Getty John Scher speaks onstage during the 63rd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2009 in New York City.
John Scher, promoter for Woodstock 99, became a villain online after his portrayal in the Netflix documentary “Trainwreck: Woodstock 99.” He is still working in the entertainment industry today.
Scher has received criticism for his comments on rape and sexual assault that occurred at the concert festival. “Woodstock was like a small city, you know? All things considered, I’d say that there would probably be as many or more rapes in any sized city of that… but it wasn’t anything that gained enough momentum so that it caused any on-site issues, other than, of course, the women it happened to,” he said on the Netflix documentary.
The three-day festival also ended with three deaths and 60 injuries. Organizer Michael Lang was also criticized online, but to a lesser extent. Lang died shortly after filming ended. Read more about him here.
Scher pinned blame at Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst for stirring up the crowd at the festival, according to a 2019 Variety article.
“Fred Durst, who, if I haven’t said enough times, is a complete a****** … a moron,” Scher said, according to Variety. “He was completely out of his mind.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Scher Is the President of an Entertainment Consultant Company, Metropolitan Entertainment Consultants
Just finished watching #TrainwreckWoodstock99 documentary. Michael Lang is so stupid for giving away 100,000 candles to a very angry crowd. John Scher is sick piece of shit & a rape apologist. The whole event was mismanaged, specially the security. 🤬
Scher owns his own media consulting company, Metropolitan Entertainment Consultants, according to his LinkedIn page. He started the business more than 50 years ago.
“Multifaceted entertainment company concentrating on concert production, artist management,theatrical production, national touring,and consulting various venues such as Performing Arts Centers,” he wrote in the description of the company. “John Scher was named Pollstar Magazine’s Bill Graham/Promoter of the Year in 2000, Inducted into Performance Magazine’s “Touring Hall of Fame” in 1992” and Performance Magazine’s top grossing promoter in the nation three times.”
He listed a series of high-profile artists whose tours he helped to produce, including the Grateful Dead, Leonard Cohen, Family Values, Whitney Houston and Sarah Brightman. The page says he managed or helped to manage artists including the Allman Brothers Band, Lou Reed, Rusted Root and Simon and Garfunkel. He does not reference Woodstock 99 on the page.
He wrote on the “about” section: “Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the music industry. Skilled in Music Management, Production Management, Music Licensing, and Theater. Strong business development professional.”
His page says he studied political science at Long Island University from 1968 to 1971.
Scher Is Married & Has 2 Children, Both Daughters
This guy STILL doesn’t get it. 🙄#Woodstock99 #TrainwreckNetflix #JohnScher
Scher is married to his wife, Sheri Scher, and the couple has two adult daughters. He lives in South Orange, New Jersey, with his wife. One daughter, Carly, was married August 3, 2019, according to a wedding announcement in The New York Times.
“She is a daughter of Sheri M. Scher and John Scher of South Orange, N.J. The bride’s father is a concert promoter and producer of Broadway theatrical shows,” the wedding announcement says. “He won a Tony Award for best special theatrical event for producing ‘Liza’s at the Palace,’ and has also been a producer for other shows, including ‘Victor/Victoria’ and ‘Damn Yankees.’ Her mother was stay-at-home parent.”