that were hunted throughout Europe in the 1930/40….. can’t do all the history here.  A Jew is a Jew is a Jew.  Born a Jew and die a Jew. Daniel pearl …   Now there’s a guy to admire.  

XXXXX

Sent from my iPhone