42 réponses à ce sujet

[Sifr]

Speaking of inappropriately named things, here are a couple of real places around the world:

 

D i l d o, Newfoundland and Labrador

Spoiler

 

Props to whoever graffiti'd double-prime marks on the sign, to make it read "12 inches".

 

(Giggity)

[Sifr]

As for things I learned today (as the news only broke during the weekend), glad to hear that Star Trek Beyond is to reveal that Sulu is gay and make him the first LGBT character in canon.

 

It's a shame that George Takei isn't happy, but I don't think this retcon makes the OG version seem closeted. Both versions of Sulu have been consistently portrayed as extremely professional individuals, so the audience has rarely - if ever - had any glimpses into his private life.

 

If he's not mentioned it before, it's only because it has nothing to do with how he pilots the gorram ship? Kind of similar to how Hawkeye had no reason to mention his wife and kids before it became relevant in Age of Ultron, since it had nowt to do with his mad archery skills.

[Jorji Costava]

As for things I learned today (as the news only broke during the weekend), glad to hear that Star Trek Beyond is to reveal that Sulu is gay and make him the first LGBT character in canon.

 

It's a shame that George Takei isn't happy, but I don't think this retcon makes the OG version seem closeted. Both versions of Sulu have been consistently portrayed as extremely professional individuals, so the audience has rarely - if ever - had any glimpses into his private life.

 

If he's not mentioned it before, it's only because it has nothing to do with how he pilots the gorram ship? Kind of similar to how Hawkeye had no reason to mention his wife and kids before it became relevant in Age of Ultron, since it had nowt to do with his mad archery skills.

 

My sense is that Takei puts a huge amount of value on Gene Roddenberry's original vision of what Star Trek is supposed to be, and that he's taking this commitment rather literally. For instance, Takei was also critical of Deep Space 9 because he felt it deviated from Roddenberry's Utopian ideals (which it most certainly did, but that's exactly why it's my favorite of Star Trek TV series). Retcon or not (and Star Trek is no stranger to retcons), I think that Sulu being gay is a positive step for the franchise, which has shockingly never had a gay major character throughout its 50 years of existence.

 

Also, today I learned that Tim Duncan, an all-time great NBA player who retired today, is geeky enough that he was nicknamed "Mr. Spock" in college, and is also a major fan of Dungeons and Dragons.

[nightscrawl]

I'm a trekkie, especially TOS, but I don't give a fig about the NuTrek. I have no interest in it whatsoever and haven't seen any of the movies. I don't care about Sulu's sexuality in the grander scheme of things, but I can see multiple sides of the issue and I'm overall conflicted. However, I do find it extremely unfortunate that George Takei is unhappy with the decision. If he was at least pleased, that would remove some (not all) of the limited reservations that I do have.

 

If they really want to put their money where their mouth is and have real inclusion mean something, they need to have LGBT people in the upcoming series as well. Here we have a completely new series, with new characters, and new actors to portray them. It is the perfect time to introduce new LGBT characters and show that "we didn't make Sulu gay just because George Takei is gay."

 

 

[edit]

It seems like they're already planning on that for the new series, but we'll have to wait and see if that actually comes to pass.

Modifié par nightscrawl, 12 juillet 2016 - 03:33 .

[SardaukarElite]

If he's not mentioned it before, it's only because it has nothing to do with how he pilots the gorram ship? 

 

But piloting is all about love.

 

 

Kind of similar to how Hawkeye had no reason to mention his wife and kids before it became relevant in Age of Ultron, since it had nowt to do with his mad archery skills.

 

That's probably more to do with the creators realizing Hawkeye was as interesting as freshly cut grass and desperately trying to give him some character. 

[Lady Artifice]

I'm a trekkie, especially TOS, but I don't give a fig about the NuTrek. I have no interest in it whatsoever and haven't seen any of the movies. I don't care about Sulu's sexuality in the grander scheme of things, but I can see multiple sides of the issue and I'm overall conflicted. However, I do find it extremely unfortunate that George Takei is unhappy with the decision. If he was at least pleased, that would remove some (not all) of the limited reservations that I do have.

 

If they really want to put their money where their mouth is and have real inclusion mean something, they need to have LGBT people in the upcoming series as well. Here we have a completely new series, with new characters, and new actors to portray them. It is the perfect time to introduce new LGBT characters and show that "we didn't make Sulu gay just because George Takei is gay."

 

 

[edit]

It seems like they're already planning on that for the new series, but we'll have to wait and see if that actually comes to pass.

 

 

That's more or less how I feel. The thing is, I think I understand why Takei might be displeased. Because I don't think they would have chosen Sulu to retcon as gay if it weren't for Takei's open homosexuality, which might irritate him as an actor as much as anything. 

 

People often make weird assumptions about what it means to act a character. They often react as though the actor is the character, or that they must have similar qualities in order to play a role. If I were in Takei's place, I might see this as an affront to my effort at actually playing a character.

 

I don't know if I'm phrasing it in a way that makes sense, and I don't really know exactly what Takei said or if that's really how he's feeling. My only point is that there are pros and cons here. 

[SardaukarElite]

(...) Because I don't think they would have chosen Sulu to retcon as gay if it weren't for Takei's open homosexuality, which might irritate him as an actor as much as anything. 

 

People often make weird assumptions about what it means to act a character. They often react as though the actor is the character, or that they must have similar qualities in order to play a role. (...)

 

I think this is an important point.

 

I'm not gay or thespian* but I imagine having a character remade in my image in a later iteration would strike me as missing the point of playing a role, and also not appear to be the right reason for doing things. It also probably feels weird. 

 

But people love tributes, and he's supposedly a gay character in a sci-fi everyone is entirely cool with, so perhaps it's best to take it at face value.

 

*sorry. 

[Biotic Apostate]

Eh it's a complicated situation. As Arti said, it cheapens Takei's work. Plus the whole thing with being a closeted actor during all those years, trying to not make his personal life and general attitudes at the time influence his acting. All that to have a character he put so much dedication into be revealed to be gay, not because it would add something or make sense, but just because he also is.

 

I personally think that creators going "we need a gay character, let's make an alternative version of (or retcon) this straight character" is equally lazy as making a token gay character. In both cases you end up with a gay character, to which you don't need to add characterisation, backstory, etc. (in one case those elements are already there, just recycled, in the other they are missing). Both situations display an unwillingness to write a full-fledged gay character, from the beginning to the end. Pegg said he didn't listen to Takei about just making a new gay character to avoid tokenism. He could have done that by, you know, writing a well-rounded gay character. That's why I'll take Hulkling and Wiccan over Iceman, gay Green Lantern, and gay Wolverine any time. Taking an established cast nobody though (or wanted) to include LGBT characters in and going, "Ok, where can we put Teh Gay™ with the least amount of work" is not the right way to do it.

 

There's also the question of how they will handle it. Sulu will, from what I've read, have a husband and a daughter. Will they be mentioned in passing and that's it? If other characters get to be sexual (I don't know how much that applies to Star Trek, aside from the fact that Uhura is very kissable in both the old and new ST), and gay characters only get a 4 second mention of a husband then what was the point really?

 

In conclusion, Spider Takei

[SmilesJA]

I think it's better to have an original character that was gay, rather than make Sulu gay.

[Jorji Costava]

TIL: Not only did most dinosaurs have feathers and bright coloration, but they may have had closed-mouth vocalizations like many birds as well.

[Lady Artifice]

TIL: Not only did most dinosaurs have feathers and bright coloration, but they may have had closed-mouth vocalizations like many birds as well.

 

 

Is it also true that the chicken is the T-Rex's closest living relative? 

[Steelcan]

I learned the difference between further and farther and the two pronunciations of the.

[Jorji Costava]

Is it also true that the chicken is the T-Rex's closest living relative? 

 

I just looked this up, and apparently this is true. Not only that, but a while back some scientists decided to strap fake dinosaur tails to chickens to learn more about how the T-Rex walked.

[wright1978]

I'm on Takei's side on the issue of Sulu's sexuality. They've gone the cheap and rather disrespectful route rather than spending the time to do inclusion properly. Can't say i'm surprised. Only watched the first one and it was so laughably bad and rather dishonest in how it rebooted the premise whilst cheaply trading off the original.

[Sifr]

Today I learned that I'd totally missed some dialogue in the Human Noble Origin, despite having played it countless times. I didn't know you could speak to Howe's guards in the Great Hall, nor that some of your mother's dialogue changes if you get the Dog out of the larder first.

[wright1978]

Only realised today that the term 'jump the shark' originated from an episode of happy days.

[Jorji Costava]

A new map of the brain has identified 97 previously unknown regions of the brain. Most of these new regions seem to be connected with the parts of the brain that are involved with higher cognitive function, so this could be a big deal (then again, it could easily be something you hear about today and never again after).

 

Absolute poverty, defined as living on $1.90 or less per day, has gone from affecting around 95% of the population in 1820 to around 10% of people today. Granted, it is no great shakes to live on $1.95 per day, but at least it's a reminder of progress at a time when the news always seems so horrible.

[daveliam]

So I went to the Intrepid Museum today and they have a Starfleet Academy exhibit there right now.  The idea is that you go through a series of "Starfleet Academy Career Quizzes" (basically aptitude tests) and your scores are tracked via a wristband that they give you.  When you get to the end of the exhibit, it tells you which Starfleet career you'd have.

 

Today I learned that I've been accepted into the Academy to become a Science Officer.  I like.