Listener Mailbag: February 9, 2012
This week in the mailbag: a rant against Lucas apologists, a counter-rant against people who call other people Lucas apologists, a message from "across the pond" in the U.K., and more!
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Dark Side warning:
ForceCast leads to annoyance,
Annoyance leads to hate
Hate, leads to want of murder
Murder, the dark side it is.
Hello There,
I’m the guy known as commanderNikitikin or CC-645 on various websites (though I’ve listened to your show for about two years, I don’t have an account on your websites).
Well, I gotta say, I’m disgusted with various Lucas apologists (not just you), and with those who bash other fans for what their opinions are.
For one thing: If someone wants to do a fan edit of a movie, it’s their choice, it’s not as if they spam the market with it, and instead of the ‘real’ Star Wars there is only ‘fan Star Wars’. There is absolutely NO REASON for YOU or ANYONE else to say how bad the fan editors are.
Everybody, repeat after me: “Fan Films, Fan Edits, Fan Fictions, Fan Audio are FINE!”
As for myself I couldn’t give a Bantha poodoo whether or not the Ewoks blink or Han shot first!
All I need is one copy of Episodes 1-6 and I’m content!
All that outburst isn’t to say that there aren’t any trolls (or should I say “Rancors”) out there -- of course there are. There are Star Wars fans out there who are fans of hating it, but that is a minor minority, and even they are entitled to their opinions, as long as they don’t disturb ‘friendly’ sites.
Another group of people are ones that want unrealistic things, some want some kind of Star Wars, well, last show I wanted to be Darth Vader and choke you lot.
What being a “fan” means for me:
I like my certain ally of Star Wars, always in motion is the story, and many possible stories there are.
I don’t care about simple tweaks or changes, or whatever, I care about the story/stories
What I classify as types of fans:
1. Completionists – Fans who
- Love everything
- Collect everything
- And hold it sacred to the point of being insane fanatics, not just fans.
- And extreme Apologists who criticise everyone else
- (yes I classify you two as such)
2. Mild fans
- People who have their dislikes, likes and wishes: They don’t claim that they are the ultimate fans, or that they need things their way, and their way only
- Collect only really interesting things
- Go to see SW only occasionally, not every single time it comes on in the theatre.
- Only have one box set, and don’t buy every single edition
3. Neutrals – don’t hate it, don’t like it, don’t bother anyone one way or another
4. Haters – Have everything, and everybody
To end my email on a lighter note, I enjoy your news coverage, and the ‘Galaxy of Music’ series
Thanks, and MTDSOTFBWY
Nik Skywalker
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Greetings from the Commonwealth of Virginia,
First off, I’ve been a die hard fan (though I hate that term) of Star Wars since my childhood (I’m not 33…. Wait, 35), and somehow, I just discovered The ForceCast last year. I love your show. It makes my Friday trips to the gym far more enjoyable, and I appreciate that.
Let me address the GL haters: Get a life, man.
Seriously, there are more important things to get worked up about. People are starving in the streets of our cities. Our soldiers are facing danger overseas. There are children whose lives are being destroyed, while you accuse a movie maker of “raping” your childhood. Get a freaking life. Don’t watch the Blu-ray, if you don’t like the changes. It’s this simple; if you don’t want to hear Vader scream ‘no’ in Return of the Jedi, don’t watch the Blu-ray. Quit acting like someone is forcing you to endure this so-called tragedy. You act like you know better than Lucas does about his creation, yet you’re the ones who paid $90-$140 for something you seem to hate. Idiots.
And we all know that if Lucas released the original, original, editions on Blu-ray, the same losers would be complaining that he’s making them buy multiple copies of the same movie. Cry me a river.
Again, love the show, and May the Force be with you.
-Brandon
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Hi Jimmy, Hi Jason.
Just a quick E-mail to let you know you’re doing a great job keeping us informed and amused with everything Star Wars related, and that I’ve just booked tickets for me and my son, Lucas, to see Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 3D next week and we can’t wait.
Been listening to the podcast for about 2 years now and I love it and I really should listen in on one of the shows live soon. I’ve been a Star Wars fan since my mum took me to see Episode IV: A New Hope back in 1978 when I was seven years old (that makes me now 42) and I was totally blown away by what I saw. The exciting thing about the 3D release is that my son will see it for the first time on the big screen and he will also be seven, exactly the same age I was the first time, I’m sure his reaction will be the same even though he has seen all the films on DVD/Blu-ray.
We’re both a bit disappointed that season 4 of the Clone Wars is not been shown here in the UK, guess we’ll just have to wait until the Blu-ray release. Finally, just thought I’d mention a show that was shown here on the BBC just before Christmas. I’ve not heard you mention it so don’t know if you’ve heard about it. It was called ‘Life’s Too Short’. It was a
spoof mockumentary by Ricky Gervais and starred the one and only Warwick Davis (who actually came up with the idea for the show). Warwick plays himself as a struggling dwarf actor/agent with a huge tax bill and a failing marriage. It ran for 7 episodes, had many guest appearances including Liam Neeson, Johnny Depp, Steve Carell and Sting and had several Star Wars references. The funniest was the second episode where Warwick attends a sci-fi convention and then attends a Star Wars themed wedding, I thought it was very funny and my wife found that particular episode hilarious although it received mixed reviews here in the UK. I think HBO have the rights to show it in the US sometime in 2012.
Anyway, I’m off now to read the latest Star Wars novel. Keep up the great work and bye from the UK.
Terry and Lucas Glover
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Hey guys,
I just looked at the link from Twitter and read all the letters in the mailbag. One struck me in particular, a letter from Sal Attinello. We met on some Star Wars website a couple of years ago. Last year at Celebration V in Orlando, Sal, his wife, my husband, and myself met up and have been friends ever since. Though they live in San Diego and we in a small town in North Carolina, we chat on the phone, send cards and plan on visiting each other in the future. I just wanted to comment on what the Star Wars world has brought to our lives. I being an only child and just losing my Mom in October to cancer many people whom I do not know personally have sent well wishes from this great community. We are all united by the genius of George Lucas. My 23 yr old daughter prefers the new trilogy whereas I prefer the old being a child of the 70’s of course, but we can still enjoy both TOGETHER.
Even though yes, I did not like the new as much as the old, it has nothing to do with the story, characters, or changes, it’s just I believe the memories of childhood and how it made you feel. Everyone as they get older wants to re live those moments. For me the changes mean I can see it on the big screen once more and feel like that 13 year old girl again.
It’s like this: the Bible has been translated into many versions and languages, but the meaning is still the same. That’s the way I feel about Star Wars. I do think Mr. Lucas deserves as big a retirement as he can have and May the Force be forever with him.
Keep the ForceCast casting,
Janice Combs
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I just wanted to tell you all thank you. I started listening to the ForceCast shortly after Celebration V just because my fandom was in a frenzy and I was trying to absorb as much as I could from that con. Since then your shows have been like my Jedi spirit guides. Whether it is leading me to great books like the Making of Star Wars by J.W. Rinzler or continuing to bring more depth to The Clone Wars by raising thoughts and highlighting details I might have missed. The reason I am writing now though is because for Christmas I had bought tickets for my better half to go see her brother and his family in Sacramento, CA. Then I hear on your show that Steve Sansweet was going to open up tours to his ranch. Needless to say I wrote instantly to get details and two days ago I was able to take the tour. Steve and Anne were great! Another experience that lived up to the hype you guys give.
Thanks,
Andew Nowicki
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