JMS compiled messages [9/27/95] (2/2)
Bill Bottke
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Comments, questions, or additional information should be sent to:
Bill Bottke (E-mail: bot...@lpl.arizona.edu)
JMS Archives found at: http://www.hyperion.com/lurk/lurker.html
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COMPUSERVE POSTINGS
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JMS CompuServe messages collected by The Green Meddler <kilg...@tde.com>.
Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
To: Bruce D. Sinclair Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:25:22 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327850
<If Theo is part of another brotherhood you've established on the show,
I think it's time to leave B5 - Pronto! <g,d,r>>
Nope.
jms
Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
To: Lynn Dimock, Sunday, September 10, 1995 11:09:01 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#328201
He's definitely human.
jms
(Suddenly this has become "What's My Line.")
Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
To: John McAuley Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:26:02 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327853
<How about Theo and his brothers being
the first Organic ships (other than the Vorlon ship) to be
stationed on B5?>
Nope.
jms
Subj: Theo Section: Babylon 5
To: Tom Knudsen, Sunday, September 10, 1995 11:09:02 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#328202
<Is he one of the singing monks in the Moment of Perfect Beauty?>
Nope.
jms
Subj: The Dodgers Section: Babylon 5
To: Randall A. Schanze, Saturday, September 09, 1995 6:33:29 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327063
Actually, much of what's been reported is misconception or
actors who somewhat...misremember things.
Bill was never considered a one-shot as Lennier. It was always
a recurring role. That's what we put out in the casting breakdowns
that went to agents, and that was the understanding when we did
auditions, and when we negotiated with Bill, and did the main
titles.
Pat Tallman's character was *never* intended as a male; at one
time, I'd considered making Delenn male to start with, then female
after emerging from the chrysalis, but Lyta...never.
So there really hasn't been as much divergence as might seem.
jms
Subj: OTHERSYDE Section: Babylon 5
To: Raggedy Ann Sunday, September 10, 1995 4:25:25 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#327851
Thanks. Characters, for me, are the point of a novel, and
any good story. Long after the plot becomes fuzzy in memory, you
remember the people...you remember Ahab and Michael Valentine Smith
and Charles Dexter Ward....
Re: not having adjective/adverb disease...there's something
funny there you wouldn't know about. See, when I was in high school,
they had Career Day for the tops in various areas (dance, acting,
athletics, whatever). I ended up in the Writing group. It was held at
Southwestern College down by San Diego. I was stuck in this little
room, and nobody came by, because who wants to see writers when you can
see athletes and dancers and mimes?
Finally, a short fellow with salt-and-pepper hair wandered in,
and went down the line of manuscripts-with-writers, paused at my table.
(I was writing stories in the Lovecraft/dark horror vein at the time.)
Took one of my stories, walked off, sat in one of the lawn chairs,
read it through. Came back, returned the story, took another. Read that
one over. Put it back. Looked at me for a long moment.
Then he said: "You have a great and substantial talent for your age.
Two pieces of advice: one, don't ever let them stop you from telling the
stories you want to tell; two, cut every third adjective."
Then he walked off, and as soon as he was out the door, the faculty
advisor came running at me at warp nine. "What did he say, what did he say,
whatdidhesay?" I told her. "Don't you know who that was?" she asked.
I said no, though there was something kinda familiar about him, and
remember it's always different when you see somebody out of context.
"That was Rod Serling," she said, "he's here to speak at the college later
today."
Had there been a gun within easy reach, I would almost certainly have
put a bullet into my brain. By the time I ran out, he was gone.
That was one of three weirdnesses in my life involving Rod.
The other two...are stories for another day.
So when you say I've managed to keep the adjectives down...
I'm very pleased.
jms
Subj: About your lighting Section: Babylon 5
To: David Corbin, 75663,623 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:27 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330433
<Why does B5 have so many 'moving spotlights'?>
They look cool....?
jms
Subj: OTHERSYDE Section: Babylon 5
To: Linda Woeltjen, 76711,1142 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:03 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330438
<How many people there are in the world who have as much confirmation as you
do that they're doing with their lives what they were *meant* to do?>
I'm not sure some days if this is what I was *meant* to do...or if I'm
simply incompetent to do anything *else*....
jms
Subj: Joe's name plagiarized Section: Babylon 5
To: Jerry D Bookter, 75453,2257 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:30 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330435
<There's a guy with the name 'Micheal J. Superzcynski' on CompuServe>
Actually, I think I once ran into him hereabouts...small world....
jms
Subj: The Dodgers Section: Babylon 5
To: Philip Hornsey, 74053,2101 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:00 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330436
<Re: Lennier never being considered as a one-shot character: I'll be d@mned.
Didn't this make it into TV Guide or something?>
Yeah, it did, and I'm kinda surprised by it, since Bill should really know better.
jms
Subj: 'Convictions' ep title Section: Babylon 5
To: Elyse M. Grasso, 70302,3304 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:13 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330443
<Does the episode title 'Convictions' refer to strongly held opinions, or to
the aftermath of court proceedings?>
As it happens, yes, it kinda refers to both.
jms
Subj: B5 Story Line Static? Section: Babylon 5
To: Hugh Kennedy, 70042,710 Tuesday, September 12, 1995 11:02:16 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#330444
I'd be a fool not to build in trap doors all over the place, so that
the story can continue no matter what happens to individuals...in the same
way that the story of WW II continued, even though some lived and some died
before the end.
jms
Subj: Nowhere Man/Prisoner Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
To: Rob Wu, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:00 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336538
I approached the show with great hopes, but have stopped watching.
It just stretches credulity; this is a nationally famous photographer...
have they eliminated/co-opted his publisher? Every bookstore in the
country that carries his books (which doubtless also have his photo),
every library, every person who's ever seen his work, sent
him a letter...it's just too big and too improbable.
jms
Subj: Marshall Teague/Narn? Section: Babylon 5
To: Elyse M. Grasso, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:01 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336539
Yes, it's the same character, and his name is Ta'Lon.
jms
Subj: Query about Shadow Ships Section: Babylon 5
To: Mark Sloan, Monday, September 18, 1995 10:10:03 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#336540
They have alternate means of flipping into and out of hyperspace.
jms
Subj: Baby 5? Section: Babylon 5
To: Rae Augenstein, Tuesday, September 19, 1995 10:14:14 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#337813
<What is your reaction to people referring to your show as
"Baby 5?">
Doesn't really bother me. Bombings, ships sinking, mortar fire,
*that* bothers me...the rest...ehh.
jms
Subj: Nowhere Man/Prisoner Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
To: David Farsaad, Wednesday, September 20, 1995 8:13:25 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#338847
"In real life they do it all the time."
Really? What was the last famous author/photographer/celebrity
who had his identity removed and then couldn't find anyone in the
continental United States who knew who he was?
jms
Subj: Season Three Section: seaQuest DSV/2032
To: Rob Wu, Friday, September 22, 1995 1:17:10 AM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#340342
Haven't seen it, can't comment.
jms
Subj: Query about Shadow Ships Section: Babylon 5
To: John M. Kahane, Friday, September 22, 1995 1:17:12 AM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#340343
I can imagine there'd be different kinds of technology that
can accomplish the same goals, yes.
jms
Subj: <Long Twilight Struggle> Section: Babylon 5
To: Michael Zitaglio, Saturday, September 23, 1995 4:40:11 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342223
"Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
jms
Subj: <Long Twilight Struggle> Section: Babylon 5
To: Michael Zitaglio, Sunday, September 24, 1995 4:15:28 AM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342827
<JMS, Father, you are wise.>
Thank you, son. Now clean up your room before your mom gets home.
jms
Subj: Narn v. Centauri? Section: Babylon 5
To: Paul Sulkowski, Saturday, September 23, 1995 4:40:10 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#342222
The colonies mainly came during the Centauri occupation, first with
Narns transported there as slave labor or as convenient penalty (a la
Australia's early history).
jms
Subj: Mira Furlan in LA Play Section: Babylon 5
To: All Sunday, September 24, 1995 6:01:02 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#343703
Mira Furlan, best known here as Ambassador Delenn, is currently
starring in a production of Sophocles' classic play ANTIGONE. This
modernized version is directed by Mira's husband, Goran Gajic, and
adapted by Deanne Stillman. It's a chance to see Mira out of makeup,
and in a very different kind of role than you've seen before.
The play is currently running at the Hudson Guild Theater, 6543
Santa Monica Boulevard, in Hollywood. Performances are Thursdays-
Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7. Tickets can be acquired by
calling 213-660-TKTS.
jms
Subj: Pirate Warning from jms Section: Babylon 5
To: Kevin J. Goulding, Monday, September 25, 1995 2:34:22 AM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#344181
<Are any of the B5 episodes going to be release to LASER DISC??>
Eventually, yes, but no clear indication at this time of when that
might happen.
jms
Subj: Random Queries Section: Babylon 5
To: Anne L. Warner, Monday, September 25, 1995 10:34:18 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#345526
<1. Will the WB-Turner merger affect you and B5?
2. Will we see Sarah (General Hague's messanger) again, or is Live Shot
taking all of Wanda De Jesus' time?
3. Rewatching All Alone in the Dark last night,rom: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#345687
I haven't actually gotten a copy of that issue of Foundation yet; are
there any other articles or essays in it mentioning B5? I sent James an
email, but so far, no reply, on getting a copy.
jms
(First time I ever wrote for a nominally "literary" publication;
hope I didn't come off as too much of a doofus.)
Subj: Random Queries Section: Babylon 5
To: Scott Orwig, Tuesday, September 26, 1995 10:36:29 PM
From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#346921
<Might this affect syndication? Is there a chance of WB "selling" B5 episodes
to TBS for $100?>
Dunno...it's all beyond my ken.
jms
Simon Shurville
bot...@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu (Bill Bottke ) writes:
> Subj: Nowhere Man/Prisoner Section: Nowhere/DeadlyGames
> To: David Farsaad, Wednesday, September 20, 1995 8:13:25 PM
> From: J. Michael Straczynski, 71016,1644#338847
>
> "In real life they do it all the time."
>
> Really? What was the last famous author/photographer/celebrity
> who had his identity removed and then couldn't find anyone in the
> continental United States who knew who he was?
>
> jms
The character in Philip K. Dick's novel 'Flow My Tears The Pocliceman
Said'?