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Here is the complete official transcript of the AOL conference with JMS
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and Claudia Christian from Tuesday 3/14:
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DCOMLeib: Welcome everyone. It was the dawn of the third age of
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mankind. We're here with Babylon 5 creator, J. Michael
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Straczynski and Claudia Christian, Commander Susan Ivanova from
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the show.
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DCOMLeib: Welcome!
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Jms at B5: Hi, all.
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ClaudiaB5: Hi, everyone! What's up?
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Jms at B5: I should mention that Claudia braved terrible
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freeways to be here....only a few wrecked cars on the side of
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the road to show for it.
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DCOMLeib: Let's get started with our first question from BabG
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Question: I really enjoy watching Babylon 5. I think Ivanova's
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character is great. How much of yourself goes into it?
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ClaudiaB5: You're just jealous cuz you don't drive, Joey baby.
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Jms at B5: Now with you on the roads.
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Jms at B5: I mean NOT!
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ClaudiaB5: How about a question?
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Jms at B5: You just got one.
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Jms at B5: Cast your eyes skyward a few lines.
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ClaudiaB5: As much as they allow on an 8 o'clock show. ga
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DCOMLeib: The next question for Claudia comes from Motie2...
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Question: Claudia! Hello. When can we expect a sequel to
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"Hexed"?
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ClaudiaB5: May I remind you that I died.
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DCOMLeib: Our next "question" comes from Unixfan
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Question: Hi Jms. I know we're not supposed to ask "What do you
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want?" How about "What do *I*want?"
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Jms at B5: I as in me? Or I as in you?
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Jms at B5: If the answer is what do I personally want....the
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only thing I really want is to tell stories. It's all I've ever
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really wanted. Well, that and a nice cheese sandwich, a piece
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fruit, and Carol Lynley.
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Jms at B5: To just tell the stories that occupy my brain until
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they're told out.
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DCOMLeib: 50 people at random attending tonight's event will
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receive a special DC Comics Babylon 5 poster!
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Jms at B5: Drive-by random posterings.
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DCOMLeib: A question from MSteenber for Claudia...
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Question: Claudia, do you feel you broke new ground with your
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character, Ivanova, being the first female-in-high-command in
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science fiction? How do you feel about your newest "rival,"
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Kate Mulgrew from Startrek: Voyager?
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ClaudiaB5: Absolutely, to part one of your question...
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ClaudiaB5: Part 2 -- they must have helium on the Voyager.
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DCOMLeib: You're here with Claudia Christian, Commander Susan
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Ivanova from the hit TV series Babylon 5...and J.Michael
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Straczynski, the show's creator.
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Jms at B5: Soon to be deceased.
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Jms at B5: I kinda think Claudia fertilized new ground.
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DCOMLeib: The next question comes from Landtrout...
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Question: Claudia, why do you wear only one earring on the show.
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ClaudiaB5: In memory of my brother, both real and in the series,
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who died.
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DCOMLeib: An often asked question from Asmat...
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Question: Questions for JMS: Will Sinclair return in a starring
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role?
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Jms at B5: There are no plans at this time, though we will see
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him again at some point.
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DCOMLeib: A continuity question from Adewald...
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Question: Hi. Love the show. It is very addictive. Can you tell
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us how
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closely the comic is following the stroyline? And the recent
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novel as well?
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Jms at B5: They tend to parallel the storyline in the series;
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you can get more, but they're not required reading per se. Some
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minor elements will have to change, but overall, the events that
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happen in them also happen in the series. BTW.
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DCOMLeib: Our next question for Claudia comes from Gratfuldy..
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Question: Claudia how do you like playing Ivanova?
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ClaudiaB5: Beats working at Ralph's. No, seriously, I love my
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job and the character of Susan.
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Jms at B5: I should mention that a writer can write all the
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great lines he wants, but they're useless
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DCOMLeib: The information we're all here for...a question asked
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by KrisVC...
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Question: Love the show. What is in store for the rest of the
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season?
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Jms at B5: unless you have someone as talented as Claudia and
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the others to bring them to life.
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Jms at B5: What, you want me to tell you the end of the story?
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Is this some leftover trace....of the communist system in
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operation? Who sent you? The Centauri?
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DCOMLeib: LOL
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Jms at B5: Lots of things blow up. Then it gets quiet. Then
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somebody isn't who we thought that...person was. Then more
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stuff blows up. Then something mind-bogglingly awful happens.
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Jms at B5: And then we wait for next season.
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ClaudiaB5: And those are just the commercials.
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DCOMLeib: A behind the scenes question from Elissapax...
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Question: jms and cc: what is the general mood of the show
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taping? Is there a lot of joking, etc. or does everyone pretty
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much take things seriously?
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ClaudiaB5: We have a ball making B5. At least I do.
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Jms at B5: Simple answer to the question: as you walk down the
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halls of the B5 production office...the one sound you hear the
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most is laughter. And every day, everybody eats lunch together
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behind the stage, writers, actors, producers, directors, crew,
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everybody. People have fun, have birthdays, hang out after
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work...it's a great, fun environment....and a lot of practical
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jokes.
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Jms at B5: And then there's Claudia.
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ClaudiaB5: And those are just the commercials.
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DCOMLeib: BFlipp has a question about the origin of B5...
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Question: How did the concept of B5 come about?
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Jms at B5: I grew up on the sagas, and always wondered why no
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one's ever done for TV anything...on the scale of the Lensman
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books or Lord of the Rings or Dune or Childhood's End... so I
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figured I'd do it myself. Took us from 1987 to 1991 to get it
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going on film.
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DCOMLeib: MSteenber has a question about the second season..
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Question: Claudia, how is the cast reacting to the "new"
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captain? Is he up to par with the old commander? How do you
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think the show has evolved with his presence?
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ClaudiaB5: Bruce has brought a sense of professionalism and an
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interesting levity to the show. I thoroughly enjoy working with
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him.
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Jms at B5: Bringing in Sheridan has also allowed us to promote
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Ivanova into more interesting jobs.
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ClaudiaB5: I would have never broken my foot.
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DCOMLeib: One question for Claudia from MRKremer...
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Question: for Claudia - What's your typical workday like?
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ClaudiaB5: I wake up, I go to work, I go home, I go to bed.
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Jms at B5: We don't know what she does here either.
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Jms at B5: But we love...well, whatever it is she's doing.
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ClaudiaB5: Thanks for the support, Bard.
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Jms at B5: Anytime, claudia baby...
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DCOMLeib: One more for Claudia from Lexus21...
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Question: Claudia, what do you see in Ivanova future?
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ClaudiaB5: Lots of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll and the
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Captaincy. VBG
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Jms at B5: (stunned silence)
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ClaudiaB5: You told me to express my humor, Joe.
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Jms at B5: (Current needs: glass rum, gun, two bullets.)
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ClaudiaB5: On my way.
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Jms at B5: Those aren't bullets.
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ClaudiaB5: This isn't the fifties, Joe.
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Jms at B5: 38D?
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DCOMLeib: DRays has a question about the mysterious Kosh...
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Question: So, when do we get a peek at the REAL Ambassador Kosh,
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or at least what's inside the suit?
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Jms at B5: Laster this season. We unveil him totally.
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Jms at B5: Then you get a peek at the real Ivanova.
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DCOMLeib: Penguin has a question about Ivanova's future...
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Question: Claudia - Any good stories in the near future that
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feature Ivanova?
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Jms at B5: Prior to this conference, yes.
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ClaudiaB5: Yes, the next episode we will be shooting. It's
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called "Divided Loyalties.
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Jms at B5: We really haven't serviced Ivanova as well as we
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should have in stories...
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Jms at B5: one of my jobs for now and the next season is
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changing that.
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Jms at B5: Claudia is too good to waste, as stated, parking
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cars.
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ClaudiaB5: That and getting me a bigger trailer.
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Jms at B5: On the other hand....
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DCOMLeib: Jim in KC has a compliment for both of you...
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Question: While not wanting to be gushy about it, I would like
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to thank you both for what is in my opinion the best SF series
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I've ever seen and is currently my only must see show.
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ClaudiaB5: Thanks, you have excellent taste. VAG
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Jms at B5: Thanks; it's the result of a lot of hard work by a
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lot of
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talented, dedicated people in our crew, cast, and production
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office; I just get to bask in the reflected accomplishments
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DCOMLeib: Another very interesting comment..this one from
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Ce241...
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Comment: to Claudia: Your performance doing the "sex scene"
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with the alien two weeks ago was a complete HOWL!!! I laughed so
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hard I almost wet my pants. Great acting!
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Jms at B5: She was acting?
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ClaudiaB5: I recommend Depends when around the Lumati.
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DCOMLeib: One from BabG...
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Question: Will Ivanova's character get a romantic interest this
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season?
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Jms at B5: In a manner of speaking.
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ClaudiaB5: If Joe lets me break my curfew.
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Jms at B5: Hell, you've broken everything else around here.
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DCOMLeib: JMS..a question about Londo from GenaKHoo...
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Question: JMS - Do you see Londo as a character who is
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irredeemable? Where do you see him going?
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Jms at B5: Londo's arc is light and funny, to dark and funny, to
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dark and tragic, to tragic and light, so there's a chance for
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him toward the end.
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DCOMLeib: A question for Claudia from OlexeyT95....
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Question: If the show runs it's entire five years, will you stay
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with it?
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ClaudiaB5: If they'll have me.
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Jms at B5: We're happy to have Claudia.
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DCOMLeib: A question about Mimbari technology from FalcnFire..
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Question: If the Mimbari surrendered to Earth, why do the
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Mimbari still have technology that Earth can only admire?
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Didn't Earthforce capture any Mimbari craft in the war?
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Jms at B5: Captured Minbari vessels? No. They usually got
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fragged. If you gave an aborigine an F14 fighter, he could
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examine it, but making it work...that's a different issue. Jms
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at B5: they're quite a bit more advanced.
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DCOMLeib: A question about the shadows from Boehmund...
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Question: JMS: We just watched "The Long Dark" again, and the
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Shadow in there looks rather humanoid, while the ones we saw
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talking to Morden looked insectoid. Is there more than one
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species?
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Jms at B5: The shadows have their servants, which are being
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recalled to their places of power. That was one of their
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lower-level types.
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DCOMLeib: Don't forget that DC Comics publishes Babylon 5
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monthly..available at a comic store near you...
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Jms at B5: And they say the artwork will improve (what I've seen
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bears this out).
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DCOMLeib: A question about action from Yorgos...
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Question: CLAUDIA IS YOUR CHARACTER GOING TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN
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THE ACTION SCENES MORE THIS SEASON.I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY COOL
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IF YOU DID.
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ClaudiaB5: I'd love to kick a little more butt.
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Jms at B5: This is one of the things I have to correct, giving
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her more in this respect.
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DCOMLeib: The inevitable "cliffhanger" question from Adamsde...
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Question: So, can we expect a big cliffhanger at the end of the
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season?
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Jms at B5: Not a cliffhanger per se; definitely we're going to
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upend some more tables, but...not a cliffhanger in quite the
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same was as "Chrysalis." We plan to end big, though.
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DCOMLeib: Another behind the scenes question....from Ce241
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Question: Claudia: Do you ever find yourself and the other cast
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members getting the "giggles" when trying to be serious?
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ClaudiaB5: Absolutely. And then I go to work. We have some
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funny folks working on the show.
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DCOMLeib: A comment from Intruder.....
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Question: Babylon 5 is great show.... It's too under-rated
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Jms at B5: I agree; it's slowly gaining ground, though, and
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we're starting to get noticed by more people, and by critics,
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who say, Y'know, it ain't bad!
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DCOMLeib: Another question about Ivanova from Rick9719....
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Question: For Claudia, What have been the biggest changes for
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you from season 1 to season 2
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ClaudiaB5: Letting down my hair. Getting to express a sense of
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humor...and finally meeting Joe.
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Jms at B5: Get your hand off my knee.
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ClaudiaB5: That's not my hand.
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Jms at B5: (even more stunned silence)
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DCOMLeib: Claudia, another question for you...from Clyde Dee...
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Question: Claudia, do you ever see yourself in a role where you
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may take over B5 or perhaps another outpost? By the way, you
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are one of the best actors on the show.
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ClaudiaB5: Thank you, thank you. And yes, I plan to be the
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Captain of the sit-com version of B5.
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Jms at B5: <thud>
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DCOMLeib: Okay..another question about the Acts of Sacrifice
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episode from RonBS....
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Question: In the episode "Acts of Sacrifice", how many times did
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you have to do Ivanova's "sex" scene with the visiting
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ambassador until you got a take where no one cracked up
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laughing?
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ClaudiaB5: To the ambassador's disappointment - it was a one
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shot deal.
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Jms at B5: I was on set; she nailed it from the starting take.
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ClaudiaB5: Nailed...nice choice of words, Joe.
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Jms at B5: I are a riter...i LEarn it GooD
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DCOMLeib: Next question comes from Nausea4....
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Question: I know JMS is rather experienced with the internet.
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How about yourself? Do you keep up with the newsgroup?
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ClaudiaB5: I just learned to turn my powerbook off, thank you.
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DCOMLeib: I should mention that in the dc comics movies and tv
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section there is an autographed picture of Claudia available for
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download..
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Jms at B5: I may write a 4-issue arc this summer, btw.
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DCOMLeib: A question about Ivanova's relationship with Psi
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Corps....from Keith7012
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Question: Ivanova is apparently a latent telepath. One story
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line left off with her making friends with the station's
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resident telepath. Will this story line be used to further the
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Babylon 5 mission?
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ClaudiaB5: They don't tell me anything around here. I have to
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wait until the scripts come out.
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Jms at B5: Yes, there will be a development of the relationship
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with Talia in the storyline.
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Jms at B5: What most folks don't know, btw, is that Claudia (not
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kiddng here) has a genius IQ, and reads a massive number of
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books per week.
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ClaudiaB5: Here's your fifty bucks, Joe.
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Jms at B5: I live to serve.
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DCOMLeib: Bohemund asks an interesting question..
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Question: Let's say -- heaven forbid -- something happens that
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prevents B5 from finishing out its 5-year run. Will you finish
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the arc in another medium, or just let us poor jamokes hang?
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Jms at B5: This story will be told. I can't even allow the any
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other possibility to be considered., or it'd never get done.
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ClaudiaB5: Or we'll do it as dinner theatre.
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Jms at B5: (sigh...we have to work with her, you know.)
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DCOMLeib: I should remind everyone to e-mail your addresses to
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DCCONLINE for those posters!
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DCOMLeib: One last question....from ZaZoou..
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Question: JMS, I know you've been asked this a thousand times,
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but what was your inspiration for B5?
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Jms at B5: Wanting to do a show responsibly; wanting to tell a
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story that would be equal to the...
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Jms at B5: sagas that precede us...wanting to see the show as a
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fan
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myself...wanting to work with...Claudia Christian...being vastly
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disappointed... and wanting to leave something of value behind.
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I think this has the chance to be it. And with (all seriousness)
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a cast as talented and bright and hardworking as this one, as
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embodied by the quick-witted Claudia, who is honestly a joy to
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work with. I think we have the chance to accomplish that.
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Jms at B5: (You may now put your hand back on my knee. Or
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whatever that was.)
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ClaudiaB5: Here, here. Long live Babylon 5!
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ClaudiaB5: Both?
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DCOMLeib: Well that brings another DC Comics Online auditorium
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session to a close....
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DCOMLeib: I'd like to thank Claudia and JMS for taking time out
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to answer all your questions here
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DCOMLeib: and i'd like to also thank you the audience for all
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your participation.
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Jms at B5: De nada
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ClaudiaB5: Thank you for the opportunity.
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DCOMLeib: A transcript will be available in the DC Comics
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transcripts area shortly...
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Jms at B5: Whether you want it or not.
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ClaudiaB5: I'm staying
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Jms at B5: Oh?
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ClaudiaB5: They're blowing up the parking lot.
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Jms at B5: What WAS that?
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ClaudiaB5: Didn't you hear the big BOOM. Always a Boom.
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Jms at B5: Sooner or later. Boom.
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DCOMLeib: Well that's it everyone....thanks and good night.
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DCOMLeib: Copyright (c) 1995 DC Comics
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