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The Crazy Women at The Kessler Theater Video: It’s All About Those Boots

Last Thursday, Lee Ann Womack performed at The Kessler Theater. At some point during Womack’s set, two women were asked to leave the building. The verbal spat captured on video is the talk of the town.
By Nancy Nichols |
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Crazy person at The Kessler

Sometimes people talk too loud during shows and we have to remove them from the room. This was one of those times.

Posted by Jeffrey Liles on Saturday, May 9, 2015

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Last Thursday, Lee Ann Womack performed at The Kessler Theater. At some point during Womack’s set, two women were asked to leave the building. Apparently the women were talking loudly during the show and people sitting around them complained to management. Jeffrey Liles, the artistic director and talent buyer for the venue, followed the two women outside. The conversation grew heated and Liles took out his phone and started recording the scene. The woman in the black fringe boots took a swing at him. He posted it on his Facebook page. (See the video above.)

Currently the video has been viewed by 131,714 people. I watched the 10-minute video yesterday morning. My first thought: I’m so glad people didn’t have cameras 35 years ago. My second thought: why did Liles post this to Facebook? My third thought: these obviously intoxicated women insulted lesbians, people who live in Oak Cliff (aka, according to them, “the hood”) schools in “the hood,” dreadlocks, and oh so much more. Money quote: “We’re three white normal people just watching a white normal girl singing country music.”

I put the incident on hold until I walked into the office this morning and bumped into Catherine Downes. She was wearing the same fringed black boots as one of the women in the video. At our Monday morning meeting, there was a lot of chatter about “those crazy women at The Kessler.”  I clicked on Facebook and found a post written by Sara Hickman to Liles.

We musicians on stage CAN see the glow from your phone, we CAN hear you on your phone, and it IS distracting to try and share our music when you aren’t really being present. Plus, without asking us, you are “stealing” a part of our souls, our hard work, a special moment that is being given, specifically, to you and those around you. How sad that it’s become an everyday occurrence, phones allowed to intrude into the realm of art. Thank you to Jeffrey, The Kessler, Alamo Drafthouse, and all the clubs/theatres/house concerts that recognize a live show is meant to be “of the moment.”Thank you for setting boundaries that, sadly, shouldn’t have to be set. And to all the audience members that are engrossed and enjoying what we are giving, thank you very, very much. Thank you for indulging yourself in the art of listening

It didn't take long for Zoli's to join the crusade. (Facebook)
It didn’t take long for Zoli’s to join the crusade. (Facebook)

I contacted Liles and asked him a few questions.

NN: The women claimed to know Lee Ann Womack. True?
JL: I asked her road manager. Lee Ann had 18 people in her guest list, and these two people were not on it. People say that kind of thing all the time. Like knowing the artist gives them the right to disrupt the show.

NN: I’m conflicted. Why did you think it was a good idea to post on Facebook?
JL: They were very disruptive. Many people complained, and you could tell that even Lee Ann was bothered by it. After she [woman outside] claimed to be best friends with the artist, I knew we needed to protect ourselves. Again, I would never have posted this anywhere if she had not doubled down on Yelp the next morning.

NN: Yikes.
JL:Nancy, this woman slammed the front doors of the building — twice — loud enough to be heard in the main showroom. Of course you start rolling tape in a situation like that. In five years we have never had a customer who was this disruptive. (Talking about the woman who took a swing at me.) Before I pressed the “record ” button, she made many (plural) disparaging remarks about LGBT folks. Completely unsolicited.

NN: Anything you have to say to these women? Their Facebook pages seem to have disappeared.
JL: We have no hard feeling towards these folks. We don’t at all agree with their opinions or attitudes, but we’re happy to defend and promote their right to freedom of speech.

It’s easy to get swept up in the hilarity of the situation (the dreadlocks conversation is priceless). These women should be ashamed. Do you feel this video is on par with the racist rap by students in Grapevine or footage that captured Levi Pettit, the Highland Park High graduate, in a racist rant? 

Hey Normal White Women, I think apologies are in order.

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