it's all right, I got a note

[spatch]

Oh dear. Jeremy Piven is leaving the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow due to some very strange health issues, and David Mamet is fully sympathetic about the whole thing:

Playwright Mamet had expressed some skepticism about Piven's condition, which was revealed after the actor missed Tuesday night's and Wednesday's matinee performances – and then, reports the New York Post, flying back to Los Angeles Wednesday night.

"I talked to Jeremy on the phone, and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury," Mamet told Daily Variety. "So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."

Dear Mr. Mamet,

Please excuse my son Jeremy Piven from your play. He has very high mercury.

Signed,
Jeremy's Mother

Comments

[bostonista.livejournal.com]

The NY Times did a follow-up piece on this very thing. Apparently Piven tried like hell to stay in the production, but he was too exhausted from mercury poisoning to cope. And then he personally went out and found his replacement(s) (Macy and a spare).

Mamet's being a jerk, but I would expect no less.

And Piven is still a douchebag, but in this case, it's not relevant.

[spatch]

That Piven went to the trouble to find replacements says a bit more about the story and leads me to believe him more than I had originally. Typically someone pulling out of a show like this goes "Oh hey guess what I've got 'exhaustion' or something, yeah, see you later, I'll be in Palm Springs" and off they go. In this case now Jeremy is at least showing some willingness to help keep the show from tanking without a lead.

And I'm well sure Mamet's V. Proud of his little bon mot right there. But he's getting William H. Macy in so he should be happier'n peaches in a can or somesuch.

[bostonista.livejournal.com]

I'm sure Mamet is very happy to have Macy back. Who wouldn't be?

All of this has made me reconsider my sushi habit.