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437 lines
17 KiB
437 lines
17 KiB
Transcript of America Online chat with JMS and John Copeland, 2 June 1997.
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Download America Online at www.aol.com, and visit the official B5 area
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at keyword "Babylon 5".
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B5 Online: Folks, we are awaiting our final guest for this
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evening, so I would like to welcome all of you to our online chat with
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J. Michael Straczynski, Creator and Executive Producer of Babylon 5,
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and coming soon, John Copeland, producer of Babylon 5! :D Also joining
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us through equipment donated to us by Zathras (as opposed to ZAthras)
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is B5CnC. Through B5 CnC, we are able to communicate directly with ANY
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CHARACTER on the show. For instance, you can ask G'Kar whatever you
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want... Londo whatever you want... and through the power of The Great
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Machine, they will answer.
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Jms at B5: and the Great Maker
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B5 Online: Want to ask Garibaldi what's up? Londo what's next -
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G'Kar how's the eye? Now is your chance!
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OnlineHost: The auditorium consists of two major areas: the
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audience, where you are right now, and the stage, where the speakers
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appear. Text which you type onscreen shows only to those in your row,
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prefaced by the row number in parentheses, such as (2) if you are in
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row 2. To interact with the speaker, use the Interact icon on your
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screen.
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Jms at B5: They're all waiting out there for your questions... And
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they will be answered in the character's own "voice" and mannerisms and
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perspective.
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B5 Online: So don't make Garibaldi mad.. please.
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B5CnC: Ask away!!!
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B5 Online: Our first question is for our own JMS... From
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NotTheOne...
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Question: Did you plan the Sheridan and Delenn relationship or
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did it just come to mind while writing the episodes??
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Jms at B5: If you're not the One, why should I answer? Besides,
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the One always denies he's the One.. No, that relationship was always
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going to be there for Delenn. GA
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B5 Online: I notice a trend already Joe... care to make a comment
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on Season 5 to bypass all of that tonight?
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Jms at B5: Okay: 1) no word yet on S5, and 2) videotapes are
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possible down the road, but not now.
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B5 Online: Thanks Joe. :D
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B5 Online: Heres a question we've never had before.. from
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Danmaclea...
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Question: I've noticed a lot more freedom in camera movement in
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scenes which combine CGI and live action. Do you have some new
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hardware or do you match the CGI by hand.
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Jms at B5: Yeah, we've taken to putting targets on the bluescreen,
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which allows us to "staple" the CGI to the set, and we can thus move
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around a lot more. John can probably address this better than I can
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since he just got here.
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PigDog13: We've also gotten a lot better at matching movement
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with live action and CGI. nSince we've started doing the FX in house
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we're trying stuff we were discouraged to do in the past.
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Jms at B5: "We can't do it," we were told. Well, actually, we
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can. So now we do.
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PigDog13: Sorry for being tardy, but my ISDN line was acting up.
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Jms at B5: (John gets a working ISDN line, I have win 3.1 and only
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get carrier pigeons.)
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B5 Online: Our next question for JMS comes from Earl Prae...
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PigDog13: I just threw my ISDN modem across the room, I'm on
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analog.
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Question: JMS, is there any chance Valen will return?
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Jms at B5: Return to the present? No. None. Valen lived out his
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life in the past.
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B5 Online: If you have a question for the B5 CHARACTERS, send in
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your questions now! :)
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B5 Online: This question is for JMS from MediaRiot...
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Question: JMS , in this weeks Newsweek, you take a swipe at Aaron
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Spelling and TV in general. Do you feel that most TV is a product of
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getting ad revenues up, that is, it's just made for marketing products
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to demo groups?
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Jms at B5: Unquestionably. That's the bottom line for TV stations
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and advertisers...even Majel once. said to me, and openly to others,
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that they just sold ST as a way to sell soap during commercials, not
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that that's a bad thing per se, that's just how they think.
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B5 Online: Our next question is for G'Kar... from Tannis4U...
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Question: G"Kar did you decide to issue the joint statment with
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londo for the good of Sheradins alliance or did Londo's speach actually
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move you to act?
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B5CnC: G'KAR: There comes a time when one must set aside old grudges.
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It is not a pleasant prospect, given Mollari, who I still consider
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something of a war criminal. but he is trying for repentence, and from
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the perspective of the Universe, I suppose this is a good thing.
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Jms at B5: I agree with G'Kar.
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B5 Online: A personal question for Lt. Corwin from Karen Eve....
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Question: For Lt. Corwin: If you could send any one personal
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message home, what would it be?
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PigDog13: Hmmmm. Corwin's got fans out there?
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B5CnC: CORWIN: Dear Mom, Dad and Uncle Sherman: Don't believe
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everything you hear about Babylon 5 (well, except the parts about
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Ivanova) We're working hard to do the right thing, and sometimes
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that's hard to figure out, but we believe in the direction the
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captain's taking us, and we're sticking with it. (Remind me when this
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is over to tell you about my date last year, it was...something I'll
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never forget.)
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PigDog13: Boy that Corwin is an eloquent fellow.
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Jms at B5: John: yeah, who writes his stuff?
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B5 Online: For JMS from Averij...
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Question: Question for JMS: I've been impressed with the richness
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and depth of all the characters...except Dr. Franklin, who still seems
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relatively one-dimensional to me. Do you find that character harder to
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write, or is it just harder to fit him into everything?
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Jms at B5: It's always a task to get a doctor into the action, and
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it's easier for other kinds of more action-oriented characters. But
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that aside, he's a lot of fun to write. GA
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PigDog13: I didn't know the characters were going to be this
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chatty tonight, did you?
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Jms at B5: They're always chatty, you just have to know how to
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listen.
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B5 Online: Question for Vir from TWandCrew... although this may be
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too personal...
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Question: Vir....are you going to marry Lydesty??
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B5CnC: VIR: Oh, my... Oh, this is embarrassing, I didn't expect
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this...it's so personal how did you find out?... Well, I...I
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think...perhaps yes, I mean...I know she has some...well, some
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problems, you see, and we have to work on those, but you know, she's a
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great kisser, and I can work around a lot that comes between us...not
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that anything would, I mean, let's not get graphic here...are we still
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on?
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B5 Online: John, maybe you can answer this... from Johnldloa...
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Question: Howard Stern is a big fan of the show. Any chance of
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having on or a cast member being on his radio show. This is not a
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Stern joke question. He always talks about how he loves the show.
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PigDog13: We've actually talked with his show about having
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Claudia on, but he's never set anything definite with us. We'd love to
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have someone on with Howard.
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B5 Online: For Marcus.. from Lightman2....
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Question: To Marcus- Why on Earth are you dancing around Ivanova?
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Go for it, man!
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B5CnC: Dancing? Go for it? What are you TALKING about? I have no
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idea what's going on anymore (entering private mode) Are you crazy?
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She's standing right behind me, you're giving away the game. don't ask
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about this in front of her, or I"ll have to give you a good
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thump...well, her first then you.)
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B5 Online: Londo... from MJButkus...
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Question: Londo, are you staying in contact with Centauri
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Prime,as of now (s4) or rather staying....away?
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B5CnC: Well, you see, this is not an easy question, my friend. The
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Regent seems to have things very well under control, you see, and
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I...well, I serve a greater purpose here, on Babylon 5, than I could
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serve back home just now. So I am content to stay here. It is frankly
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quieter. And several more of the lower court have reported to me tha
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the regent is acting most strangely lately, perhaps he has begun
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drinking, I hear of him wandering the palace late at night, telling
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people, "There is something important I must tell you..." then suddenly
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he stops, and walks off. Very strange. But he has always been a
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bit..odd, don't you think? Go ahead...or as the humans say, GA
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B5 Online: For John and Joe...
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Question: for joe or john -- there have been a lot of rumours
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going around regarding the new 2 hour TNT films including which actors
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will be involved, which characters, etc. Anything you can divulge
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without giving anything away? And will Michael O'Hare be apart it?
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Jms at B5: The budget doesn't have enough in it to fly Michael out
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from the Coast and pay him the salary he deserves. And in the story he
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was really a basic-level squadron pilot, and the story deals with the
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larger parties. John?
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PigDog13: The first film - I think is one of the best things that
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Joe has written and I think that you viewers will be surprised at how
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all of these characters from B5 fit into how the saga begins. The
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second film is a different type of story than you usually see on B5 and
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we think tha it will be a pleasant diversion for you viewers.
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Jms at B5: The films also have Shari Belafonte, William Sanderson,
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Theodore Bickel, others.
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Jms at B5: (How informative, John.)
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PigDog13: Rheiner Schone will be back.
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B5 Online: Theodore Bikel played Rabbi Koslov I believe, correct?
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Jms at B5: Why not tell them that everyone dies, I mean really, we
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can talk about that.
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Jms at B5: Different part now.
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Jms at B5: GA and save us from ourselves.
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PigDog13: You mean the big funeral scene. I thought you wanted
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that to be a surprise.
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B5 Online: For Lennier... from Philberto.
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Question: to Lannier- Are you ever going to tell Delenn how you
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feel?
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B5CnC: Because Delenn has stepped out for a moment, I will answer your
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question. though it does seem to me rather personal...my feelings for
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Delenn are only of the highest and noblest form. It would be unseemly
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of me to confess any such feelings, or any variations on those
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feelings, to Delenn. So no, that would not be appropriate.
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B5 Online: Lennier, if you can find Delenn.. I have a question for
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her.
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Question: Delenn: what are your plans now that Minbar is settling
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down & the Gray Council is set?
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B5CnC: I am here. I have a greater obligation now that must be pursued
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with the League Worlds and Earth...I could not pursue those goals for
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as long as my home was in turmoil, but now my people are on the path
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again, and I can devote my time to forging a new alliance, a new
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future, for all of our worlds. (Can someone tell me why Marcus and
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Lennier are looking so embarrassed? I just got here, and assume I
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missed much.)
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B5 Online: A question for Joe and John from Managarm...
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Question: We haven't heard anything about the telepaths Franklin
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helped hide from Psi-Corps. Is that going to change any time soon?
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B5 Online: (BTW.. thank you Delenn)
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B5CnC: Bester here, breaking into the com line: I would like an answer
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to that as well.
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PigDog13: You'll see something about the frozen teeps in the next
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couple of weeks
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B5 Online: Whoa whoa whoa! Whats going on here?
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B5 Online: Bester?
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B5 Online: Um.. ok...
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Jms at B5: Captain: don't tell him, he'll find out soon enough.
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B5 Online: GA Bester.. what's on your mind?
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Jms at B5: For the rest of us, yeah, you'll find out stuff very
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soon.
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B5 Online: (no pun intended)
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Jms at B5: Oh, for crying out loud, don't bring him into this, it
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was going so well.
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Jms at B5: Next question? (Ignore him and he'll go away.)
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B5 Online: Ok.. quickly.. Londo from GotMilk96...
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Question: Londo... Do you like the idea that you are turning
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into a nice guy?
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B5CnC: My good fellow, I have *always* been a nice guy, whatever has
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G'Kar been telling you, hmmm?
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B5 Online: Here is a ratings question from Ranger1a for Joe and
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John....
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Question: How are the recent ratings for B5? Do we have to worry
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about B5 being cancelled?
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PigDog13: Our ratings have been up all across the board this
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season. But the future is never assured.
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Jms at B5: The ratings are good; solid. The renewal depends on
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available station berths, primarily.
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B5 Online: Paging Zack... From LdyRangrB....
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Question: Zak?? are you going to persue a relationship with
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Lyta?? you make a good couple..or are you just going to stick to
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pizza?
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B5CnC: Yeah, well...Lyta...it ain't like I haven't thought about it,
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y'know...but she's a teep, how do you...
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make a move on someone who knows what you're going to do before you do
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it? Y'know the old "arm around the shoulders at the scary part of the
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movie" bit? C'mon, the ladies hardly fall for that NOW... with a teep,
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she'd break my arm. And I'd miss, which would be really embarrassing.
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Not that... I'd mind trying, of course...it's a challenge. I like
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challenges. Especially red-haired ones.
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B5 Online: Here is a GREAT question from Guru4Win9...
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Question: Delenn said that the center of the new grey council was
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for the 'one to come'. That was what zathros called sheridan. Are they
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both references to the same person ?
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B5CnC: DELENN: How do you know what happened in the Grey Council?
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Well, that aside...and I must look... further into our security...the
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place set aside might be for someone like John, yes. But.. only time
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will determine that. The universe knows what it is doing.
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B5 Online: Heres an industry question for you guys from GSSFC...
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Question: JMS... From a drooling fan, of course... From your own
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feedback in the 'biz', what do you see as being the future in terms of
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other shows? Do you think there will be attempts to do a B5-type arc
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story from non-affiliated sources?
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Jms at B5: I think that others are watching us, and we know that
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there are other arc-shows... that are in the works, or have started to
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change toward arcs; it's been a gentle... revolution, and over time I
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think more will go this way.
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PigDog13: It will be interesting to see what happens. In the
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wake of "Dark Skies" not working, others may be cautious in the near
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term.
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B5 Online: We have another question for Vir from Hardestad...
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Question: Vir what were you writing when woke up from your
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nightmare?
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B5CnC: I was writing out the Ambassador's shopping list for the day,
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it's nothing terribly interesting... fresh spoo, hot jala (5 bottles),
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ladies undergarmen...I mean, clothing...
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B5 Online: hmmm
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B5CnC: and some small amount of alcoholic beverages, nothing much to
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speak of.
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B5 Online: Ok, it's time for a moment of truth here. Mr.
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Garibaldi... a question from BJSDebora.
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Question: Garibaldi--have you wondered at all about the changes
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in your own thinking and attitudes? Are you aware that you are feeling
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and doing things not like you?
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B5CnC: Look, we all go through changes. It happens. It's part of
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life. Yeah, I think I've changed... haven't you? To continue a
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relationship like we have here you have to trust that the other guy's
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doing the right thing. I ain't convinced. I see things a little
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clearer now, that's all... I'm on my own, but y'know, I always have
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been. It's nothing new.
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B5 Online: Folks, I'm going to try and keep the comm systems open
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until the top of the hour. I'll keep the channel open as long as I
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can. :)
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B5 Online: From WandaJH.. for JMS and John.
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Question: Joe: You've indicated that you will take ideas which
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resonate with a particular actor and weave them into the storyline.
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Was the civil war on Minbar always in the story or is it a detail that
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you added after you learned of Mira's personal ordeal?
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Jms at B5: This is a case where I knew there would have to be
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conflict and division on Minbar...
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but the specific shapes of that conflict, the specific icivil war
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elements, I chose in order to tie into her own background, knowing I'd
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get truth behind her eyes during those scenes. It's manipulative, but
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it's in a worthy cause.
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B5 Online: From Sudibelle, for my favorite telepath... Lyta.
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Question: Lyta, did you really explore all the options before
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going along with Bester? Didn't the station give you any kind of
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support?
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B5CnC: I don't know...maybe I should have looked into it more, but I
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was *tired*.... and even though I know the folks who run this place
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like me, there's just so much they can do.... even if they did let me
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stay in the larger quarters (and that wasn't really the issue)... I had
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to start working again, had to be a commercial teep again, and what
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that requires is not theirs to give. I had to think in the long term.
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No, it wasn't something I wanted to do but I just didn't see any other
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way around it. I'm just being sure to stay healthy.
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B5 Online: Well folks, it seems the comm system is starting to
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experience some problems, and the crew needs to get ready for another
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Voice of the Resistance broadcast. I want to thank Joe, John and the B5
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crew for participating through us with the help of Draal and The Great
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Machine! Thanks guys!
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B5CnC: BESTER: Nobody ever has questions for me.
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PigDog13: Thanks, it was a pleasure being here.
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B5CnC: Sheridan to AOL: Thanks for having us.
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B5 Online: Be sure to check out our new downloadable calendars at
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keyword: B5 and also visit the official websites at
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http://www.thestation.com and http://www.babylon5.com
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