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briansmagic Special user USA 507 Posts |
I am doing a large illusion show in a theatre open to the public, we just got done w/ weekend 2 out of 3. The week before opening the lead assistant snapped, all of a sudden I am the most arrogant and egotistical guy she knows, and I don't appreciate her, blah blah blah....nobody else had a problem with me, only she did. But everyone else, including myself, had a problem w/ her always negative attitude. She said that the only reason she was doing it was for the money, and threatened to drop out. She didn't, and cleaned her act up and we did the first weekend without incident. We did a couple shows this weekend without problems. FOr today's matinee a bunch (about 20) of her family members came. Her dad wanted to video tape. The producer adn front of house people told him he was allowed to, unauthorized. She went out in the house preshow (big no no) and made a HUGE scene. She came backstage to me and started yelling at me. I do not allow anyone to have footage of anything except me, it can make me look bad in the future, and, it is illegal for anyone to posess video footage of three of the eight illusions, except for me. She wasn't willing to understand this adn kept arguing. She threatened to not do the show. I wasn't to worried, I was prepared to call the show off b/c she was making a HUGE deal out of nothing...but she did it. The show was hell. She was glaring at me and scowling at me the entire time, and during intermission she went out in the hosue again and was swearing really loudly and had her family take a picture of her flipping me off and grabbing her own crotch. She bombed the entire show and needless to say we fired her. She and her dad both get in my face about it. Yeah, as far as her family is concerned, the nut doesn't fall far from the tree, that's all I have to say. I am unprofessional and immature??!?! According to her, yes. I don't see it. She was being unprofessional, wrecking the show, swearing in front of the audience, displaying obsene gestures directed toward me in front of the paying public...aside from her always crappy attitute. She always gripes about not wanting to be there, yet when I talk about other assistants she freaks out that I am going to replace her. She is a little primadonna and went into magic b/c she wanted to be a star. She doesn't understand that it is not her show and that she doesn't always get her way. We gave her 20 mins to pack up her things and leave. She wasn't, and we almost had to get help from the police station very close ot the theatre. Since then she has been leaving me harrassing voicemails on my cell phone. What a little kid, that is all I have to say. So for the evening performance we charged half price and I did a slightly abbreviated show with an old assistant.
Wow, I feel better now that I've vented! Oh, btw, a major illusion when horribly wrong today, completely exposing it. ShadowBox got really messed up, good thing her dad wasn't video taping. Prime reason why I say no and put my foot down to that! If something goes wrong, I cant take the chance of there being bad footage of me out in circulation |
Cliffg37 Inner circle Long Beach, CA 2491 Posts |
Hey Brian,
In a post like this you have to remember something. I don't know you. Most people on this board proabably don't know you. If anyone here does know you, they have probably discussed this with you off line. That having been said... Here is my response. For all I know, every word out of her mouth was true. It proabably wasn't but remember I don't know you and the tendancy is to side with the person you are talking with. But lets for arguments sake say she is right and you are an egotistical jerk. This in no way excuses her behavior. She was hired to do a job. Anyone who is hiored to do any job, and accepts payment for it, has a reaponsibility to do the job the way the boss wants it done. If they have suggestions for improvemnt, that might be OK. If they don't like the job, they have the right to resign. What they do not have the right to do is delibertaly do the job in a way that could be construed as sabotage. (Dirty looks on stage, swearing etc.). Of the top of my head, it sounds like you were right to fire her, but then I don't know her side of the story. Free advice is worth every penny you pay for it, so here is my free advice. Think about where she may have been right, and use to attempt self improvement. If she was wrong by 100%, then that is fine, you can still make yourself a better person. Glad you got through all of that.
Magic is like Science,
Both are fun if you do it right! |
johnnymystic Inner circle North Adams Ma. 1576 Posts |
If I had an assitant like that you can be sure she would be in my next sawing in half illusion...oop's did I mess up ? Sorry folks, but is there a doctor in the house?
johnny
I drink cheap tequila and vomit
<BR>I cannot eat hot wings...acid reflux <BR>I never inhale <BR>I can put a field dress on a deer |
Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
Instant dismissal with a threat of legal action. Get security to remove her from the site then put the word out about this unprofessional assistant.
Note the calls and make a formal complaint to the police about the calls. You are the boss and you are chancing loosing a venue due to one of your employees, This is not acceptable. You must protect your JOB and image and if this requires a firm hand then so be it. I know a few women like this and I am always very firm with them, and accept no Bs at all.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
There's a reason I never work with assistants.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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dolly_parton New user 6 Posts |
Wow.. that's crazy! You're lucky that you have past assistants willing to step in for you! Because as they say the show must go on!
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kat_kelly_007 New user 6 Posts |
Hey I've been reading all your replys and I just thought I'd interject my opinion. Not ALL assistants are bad! I was the old assitant that stepped on to help do an abbreviated show, and I can tell you that Brian's not exaggerating! I was witness to the scowling, swearing, flipping off, grabbing crotch etc. etc. I know I'm no where near a perfect assistant, but there are some good ones out there! But the point I was trying to make was; it didn't end up TOO bad did it Brian?
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