XCU. Scott Rudin, a native of Long Island, N.Y. He grew up in Baldwin.
THE QUIZ
NOTE: Accompanying photos may be hints to the correct answers. Or they may be deliberately misleading.
(1) SCOTT RUDIN IS
(a) A Broadway producer with 17 Tony Awards
(b) A film producer, whose Oscar wins include best picture for “No Country for Old Men”
(c) A new, unpleasant neighbor on “The Simpsons”
(d) A New York real estate magnate
(2) RUDIN HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS RECENTLY BECAUSE
(a) People are finally talking publicly about his abuse of employees and other human beings.
(b) The Hollywood Reporter ran an article in April titled “Everyone Knows What an Absolute Monster He Is.”
(c) The New York Times ran a Page 1 article about his unfortunate management style.
(d) “Loose Cannon,” a Netflix project in development, will star James Woods as a disgraced New York theater mogul looking back on his life.
BALDING, BESPECTACLED AND BEARDED. And, some say, beastly..
(3) Which object has Rudin not been accused of physically hurling at one or more employees?
(a) A stapler
(b) A plateful of chicken salad
(c) A cellphone
(d) A paperback copy of “The Asshole Survival Guide: How to Deal With People Who Treat You Like Dirt,” by Robert I. Sutton (Mariner Books, 2018).
(4) Rudin’s initial reaction to the uproar about his professional behavior was
(a) An apology and a promise to “step back” from certain projects
(b) An announcement of his immediate retirement
(c) An announcement that 10-year-olds wearing masks is the equivalent of child abuse
(d) A $500,000 donation to Broadway Glares.
e
Into
1. (a) and (b)
2. (a), (b) and (c)
3. (d)
4. (c)
5. (a)
6. (b)
7. All of the above
8. (b)
IN HIS NATURAL HABITAT. Rudin, two Coen brothers and five Academy Awards
(5) “He’s like a Mafia boss. If he breaks his leg, other people suffer.” Which New York theater notable described Rudin with those words?
(a) Bette Midler, actress and singer
(b) Joe Mantello, director
(c) Adam Rapp, playwright
(d) John Barrymore, dead actor
(5) When asked about Rudin’s future, the entertainment mogul David Geffen said:
(a) “He does need to do anger management or something like that.”
(b) “He does need medication. — and lots of it.”
(c) “He needs to get away.”
(d) “ ‘He’ is an English pronoun.”
(7) The New York Times described his approach to show business as
(a) “Vituperous and vicious”
(b) “Volatile and vengeful”
(c) “Venal and victorious”
(d) “Vouvray and Valpolicello”
(8) Rudin reportedly had a problem with women.He was less than sympathetic with
(a) Audra McDonald, for getting pregnant while she was in one of his shows
(b) Rita Wilson, for getting breast cancer while she was in one of his shows
(c) Sarah Ruhl, for refusing to change agents when she was going to do one of his shows
(d) An assistant, for taking too long to report an office problem
(9) Rudin’s next blockbuster Broadway project (which won’t be his anymore) is
(a) “Plaza Suite,” starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
(b) “The Music Man,” starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster
(c) “A Long Day’s Journey Into Spite,” a solo performance by Mr. Rudin
(d) “Look Back in Anger,” cast TBA
ANSWERS
1. (a) and (b)
2. (a), (b) and (c)
3. (d)
4. (a)
5. (c)
6. (a)
7. (b)
8. All of the above
9. (b)
SCORING
0-2 correct answers You’ve never read an article with a headline about New York theater
3-5 correct answers You’re a curious, intelligent follower of New York theater
6-8 correct answers You must have worked for the guy.