Quaid's backstage flop

What happened

The Actors' Equity union has kicked out Randy Quaid for allegedly abusive and lewd behavior during the Seattle run of the musical Lone Star Love last fall. Quaid was also fined $81,000. The show was bound for Broadway before the producers canceled it, blaming Quaid's antics. The 26 other actors—whom Quaid accuses of a "commie conspiracy"—were the ones who complained to the union. (Hollywood Reporter via Yahoo! News)

What the commentators said

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Talk about "crazy," said John Del Signore in Gothamist. Quaid reportedly hit one actor in the head four times, threatened to get another actor fired for looking him in the eye, and made "sexually inappropriate" comments on stage, including calling an actress' musical instruments her "gynecological instruments."

The biggest tragedy is that this was a "very funny, very catchy show" that could have been a hit, said New York magazine's Vulture blog. "We understand that sometimes you need stars to get butts in seats, but we're not talking about Tom Cruise or even Liev Schreiber here. This is Randy Quaid. At what point is a star so unstarry—or so crazy—that it's not worth casting him?"

Quaid isn't the only one who lost it, said Michael Reidel in the New York Post (free registration). His wife, Evi, showed up at the Actors' Equity hearing, which was held Jan. 25. She reportedly berated union staff members, and allegedly kicked a 76-year-old receptionist in the shins, "drawing blood." And she said the allegations were a "Nazi"—not commie—plot.

"Now, that's a Hollywood-style hissy fit," said David Carr in The New York Times blog The Carpetbagger.