Breffny Flynn, the man arrested after headbutting a PA on the set of Premium Rush yesterday, is being hailed as a local hero for his work. Because—big surprise—the crew has been pretty disrespectful towards locals! Margaret Boyd, 87, says she was on her way home and was told by the crew that she couldn't sit at her bus stop, and was forced to stand. "I was a little tired and aggravated," she told the Daily News. "But what are you going to do? That's life." But others aren't so zen.
"[Flynn] should get a community-service award,"said one local musician, who was annoyed that filming has clogged Broadway from 102nd Street to 106th Street. I'm infuriated," said another resident. "We can't even walk free." Film crews have long been the bane of many New Yorkers' existences, but they are accepted as necessary evils that bring in money for the city. But Premium Rush might be the last straw for some, who say the money isn't worth the hassle. A Broadway hardware store employee said, "The city is making money. The film is making money. We are losing money," while another resident says the crew doesn't "give a crap about the neighborhood." Clearly, they don't enjoy the thrill of spotting their apartment in a background shot as much as others.
