PeterDavid.net

Y’know, I was thinking about Jasmine’s true name, and something occurred to me.

She’s incredibly, incredibly ancient. She’s female (at least in aspect). She cavorts with demons and is worshipped by them. She’s apparently some sort of succubus, draining the life from people.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if her true name was “Lilith?”

I’m probably wrong. I usually am about these things. The last time I was right about anything was back in September when I figured it was the First, and since then I’ve missed on everything. Guess we’ll find out tonight.

Hey, if nothing else, if it does turn out to be Lilith, then people can accuse me of ripping off Joss Whedon again a year ago when Lilith was the villainess in “Supergirl.”

PAD

At a point in previous seasons where the plot has built up speed like an express train, this week gives me a sense of going nowhere fast.

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So I’m watching “Alias” last night and there’s Sloan trudging up snowy mountains…and there, in the distance, appears to be Shangri La right out of “Lost Horizon.” And I said, “Well, SOMEone has been reading the work of Joseph Conrad.”

Moments later Sloan heads into the monastery looking for someone who turns out to be played by David Carradine. The name of the Carradine character?

Conrad.

Love it.

By the way, am I the only person who thinks the season ender is going to be the revelation that, six centuries later, Rimbaldi is still alive? I mean, *how* many times have they mentioned he was obsessed with immortality?

PAD

One of the more frequently asked questions I’ve gotten in recent years is, “Whatever happened to Spyboy #13?” since the series jumped from 12 to 14. The answer has shipped its first third as Spyboy 13.1, the MANGA Affair, hit the stores last week.

Anyone read it? What’d'ja think?

PAD

In case anyone was wondering what I was doing posting on the board at all hours, it was because I was taking breaks from finishing a sketch I was writing for this year’s Shore Leave convention in Maryland (www.shore-leave.com). It’s the 25th year for this fan-run Star Trek/media con, and when I found out they needed someone to write their Sunday afternoon showcase sketch (performed by the extremely formidable troupe Cheap Treks) I volunteered.

Mostly the reason I couldn’t pass it up was because I saw ripe parody material from the previous year’s convention when James Marsters showed up, and the startled convention found itself overrun with shrieking female teenage “Spike” worshipers. It was Elvis level. This in turn made me think of “Bye Bye Birdie” where a town is turned upside down with the arrival of an Elvis-like rockstar. And when it was announced that this season would be the last for “Buffy,” “Bye Bye Buffy” seemed a natural. So the sketch is, in essence, the story of a convention run amuck with teenyboppers because Spike is coming. And matters become complicated when Captain Bill (a thinly disguised Bill Shatner), jealous that James Marsters has become the new bare-and-smooth chested sex symbol, plans a Phantom of the Opera-like revenge. Following is a selection from a typical song, set to the tune “Kids,” sung by Bill…

BILL

Fans!

Yes, they’ve helped to keep my career alive.

Fans!

But they all still hate me for “Star Trek Five”

Fans! How they used to love me, worship where I walked.

Each convention, need I mention yeomen

Would keep my Captain’s log warm

Fans! All they think about are the latest stars

Fans! It’s like I’m from Venus and they’re from Mars!

BILL & CONVENTION CHAIRMAN

Why can’t they be like we/You were

Trekkies in every way.

What’s the matter with fans today?!

If you live in the area of the convention, would like to be in the show, and can sing, let me know and I’ll pass your c.v. to the show’s director.

PAD

I was going to do this simply as a response in the previous thread, but I’ve seen it enough times that I’m responding to it separately here, in re boycotts:

As far as I’m concerned, it still comes down to a person’s right on where they spend their money. Nothing more, nothing less.

Gordon Bennett, no, it doesn’t. Why in the WORLD do people keep bringing it around to people’s “rights?” Show me one posting, in the history of this board–in the history of my giving public opinions–where I have *ever* said people didn’t have the “right” to spend their money elsewhere?

It’s a sidetrack, people. It’s a dodge, a shuck and jive. “Peter, you’re saying we don’t have the right to–” NO, I AM NOT SAYING THAT. For that matter, I don’t find anyone else offhand who has said that. So if anyone else wants to respond with “people have the right to boycott,” save it. It’s a NON-ISSUE, and I am sick of it. It seems self-evident to me, but I will now spell it out for the folks in the cheap seats: When I say something is “wrong,” that does not automatically equate with saying that people don’t have the “right to do it.” And if you don’t believe me, then next time you go to a job interview, fart loudly and repeatedly, and if the interviewer makes a face, point out you have the right to fart. And enjoy unemployment.

It’s the same muddy-headed thinking that declares if one is against going to war, one is in favor of bloody dictators. Or the time that I pointed out to John Byrne that his changing a private security guard to a police officer in his Spidey reboot was wrongheaded because a NYC police officer would never shout to a private citizen that he should have tackled an armed robber…whereupon John responded that I was supporting the idea of people standing aside and doing nothing while a NYC police officer was beaten to death. If that makes no sense to you, then you begin to comprehend just how bewildered I am every time I see another “but people have the right to boycott” wheeze.

I’m talking about pure, simple, appropriate, proportional response: If you disagree with someone, say it with words, because saying it with punitive, retaliatory measures proves nothing except that you are petty and intolerant.

Furthermore, boycotts are unimaginative. They got no style. If you’re going to do a boycott, do it with some flair. For instance: All those people who sit there contentedly and say, “I’m boycotting Dominos Pizza because the owner gives money to Project Rescue,” all right. Fine. Just for laughs: I wonder how many people then say, “And I’m taking all the money I would have spent on Dominos and making contributions to Planned Parenthood in the name of the Dominos Pizza owner.” Now wouldn’t that be a kick. Planned Parenthood getting thousands of dollars a week in unspent pizza money, all in the name of that guy. Doesn’t make boycotts right. But it makes it less wrong.

PAD

Since this was a topic of discussion on this board some time back–and I was particularly fascinated by those who somehow felt that boycotts and bannings were something the Dixie Chicks should have “expected” by stating their opinions regarding the war–I bring to your collective attention the following. Oh, and the Dixie Chicks are currently in fear for their lives, having received death threats for stating their opinions. How patriotic. Maybe that’s what spurred the attached:

The Dixie Chicks have taken a big hit lately for exercising their basic right to express themselves. To me, they’re terrific American artists expressing American values by using their American right to free speech. For them to be banished wholesale from radio stations, and even entire radio networks, for speaking out is un-American.

Bruce Springsteen

As for me, I’m going out and not only buying the latest Dixie Chicks album, but the latest Springsteen. Which is interesting considering I’ve never purchased albums from either…

A good episode, albeit playing a bit to the convenience factor…

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Family took a couple days off and we went into the city to stay over, see friends, and take in some shows. I took Ariel to see “42nd Street” at a Wednesday matinee. “What’s this show about?” she asked. “It’s about putting on a show,” I told her, and there’s really not much more to it than that. Lots of tap dancing, plus several songs that she knew. A fun time. That evening, while I tended to Caroline, Kathleen took Ariel out to a very different type of musical: “Hairspray.” Ariel said she liked it better than “42nd Street.”

PAD

I’m doing a column on what was the best superhero movie ever made (not counting the serials from the 40s and 50s.)

Any thoughts?

PAD

I’d been complaining a while back that Marvel wasn’t doing anything to advertise the fact that Spider-Man guest-starred in “Captain Marvel #10.” I felt it was a missed opportunity to prompt Spidey fans to sample my title. Well, CM editor Andy Schmidt felt my pain, and commissioned a new cover for #10 conspicuously featuring the wall-crawler, and pencilled by–get this–Alan Davis. Also, the cover for #15 is scheduled to be drawn by comics legend Neal Adams. As soon as I have visuals on either or both of these covers, I’ll post them here.

PAD

Been up to Boston the past few days where eldest daughter Shana did her senior recital, part of the graduation requirements for Berklee College of Music where she attends. Audience included family, friends, and even her boss from Comicopia where she works on Tuesdays. She sang mostly original tunes; she’s developed into quite a sharp song writer. The triumphant set was followed by a pizza party at her apartment.

We then stopped off in Connecticut on the way back to visit with my sister, Beth, her husband Rande, and their kids Sara and newborn Emma, whom we were meeting for the first time. She bore a striking resemblance to Caroline. We hung out, chatted, and were tormented with curious television choices, such as Rande and Kathleen watching a DVD of the Rankin-Bass “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” while Beth and I begged for it to stop. We also watched some rodeo on TV with cowboys riding on bulls. Whereupon I was informed that the reason the bulls buck so much is that there’s a tight rope yanking on their privates that they’re trying to throw off. Is that true? If it is, am I the only person in the world who didn’t know this?

PAD

This is what happens when you air a series one episode after the other and let it build a head of steam. As opposed to UPN’s treatment of BTVS in which any dramatic headway bangs into reruns, reruns and more reruns. “Countdown to Buffy’s final episode! Rerun! New episode! Another rerun!” Geeez…

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Somewhere, Joss Whedon is giggling insanely right about now.

NEW YORK (AP) — Spike is no longer just the name of a famous film

> director or a volleyball move. Now it’s the name of a cable network, too.

> Struggling TNN — which just two years ago changed from The Nashville

> Network to The National Network — announced Tuesday that, effective June

> 16, it will call itself Spike TV.

Now this, on the other hand, you don’t feel like blowing your brains out after watching.

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Eye yi yi…

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I cannot recommend highly enough a charming film called “Bend it Like Beckham.” A British import, it tells the story of a teenaged Indian girl (as in, from India) in England who is a phenom football (i.e., soccer) player and obsessed with Manchester United player David Beckham. Her parents, however, are far more old world in their beliefs of what their daughter’s future holds, and being a football player definitely ain’t it. But when opportunities arise for her that bring her head to head not only with her folks’ attitudes but also her sister’s wedding plans, hilarity ensues.

We went the other day, we being Kathleen, Ariel, myself and baby Caroline, now four months old. As with “Chicago,” I positioned myself next to the exit so if she began to fuss at all, I’d bolt the theater with her. Unlike “Chicago” where she slept through it, this time out Caroline started out napping but woke up twenty minutes in. To my surprise, she was riveted by the film for the remainder of its near two-hour running time. I bottled fed her, she watched the film. I burped her, she watched the film. Gave her the pacifier, she watched the film. She spit out the pacifier and continued to watch the film, eyes like saucers. If I tried to turn her away from the movie for some reason, she twisted around in my arms so she could go back to watching it. For about ten seconds during a big football game she cooed softly; other than that, not a peep. She was totally engrossed in the images on the screen. And that’ someone who didn’t even know what was going on.

Can’t get a higher recommendation than that.

PAD

Just came back from Boston, where I went up to see Gwen participate in “Gender Bender” night in Harvard Square’s midnight showing of “Rocky Horror.” Usually Gwen works lights for the life show that unfolds in front of the movie screen (as is SOP). However, “Gender Bender” night entails folks of opposite genders playing the various roles, and Gwen was tapped to do “Eddie.” Naturally, when thinking of casting a role made famous by Meatloaf, you’d want to get slim, diminuitive Gwen. Especially when you’ve got a guy playing Columbia who’s six feet tall and built like a linebacker. Not only was gender casting reversed but, of necessity, choreography was reversed as well, so the audience was treated to the sight of Columbia picking up Eddie and swinging “him” around.

I was interested to see how the audience participation has been updated. Fans are always coming up with new things. For instance, now when the narrator first shows us the picture of Doctor Scott in his wheelchair, fans shout–a la South Park–”Timmy!” Or during the noted “Brad! Janet! Rocky! Doctor Scott!” sequence, an audience member might call out “Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh! Cicero! Lipshitz!” from the film “Chicago.”

Also was surprised by the number of nubile young woman anxious to bare their breasts as part of the preshow. I thought I was watching “Co-Eds Go Wild!”

PAD

Ariel made her middle school stage debut last night in the school production of “Grease.” One of the very few sixth graders cast in a major speaking role, she played “Jan,” the chubby Pink Lady with eyes for “Rump,” the mooning champ of Rydell High. The audience just adored her. However she was mortified when, during the big high school hop sequence, she did a kick too aggressively and sent her left shoe hurtling into the audience. “The hop” indeed as she did the rest of the choreography with one shoe on while the errant footware was recovered and returned.

PAD

Joy supreme. A thread in which I won’t be accused of being sexist, man-hating, copycatting, etc. Brand new “Angel.” Pacing was a bit too leisurely, but that’s minor. Still one of the best shows on the air.

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