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The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5
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Subject: Viewers for Quality TV for B5
Date: 1 Mar 1995 05:59:26 -0500
I'm *very* pleased to announce that the latest survey by Viewers For
Quality Television (VQT) has selected BABYLON 5 as the #1 ranked
syndicated drama, and #16 *overall*, putting it ahead of such series as
MURPHY BROWN, DS9, SEINFELD, DR. QUINN MEDICINE WOMAN and THE SIMPSONS
in their listings for Highest Quality Shows.
My thanks and appreciation to all those who took the time to seek out
VQT's surveys, and continue to do so, in order to bring attention to the
hard work being done on this show, and it is our hope that we continue to
merit your attention and support.
jms
Subject: Attn.: JMS: Observation on Dia
Date: 2 Mar 1995 06:17:33 -0500
All audio tracks are made very clear when they leave our hands; at
various points along the way, our audio generally gets messed with, losing
the dynamic range and having the midrange stuff hammered; this is done by
some stations and the satellite folks, so that may account for some of
what you're experiencing.
jms
Subject: Re: SeaQuest Rips Off "B5"
Date: 2 Mar 1995 06:15:44 -0500
Yeah, telepaths and their trials and tribulations have been done in
print SF forever; but in 50 years of broadcast TV, no one's ever done it
before B5...and it didn't take long for somebody else to jump on it once
we did it.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: B5 CAN attract the n
Date: 2 Mar 1995 06:52:24 -0500
...many thanks.
jms
Subject: ATTN:JMS repost. Thoughts re P
Date: 3 Mar 1995 12:25:40 -0500
Yes, generally telepaths do let down their defenses while they make
love; you can keep them up, but the concentration level is very difficult.
jms
Subject: JMS: Season two production ord
Date: 3 Mar 1995 13:47:52 -0500
Last season we were able to shoot out of order because we began
shooting in July and aired in January; now we began in July and air in
November, so we can't switch things around. No difference otherwise.
jms
Subject: What does Harlan Ellison do on
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:10:02 -0500
He does whatever he wants to.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Question regarding f
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:10:23 -0500
Yes, I have asked that any B5 related zines refrain from now from
(for now) from printing story ideas, as this could cause me great trouble.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: How Do You Pitch a S
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:13:06 -0500
I operate off the notion that a network or studio has the right to
know what they're buying, and that I shouldn't go into an office to sell
a series (B5 or otherwise) unless I know where it's going, to one extent
or another. Hence, all series projects I do, I pitch with a series bible,
multiple episode synopses, a sample script, and artwork if necessary to
convey the concept. I'm a one man traveling road show.
jms
Subject: ATTN:JMS Samuri Tradition
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:24:20 -0500
I'll have you know that playing "My Achey Breaky Heart" to an
unwilling listener is specifically forbidden under the Geneva War Crimes
rules. So THERE.
jms
Subject: B5 Cliches/ Pet Peeve
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:31:27 -0500
What can I say...I work with Doug Netter...I can NEVER get out of his
office without being pulled back by a comment or two, and because I'm
absent minded, I'm always adding an afterthought as I leave the room. So
for my money, this is just how folks talk.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Why the long wait?
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:32:14 -0500
Same reason as Voyager and DS9 now go into reruns; so they (and we)
can have new eps for sweeps, which is what the PTEN stations want.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Question...
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:34:39 -0500
The real world is what I see. The real world is what you see.
Strangely, they are never the same real worlds.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Question about Hunte
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:35:10 -0500
Actually, no, the idea of making it Dr. Kyle had never entered my
mind. On reflection, might've been interesting if it had....
jms
Subject: JMS: Writer's strike?
Date: 3 Mar 1995 15:37:27 -0500
Since negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance companies seem
to be going along well just now, and since the WGA only renegotiates
every four-five years, so the next one wouldn't be until B5 had run its
full course, the question seems to me moot in any event.
jms
Subject: JMS: Is this common? was Re: A
Date: 3 Mar 1995 21:08:53 -0500
Some bits and pieces are shown around the stage or posted on the
stage bulletin board, but not too much.
jms
Subject: JMS: sigh (was Re: What does H
Date: 4 Mar 1995 04:28:40 -0500
"You may as well have not responded, sir."
"If you don't wish us to ask such questions, then please say so and
(we) will refrain from asking in the future."
Don't get snippy, Chuck.
I get 500 messages a day or more. I don't have to answer any of
them. I do. I don't owe you any kind of reply whatsoever; I could have
simply seen it and moved on. Don't snip at me because you didn't like
the answer, or it wasn't as detailed as you might want. Also, this is
one particular question that I've answered, oh, about 30 times now, in
excruciating detail; you'll forgive me if on number 31 I shorthand it a
bit.
The answer I gave you was also 100% correct, whether you liked it or
not. Harlan does on the show whatever Harlan wants. If you're not
satisfied with the answer, that's your lookout, not mine.
For the 30th time (and a lot of this is probably in the faq, but after
12 straight hours writing, and another 10 hours producing, and getting
maybe 3 hours sleep out of the last 36, I will take the time and retype
it all again, this time for your benefit, since you seem to begrudge me
my prior response. He has helped write the opening narration; he hsa
created the character of the ombuds; he has worked with me in getting some
of our freelance writers on-track; he has made costume suggestions, set
suggestions, music suggestions...as I said: He does whatever he wants.
I hope that this answer, which is available in the faq, suffices for
you. For your next question, download the faq and try to ask one that
I haven't already covered 30 times. Or if you do ask an old one, and I
give you a brief answer, because I'm tired, and I've been typing all day
and all night, and my arms hurt all night long and all day long because
of carpal tunnel syndrome...don't come back at me with attitude, because
frankly your attitude sucks. You could've said, "Could you amplify a
little more?" and that would've been sufficient, and I probably would've
obliged. But I answer hundreds upon hundreds of messages every single
week; don't pull this kind of crap on me.
"You may as well have not responded, sir."
Yeah, well, maybe next time I won't.
"If you don't wish us to ask such questions, then please say so and
(we) will refrain from asking in the future."
Does your mom know you talk to people like this?
jms
Subject: JMS: Compliments from a viewer
Date: 4 Mar 1995 04:47:15 -0500
Thanks...and sorry...and my best to you and Helene.
jms
Subject: B5 T-Shirt and Cap Info (jms)
Date: 4 Mar 1995 05:25:54 -0500
In reply to the many who've asked...All-U, which has one of hte
licenses for B5 merchandise, has been supplying mainly to distributers
but has now started taking individual orders. These are *truly* nifty
t-shirts and caps, authorized and approved. There are t-shirts (short
AND long-sleeve) for the cast with station, station with B5 logo and
the words "the last best hope," station/logo/planet, and station with a
starfury in foreground. The cap has the B5 logo embroidered. These
are quality shirts, folks. When these guys grabbed the license, and
we saw how good they were, we ordered boxes and boxes of 'em for the
studio, and these are the exact same ones worn by many of our crew and
cast. The artwork is laid down nicely, not heavy, well detailed, and
true to the look of the show.
Orders can be placed at All-U at 1-800-424-2558, ext. 105. Shirts
and caps are $17, with long-sleeve shirts at $25, plus shipping. As I've
noted before, we're doing limited merchandising, mainly that which can be
controlled for quality and done right. These definitely qualify.
jms
Subject: Kosh is not being cryptic.
Date: 4 Mar 1995 05:27:54 -0500
Ah, at *last* someone who understands Kosh. Yes, Andy, that is
precisely it. Of all the lines I write in the course of an episode, the
ones that take the longest are always Kosh's lines; anyone can be cryptic;
that's easy. You have to kind of re-hardwire your brain to think like
Kosh thinks. He sees directly to the point of what the issue is, and that
we sometimes can't follow has nothing to do with him being mysterious, as
it does with just not being able to stand back and look objectively; clear
seeing, as they say in Zen.
There's an old Zen saying; when you are hungry, eat; whey you are
tired, sleep; this way will you confound your enemies. Kosh's dialogue
tends to be a stone dropped into water that drops straight down. The
more I can pare down his dialogue to just what is *absolutely essential*
the more it is Kosh.
jms
Subject: Attn JMS: B5 Fan clubs?
Date: 4 Mar 1995 05:29:47 -0500
We've been trying to push a B5 fan club through Warners, and have
had tough going, but in time, and with luck, that'll change to some
extent or other.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS; Repeat quote please.
Date: 4 Mar 1995 05:57:11 -0500
Reason I said to keep it was that I knew I'd forget it...and I have.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: UK B5 group
Date: 4 Mar 1995 06:23:51 -0500
I can basically handle one big group on internet at a time; when
rec.arts.b5 was created, I moved here from alt.b5 and haven't been on it
since. (Also, my access to internet is via a gateway created by another
kind user that I can use via GEnie; I don't directly get into internet.)
So my guess is probably not, barring anything extraordinary.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: You and the "actor-b
Date: 4 Mar 1995 18:36:58 -0500
Actually, we have even MORE fun on the set; which is why it's a great
place to work.
jms
Subject: Attn JMS: What's with Warner's
Date: 4 Mar 1995 18:51:03 -0500
I think to some extent we're falling between two chairs, given that
most of Warner's attention now is in promoting the WB network. It's
been the topic of...considerable discussion lately, and with any kind of
luck at all, we might get a bit more PR down the road.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: sigh (was Re: What do
Date: 4 Mar 1995 18:51:28 -0500
Apology accepted. Forgiven, forgotten, gone.
jms
Subject: JMS: G's bubbles (H,P spoilers
Date: 5 Mar 1995 04:45:59 -0500
P.S. For folks who, as you indicated, like to freeze-frame this
stuff and look at it later, I slipped in a little something JUST for you
guys (and, well, yeah, it also serves a plot point, and pushes part of
the arc), but it's something the freeze-framers will enjoy...look for it
in the first couple of episodes in the next batch of new episodes.
jms
Subject: JMS: G's bubbles (H,P spoilers
Date: 5 Mar 1995 04:45:52 -0500
The word-balloons went by when the monitor was off-camera, and we
were on Franklin.
jms
Subject: The Ship Who Sang
Date: 5 Mar 1995 19:09:32 -0500
There was no intended reference to Anne McCaffrey's story; Kosh tends
to speak naturally through a series of musical/tonal/atonal chords, and I
figured his ship would communicate in the same way, which to another would
sound a little like singing.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: How many episodes in
Date: 5 Mar 1995 19:14:14 -0500
It's 22 per season.
jms
Subject: JMS: Change in Kosh's voice?
Date: 5 Mar 1995 19:21:44 -0500
There's been no change in the tenor of Kosh's voice that I'm aware of.
jms
Subject: re: Hugo nominations
Date: 5 Mar 1995 19:22:00 -0500
The Sci-Fi Universe rankings were only the opinion of the individual
reviewer, and doesn't reflect the majority of fan opinion I've seen on
the show; the survey that comes out here every episode or so tends to be
more reflective of overall opinion.
jms
Subject: Doug Netter does Naked Gun?
Date: 6 Mar 1995 01:20:15 -0500
Nope, it's some other Doug Netter.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Note on growing audi
Date: 6 Mar 1995 15:52:22 -0500
That's a great report, thanks, very encouraging.
jms
Subject: B5 visibility- wouldn't mercha
Date: 6 Mar 1995 15:55:01 -0500
I fought merchandising the first year to focus on the show; all too
often the tail begins wagging the dog. Now we're doing a little, here and
there. Merchandising doesn't really drive ratings; ratings drive the
sale of merchandise.
jms
Subject: Dr. John Glassco - *SPOILERS*
Date: 6 Mar 1995 16:22:58 -0500
The funny thing is...NOTHING quoted in the article has ANYthing to
do with B5...not the rat, not the android, nothing. I can only assume
it involves ST, because it's got nothing to do with what we're shooting.
jms
Subject: CGI -- What's missing still?
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:38:26 -0500
I think the CGI in composites looks more real because it's up next
to items we know ARE real. Re: transferring the CGI to film...this will
be done as part of redoing each episode to meet HDTV standards and laser
disks.
jms
Subject: ATT: JMS- Generic apology
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:40:26 -0500
Robert Christopher...don't be silly. Though the sentiment is
appreciated, and the gesture a noble and good one, what you describe just
happens; I've been on the nets too long to let most stuff bother me.
I'm not bashful; if you ever do something that requires an apology,
you won't have to wonder about it. I remember seeing your post, and as it
came in a batch of similar messages, didn't bother me overmuch.
Bottom line...s'okay. Don't worry about it.
You have nothing to apologize for...well, except for that shirt...and
those *shoes*...c'mon, RC, you gotta stop letting your mom dress you.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Morden in pilot?
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:40:40 -0500
Re: Morden apparently appearing in the pilot...certainly the actor
does, yes. That cannot be denied. You're correct in that to date, I have
not commented on Morden being this same person.
And the secret answer to this is...oh, hell, there's the phone....
jms
Subject: Request: StarShip Yamato on B-
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:40:59 -0500
The next big weapon you see on B5 will be a hell of a lot nastier
than even a wave-motion gun....
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: The End of the Arc an
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:41:16 -0500
This is aimed at Theron Fuller, who once again proves that he has
not the vaguest idea what the hell he's talking about. I'm getting tired
of constantly having to do this, and I swore it off for a while, because
it's like trying to teach a snail to tapdance ("Oh, look, dear, isn't that
cute, it's trying to *think*!")...but once more I sally forth in spite of
remaining wisdom.
To your statement that we "sold the national advertising at cut
rates to fill the space"...claptrap. Have you *watched* the show lately?
We've gone to larger sponsors than in our first year, higher prestige
sponsors. Also, ratings for national sponsors are based on the cumulative
national ratings, when you add together the two runs per week. And ever
since we went on the air, we have been increasing our ratings every single
damned quarter, Theron. Okay? Can we be clear on that now? Increasing.
Or in fewer syllables, UP. We went from a 3.2 to a 3.7 to a 4.0 to a
4.3 to a 4.4 and now we're hovering at about the 4.9 area about to break
into a 5.0.
IN ADDITION, you towering mudslide of misinformation, ou
demographics are STELLAR. We have alternately the #2 or #3 ranking in
ALL syndicated dramas in demographics, and just recently outdid DS9 for
the first time. Using the formula that advertisers use to determine ad
rates, this pushes our regular ratings to an ad-rate figure of 6.5. The
ads are being sold at top rate, to major sponsors, who have booked the show
SOLID through the fourth quarter.
PTEN has not asked for ANY changes in looking toward a possible
season three, and right now it looks VERY good for that season; the only
thing that might prevent it would be a cataclysmic drop in the ratings,
and that hasn't happened.
What you do, Theron, is create this crisis that exists only in your
own fevered brain...oh dear the show sucks in the ratings...AHA! that
MUST be why they changed between last season (wrong), and they must be
planning to "dumb down the show even further" for the third season in a
desperate attempt to survive!
I don't know what voices you hear in the middle of the night, Theron,
but their evaluations do not touch reality at any two contiguous points.
And I've grown weary beyond the telling of you sounding off here and
spouting nonsense as though somehow you had the facts and figures in front
of you. You don't. You're making all this crap up.
Please take it somewhere else.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS "Tie a RED Ribbon Rou
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:41:33 -0500
The ribbon was there as a "drop," a signal that a meeting was to
take place between Sheridan and his contact, in this case Sarah, which
happens in the very next scene.
jms
Subject: I'm confused about 5year arc
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:41:52 -0500
The five years applies to the series; it's six if you count in
the pilot.
jm(mathematics not zathras' skill)s
Subject: Attn: JMS: "Souls"
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:42:12 -0500
I'm afraid that asking my opinion on souls will matter very little
in an analysis of their use in B5 in that as an atheist I don't believe in
any kind of afterlife, which kinda negates the discussion.
jms
Subject: JMS: Bubble & Squeak
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:44:32 -0500
Yes, I know all about Toad in the Hole and Spotted Dick, and in
general both conditions can be cured with regular doces of antibiotics.
jms(who has eaten many times at Porters in Covent Gardens)s
Subject: ATTN JMS: You'll find this amu
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:44:59 -0500
...quark photos...sigh...I can't get a break....
jms
Subject: You know you've OD'ed on Babyl
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:45:21 -0500
Cats markings *do* move when you're not looking. I thought everyone
knew this.
jms
Subject: JMS: Babylon-TRGB Connection?
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:44:47 -0500
I didn't write that episode of THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS; I'm fairly
sure (this was a while ago) that Richard Mueller wrote "I Am the City."
(Though I did story edit that script, as well as the 77 others in
that one season.)
Among the episodes I wrote are "Citizen Ghost," "Ragnarok and Roll,"
"The Thing in Mrs. Faversham's Attic," "Xmas Marks the Spot," "Mister
Sandman, Dream Me a Dream," "When Halloween Was Forever," "Chicken, He
Clucked," "No One Comes to Lupusville," and a bunch of others. In general,
the really sick and twisted ones were usually mine.
jms
Subject: Re: Can we get rid of imperial
Date: 8 Mar 1995 05:47:15 -0500
And by the way...those who keep saying we should be showing metric
in the future...hey, I've *seen* the future, and metric was dropped in
2181 in favor of the original system, mainly to annoy the hell out of the
French.
So *there*.
And if it doesn't happen in 2181, you can come correct me.
If you can find me.
jms
Subject: Question about Bab5 production
Date: 8 Mar 1995 17:25:00 -0500
Sometimes for production reasons, a section of dialogue may be looped
(a glitch in recording, off-camera noise, a faulty radio mike, any number
of common occurances). We match the looped dialogue to the original with
proper room tone...and you can't easily tell it was done. But we've known
for some time that our audio is getting crunched via the WB delivery
process, and some stations which cut out the dynamic range, particularly
those broadcasting in mono. After all that, the differences can become
noticeable.
jms
Subject: A theory on Vorlons
Date: 8 Mar 1995 17:24:07 -0500
Are the Vorlons the bad guys and the shadows the good guys?
That ain't it.
Are the shadows the bad guys and the Vorlons the good guys?
That also ain't it.
jms
Subject: Atten JMS: Status on other pro
Date: 8 Mar 1995 17:27:43 -0500
I hope to have word on some other projects I've been developing over
the next few months. In all cases, while I'll create the series and will
be nominally exec producer, a secondary show runner will be brought in to
handle most of the work, even though potentially some of the other gigs
would pay more for that position than I'm getting now. B5 has to come
first.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS Kosh 'n' Zen
Date: 8 Mar 1995 17:55:16 -0500
We have a number of variable sounds we can use to create Kosh's
voice at various points.
Re: Zen...I find it an interesting approach, though I don't put that
much more stock in it per se than any other system. It applies an
intriguing way of seeing the world, and I enjoy many elements about it,
so I use it for story stuff or characterization sometimes, just as I draw
on other areas.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: The End of the Arc an
Date: 8 Mar 1995 17:55:59 -0500
Ratings tell you how many people are watching. Demographics tell
you what *sorts* of people are watching...age, income, sex, that sort of
thing. The advertisers like to reach people who spend money, preferably
on their products. You can have a highly rated show, but if (to indulge
for a moment in the crass-think exercised by ad people) that audience
consists mainly of people in their 70s and above...it's hard to GIVE away
the ads. You can be a lower rated show, but if you can deliver within the
desired demographics, the advertisers will come to you.
The B5 demographics are absolutely dynamite, and that's *very* good
for us. We get a lot of people in the 18-49 range, our largest share of
viewers, mostly educated, good consumers. They die for that kind of
viewership.
Translation: they've seen who YOU guys are...and they like what they
see. Well, maybe except for that one guy in the loud Hawaiian shirt over
there in the third row....
jms
Subject: ATN JMS: Mr. Reno in S&P
Date: 8 Mar 1995 17:58:27 -0500
I don't believe they were the same actor.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS Grey Council questio
Date: 9 Mar 1995 04:18:56 -0500
What can I say...the worker caste always gets forgotten....
jms
Subject: Exploring dangerous ships
Date: 9 Mar 1995 04:19:22 -0500
They went because it was NOT an unknown ship, it was an Earth
registered ship, and they had done considerable scans (as noted in
dialogue) prior to entering the ship. If YOU were the captain of a
modern carrier, and you found a ship from 100 years floating past,
wouldn't YOU want to investigate it? There was absolutely NO clear and
present danger. Further, they were not, in fact, attacked by anything
in the ship; the thing would have gotten out whoever had opened the
cryogenic freezer. So what difference would it have made to send in
some "expendable lackies" when nothing was at risk anyway?
This is, frankly, Picard-think. When TNG went on the air, everybody
yelled and carried on about how Kirk wouldn't let someone else go down
to the planet instead of him; after a few years, suddenly it became SOP
that the captain NEVER goes into any situation with possible jeapordy.
You judge cases on an individual basis. There was no reason for
them NOT to go into the ship, every reason FOR them to go into it, and
nothing whatsoever happened once they WERE on board the ship to show that
their safety assessment was incorrect.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: DiTillio! Ragnarok-
Date: 9 Mar 1995 17:43:10 -0500
We had a war going there for a while (Larry and I would occasionally
declare war on one another for no particular reason). Larry named a bald
butler in one of his episodes for another show "Straczynski." So I
countered with the twisted dwarf named DiTillio in one of my episodes for
TRGBs. He then came back at me with a deranged magician named The Amazing
Straczynski in another episode. Then Marc Zicree got Larry, me, AND
dragged Kathryn into it in "Lights"...at which point, having been
blindsided, we decided it wasn't worth doing anymore and looked for other,
more productive means of warfare.
jms
Subject: The Pirate PlanetR
Date: 9 Mar 1995 17:43:36 -0500
You'll see Epsilon 3 again this season.
jms
Subject: How to Keep B5 on the air.
Date: 9 Mar 1995 17:42:43 -0500
Sentiment appreciated, but don't do the $10 check routine, as it will
get us in trouble with the FCC. Letters alone carry plenty of weight, and
your support is received with much gratitude.
jms
Subject: Re: Dress UP!!! JMS can *SEE*
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:32:11 -0500
"...after several dozen rapid revolutions, you might meet up with
the Vorlon."
I think I can pretty much guarantee that.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Vorlon influence?
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:32:32 -0500
I've never been able to work up enough steam to read "Lathe." I've
read some of Ursula's work, but have often enough found it slow going that
I just kinda ran out of enthusiasm. It's on my "when you have time, read
this" list.
In terms of writers now...I can't think of that much being done now
in SF that really moves me or grabs me on a visceral level; not so much
because it ain't there, because it probably is, only that since jumping
onto B5 I've had *very* little time to read much of ANYthing. Most of what
I do read seems to end up in other genres...lots of nonfiction, some dark
or contemporary fantasy. (I've noticed this trend before; if I'm doing a
humor-oriented show, I won't watch or read anything comedic...if I'm doing
a mystery, I'll avoid mysteries...don't know why, really.)
I'd definitely recommend Neil Gaiman, one of the best writers out
there right now in any area. Terry Pratchett. And Jonathan Carroll,
without question. He doesn't have quite the cachet of a Stephen King or
a Jorge Luis Borges, but believe me, they'll be looking back at this guy
for years to come, he's *that* good. Harlan keeps telling me to read
Poppy Z. Brite, and one of these days I'll get around to it.
jms
Subject: Attn JMS>>>Technomage Seeks he
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:32:53 -0500
"...tips on being a technomage."
Real technomages don't need tips. They simply Are.
General advice would be...never eat anything bigger than your head,
never shoot pool at a place called Pop's, never eat food at a place
called Mom's, the difference between horses and humans is that they're
too smart to bet on what *we'll* do...and a fool and his money were
lucky to get together in the first place.
That'll be one dollar.
jms
Subject: Earth Alliance ship names
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:34:49 -0500
Also the Schwartzkopf (in "Gropos") and the explorer vessel Cortez.
Interesting juxtaposition between the Agamemnon, and the fact that G'Kar
is something of a Cassandra figure in our story....
jms
Subject: Re: Dress UP!!! JMS can *SEE*
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:49:49 -0500
"jms is a big boy...undoubtedly accustomed to all our styles of
dress, and presumably, undress, while posting."
Well, yeah, that's true, I just think that's a very strange place
to keep your mouse.
jms
Subject: Re: Babcom 95 - A UK Con of so
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:53:15 -0500
So, Steve, what is it you're not saying about B5 programming at
WorldCon yet...?
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Micro Machines Canc
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:49:32 -0500
I find this very surprising and somewhat dubious, given that last
I'd heard the orders were going well. Our demise is ALWAYS being
prematurely announced; lots of folks looking to buy the B5 comic were told
it wasn't coming out, ditto for the novel. But I'll look into it just to
be sure.
jms
Subject: JMS: Murder, She Wrote
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:55:20 -0500
Hrmm...I'm going to try and do this from memory, and it was a while
back..."Incident in Lot #7," "To The Last Will I Grapple With Thee" (the
winner for the longest MSW title on record), "The Wind Around the
Tower," "The Committee," one about a well-known actor returning to appear
in a play in Cabot Cove whose former manager is murdered (I've forgotten
the title), "Lines of Excellence," and several others.
jms
(I think they're playing stuff from my tenure on USA now, in fact.)
Subject: Re: Was Morden On The Icarus
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:55:37 -0500
"If we assume, due to our vast suspicion of jms, that they are the
same person, then that implies...."
Of course, if one *knows* that he is viewed with suspicion, one
might just play into that.
Or not. Or pretend to do so.
Sleep well.
jms
Subject: B5's sexiest character
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:55:54 -0500
And here I thought maybe it was me.
It's the hair, isn't it?
jms
Subject: Those three little things
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:56:12 -0500
Another thing that can be now re-interpreted is the look on Jack's
face when Garibaldi didn't go for the whitewash of the security guard's
financial records in "Sky," and how that body managed to get out of the
station without security being aware of it....
jms
Subject: Re: Atten JMS: Status on other
Date: 10 Mar 1995 04:55:05 -0500
We were mentioned in USA Today on Thursday? Where and what was it?
Re: the rest....ehh...let it go. (Would, btw, very much appreciate
a copy of the Patriot/Ledger article, since I've never seen it.)
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: Babylon-TRGB Connecti
Date: 10 Mar 1995 18:34:57 -0500
"The Collect Call of Cthulhu" was written by Michael Reaves from a
jms notion (at least I'm pretty sure it was; I was handing out premises
left right and center back then, and didn't take credit for any of them,
so I'll leave room for error there). I did write the follow-up episode,
though, "Russian About," which btw had Walter Koenig doing a voice job.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: My Ears Have Turned
Date: 10 Mar 1995 18:38:31 -0500
Usually the person him- or herself puts up the meeting flag.
jms
Subject: Re: B5 is a surreal farce!
Date: 10 Mar 1995 20:58:30 -0500
Humor is always a very subjective issue, particularly when it comes
to SF, which in TV has either been non-existent/forced, or campy. So
a lot of times you get this knee-jerk reaction against it; they should
all be dry and serious and self-important.
I try and push just about everything on this show just a notch past
the proverbial envelope. Sometimes I fall down. That's the risk when
you take chances. I don't intend to stop taking chances, because what's
the point otherwise?
And sometimes the extremes work. And sometimes in humor you just
do something completely gonzo. My favorite scene from Hill Street Blues
in this regard was the one in which they spend (in a b story) the wholed
(whole) episode trying to rescue/find the mayor's dog. Finally, after
much angst, they find it. It's at the station. This little rat-dog
critter, a real creep. Lt. Howard Hunter is playing with it, bouncing a
ball. The ball bounces off the desk and out the 4th floor window...and
the dog sails after it, right through the window...and Hunter just sorta
stands there, and quietly, unobtrusively, hoping not to be noticed,
walks away.
I nearly killed myself laughing. And I thought, Damn, why can't we
do this kind of humor in SF? Just *go* for it.
And now we are.
jms
Subject: Re: Dress UP!!! JMS can *SEE*
Date: 10 Mar 1995 20:58:51 -0500
Re: posting while in lingerie...hmm...perhaps we can discuss this a
little further....
Though if the some of the guys are also going to continue posting in
lingerie, I think they should at least shave their backs, y'know...?
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: E-Mail
Date: 11 Mar 1995 02:17:34 -0500
Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've gotten them, and in some cases have
responded, but the GEnie interface sometimes bounces stuff.
jms
Subject: Great Flame!
Date: 11 Mar 1995 02:10:58 -0500
We *have* military advisors on the show. And we use them constantly
on various scripts. You may think that all military people think or act
in one way. (Probably you think they all should think like you do.) You
don't like the way I do it...probably prefer the way Trek does it. Fine.
I happen to get a LOT of mail from people in the armed services, or who
were in it previously, applauding the way B5 treats the military. But I
suppose they're ignorant too, since they don't think like you do.
I'll only bother to answer one other question: why stations are in
many cases moving the 2nd airing of the show to less than terrific times,
or trying to get out of it altogether.
1) There are only 2 hours per night of prime time space available on
independent stations, 8-10 p.m., since nearly all their news programs
start at 10 p.m. That's 12 hours per week, total, to fit in all the PTEN
shows, the UPN shows, the WB shows, the Fox shows, plus other syndicated
programs. There's a glut of new programming right now, and it's a buyer's
market. And while a rerun of that week's B5 may do well, it's still less
than the first run a few days earlier, since most folks have seen it, and
a new episode of another show might do better.
2) National sponsors pay for advertising based on the cumulative
national rating. You can get a 3 on the first night, and a 3 on the second
night, and end up with a 6 rating, which is *terrific*. Local stations,
however, don't have the luxury of cumulative ratings; they go by what it
gets *that night* in *that hour*. If they only show it once, or put the
rebroadcast in a less handy place, they can motivate more people to watch
the first run, moving it up to a 4 or 5, meaning they can get a LOT more
from sponsors. In later time periods, the money is always less anyway,
so putting it on at 1 a.m. doesn't make any real difference money-wise.
jms
Subject: ATTN:Jms When it`s all over
Date: 11 Mar 1995 02:25:34 -0500
Well...the most honest and straightforward answer I can give you is
that I don't know. On one level, being online is a lot like being in the
mob; the only way you get out is feet first. ("Every time I think I'm out
they pull me back in!" -- Godfather 3.) On the other...if B5 does go its
full measure, I'll almost certainly bail out of TV, which kinda concludes
the experiment. I'm also painfully (literally) cognizant of the impact of
the CTS which generally makes each night difficult for me after hours and
hours of typing, and I think I would rather cut back at that time on BBSing
and put it into writing if my typing eventually gets curtailed.
(General notice...I've seen just about every article, message and
document on carpal tunnel syndrome; the last thing this forum needs is to
get filled with more messages on the subject. Pretend you've sent it, and
I'll be fictionally grateful, and we'll both save a lot of time and
cyberspace.)
And yes, I'm wearing the gloves; have had them on non-stop for the
last couple days, including at the office, since I'm blasting through the
last four scripts for this season nominally all at once, since they have
many thematic connections that work better if I write 'em together.
So anyway...I don't know. I'll probably always be around, to one
extent or another, responding at age 80 to somebody's question about just
what DID Harlan Ellison do on my show before he won the Nobel Prize...?
jms
Subject: Re: B5's sexiest character
Date: 11 Mar 1995 22:20:58 -0500
I try to avoid doing cameos; it ruins the illusion for me.
jms
Subject: Re: Yo Theron
Date: 12 Mar 1995 20:25:20 -0500
Deborah (assuming this really is you and not Theron logging on under
another name to get some sympathy)...I'm sorry but you fail the test of
logic on just about every conceivable level. By your lights, it's okay to
smear people's reputations, announce that people are not to be trusted,
imply that they are liars, all that's fine as long as one doesn't use bad
words. What a wonderfully convenient and perverse world you live in.
You look around and say, well, gee, Joe hasn't produced the ratings,
maybe something's wrong, why are they being withheld, maybe the whole
truth isn't being told...you want to know the details, and demand that I
provide them to you.
First Deb (or whoever)...screw off. I don't have to provide you with
zip. You say you work at a campus, you're a student. Allow me to introudce
you to the concept of "research." This isn't top secret classified
material; this is the most easily accessible information on the planet.
Every week DAILY VARIETY and the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER list ratings for the
syndicated and network shows (and yes, they ARE considered two separate
things, as anyone who bothered to do the LEAST amount of digging into the
question instead of relying on the person they're smearing and badrapping
to provide it for them because they ask for it, like it's some kind of
holy obligation). You wanna know the ratings? Come our next batch of
new episodes, why don't you just drag your smarmy, accusatory, "you know
you really can't trust him, he's a producer, oh, we won't call him a liar,
but we'll just whisper it" ass down to the campus library and LOOK IT UP.
"...one producer who goes only by his initials...."
Excuse me, but what the hell does THAT bit of smear-tactic mean when
my name is right on top of every single damned message I post? Do you mean
that after all this time you -- gasp! -- don't know WHO I AM? You mean you
see "only" some initials on the bottom of a message and you're so confused
by who this might be that you've fallen down the dark, dusty staircase you
call your cerebullum and now can't get up? Good heavens, I've had an
alias all this time and I haven't known it! I'm a stealth producer! No
one knows who I am, just those....INITIALS! Suddenly I feel like the
Batman.
In addition, I *have* posted the specific ratings on many occasions,
here and elsewhere. For the last week on Compuserve (verifiable by many
here who are also on CIS, since after all I'm a producer and can't really
be trusted to say anything honest about the business) I posted the ratings
for various areas of the country, including share, and how the general
overall ratings have increased. Probably sooner or later that stuff will
be reposted here, because it always is.
You and Theron (unless you are one and the same) have this nutty
notion that you can ask anything you want, be as accusative and slanderous
as you want, but that's okay...and if *everything* you want and ask for
isn't provided INSTANTLY, in excruciating detail...well, then, my goodness
something's WRONG, isn't it?
Re: my veracity, you say, "I'd be wary and seek a second opinion or
read very carefully to see what info isn't being said."
And because something isn't being said, you thererfore assume that
something's wrong, being held back. And what precise second opinion did
you have in mind? Perhaps the PUBLISHED TRADES I commended to you a
moment ago?
Enough. Enough of you, and your father/alter ego; enough of your
smears, and your oh-so-carefully-phrased-not-to-use-bad-words, let's jsut
call him a liar *quietly*, and your lurking on the back fence as we have
a decent conversation, adding nothing but a murmuring, soft voice that
mewls "don't trust him, don't trust him"...at whom somebody ought to toss
an old shoe.
I'm not going to do your damned homework for you, Deborah, do it
yourself. And if you've got ANYTHING to say, ANY proof that what I've
said here is anything other than what's been posted, you or that
homunculus Theron should speak up or shut up. Every time we get a nice,
pleasant, friendly atmosphere going here, and a good conversation, you two
poster children for co-dependency swoop in here and piss all over th
place.
Get a clue or get out. I've had it with both of you.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: Babylon-TRGB Connecti
Date: 13 Mar 1995 03:53:31 -0500
The Halloween character was named Samhein.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Character and Person
Date: 13 Mar 1995 03:59:46 -0500
Robert...on the other hand, I sometimes look at it as training
exercises for Ivanova dialogue.....
jms
Subject: Mira at Vulkon, 3/12
Date: 13 Mar 1995 03:59:55 -0500
If Tom's people were selling Starfury patches and jackets, they should
not have been doing so, since they have not yet to my knowledge licensed
ANYthing from Warner Bros., and this would not be legit.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS - More "Alien" Alien
Date: 13 Mar 1995 03:53:15 -0500
You should be careful what you wish for....
jms
Subject: Longest Thread Ever
Date: 13 Mar 1995 04:23:56 -0500
Longest thread I ever saw...probably the one off my old brown
sweater, which got caught on a nail and unravled, oh, I'd say about maybe
fifteen, twenty feet.
Also, *any* abortion or gun control debate.
jms
Subject: ATTN. JMS????
Date: 13 Mar 1995 04:17:38 -0500
It's a bald female extra.
jms
Subject: JMS: A few questions for you i
Date: 14 Mar 1995 02:00:39 -0500
The Mars Colony was really pretty much up and running and fully
operational by the middle 2100s, so you've got a generation or two who
have been born and raised there.
The Psi Corps was established around 2150 or so (I'll have to check
my notes to be sure). Bester is not a teek.
jms
Subject: ATT JMS Who is third in comma
Date: 14 Mar 1995 02:00:51 -0500
Actually, I think the third in command would be Major Atumbe, who
we've referenced in dialogue on the show, but have never shown. I keep
meaning to do so, but it always ends up feeling forced, and it's hard to
work in new recurring characters when we have something like 16 as it is.
jms
Subject: My show can beat up your show!
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:21:08 -0500
I agree on not ragging on the X-Files; it's a fine show, and I enjoy
it a lot.
jms
Subject: JMS:UK The Avengers
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:21:16 -0500
I very much enjoyed The Avengers, though Kathryn is a much bigger
fan than I am; she's seen just about every one of them. (They're now
showing the eps in uncut, crystal-clear version over direcTV, which she
is enjoying.) I don't think it's really any kind of influence, but it's
a great show, no mistake.
jms (2:10 a.m.)
Subject: Bad Rumour - Sheridan Leaving?
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:21:00 -0500
The rumor is flatly untrue.
jms
Subject: Re: Yo Theron
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:26:01 -0500
I don't believe this...the allegation that I'm not really me, that
I'm some shlub working on the B5 payroll into whose hands The Great And
Powerful Oz...I mean *J*M*S* has given his credibility, his reputation,
whom *J*M*S* has taught how to *write* just like him...this dialogue has
just hit a brand new low.
It's now 2:03 a.m. Pacific time. If I ain't me, I'm not paying me
NEARLY enough money to be me at this hour of the night. Yes, it takes a
lot of time to go through this stuff...which is why I'm UP at this ungodly
hour of the night, responding to all this stuff in real-time, writing on
the fly.
...I just sat here for several minutes, trying to wrap my brain around
how on EARTH to respond to this latest bit of nonsense...and realized,
why? This is the nuttiest thing I've ever seen. What's the point?
And no, there are NOT two sides to every story.
And finally, this has nothing to do with critiquing my show. This is
what always happens in these threads; somebody mouths off about something,
makes an unsubstantiated claim, and then when the net collectively hands
them their heads, complains that people are too sensitive about critiquing
their show. Except, of course, that's never been what they've beend oing
(been doing) in the first place.
Why on earth am I even HAVING this boneheaded conversation?
jms
Subject: Re: Yo Theron
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:30:44 -0500
Jeremy...or Jere7my...I don't *hate* the Fullers; I reserve that
for only a very few on a very short list (those still surviving). When I
think of the Fullers, I kinda think of Neice Bertrice, who lives with her
family on some nice suburban street, with her Uncle Horace who lives in
the basement and collects paper sacks and string and complains about that
damn Roosevelt, and only comes up once every second Thursday to piss in
the cassarole and set the cat on fire...and when Mom and Dad look over at
old Uncle Horace, and wonder if maybe he might need a little assistance,
ain't quite the fellow he used to be, she stamps her foot and cries and
shouts at them and asks why they're being so mean to sweet Uncle Horace,
and they should leave him alone and stop saying bad things about him,
after which she races upstairs to her blue bedroom and slams the door,
hugging her pink bunny and saying over and over that Uncle Horace is fine,
just FINE, while downstairs the cat is smoldering again.
And I think that qualifies as the longest sentence I've ever written
on line. Or whoever I am.
jms (2:25 a.m.)
Subject: Re: B5 is a surreal farce!
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:50:14 -0500
Red Dwarf is one of the gaps in my SF education; I've caught bits and
pieces of the show, enough to enjoy it, but not enough to really get a
feel for the show. Also, there's a certain kind of British humor that
doesn't work for me as well as others; The Young Ones (I think that's the
name) leaves me only marginally amused while Fawlty Towers or AbFab will
put me on the floor in minutes. Red Dwarf (what I've seen of it) tends to
fall into the former category; don't know why, really.
jms (2:20 am.)
Subject: ATTN: JMS - What's wrong with
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:50:25 -0500
I just didn't *buy* n'grath. He looked cool, but did he look
SENTIENT? That's the next level that I don't think has been reached yet;
I think we're on the right track, but I can't ever dare settle for less
than being a perfectionist. That means being more critical than the
audience in some cases.
jms
Subject: Re: Yo Theron
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:59:46 -0500
Flat out, Deborah-Who-Threatens-To-Complain-To-Warner-Bros., every
single message with my name on it is written by me. You're right; the
way to do it is cut down on sleep and food during the week, which is what
I do. Because unlike those who only come in here to foul the nest, I
happen to actually care about this dialogue.
Now, I've said it, straight up. Either I'm flat-out lying or I'm
not. And y'know, I don't really give a damn what you think. And my
reaction should someone mention "the fullers" I can tell you now, and
save you the imagining.
"Who?"
jms (2:47 am)
Subject: Re: Yo Theron
Date: 14 Mar 1995 05:59:55 -0500
Ah, and now we get down to it...Deborah threatens to let Warner Bros.
know what I'm saying here.
Folks, take a good luck. This is the repeated paradigm. Person X
starts smearing my reputation (or anyone in the public eye). Offers that
I (or other person) doesn't have a right to be upset because after all I'm
a well-known kinda guy, and thus sacrifice all rights to an opinion, or to
defend myself. They speculate about my veracity, my name, my identity,
my figures, my existence...that's okay...but when it's turned back on them,
they get huffy and start sending faxes to Warner Bros.
They can give, but they don't like it in return. Remember Ford
Thaxton, who saw no problem in impugning my reputation here? Guess who
started sending REAMS of faxes to WB, quoting my messages (and others
here) in some hope of "getting me" for talking back. And now young miss
Fuller threatens to do exactly the same thing.
She will harm me not in the slightest. The only possible result if
this continues is that eventually WB might say they're tired of the faxes,
and ask me to stop hanging out here. 'Cause as long as I *am* here, I'll
speak honestly, which is my responsibility.
jms (2:33 am)
Subject: ATTN JMS: International spread
Date: 14 Mar 1995 06:18:56 -0500
Certainly the more countries that B5 is sold into, the more htat
(that) Warners will want to do the show; only catch is thta PTEN is a
consortium of WB and the stations, and the stations have no direct
reward from foreign.
jms (3:01 am)
Subject: Re: Yo Theron
Date: 14 Mar 1995 06:19:05 -0500
"If the ratings are so good then he has nothing to loose by
revealing where they would be located."
<thud>
I quote "The Lady's Not For Burning" ... "Am I invisible? Inaudible?
Do I merely festoon the room with my presence?"
THEY'RE IN THE TRADES, LADY. WALK 200 FEET TO YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY AND
LOOK IT UP. You've now been told where they're located in 15 different
messages from different people.
I give up..................
jms (2:50 am)
Subject: Re: Great Flame!
Date: 14 Mar 1995 07:00:22 -0500
It is now 3:10 a.m. I am now leaving my GEnie gateway to Internet
with about 150 as yet unread messages, mostly "flame" and "yo theron" in
nature. I'll do a quick run on a couple of other systems, then crash
around 4-4:30 a.m., to get up at 8 a.m. for meetings tomorrow. Just so
everyone knows my schedule.
I've just gotten a note from someone quoting Ms. Fuller on another
service in which she again threatens to "write to Warner Bros., and let
them know what their representative is doing with their time and money."
She concludes, "That kind of behavior needs to be stopped, period."
John Ford can verify this if he chooses to do so.
It's apparent that we do not all play by the same rules here. You
and I and the rest of us rely on the arguments we pose. Some here run to
complain to various authorities because "this kind of behavior," being a
free exchange, "needs to be stopped, period." They can't win the
argument, so they go whining off to somebody to beat up on the person
they're arguing with.
Cowardice, plain and simple.
Maybe it's because it's now 3:14 a.m., and I'm tired, and this is
bullshit, and I've seen 1/3rd of the messages in my mailbox (and yours)
given over to this, but this has gotten sick and ugly and senseless.
Henceforth, I will not respond to *any* messages from either Fuller,
father or daughter. I will no longer give their sad, pathetic lives the
satisfaction and validation of a response. Which is clearly what they
most dearly want, and most profoundly cherish. To feel persecuted, to
be the center of attention, to pretend to be the wounded soul up upon the
cross.
But at least Christ died quietly and didn't go running off to the
Pharisees to complain. If one is going to wear the cloth of the martyr,
one should play the part to the hilt.
This is the last message I will write in this thread. Nor will I
read any more in this thread. I suggest one clear path of action to
everyone here:
Ignore them. Don't respond. Ms. Fuller said this "needs to be
stopped." Okay, fine...let's stop it our way. Ignore them to death.
It's the only way to make them go.
Granted, some of you will ignore reason (as I did), but suffice to
say, I'm saddened and sickened and dismayed by this, and let them lie to
their heart's content. This is the kind of behavior that makes me
question frankly the wisdom in being here. At least at 3:20 am, when
this stuff grates on me the most.
Everybody out of the pool. Somebody's pissed in the water and
made it uncomfortable for everybody else.
Either way...I'm outta this thread. Let the cowards and the
crybabies yell into a vacuum. I really don't give a shit anymore.
I'm tired.
jms (3:20 a.m.)
Subject: JMS: Kosh Neranek?
Date: 15 Mar 1995 00:35:15 -0500
The full name is given in "And Now for a Word," later this season.
jms
Subject: JMS:UPN's got a show called BA
Date: 15 Mar 1995 00:35:28 -0500
We're definitely aware of Paramount's attempt to launch a show called
BABYLON on the bulk of the same stations that carry Babylon 5, which would
result in confusion and take advantage of our rep to date. We're getting
into it.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Will you write one n
Date: 15 Mar 1995 00:35:42 -0500
A detailed novel down the road, when the series is finished, is
certainly a possibility...but right now, tired as I am, nearing the end
of this season, it sounds about as appealing as a high colonic. I also
think sometimes that if I do my job right, there shouldn't be the need
for books later; on the other hand, there's mounds of stuff I've never
used from my notes.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Middle names? *chu
Date: 15 Mar 1995 00:35:55 -0500
Jeffrey Sinclair's middle name (as noted in "Sky") was/is David.
jms
Subject: Attn: JMS - THANKS
Date: 15 Mar 1995 00:41:04 -0500
Thanks....
jms
Subject: UK: Inconsistent critics
Date: 15 Mar 1995 00:41:20 -0500
The turn-around of the critics that we're starting to see does seem
to indicate that evolution continues in the world around us.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS: Guide/Book (was: re
Date: 15 Mar 1995 02:51:08 -0500
Thing is...we add new viewers every week (ratings increase when
you add viewers) and they tend to stay...and I don't think I've ever seen
more than six notes from people who said they had to kind of catch up to
follow the story.
jms
Subject: Re: Call To Ignore
Date: 15 Mar 1995 02:38:05 -0500
Kate: sleep? What's sleep?
jms
Subject: Re: Loved your Debra/Thoron ra
Date: 15 Mar 1995 02:56:03 -0500
I'm posting this here because this conversation has just gotten
even uglier, and I felt this should be mentioned right now as it's
happening.
I have today received two pieces of email indicating that, in
addition to threatening to write to Warner Bros. to try and shut me up,
Deborah Fuller has now contacted her university administration on the
premise that my comments to here in all of my public messages (I have
never sent her private mail) constitute sexual harrassment. She is
apparently hoping to use the university as leverage in bringing a
complaint against Warner Bros., or suing, or who knows what.
(My suspicion is that she's using the message in which I tell her
to drag her ass down to the library and look up the ratings herself as
the incident of sexual harrassment.)
She seems determined to exercise every untruthful tactic to try and
destory this conversation by forcing me to withdraw, by direct complaint
to the studio, to her university, whatever it takes.
Apparently the person to whom the complaint has been filed at the
university is Cynthia Barnes, CBARNES@SWAN.ADMIN.UIUC.EDU. All of my
messages to either Fuller have been here, in full view of everyone. If
anyone here would like to write a note telling this person what you've
seen, this would be terrific.
I've been on the nets since 1985. This is probably the lowest
thing I have ever seen, the lowest tactic I have ever seen, to try and
kill the messenger in a debate that one is losing.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: A Nielsen Family's T
Date: 15 Mar 1995 03:27:53 -0500
Interesting comments; and thanks, the support is appreciated.
jms
Subject: If we knew then... (MotFL)
Date: 15 Mar 1995 03:28:01 -0500
I *cannot* tell you how pleased I am that these elements are starting
to be noticed. Now you have enough pieces to start seeing the overall
patterns and pictures.
jms
Subject: JMS: more questions
Date: 15 Mar 1995 16:30:46 -0500
The Hour of Scampering is usually around tea-time, according to the
Vorlon/Human Translation Dictionary.
jms
Subject: Re: Loved your Debra/Thoron ra
Date: 15 Mar 1995 16:32:50 -0500
I'm told that Cynthia has now received quite a few responses, and
thus no more may be required at this time so anyone else may want to
hold off.
As an aside, in another message I glimpsed a question about direct
response to email from the Fullers not being answered...even though I do
not have a killfile, I do have to log onto GEnie at 2400 baud because
that's the line they provide for gratis accounts. At 2400, I can see
the address before I see the message. Thus any time I see that it is
from either Fuller, I simply hit ESC and delete the message unread. I
will continue to do this with any message written by either of them.
jms
Subject: JMS: Technomages - where from?
Date: 15 Mar 1995 16:33:09 -0500
There are technomages on many worlds; the ones in "GoS" were human.
jms
Subject: Messages re: fuller
Date: 15 Mar 1995 17:00:38 -0500
I will admit that I am now confused. I received a letter from Ms.
Barnes in private mail asking about charges of harrassment. I received
a second message from John Ford copying his response to Ms. Barnes re:
charges of harrassment. Now she says charges haven't been filed. I
have absolutely no understanding of what's going on, I only passed along
what had been sent to me. Perhaps John can further illuminate this. I
will confess to being an Internet newbie, and thus sometimes easily
confused by the system and its parts and pieces, but this seemed to me
very straightforward.
jms
Subject: Attn JMS:How do Vorlons Scampe
Date: 16 Mar 1995 01:03:51 -0500
The Vorlons do not scamper terribly well, but no one has yet told
them this.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: ship types/classes
Date: 16 Mar 1995 01:04:09 -0500
We won't be seeing many new EA big ships this year, but next year,
oh, yeah.
jms
Subject: B5 episodes on Videotape/lasre
Date: 16 Mar 1995 01:04:26 -0500
According to what I was told the other day by someone with WB
distribution, the tapes should be coming out sometime in the next month
(for the first season).
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: And Now for a Word??
Date: 16 Mar 1995 01:06:19 -0500
"And Now" was not deferred; it'll be the 2nd new episode up. "The
Customer is Always Right" was deferred when I learned that ST had done an
episode along similar themes. Once I can figure out how to adjust it,
maybe it'll be revived.
jms
Subject: JMS: B5 to be picked up by FOX
Date: 16 Mar 1995 01:06:37 -0500
There are no plans for Fox, and there have never been any
discussions with Fox about picking up B5.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS DC COMICS 4 Story
Date: 16 Mar 1995 01:35:12 -0500
Laura Hitchcock at DC and I have discussed it, and I'd like to do a
four-issue arc, and she'd like to have me do it, so it'll probably
happen.
I'm playing with the notion of doing the story as a backgrounder;
one probability is setting the story during the start of the Earth
Minbari war, to show how that all got started. Is there any other
piece of B5 background that we've touched upon in the series (no new
story ideas) that folks might like to see elucidated? (The next cycle
will show how Garibaldi and Sinclair met.)
jms
Subject: HEY JMS: I Like the Show
Date: 16 Mar 1995 05:24:44 -0500
Thanks. I'm less than ecstatic over the reruns myself....
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Is next week a new e
Date: 16 Mar 1995 19:18:57 -0500
New eps starting end of April.
jms
Subject: Does the title sequence keep c
Date: 16 Mar 1995 19:27:24 -0500
Yes, there were a series of continuing modifications to the main title
sequence throughout the first third or so of the new second season
episodes. My sense is that just because it's being broadcast is no reason
to just drop it if you're not ecstatic. I wasn't; I felt some things could
still be improved, whether or not anyone else ever noticed. We also did
revisions to reflect changes in the show, moving Ivanova and Keffer up in
rank, for instance.
jms
Subject: ATT:JMS Titles and full names
Date: 16 Mar 1995 19:27:39 -0500
The screen actors guild has rules about putting characters like Kosh
in the main credits, since it's not really human; voice credits can't go
up front.
jms
Subject: JMS> B-Squared's "mythical" st
Date: 16 Mar 1995 21:01:35 -0500
Actually, the story of B4 has been rerun; it's the viewers who've
vanished mysteriously.
jms
Subject: RATINGS RATINGS RATINGS RATING
Date: 16 Mar 1995 21:03:35 -0500
Ratings always fluctuate from week to week; but in general we're
between the two figures you cite, 4.6 and 5.0 or 5.1, which is up overall
from last season, where we tended to average a 4.1 or 4.3. There is a
constant, slow growth as the show gains viewers mainly through word of
mouth.
The fundamental issue here boils down to one very basic fact: PTEN
gets the ratings. If the ratings are good, we'll be renewed. If the
ratings are not, we won't. Simple as that.
Last season at this time, I put the odds of renewal at about 50/50.
And I encouraged viewers to write their stations and Warner Bros. the
closer we got to pickup. Right now, I'd place the odds at 70/30, which
is very good. I am cautiously optimistic; sometimes shows can get
canceled for the damndest reasons, and you never really know which way
the blade is going to cut...nonetheless, I think we're okay, which is
why I haven't gone out of my way to urge a lot of letters or email. You
only want to call out that kind of support occasionally, if and when
really needed, otherwise it becomes trivialized by over-use. You
should only impose rarely.
We'll know our fate for year three by the end of April.
jms
Subject: Re: ATTN: JMS DC COMICS 4 S
Date: 16 Mar 1995 21:29:59 -0500
Dennis: definitely did NOT ask for story ideas, and specified such
in my original post. I was wondering what elements that *have already been
introduced* as backstory people would like to see expanded upon in a
comic. Nothing more.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS : A few points
Date: 18 Mar 1995 00:18:35 -0500
PTEN's fate has not been put on hold; the renewal is coming up same
as last year, in late April.
There's no one escaping Deathwalker's ship; it's just debris spinning
away. She's dead as a mackeral.
We'll be notified directly by our PTEN liaison when the decision on
pickup is made.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Bruce not going? VUL
Date: 18 Mar 1995 01:25:41 -0500
Actually, this is the first time I've heard of this. I don't often
go into convention stuff with the cast. So I really don't quite know what
to say; I'll delicately inquire, but I honestly do try and stay out of
stuff the actors do outside work per se, because it's intrusive, and any
suggestions or reactions sometimes carry more weight than they should
because they come from one's exec producer.
jms
Subject: Babylon vs Babylon 5
Date: 18 Mar 1995 05:30:12 -0500
Actually, while many titles cannot be copyrighted, they CAN be
trademarked, as Babylon 5 is trademarked, and that *can* be enforced.
The "Ghostbusters" story, in brief, is this: Filmation did a
live-action kids show with Forrest Tucker (it was really awful) some
time before Columbia Pictures/Ivan Reitman did their movie. Both the
Filmation series and the projected film were called "Ghostbusters,"
a situation that developed when the title failed to show up on a
title search. With the film about to be released, Filmation made a
considerable stink, and won the rights to a) a lot of cash, and b)
the right to do an animated series called Ghostbusters.
And, in time, that's exactly what was done, much to the chagrin of
Columbia/Ivan Reitman. In turn, they decided to do their OWN animated
series, and just to pink Filmation, called it "The REAL Ghostbusters."
jms
Subject: Where IS JMS?
Date: 19 Mar 1995 03:29:18 -0500
I'm watching you *right now* through your window.
jms
P.S. Stop that.
Subject: Re: If we knew then... (MotFL)
Date: 19 Mar 1995 03:53:35 -0500
Yes, the tatistascope (or whatever the name is), I remember that
one from I think grade school or thereabouts. Main reason I remember is
that I actually scared the hell out of my teacher, and was briefly
accused of cheating.
They erected the 'scope in the classroom, and showed one word at a
time, going from small one-syllable words then increasing. They flashed
the words in increasingly briefer intervals, two seconds, one second, a
half a second...fewer and fewer people were able to keep up. I got all
the way through to the highest the machine could handle, 1/12th of a
second, or therabouts.
Next the teacher started going into combinations of words, two or
three at a time. People started dropping out faster. Again, I stuck
with it to the end. The teacher began to wonder what the hell was going
on. (This was at a time when I'd learned that if you acted smart, you
got beat up, so I was deliberatly holding back on my grades and tests to
skate through in the middle ranks.) But here I kinda figured it was a
game, and didn't equate it. So I just went on to see how far I could
push it.
She kept expanding the length of the sentence. I was finally able
to hit 2 and 1/2 lines at 1/12th of a second before she stopped and
said I was to stay after class. I was accused (in front of the vice
principal) of cheating, having looked at the sheets of lines somehow,
because this was at or above college level ability. The vice principal
at first wouldn't believe me, but I finally managed to convince him to
pick other material and I'd try again. Reluctantly, he did it, going
right to the full-sentence stuff.
Same result. And the look on the teacher's face as she realized I
wasn't cheating was quite...remarkable.
Oddly enough, this has served me in small ways lately. Sometimes
in the later stages of post-production, when the final print has been
assembled by the super-computer, every so often a glitch will happen
and one random or wrong frame will get stuck somewhere, or you'll have
a single frame of black between a CGI sequence and a live-action
sequence. We're talking here 1/24th of a second. I almost always
catch these. I did this once during one of our audio mixes and the
guys running the board couldn't believe it, and ran the film back to
make sure I wasn't messing with them.
jms
Subject: The Third Age and The Coming o
Date: 19 Mar 1995 04:18:53 -0500
Melody/Big Cat:
Your message is smarter and more perceptive than you know.
And you know a lot.
jms
Subject: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 19 Mar 1995 04:23:41 -0500
I take great pains to a) treat religion with respect while b) not
advancing any one specific creed or belief in the process. I've been
accused (in this forum) of advancing the cause of Judaism; now I'm told
I'm advancing New Age philosophy; I've heard other opinions.
I have no interest in doing *any* of these things, and anyone who
perceives an agenda where none exists may be extrapolating from their
OWN personal beliefs and agendas.
jms
Subject: Talia, the Rumors Continue
Date: 19 Mar 1995 04:30:21 -0500
I don't think *anyone* should flame Deneuve over this, since this
is something that the actress has been quoted as saying in other
publications.
jms
Subject: Attn JMS:Babylon 5 Competition
Date: 19 Mar 1995 04:30:37 -0500
Okay, if you really want my opinions....
DS9....what I've seen of it just puts me to sleep.
Voyager...good characters, potentially interesting situation, hasn't
been pushed enough; falling back on the tried and true when, after this
many Treks, it really has to go balls to the wall.
seaQuest...great potential, wasted.
VR5...interesting possibilities, waiting to see what they do with
it.
X-Files...absolutely terrific. In my office in the B5 studio, I have
one mug. It's not a B5 mug. It's an X-files mug.
jms
Subject: Re: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 19 Mar 1995 17:29:06 -0500
Basically, the term New Age has been adopted as an appellation used
by some of the fundamentalist right to describe anything they don't happen
to agree with. And you're correct; much of what is *packaged* as New AGe
is primarily stuff cobbled up from older beliefs; similarly, there's a
lot of early Judao/Christian theology that's cobbled up from Zoroastrian
and Roman and Greek myths as well. Everything's tied to everything else.
jms
Subject: Re: TNG v Bab 5
Date: 19 Mar 1995 17:54:47 -0500
Y'know, this discussion is as essentially dopey as "Which would win
in a fight, Superman or Mighty Mouse?"
(And, of course, this whole "who would win?" go-round is dependent
upon the notion that this would take place during that one fraction of a
second in which the crew hasn't been turned into children, or the
dilithium crystals haven't decayed, or the ship's got a skeleton crew and
is running on automation, or the holodeck's taken command of the ship,
or...well, you get the idea.)
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: rest of season.
Date: 19 Mar 1995 17:54:58 -0500
I think we've got about 9 or so episodes left to air; I don't think
that there will be the delay in the last ep this year as last time, but
that's a PTEN decision of which I haven't yet been advised.
jms
Subject: Re: Tolkien references
Date: 19 Mar 1995 18:03:28 -0500
For me, the concept of the Rangers isn't tied to Norris; that isn't
the reference I was talking about. Being on that show, I kinda had to
look into the history of the Texas rangers in general, and being the
curious kind of guy I am, I widened out into the Army Rangers, and other
sorts. I'd been looking for a kind of name to attach to this group, and
the more I thought about it, the more it fit.
As far as the costume is concerned...it's not medeival based; if you
look at the ranger's outfit, than go look at a Minbari warrior outfit,
you will discover a LOT of points of comparison. It was *designed* to
echo Minbari warrior caste clothes, to reflect the fact that these two
sides are working together. Go fire up "Legacies" and look at his
uniform, then look at the ranger. You'll see the similarities in
silhouette and line in various places.
Of course I've read and enjoyed Tolkein. But as I've said, I have
no interest in doing LoTR with the serial numbers filed off. I've
dropped references to it in dialogue, but the structure of the story has
nothing whatsoever to do with LoTR. Basically, a lot of people have come
up and said, "Oh, this is the same as Foundation," or "This is the same
as LoTR," or "This echoes a lot of Dune," or "This is obviously a
Homeric tale," or "There's a lot of Star WArs here." It uses the same
tools as all mythic structure fiction uses. Hence it resonates. But I
didn't sit there and think, "Hmm...Gandalf left, so I'll have Sinclair
leave." That's just plain silly.
It's really a matter of what you bring to the table, that affects
what you see in the story.
The roots of the symbolism and structure of B5 go back a hell of a
lot longer than this. Here...I'll give you one free.
G'Kar is in many ways my Cassandra figure, who in the Greek tales
was granted the gift of prophecy...all the disasterous things she
predicted would come true...but she was cursed by the gods that NO ONE
would ever believe her. And later, when the war was at its height,
she ended up in the service of.....
Okay, five points to the person who can supply that answer, and see
the connection.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS--Re: B4's fate?
Date: 20 Mar 1995 05:21:01 -0500
You may tell your friend that this is the most nutso theory I've
ever heard. Nothing was stolen. It's part of the story.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS - Publish B5 bible?
Date: 20 Mar 1995 05:37:34 -0500
It's something I've considered, but frankly, that's 3 years down the
road, and a bit beyond my ken at the moment.
jms
Subject: SACRAMENTO! PERMANENT TIME CHA
Date: 20 Mar 1995 05:39:08 -0500
And if Sacramento has offered an open invitation to folks to write
in about the time change, then I very strongly second this; it may be a
way of seeing if folks *really* want it or not, and if they get enough
support, perhaps it WILL become permanent.
jms
Subject: * JMS (or Anyone): RATINGS QU
Date: 20 Mar 1995 15:30:50 -0500
I believe the ratins for the week you cite were a Voyager re-run,
so the actual first-runs tend to be higher.
jms
Subject: JMS: Influence
Date: 20 Mar 1995 16:07:56 -0500
I don't believe, or recall, ever asking the net to go after someone.
As far as I know, I have never done that and never will do that; if there
is a need from someone for information, or support, then sure, I'll say,
"Listen, if you have time, and you believe in the project then..." and
let it go.
Do others flame because I flame? Monkey-see, monkey-do? The whole
reason I got into this last contretemps (stupidly, in retrospect) was I
read one of the threads I normally stay away from, in which I came across
the individuals in question...and there were flames racing back and forth
already. This particular flame war, to varying degrees, was going on
long before I got involved with it again. And persists now that I've left
it, AND asked that people simply ignore them and not respond. If I have
the power you suggest -- and I don't for a moment believe I do -- then
all and sundry would have followed that suggestion. Hasn't happened.
(Also, I tend to think that people are responsible for their own
actions. If someone is bringing down the fury of the net, they should
look at their own behavior and be corrected on it. It's the classic
schoolyard scenario of hitting the kid who hit *back*.)
Generally, my response is proportionate to the message. I try to
deal even with the offensive messages with some measure of rationality.
But there comes a point where someone behaves in such a sleazy fashion
that only a tactical nuke can suffice.
You say it can be "vulgar." These are perfectly valid anglo saxon
terms. If colorful language was good enough for Shakespeare, it's good
enough for me. "Vulgar" is a word people often use when they don't like
forthrightness...we should be mealy mouthed and hide our feelings behind
layers of BS. Mark Twain was described as a "vulgar" writer. So was
Dickens, believe it or not. Picasso's work was called vulgar. So that
word means nothing to me.
I calls 'em as I sees 'em. If I'm forthright about what happens in
the business, the network, the show...why should I start censoring
myself when it comes to the nets?
There's also a certain element of netspeak that enters into this;
in general, it seems like it's okay to smear somebody, to lie about
somebody, to question someone's integrity, particularly if it's done
without vulgar language, just the sharp blade of innuendo...but it's NOT
okay for the subject of this to get upset about it. To get ANGRY about
it. Even when it's justified.
Finally (and I know this may read intemperate at times, but it's not
intended as a flame) I'm nobody's role model. Nor should I be. If
anything I should be taken as a warning to anyone sensible NOT to go the
way I go, because the path ain't worth the pain. I'm a loose cannon. I
don't know when to shut the hell up. And I think that the population of
this net is sharp enough, and hip enough, and
intelligent enough and common-sensical enough to KNOW that; I just don't
think there's much problem here with "let's do what Joe's doing because
Joe's doing it." The problem is that some people knowingly and
deliberately go out of their way to make other people *crazy*...and thus
reap the whirlwind. I can just barely manage to be accountable for my
OWN nutty behavior let alone be held responsible for the actions of
others on EITHER side of this.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS: Do you watch the s
Date: 20 Mar 1995 21:05:09 -0500
I always watch the show when it's first broadcast, and usually in
the reruns if I happen to be home, to make sure the audio and video
aspects are still correct (and someday that'll happen). As I "am"
Babylonian Prods. (co-owner with Doug), I get copies of the tapes
automatically, and as a terrible act of self-sacrifice, I've volunteered
to receive the first set of pre-release laserdisks to check them out,
do all the usual quality control. When they come out for real, I'll
probably buy a set.
jms
Subject: Re: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 20 Mar 1995 21:34:03 -0500
David Falk: yes, I'm sure this is what you have been taught in
church, but that you were taught it doesn't mean that it touches reality
at any two contiguous points. It is imperative for many branches of
fundamentalist christianity to constantly feel conspired against...so
they cite humanist manifestos and theosophical societies and concoct
these vast and dark organizations that exist nowhere but in the minds of
those who conceive these theories.
"New Age" is one of these notions. Basically, it's anything that is
not Christianity, except satanism, though the phrase "new age occultism"
sometimes blurs that line. Here we've got dozens and dozens of different
groups, maybe even hundreds, all with competing notions, all with certain
levels of antagonism toward one another...described by you as a specific
religious movment with similar systems, concocted through a "content
model developed by the theosophical society, one of the early mind
science cults."
Having now so defined it as a deliberate conspiracy, and part of a
cult out to control our minds, you can dismiss it, AND add into it
anything you choose. And this is exactly what happens. You say you
don't agree or like my saying that this gets done by fundamentalists, then
you turn *right* around and do it yourself.
Once again, I don't believe a word the new age groups or any other
group puts forth. Nor am I tarring fundamentalist groups. I'm simply
saying out loud and in public what's generally said in private among
the majority of fundamentalist groups. That tends to make some of them
upset. Like when you confront them on the school prayer issue; and you
pare it down to the notion that they want THEIR prayers prayed, that
they don't want a prayer to the great turtle on whose back the world
rests, or to Thor, or Zeus, or Mammon, or Mohammed, or Buddha.
Having read the bible cover to cover twice, I can sometimes only
conclude that Christ would be *profoundly* unhappy with many of the things
said and done in his name. He didn't like people to make specatacles of
prayer and devotion. Remember the suggestion to go into your closet to
pray? That only the hippocrites and pharisees make big deals of their
belief by dragging it out into the public places? Christians were urged
to lay not your hands upon the law, to keep separate from the state, to
offer to Caesar that which was Caesar's and to god that which was god's;
because the state was by its very nature corrupt, christians were told to
keep apart from it. I think he would be ashamed, and disgraced, at the
notion of christian theme parks and the transition of personal belief
into big business.
(Misspelled hypocrites and spectacles above. Pretend they were
spelled correctly and we'll move on.)
There is much of christianity to commend it; its emphasis on faith,
and charity, and devotion to others...and there is also much that works
against it, a tendency toward brittleness and persecution complexes and
vindictiveness and the tendency to portray anything that is not itself
as evil or satanic or a conspiracy...and a huge dollop of defensiveness.
You can find fundamentalists on both sides of this division. It's just
that to some, if you speak this way about a part, you are accused of
speaking this way about *all*. But I don't fall for that gag; I've
seen it too many times.
jms
Subject: Re: Comments on AOL Transcript
Date: 21 Mar 1995 04:02:23 -0500
The ellipses at the ends of various lines in my AOL interview were
only standard notations that more was coming in the sentence on the next
coming line; nothing more.
jms
Subject: "The Great Maker"
Date: 22 Mar 1995 01:46:44 -0500
By season's end, you will see Kosh. You will know where the shadows
come from. There will be a major development in the war. How's that
for a start?
jms
Subject: Re: B5's effect on DS9
Date: 22 Mar 1995 02:30:02 -0500
I agree that our show isn't a threat to any ST show, though Paramount
has certainly evidenced that it feels that way, from getting Stephen Furst
bumped off the Arsenio Hall show when it was still on because of his B5
connection, to pressuring one of the directors we'd hired (who mainly does
ST episodes) to get out of his contract (which we allowed to keep him out
of trouble), to making a new show called BABYLON which will air on nearly
all the same stations that air Babylon 5, to...well, the list goes on.
We have, apparently, had the effect of changing ST's vow never to do
CGI, and in fact they've hired the same group we use to do some CGI
effects for DS9 (ships and the like).
Glad to see that they are following our lead.
jms
Subject: Re: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:02:30 -0500
There is considerable historical evidence that crucifixion was
practiced as a means of punishment by the Romans toward the Jews at the
time in question (though the methodology varied considerably from some
of the accounts; a nail driven through the hand would be torn off fairly
quickly by the weight of the body; ropes were commonly used as the main
support, with spikes for...emphasis). Certainly one can infer, even from
the limited evidence, that someone bearing this name was indeed
nailed up. Whether he was a deity or simply a very good man with some
very good ideas which have gotten somewhat distorted in places...is kind
of the essential question. I tend to go with the latter. But that's
just me.
jms
Subject: Attn:JMS- UK order of shows.
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:02:48 -0500
Originally, "Soul Mates" was intended to be broadcast after "A Race
Through Dark Places." ARTDP required a rather substantial amount of
post production work and audio design; "Mates" did not. Rather than
rush "Race," we decided it was okay to air those two in reverse order.
If they have aired with "Race" first in the UK, then yes, it's different
than the US order, but it *is* the correct production and story order.
jms
Subject: Re: JMS: Influence
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:09:20 -0500
I repeat and stand by my original message: I have never asked anyoned
(anyone) to go after anyone else here. You (Jim Shupe) cite the Cynthia
message, but that was a request for *support* in what looked like a bad
situation coming; there was NO request for anyone to flame anybody in my
message. You're comparing apples and oranges.
"would you use such language directed at a person in front of a group
of 1st graders?"
Probably not. But the people assembled here aren't first graders.
First graders aren't on the nets. First graders can't read generally. So
why should I limit my language and information and messages to the first
grade level?
Sounds like lowest common denominator programming to me.
I understand your concerns, Jim, but the minute this forum turns into
a medium for free and untrammeled exchanges for everyone EXCEPT me, I'm
outta here.
jms
Subject: Quickies from JMS
Date: 22 Mar 1995 03:34:59 -0500
As I write this we are now just under one month away from finishing
filming on year two. Last day of shooting is April 20th. I have now
written 14.5 episodes out of 22, and should have the very last script
for this season (#15 for me personally) done by late next week. By the
end of April we should know whether or not we have been renewed. We are
now hip deep in pursuing that goal.
This time of season is much akin to that moment in "The Pit and the
Pendulum" where the swinging blade is about 1/15th of an inch from the
chest of our unwitting protagonist, and the rats are chewing at his bonds,
and there's some small debate about which set of teeth is going to hit
flesh first.
Consequently...for the next 30 days, you might find me more than
usually intemperate. More bluntly, expect to find me tired, irritable
and generally, garden-variety cranky. I'm getting 3-4 hours sleep per
night, and upon arriving at the B5 offices I look rather like a death row
inmate walking the last mile...which is about the standard look on anyone
running a show this time of year.
I will continue to try and moderate my replies, but if an unintended
edge creeps into the phosphor dots crawling across your screen...you'll
know whence it comes.
Or to quote the Terminator...."I need a vacation."
Item the second:
Tomorrow, Wednesday, at 8:00 p.m. in most markets airs a wonderful
stop-motion piece called "The Wrong Trousers" on PBS. Story in brief:
a man and his dog take in a penguin as a boarder...and the story take a
funny/dark turn worthy of a Hitchcock movie. It's simply the best thing
I've ever seen in this medium, and encourage everyone to watch.
Absolutely hysterical, and wonderfully done.
Item the third:
To allow for more time to finish the EFX work and some audio work,
we'll probably reverse the first few episodes and start with "There All
the Honor Lies" at the end of April, and spring "And Now for a Word" as
the first true May sweeps episode.
As you were....
jms
Subject: JMS's vast mug collection
Date: 22 Mar 1995 15:39:11 -0500
Actually, yes, there are B5 mugs available from Creation, at cons
and via mail order.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS Re: "The Great Maker
Date: 22 Mar 1995 15:39:39 -0500
It's very hard to just sit back and enjoy the show. I'm always
looking at it critically....what did we do right, what did we do wrong,
is this the best angle *really*, should this music cue have started five
frames sooner, why is there a little glitch in the doorframe behind the
character, why did I write "the" instead of "a," what can I learn from
this to apply toward future shows...you can go mad.
In general, I have to watch an episode (after it's finished) ten to
fifteen times minimum before I can actually *see* it as a whole, more or
less as a viewer. Which means it often takes a couple-three years before
I can truly appreciate it.
(This is true of just about anything I write for TV, btw.)
jms
Subject: JMS: How old is Psi Corp?
Date: 22 Mar 1995 21:36:29 -0500
Telepaths were finally and conclusively proven to exist around the
early 2100s; by about 2120 or 30 the Psi Corps was formalized and became
a branch of the government.
jms
Subject: Re: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 22 Mar 1995 22:06:58 -0500
I'm all for teaching creation and allowing prayers in schools, as
soon as scholars begin teaching darwinism and geometry in church.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Rogue telepath in aR
Date: 22 Mar 1995 22:07:25 -0500
Yes, this was deliberately the same character from "Chrysalis."
jms
Subject: Re: JMS's vast mug collection
Date: 22 Mar 1995 22:07:47 -0500
I think it would be just about impossible to put Kosh on the outside
of a mug.
jms
Subject: Att'n JMS Re: Influences, Sand
Date: 22 Mar 1995 22:21:29 -0500
Have never, in my entire life, seen an episode of the Sandbaggers.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Influence
Date: 22 Mar 1995 22:22:03 -0500
Jay...on one level, I understand what you're saying, in theory at
any rate. Maybe it's because I still don't really take myself very
seriously that I have a fundamental hard time with the notion of becoming
a POP (Person Of Power). It seems, I dunno, kinda goofy.
So I'm still not really convinced that I have it; or, having it, that
I would *want* it. It's sort of like the statement, "If nominated I will
not run, if elected I will not serve."
The only thing that truly matters to me is that the work survive, and
that the work receive the attention it deserves because of the hard work
by so many talented people that goes into it...and to tell a story. As for
me...ehh. I figure I'm doing good if I can just dress myself....
jms
Subject: JMS: Only 7 basic stories?
Date: 23 Mar 1995 01:52:25 -0500
What I've always been taught is that there are three basic stories:
man vs. man, man vs. himself, man vs. environment. But such distinctions
are false and fairly misleading; they generalize but do not perceive.
There are as many stories as there are people. If you take someone's
life and spin it out in a book or a movie, it's 100% different from the
life of the person across town. If you base your stories simply on plot,
then sure, you're going to run into problems. If you base your story on
character, and make your characters distinct, this problem doesn't occur.
jms
Subject: ATTN: JMS do you ever get frea
Date: 23 Mar 1995 02:03:15 -0500
"Do you ever think, `My god, what have I started?'"
Who has time? (And why does this make me think of a Talking Heads
song?)
The job of a story is to be seen by others. If no one ever sees it
it does not fulfill its purpose. I generally don't really look at this
as personal approbation, rather as a sense that the story has been seen,
and it's good enough that people enjoy discussing it and arguing over it
and debating it. Which is the point: to initiate discussion. If it does
that, than I can't be anything other than deleriously happy.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Season Two Opening i
Date: 23 Mar 1995 05:30:14 -0500
We'll probably keep whichever opening was originally associated with
the episode, just to simplify things.
jms
Subject: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 23 Mar 1995 05:34:06 -0500
Here's the irony in this whole discussion: one of the friendly crew
members on B5 named Eric came up to me at lunch and said, paraphrasing
from memory, "I really want to thank you for what's in the show, the last
few in particular [stuff that won't air until the next batch]; I'm a
Christian too, and it's good to see someone else who believes the same
way actually getting good christian messages out there about prayer and
faith."
At which point I gently explained that I was an atheist...and he just
kinda looked at me, as if I'd just grown three heads and feathers. Later,
he stopped by my office, citing another line used in the show before and
echoed again in something we'd just shot ("You should be careful what you
ask for, because sometimes the universe listens") and repeated his initial
thesis, perhaps in the belief that this time I'd cop to being a christian.
Nope. But we've had some good conversations about it.
jms
Subject: Re: "New Age" jms? >:-)>
Date: 23 Mar 1995 06:08:50 -0500
Eric R: very well reasoned and thought out; a good message, and a
good approach.
jms
Subject: Religion Threads
Date: 23 Mar 1995 16:03:54 -0500
What I find vastly rewarding is the fact that in general, religion
is one of those things that you either don't discuss on boards, or you
get into vast, massive, heated and vituperative flame wars that make
Carthage look like a tea party. But here, in general, the topic has been
able to be discussed and different views aired in a non-accusative
fashion...not argued, but *discussed*, which I think is nifty.
jms
Subject: JMS: How'd you meet Harlan?
Date: 23 Mar 1995 22:08:44 -0500
No, I wasn't involved with "Paladin" or the CBS version of TZ except
to write one episode (I story edited the syndicated version). I actually
met Harlan for the first time on a Writer's Guild picket line outside CBS
a couple/three years before. Just exchanged a few words, that's about it.
jms
Subject: Re: male women on b5
Date: 24 Mar 1995 05:24:29 -0500
"Would YOU want to have sex with someone who, as you started to go to
bed, began to tell you light bulb jokes?"
Note to myself: I think I may have discovered the problem in my
technique....
jms
Subject: Re: male women on b5
Date: 24 Mar 1995 05:31:04 -0500
Al Bell: I suspect that to some extent you are working through some
issues that don't really have that much to do with Babylon 5.
Bear in mind also that B5 is a fairly controlled environment; you've
got 24 hour a day access to communications and security. Also, 95% of the
people Ivanova has to deal with are subordinates, under her in rank; if
any of them were to make a move, aside from coming away with one fewer
hand, that person would be court martialed instantly and spend the next
several years UNDER the brig.
You portray a universe of "women as victims," and maybe there are
some elements of your background that may lead you to that sense that
such has to be or is generally the case. I think we've victimized
people enough; women need to stop being victims and stop being afraid.
And I'm not saying that fear is invalid; in our current world, it's
all too present. You're talking to someone here who grew up in a familyi
where wife-beating was common; I've seen such violence up close. I've
seen friends who've gone through this. Which is maybe one reason why I
chose to allow myself one utopian thought in a fairly dystopian B5
universe: that in the armed services, and some other areas, it's not
even a matter of discussion anymore; it just doesn't happen. Womeen are
100% equal with men. A woman is no more likely to be sexually harrassed
in B5 than a man, depending on how your preferences direct you.
There are damned few women role models who are strong, and capable,
and intelligent, and witty, and physically able to defend themselves on
TV. Everywhere one turns the victim image is propagated; if I have gone
a bit in the other direction to make a point, and TO point to something
better, I think that's justified.
Besides, I happen to LIKE strong, capable, intelligent, funny women.
jms
Subject: Big Bang Con: Anyone a VIP?
Date: 24 Mar 1995 05:31:41 -0500
I would urge anyone considering buying tickets for the B5 stuff to
hold off. There are some problems. I hope to have more specifically to
say on this in a day or so.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Religion/Religious d
Date: 24 Mar 1995 15:34:14 -0500
To your question...as it happens, yes, I'll be doing a four issue
arc of the comic, writing it throughout May/July, to appear in November.
jms
Subject: EA Seal in Revelations
Date: 24 Mar 1995 15:38:43 -0500
What you're seeing is the seal of the President of the Earth Alliance,
which is a modified version of the EA logo.
jms
Subject: Evolution and prayer in the sc
Date: 24 Mar 1995 15:39:23 -0500
Why did I ever, ever, ever, ever mention this topic?
jms
Subject: From JMS: No B5 at Big Bang
Date: 24 Mar 1995 16:42:18 -0500
This is a very hard message to write, but it has to be said, now,
before the error compounds itself further.
Several weeks ago, a number of us -- me, Claudia, Mira and Michael --
flew out to Chicago for a "dry run" of sorts for the Big Bang, held at
Planet Hollywood. It did not go well; there were many problems behind the
scenes, which we worked to keep the fans from seeing: logistical,
organizational, and other problems. Our experience was that the whole
exercise was poorly run, and there were other concerns raised about how
business was being done.
Upon returning, I have said very little about the whole event, and
sent Tom Christofferson a 4 page fax detailing the items that worried me
about how things were being run, and indicated that unless things changed
rather dramatically, neither I nor my cast could support this operation,
because in the end it was the fans who would be hurt.
Subsequent to that came the capper.
Tom approached us about licensing a product: high quality leather
jackets in rememberance of the Battle of the Line. He requested the
original artwork for all the Battle of the Line patches, which we have
never given to anyone else. The purpose was to make ONE demo jacket
to show to Warners Licensing to show how it would look.
So you can imagine my dismay when I learned, over this system, in
messages posted by others, that he was selling the jackets (which had
NOT been licensed) at Vulkon; selling the patches; that he had taken
artwork provided for use only as backdrops at the convention and had
turned them into posters and was selling the posters. People buying the
posters and other material were told, and was even printed on them, that
all proceeds were to benefit the Starfury Project, which had never been
finalized, no arrangements had been made...buying these items on the
assumption that they were contributing to a worthy cause. They weren't.
This is not only a violation of copyright, but a violation of trust,
on top of the other concerns we had about the convention. Warner Bros.
Legal Affairs is already onto this. We didn't know he was doing this,
he had no right to be doing this, and this is, as they say,the straw
that breaks the camel's back.
Consequently, we must withdraw all support from this convention;
neither I nor anyone else involved with Babylon 5 will attend. If you
were planning to attend specifically to see Babylon 5 folks, then I
strongly suggest you secure a refund or change your plans.
All of us here are bitterly disappointed, because until our first
trip we had great hopes for this. Primarily, however, we are
disappointed and saddened for the fans of the show, who were looking
forward to this as much as we were. A lot of people were very excited
about it, ourselves included. But once again the theory is proven that
sometimes things that look too good to be true often are. It is my
feeling that, even the pirating aside, the convention would be a total
disaster, and in the end the fans would be the ones hurt by it, and we
can't allow that.
With great regrets....
J. Michael Straczynski
Subject: JMS: The Centauri Emperor's la
Date: 24 Mar 1995 20:02:53 -0500
He meant "you two" as in Londo and Refa.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Totally Unrelated to
Date: 24 Mar 1995 21:13:43 -0500
(If one longs to have a book like Elfquest, does that make one guilty
of Pini envy?)
The Pinis indicated they don't want synopses uploaded, so that's out,
and my memory isn't what it used to be, if it ever was. What I *do*
remember is that we tried to keep the new stories in line with what had
gone before, and were going into an overall story that would complement
what was being done in the comics. I vaguely recall that it involved some
members of the Holt disappearing, and a quest being launched to find them.
We kept the characters the same as in the books, the language, the
maturity...which is why the Pinis loved it...and which is why CBS finally
passed.
jms
Subject: B5 and Big Bang stuff
Date: 26 Mar 1995 00:35:38 -0500
Matt...you would be well advised to stay out of the middle of this,
because you're being used. To address some of your points:
1) It is NOT common practice to take orders for items that you do
not have the license to sell. This is a breach of the law.
2) Patches *were* purchased, people here have bought them. This is
a breach of the law.
3) Posters wrongfully adapted from provided material were sold. This
is a breach of the law. There was NO understanding at any point that this
was agreed to for the Starfury deal.
4) CMC does NOT have signed contracts with all the B5 personnel,
myself included. Neither have many of them been given any kind of
advance.
A Force For Good does not misrepresent contracts. Does not sell
goods that it does not have the right to sell. Does not tell you that
it's understood that material provided is there ONLY for one-time use in
making a demo -- which was stated to me, and John Copeland, and others --
and then turn right around and start making bunches of them and selling
them, without telling anyone, and at first *denying* it when confronted.
Further, remember that this comes as the culmination of OTHER
concerns raised during the Chicago visit. It was my feeling, upon
returning from that visit, that CMC did not have the wherewithal or the
capacity to deliver upon its promises, and that the convention would be
a total disaster. It was that concern which prompted my lengthy fax to
CMC.
I could go down the list of things that went wrong behind the scenes
of the first visit, but it would again require four pages. Understand
clearly: every single one of us returned to LA *very* worried about how
things were being handled. CMC had a lot of ideas, but it seemed to all of
us that they didn't have the ability or the organization to pull off those
ideas. The rest was icing on the cake.
Please, everyone, don't get into the middle of this; this is now
in lawyer territory.
jms
Subject: Re: From JMS: No B5 at Big Ban
Date: 27 Mar 1995 16:08:54 -0500
To Kent Lucas: I just wanted to add how pleased everyone was at the
friendliness of the folks at Capricon, and that the brief time in the film
room was a real highlight for us.
jms
Subject: From jms: B5 Soundtrack Info
Date: 27 Mar 1995 17:16:41 -0500
Elena has already posted some of this, but since it probably got lost
in the recent confusion....
While Christopher Franke's new and expanded BABYLON 5 SOUNDTRACK
is being released later next month, it's possible to order it NOW from
Sonic Images, Chris's own company. Be the first on your block, and all
that.
There's an additional 12-15 minutes worth of music on this as opposed
to the original limited release, which sold out its run within a matter of
weeks. It has an expanded booklet, more photos, and is gorgeously
packaged. (Elena can release a more detailed summary, so watch for her
message.)
The soundtrack, which contains music from the first, and some from the
second seasons, has been orchestrated into one long suite, about 52 or so
minutes. It's just beautiful. It also has the first and second season
main title themes, and the best pieces from our better episodes...including
something added for just this release, a 4+ minute extended version of his
haunting theme for the Battle of the Line.
It can be ordered direct *now* from Sonic Images for $13.99 each,
plus $3 shipping and handling in the US, Canada and Mexico, or $6 S&H
to all other countries. Checks/orders can be sent to Sonic Images, P. O.
Box 691626, West Hollywood, CA 90069. I'd move quickly, because if the
limited is any indication, these are going to sell out quickly, and you'll
avoid a wait later.
It really *is* very cool, folks....
jms
(Only CD release, no cassettes.)
Subject: Re: B5 and Big Bang stuff
Date: 28 Mar 1995 02:01:22 -0500
Matt, I have never considered that your motives have ever been other
than the well being of Babylon 5.
In that respect, we are alike.
One thing to remember is that B5 has developed a very hard-won
reputation for square dealing, and for taking care of those viewers who
have chosen to support us. This comes from the executive producer's
office. On anything that uses the B5 name, or which is connected to
B5, we take great pains to make sure everything's on the up and up, that
when merchandise goes out, or deals are made, it is done straight-up,
done properly, and the quality is assured. Anytime anyone buys anything
or supports anything involving B5, they have to *know* that it went through
my hands, that it's been checked out, vetted, and approved not by aides
but by the people who make the show. Sometimes that's a pain in the ass,
but it's the only way of protecting the fans in the long run, and the only
way I know how to make this show.
jms
Subject: Babylon Squared: Who are we fi
Date: 28 Mar 1995 02:10:52 -0500
Robert Lynn Rhodes: in return for your good post, here's a gift:
while we won't see Zathras this season, we will HEAR his name, but not
from anyone who was on B4. He's around, but he's not *here*.
jms
Subject: JMS: Cut bits?
Date: 28 Mar 1995 04:25:28 -0500
Every episode is cut to varying degrees; I think there's been
maybe one out of 42 shot to date that's come out exactly right, without
anything having to be cut. (You always err a little on this side
because the last thing you want is to come out SHORT, which is a major
pain in the butt, and by the time this is known it's often too late to
shoot stuff within the timeframe of that episode.) Generally, you WANT
an episode to be about 2-4 minutes over, so you can trim and tighten.
Generally speaking, our episodes come in 5-8 minutes over *in the
director's cut*. One or two have gone as far as 10 minutes over in that
cut. And what's discovered is almost always that there's a lot of air,
long lingering shots that slow down the pace...my feeling is that 1) it's
better to have more story than time than more time than story, and 2)
all our episodes should be edited at a dead run, so tight they scream.
Consequently, while episodes may start out long, and often missing
scenes deleted by the director, once John Copeland and I go back in and
start tightening the screws, we almost always get all those scenes BACK
again, and then I line-cut here and there within scenes. So with very
few exceptions, there aren't very many scenes that would've added
anything that are missing, even from "Revelations." I think that that
was one of our longer ones, and we dropped bits here and there, but
in the long run nothing much really of consequence.
jms
Subject: KCOP changes B5 rerun time
Date: 28 Mar 1995 04:27:17 -0500
As well as the KCOP changes, we've heard of other stations moving
B5 into better timeslots for both first and second run. As the show
continues to gain momentum, and gets noticed, we hope to see this trend
grow.
jms
Subject: A Kosh speculation... higher m
Date: 28 Mar 1995 04:27:31 -0500
Just to clarify...I *think* what I said was that you couldn't GET
Kosh on a mug, not that you couldn't FIT Kosh on a mug....
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Blooper for Sale?
Date: 29 Mar 1995 01:59:41 -0500
Selling the blooper reel(s) is something we've discussed, but so far
haven't decided one way or another.
jms
Subject: JMS: what merchandise has been
Date: 29 Mar 1995 02:03:17 -0500
Thus far, there are licensed caps, shirts, a soundtrack, an LCD game,
Micromachines, the comic, the novels from Dell...and soon to come, trading
cards, a screen saver and some other stuff. The most common illegal stuff
tends to be fake Links, patches, pins, PPGs, Starfuries and boarding
passes. None of this has been licensed, so if you see it, it ain't legit.
I think this should stay within the purview of the fans, rather than
sending us constant notification of this. I don't want people to feel
obligated to rat this stuff out; that's our problem. Don't support it,
but I refuse to turn enjoyable con weekends into exercises in Big
Brotherism.
jms
Subject: To JMS Re: Big Bang Expo
Date: 29 Mar 1995 05:33:08 -0500
Anne: straight up...do you want me to set aside my beliefs on how
conventions should be run and just say "the hell with it?" What if the
con turns out, as I suspect it would, as a disaster and a disappointment?
Then what happens to the fans?
The fans are not being punished. I'm put in mind of "A Comedy of
Terrors," where Vincent Price keeps trying to slip poison into Boris
Karloff's soup, saying it's medicine, only to be thwarted by Karloff's
daughter, who rips the bottle away...and in response, the addled
Boris bemoans the fact that she keeps taking away his medicine. And she
gets the rap.
What makes this show special, and the reason you like it, amon
others, is that it stems from certain principles and idea. Are you now
asking that I set aside that which makes the show what it is? Because that
would be the result. One learns a lot about a person by whom one sleeps
with.
jms
Subject: ATTN JMS: Artwork for B5 merch
Date: 29 Mar 1995 20:33:13 -0500
They are going to be trading cards, not gaming cards, which makes
the details more or less moot.
jms
Subject: The Big Cat Comes Back
Date: 30 Mar 1995 02:09:10 -0500
Melody: marry me.
jms
Subject: Spoiling Vorlons for JMS
Date: 30 Mar 1995 06:04:10 -0500
I've never been overly worried about Kosh, because though some have
strayed near, no one has entirely *got it*, so it's cool. There have been
one or two stories, small ones, that yes, have been scuttled because
they've been suggested here, but not too much. Basically, if I were to
keep changing directions every time somebody makes a guess, I'd be all over
the landscape. You can't tell a story that way.
jms
Subject: CSICOP = Psi-cop?
Date: 30 Mar 1995 06:04:20 -0500
At one point, I did hear CSICOP and like the sound of a variation of
that, as PsiCop. So yes, that was part of it.
jms
Subject: JMS: Sheridan's Speech
Date: 30 Mar 1995 06:02:23 -0500
No, it was only omitted as part of collapsing the speech for time.
jms
Subject: JMS: ab fab
Date: 31 Mar 1995 04:39:00 -0500
Is this the New York portion of AbFab? Is it as good as the rest? I
wondered if they were going to take the edge off because of the American
connection.
(Sadly, I will have to deny every being a fan of AbFab the day the
Roseanne Barr version hits TV.)
jms
Subject: Re: If we knew then... (MotFL)
Date: 31 Mar 1995 17:37:13 -0500
Re: parallel visuals between MotFL and CoS...yes, precisely. In some
ways, they were set up as mirror-image parallels of one another, to show
how the wheel turns, to quote G'Kar. The opening council meeting, the
attacks, the determination to kill the other, alternately Garibaldi or
Sheridan having to stop them by calling on the question of consequences if
followed up on...it shows CoS as sort of the "dark mirror" of the first
episode. Everything we saw when we first thought we knew what the series
was has now totally reversed and been turned on its head.
They also focus on one of the main questions that B5 addreses itself
to: what is important to you? what are you willing to sacrifice? how far
are you willing to go to get what you want? For me, a large measure of
defining WHO we are is by WHAT we are willing to do, and what we want, and
the means by which we pursue those goals. The other theme of course is
sacrifice, which recurs throughout the show in one form or another.
Sometimes, I think, people get so caught up in what's happening and
why that they miss what it's *about* on a more cellular level. And that's
the question of who we are. Identity. The importance of *one single
person* and the ability of that person to act as a fulcrum, intentionally
or otherwise, upon which vast events can turn. Choices. What you value
most. Those, to me, are the issues most worth exploring. We're told
every day, beaten down with the notion that we're powerless, that we
can't change things, you can't fight city hall...and of course it's not
true. You can fight. And sometimes, you can even win.
jms
Subj: From JMS re: Big Bang
Date: 95-03-30 17:29:34 EST
Several confusing elements have come out about this whole situation; I
wanted to dive in for a second to (hopefully) straighten out some of them.
To the question of what and when...the Planet Hollywood excursion was
intended as a "dry run" (to use Tom Christofferson's words) so that we could
see how things worked. Prior to that time, we thought everything was fine.
Upon returning from Chicago, all of us had very grave concerns about what we
had seen, in terms of organization and the ability of CMC to pull off the
convention. I took one week to talk to various cast members, think it over,
and then sent a 4-page fax to Tom C. explaining that we were all very
concerned, and delineating how things were going to have to be done in future
if B5 was to cooperate with this operation. He agreed to those points, or
seemed to. I wanted to give Tom a second chance to demonstrate that he could
do things right. It was about a week or so later that we learned about the
pirated merchandise, the copyright infringement, and that promises made to
us, and to me personally, by Tom had not been kept.
Thence commenced a *very* angry phone conversation with Tom, after
initially denying to John Copeland that anything amiss had happened. I told
Tom at that time that after giving him a second chance, he had blown the
whole thing and we were going to pull out. He said that if we said this
publicly, it could kill the convention and hurt him. He then suggested that
he would cancel the convention, no names, no blame; it would let him get out
with some dignity. The few cast members who had been given partial advances
would be allowed to keep them (since the cast, as well as the fans, were the
ones most likely to be harmed). At that time, I went along with it. So I
waited. A week passed. More time passed. It became clear after a while the
he was NOT going to cancel the convention, and he continued to maintain that
everyone was coming when I had made it *absolutely* clear to him over the
phone that this was not going to happen. (So those fans who called and were
told by him that this was all news to him, were not told the truth.) By now
my alarms were going off pretty loud, and I felt it was time to go public.
To the notion, expressed by Tom, that CMC is not the same as the company
that made the pirated material (posters bore the markings T3, for
T-cubed)...again, this is misinformation. To the notion that Tom is not
directly running CMC, and just an employee who messed up...again, not true.
As part of the material I requested from Tom, I wanted a full fiscal
background check. He sent me several pages of information. In his letter of
February 28, to me, he indicated that CMC was working with the merchandising
and licensing aspects; the financial information he gave for CMC was the
financial statement for T3, represented to us in that letter as being the
backing and structure of CMC. He represented to us that financially and
corporately T3 *was* CMC. Tom signed the actors contracts on behalf of CMC,
and in the corporate information provided to us by him lists himself as Vice
President of both CMC and T3. Different names, but all part of the same
company and corporate structure. Further, when we (Michael, me, Mira and
Claudia) met with Tom and his associates at the T3 headquarters, Tom
represented to us in front of T3 staff and executives that T3 was involved in
equal partnership with CMC in running Big Bang.
Further, remember again the full extent of this, and how things
happened. Tom C. requested artwork for B5 patches for a "demo" jacket. Upon
meeting him in Chicago, he made quite a big deal out of the fact that he was
keeping these secret; he pulled them out from under his jacket and hidden in
the trunk of the car, repeated that these were for our eyes only. I repeated
to him, in front of witnesses, what I'd said previously: that these were not
for distribution to ANYone outside the company.
e (Tom) also stated to me that he had PERSONALLY overseen the
production of the patches, and their manufacture. So CMC, in the person of
Tom, *did* make those items (and at the time, Claudia mentioned that she saw
a LOT more than the few he was supposed to show us for approval, and wondered
why). After telling us repeatedly that this was all just for approval, he
then turned around and began selling them without authorization, without
license. There was NO misunderstanding. He told us one thing, repeateddly,
and then did something else. Ditto on the artwork.
He'd requested/bought CGI images to be used as backdrops or banners AT
THE CON. And ONLY for that purpose. That was provided to him. He showed me
prints of the images at Planet Hollywood, indicating that they were having
some problem in blowing them up to the right size. As people noticed them, I
repeated to Tom that these were not to be used for any other purpose. He
said he understood that. And then turned around and made the prints he
showed me (again indicating to me that he was directly responsible for the
artwork) into posters, and began selling them.
The notion that CMC isn't responsible because the posters had T3 on them
is a classic shell-game. He and CMC are directly responsible for their
manufacture.
To the notion that all actors and I are paid and contracted to appear:
again not true. Only a couple of actors had received any kind of small
advance. I had never signed any contract. I have already sent back the
advance with a formal letter stating that I will have nothing to do with this
operation.
From the very instant we arrived in Chicago, things with this convention
weren't right. This is only the capper, after having given CMC a second
chance. Matters of trust were constantly violated. Private conversations
were repeated widely (Jerry Doyle had NOT given Tom permission to announce
his engagement, for instance). Dealers promised information and other
material after buying space received nothing. I was *very* worried about the
fact that everything was being paid for by CMC in cash, without any credit
references being used. Advances were paid with *money order*. It created
the impression that money from ticket purchases was being used to pay for all
this, and a con of the size that CMC had discussed would take great resources
to pull off. There were constant foulups on every level...the hotel we'd
been booked into canceled the reservations, and didn't seem to know anything
about it, and we ended up cruising through Chicago near midnight trying to
find a hotel. If you're going to run a convention for thousands of people,
you'd better have your act together if you can't even handle four people.
(The hotel was also canceled because there had been no credit reference
provided.) The logistics at Planet Hollywood were a nightmare, fans couldn't
hear anyone unless they were right next to the person, and there was pirated
material everywhere. I was shown home-made PPGs and links and pins, told
they were working with Tom for eventual licensing from WB...and then, the
next day, at CapriCon, we were put at a table where these items were BEING
SOLD. Time and time, our trust has been betrayed, promises have not been kept,
legalities have not been adhered to, and the clear impression we got upon
coming back from Chicago was that there were *real* problems, that this
convention was never going to come off unless DRASTIC changes were made. We
were in the process of trying to deal with that when the final straw was
finally laid on the camel's back. This is not a case of a simple
misunderstanding, except where CMC are trying to create the false impression
of one to cover their butts in this.
I probably should have gone public with this earlier than I did. But I
was trying to give CMC one last chance to make things right. Which was my
mistake. (Note: anyone wishing to repost this to Internet is free to do so.)
jms