PeterDavid.net

Chick it out

Just got this e-mail from Dave Seidman. Being out in the sticks, I doubt I'll have the opportunity to see this film in theaters, but...

"Back in 2003, when one of the Dixie Chicks criticized President Bush,
conservatives denounced the Chicks, and radio networks and radio
networks refused to play their records, I think you announced on your
website that you bought a Dixie Chicks CD, just to support their right
to free speech and defy the denouncers.

I just got back from a screening of SHUT UP AND SING, a documentary
about the controversy. The directors (who were at the screening) said
that -- in a replay of 2003's radio blackout -- the film is facing some
of the same resistance that the Dixie Chicks did. For instance, NBC is
refusing to accept or air paid ads for the film.

So I'm passing on a recommendation to you and others to see the film.
I don't think it'll disappoint you. It's an interesting story well
told. Besides, the music's terrific (and I'm not a Dixie Chicks fan)."

A week from today, we'll have a chance to see just how much the rest of the population has caught up with the sentiments the Chicks expressed.

PAD

Double crossed

This is from the imdb.com news feed:

"Desperate Housewives actress Marcia Cross is battling to keep naked pictures of her from being published. Two hundred sexy snaps were reportedly discovered by a catering company hired to removed rubbish from redhead Cross' home in Los Angeles. The firm's owner is being represented by agent David Hans Schmidt, who plans to sell the pictures. Schmidt tells the New York Daily News, "There are some pictures of her showering outside. She looks absolutely gorgeous. And yes, the carpet does match the curtains." But 44-year-old Cross' legal team claim the photos were thrown away by mistake and insist they still belong to her and husband Tom Mahoney. She is demanding their return. But Schmidt is confident he has the law behind him and hints he plans to sell them abroad: "The pictures were not stolen. When you throw something away, you forfeit that property. We recognize the copyright issue, but US copyright law stops at the border." But he has given Cross the opportunity to buy the photos back, claiming he knows how wealthy she is after discovering her tax return in the trash as well. Schmidt adds, "I'm not looking to mortify Ms. Cross. I just want the most money for my client. I know how much she made, but out of respect for Ms. Cross, I won't discuss it.""

Putting aside that I think they mean "carting company" since I don't see caterers hauling trash all that often...and putting aside that the lawyer comes across as a complete pig with the carpet/curtains line...isn't this astoundingly close to legalized extortion? I mean, it's one thing if, say, you accidentally throw out a pair of Gucci loafers and a homeless guy who's picked them up wants a hundred bucks for what is now his property. But this seems a whole 'nother level.

PAD

COWBOY PETE'S TV ROUND-UP: DOCTOR WHO, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

At this point I'm starting to wish that the series had been called anything BUT "Battlestar Galactica," because ANYTHING that prevents people watching this--possibly one of the finest SF series ever--is truly unfortunate. And Doctor Who ain't no slouch either. Spoilers below:

I thought last week's episode featuring the wrenching scene of Tigh dispatching his wife was a highlight of emotional agony. Apparently, though, they were just getting warmed up for this week's episode as a Star Chamber of Galactica regulars kidnaps, judges, and executes anyone who cooperated with the Cylons during the occupation of New Caprica. Watching Jammer futilely beg for his life was just heartbreaking, especially when we're watching such heroic characters as the chief turning a deaf ear. And, of course, the real kicker is that we have a situation where hidden tribunals, torture and death are sanctioned by the head of a Democratic government. That could NEVER happen in the real world.

The best SF comments on the real world using science fiction trappings. BSG does more than comment: It lances all perceptions, taking the people we sympathize with, casting them in the most unsympathetic roles imaginable, and practically daring us to remain on their side. Long-time friendships are shattered, alliances are formed between former enemies. Everything remains fluid, and yet nothing (aside from the occasional seer) feels contrived. Plus Richard Hatch's role looks to be expanded, which is great as far as I'm concerned, and I'd love to see him expanded to full-time regular status.

DOCTOR WHO: Okay, this is kinda killing me, because as fantastic as the launch of the two-parter re-introducing the Cybermen was, I gotta say...without spoiling anything...that they're just getting warmed up. See, I've seen all the episodes through to the season ender, and that's what I'd REALLY like to be talking about, but it's too unfair. So I'll simply say to all of you who are seeing it for the first time on the Sci-Fi Channel--just wait. The return of Pete and the alternate world, and the return of the Cybermen--more formidable than ever--is just the first act in a superb season that will increasingly feel like a rollercoaster ride. Enjoy it.

PAD

Principal Poopypants

No, this is NOT a joke:

Long Beach High School has an annual "Superhero Day" for its seniors. According to Newsday, while other students came dressed as Superman and Wonder Woman, three girls--Ashley Imhof, Eliana Levin, and Chelsea Horowitz--came attired as kid's book superhero Captain Underpants. There was nothing remotely indecent about the ensembles: They were covered head to toe in flesh-colored tights (not see-through), sporting white jockey shorts on the outside. But the head of the school, who will henceforth be referred to as Principal Poopypants, insisted they change because they had "the appearance" of being naked.

What the hell was he TALKING about? They were wearing capes, so seen from the back, they wouldn't appear topless. Seen from the front, they would only appear naked if the biology teachers at Long Beach failed to teach the kids that girls have breasts. Nevertheless, the mere suggestion was enough to make Principal Poopypants issue an ultimatum that the clever teens cover up. Having no clothes to change into, the girls had to go home.

The Principal (real name Nicholas Restivo) stated he didn't know the character, "not that it mattered." Talk about having your underpants in a bunch. Someone should send Principal Poopypants a collection of the series.

PAD

Here is the photo that was taken by Dick Yarwood for Newsday for the article.

COWBOY PETE'S TV ROUND-UP: HEROES and STUDIO 60

"Heroes" continues to please, and "Studio 60" improves...although I muse on a missed opportunity. Minimal spoilers below:

HEROES: Another strong entry as more and more of the threads begin to intertwine. Yes, it’s a huge coincidence that a flying superbeing happens to skid to a landing one hundred feet away from a diner where another superbeing is having breakfast, pretty much up there with three of our heroes happening to converge on Las Vegas all at the same time. Then again, I suppose one does have to allow for the hand of destiny here and there. And I can just see the mantra of the series—“Save the cheerleader”—showing up on buttons or t-shirts. It may be that we’re angling toward a climactic sequence where she has to be sent in to defuse a weapon and she’s literally the only one who could survive the experience…walking through a wall of fire or somesuch. Have to admit, I loved future Hiro, complete with samurai sword strapped to his back. I see now why I wasn’t sure it was the same actor: It’s amazing how much difference a haircut can make. Unlike other series which make you feel that the producers are kind of drifting along and even making it up as they go, “Heroes” gives you a clear sense that you’re watching a novel unfolding on a weekly basis. I suspect by the time we get to the end of the launch storyline…at the end of the season, most likely…this series is going to feel like a hurtling freight train, and we’ll all be holding on for the ride.

STUDIO 60: Okay…I figured out what’s wrong with the series. Yes, this week’s was an improvement over last week’s, and we actually got some interesting storylines and characterization that doesn’t make my teeth hurt. But here’s the problem: When the old guy who was a veteran of the Philco Theater was reminiscing about the 1950s and the blacklist, I found what he had to say—and his capsule description of the other writers—more interesting and more intriguing than anything I’ve seen in the first few episodes of “Studio 60.” I realized I wanted to see that show. A series set in the 1950s with old-time comedy writers producing sketches that are supposed to be goofy distractions from the real world, set against a growing encroachment from the government and the slow erosion of civil rights. Just as “MASH” was able to comment on the Vietnam war even though it was set against Korea, a 1950s “Studio 60” could have commented on what’s happening now by showing what was happening then, and underscoring how little things have changed. I’ll grant you, period shows can be a tougher sell…but Sorkin would have carried over a lot of “West Wing” goodwill into the launch, people would have sampled it, and they might not be jumping ship as rapidly as they are now. Plus it would have given it further breathing room from the more entertaining “30 Rock.”

With Peter's kind permission

Boots the Monkey, Dora the Explorer's sidekick, modeled here by Caroline. I have handmade two of these costumes for sale. Both are 2T size. Ideal for Halloween.

Cost $60.00 which includes shipping.

First come first serve.

e-mail me at puppetmaker@gmail.com

The Fantasy George W. Bush Press Conference--Put your question here

Mr. President: Peter David from www.peterdavid.net. In the past you have repeatedly criticized "activist judges" who have been, in your opinion, playing fast and loose with the Constitution in order to further their own agendas. Yet you, who twice took an oath to protect the Constitution, signed into law a historic curtailing of habeas corpus that many are decrying as blatantly unconstitutional. Would it therefore be reasonable to accuse you of being an "activist president?"

PAD

UPDATE FROM GLENN, 9/26: Apparently, Betty The Crow News is collecting questions for their reporter to ask Tony Snow. Feel free to click here and cross-polinate.

Check this out

My daughter, Shana, sent me a link to the following video. I highly recommend it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmsOIjzQ1V8

PAD

YOU GOTTA BEREAVE

This space is hereby provided for mourning Mets fans to vent their frustration and reminisce about the season.

Non-Mets fans are kindly requested to keep their feelings to themselves.

PAD

YA GOTTA BELIEVE

I feel like last night's game was bigger than this one, since it had the Mets up against the Card's ace with no margin for error. But they came through it with flying crullers, and now the entire season comes down to one game.

PAD

OUT THIS WEEK: 1602 #2

Didn't even realize it was out until I spotted it in the store.

Whad'ja think?

PAD

OUT THIS WEEK: X-FACTOR #12

The conclusion to the first year's storyline. Whad'ja think?

Also, New York area fans should mark November 16 on their calendar: The X-Factor creative team will be doing a store appearance at Jim Hanley's Universe. Exact time to be provided as soon as I know.

PAD

COWBOY PETE'S TV ROUND-UP: HEROES & STUDIO 60

One great, the other...not so much. Spoilers and such below

HEROES: Plot lines and individuals begin to intersect with greater regularity, albeit a bit of eye-blinking coincidence (half the cast in Vegas? No pun intended, but...what are the odds?) What's intriguing is seeing the divide between the heroes (for lack of a better word) who are gaining a sense of the big picture (in Isaac's case, literally) as opposed to those who are simply trying to keep their heads above water as the flood rises around them. The two characters at the furthest end of the spectrum remain the most interesting: the aptly named Hiro, who learns the harsh consequences of using one's powers for personal gain, and Cheerverine, whose resurrection in the middle of her own autopsy remains the cliffhanger highlight thus far ("Be honest...does this sheet make my ribcage look fat?") Particularly compelling is the way personal morality is becoming bent as the show progresses, ranging from Hiro's aforementioned profiteering, to the growing ascendance of Simone's dark side, to Claire's decision to take justice into her own hands.

I refuse to talk about the final cliffhanger at this point, out of deference to people who might be Tivoing or following the series via the Friday Sci-Fi channel repeat. In fact, I would appreciate if other commenters followed my lead on this, since the cliffhangers are becoming such a signature of the show. After all, there's always the following week to discuss it, right?

STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP: Writers have a very different existence from others. If you have a bad day or even a bad week on the job, a couple weeks it's forgotten. When you're a writer and you have a bad day or bad week, it shows up in print or on TV weeks or months later and the audience is left going, WTF?

That was pretty much my reaction to Studio 60. I couldn't quite believe that there was a story credit given to another individual, because the script's major problem was a complete lack of story. We're less than a month into the series and the episode felt old, tired and strained. Any interesting developments at all were centered around the network president's refusal to take a run at acquiring a staggeringly tasteless reality series because it offends her moral sensibilities, while at the same time trying to acquire a high-pedigree drama that she feels will help elevate her network's quality. I know we're supposed to admire her pluck (Ed Asner guest starred as the network head and, tragically, didn't tell her she had spunk) but instead we're just left wondering what the hell she's doing at NBS when she'd be a much better fit at HBO, Showtime or even PBS. Meanwhile Sorkin endlessly violates the maxim of "Show, don't tell" by having Harriet rattle on for long minutes about her background, and perform in a Nancy Grace send-up so paralyzingly unfunny that one wants to borrow Matt's baseball bat and smash in either the TV set or one's own head. The only truly diverting moments were courtesy, not of anything written by Sorkin, but instead Sting singing madrigals while strumming a lute.

It takes more than Aaron Sorkin having a bad day/week at the office to make me drop the series. But it bothers me that even when West Wing, under Sorkin's reign, had a less-than-stellar episode, it was still better than most of what was out there. This time it wasn't even better than the show preceding it...and the division in quality was noticeable.

PAD

COWBOY PETE'S TV ROUNDUP--DOCTOR WHO, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

Coming at you with spoilers and everything...

DOCTOR WHO: I've actually seen this one months ago, but now feel free to talk about it. As powerful and compelling as some episodes are the rest of this season (particularly "Girl in the Fireplace" and, most especially, the nail-biting season ender), this one remains my favorite. How could it not be? The return of Sarah Jane who, despite her protests that she's gotten old, looks terrific. And Tony Head as a jaw-jutting alien who despises the shooty dog thing. Sarah Jane's reaction to seeing the Doctor once more ("I thought you died!") underscored how false Lois Lane's snippy "Why we don't need Superman" article was in "Superman Returns" after Superman vanished for five years. And you simply have to love Sarah and Rose's one-upmanship duel of the bizarre things they've seen with Sarah's "big Loch Ness monster" trumping anything Rose has to offer, followed by their subsequent bonding. (Fun trivia fact: In order to get Sarah Jane and Rose to burst out in genuine laughter when the Doctor walked in, David Tennant stepped in off camera sporting a comedic painted mustache.) What a terrific episode about closure, moving on with one's life, and the dangers of eating too many chips.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: The pieces get moved into place for the Galactica to rescue the beleagured residents of New Caprica. A lot of necessary set-up, but I felt as if it could have been accomplished in half the time. Also, as compelling as this episode was, two things torqued me...one minorly and one majorly. The first was the resolution of the cliffhanger, as we learn that our heroes were saved due to events that were transpiring one hour earlier that we weren't privvy to. It's kind of like the old days of the movie serials, where the cliffhanger would end with the hero's car plummeting off a cliff...only to discover, when you come back next week, that he actually leaped out of the car seconds before the car went over. It's a bit of a cheat. If that were the only cheat in the episode, I'd let it go...but in the very same episode, Cylon D'anna (Lucy Lawless) learns that Sharon's baby is still alive courtesy of prophetic dreams that we've never seen before, interpreted by a seer whom we've never seen before. It smacks of contrivance and lazy writing, which is all the more jarring in BSG since the series has set the bar so high for quality scripts. I'll grant you, Sharon's firm declaration that the baby couldn't be dead because "Adama wouldn't lie to me" sets the stage for a MAJOR blow-up that will be fantastic when it happens. I just wish they hadn't needed to cut corners in order to reach that point.

PAD

WEIGHTING IT OUT

I hadn't really brought it up because, well, I didn't think it was that interesting, but Bob Greenberger mentioned over on his blog that I've been losing weight, so I figured I might as well address it.

Funny: The notion that I should lose weight because I could get diabetes, or have a heart attack, or go blind or maybe, y'know, die...these were all too ephemeral to worry about. But when I blew out my knee bowling some months back, the doctor told me it was only going to get worse unless I relieved the stress by dropping weight. That spurred me into action.

Curiously, once I made up my mind to do it, the rest came easily. Here's the problem with diets: They don't work because they have, by definition, an end. You simply can't think that you're going to eat a certain way for a proscribed time and then go back to "normal." The weight will return. That's why radical changes (cut out all carbs, drop all fats, etc.) don't get the job done. You have to decide that you're going to live your life differently. Not radically differently; just differently.

What am I doing to lose weight? Hold on, it's pretty wacky: I'm eating less and exercising more. That's it. That's all. Portion control, going to the gym three times a week, bowling on the days I'm not at the gym plus three evening leagues. The only truly radical change I've made to my food intake is that I cut soda out completely which, after a few weeks, I didn't even miss. Oh, and twice a day I take Flaxseed oil--all natural and superb in aiding digestion. And I'm getting eight hours sleep a night rather than working until all hours and getting four hours sleep. Since April I've dropped 54 pounds and intend to be practically unrecognizable by next San Diego.

Oh, the other thing I do, that's contrary to what most dieticians tell you: I weigh myself every day. Every morning. Not once a week. That's because I know how an overeater's mind works. Let's say you weigh in on Mondays. So it's Wednesday and you're craving doughnuts or ice cream. You figure, "Well, I've got four days until I check my weight again, I can lose it," and you indulge yourself, and that carries over into Thursday and sometimes even Friday before you then starve yourself over the weekend. When you check your weight every day, there's no hiding. At first it forces you to say on course; after a while it just becomes second nature.

I think, by and large, to lose weight, one doesn't need all these various fad diets. One just needs resolve...and a determination to maintain one's bowling average (currently 208).

PAD

COWBOY PETE'S TV ROUND-UP: LOST & BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

I'm doing these two together because I find some of the thematic resemblances interesting. Spoilers below:

LOST: The season opener starts cleverly enough, confounding our preconceptions of "The Others" by showing a rural setting of backyards and book clubs before the crash of the jetliner that brought our heroes to the island. Unfortunately, the season opener never quite again reaches that level of "didn't see that coming." Jack, Kate and Sawyer are split up and engaged in varying degrees of a mental chess match with the Others as their captors try to break their spirit and their will through various means.

Although the episode is engaging enough, and there were a few surprising moments (the flood door, for instance) ultimately it almost had a by-the-numbers feel to it. For that matter, "Lost's" signature--the flashbacks--are starting to wear thin. What can serve as brilliantly character revelatory when done right (the Hurley flashbacks, for instance, or Jin and Sun) can also come across as needless padding, and this seemed like one of those instances...as if the producers don't trust the mainline plot to be interesting. That's why "Lost" reminds me of a driver with his foot on the gas and the gearshift in neutral. I feel as if we've had two seasons of set up, and the season opener is...more set up. I'm sticking along for the ride, but...sheesh.

BSG: This, on the other hand, is how it's done. One hour of "Lost" that seemed to move slowly versus two hours that blasted past. Again we've got heroes under siege in an isolated environment, except their oppressors make the Others look like the Campfire girls. Even more: Every single character is trapped in some way, shape or form. The humans residing on New Caprica bristle under the yoke of Cylon oppression, with suicide bombers treated as heroes and necessary in a war of resistance...something that takes all our attitudes about the world around us and stands them on their ear, as the best SF does. The Cylons, meantime, are prisoners of their "good intentions," embarking on a faith-motivated endeavor to spread the word of their one, true God. In real world terms: Cylons, the enemies, are basically human beings, while the human beings--the good guys--are what we would consider the enemy. Adama is a prisoner of his loyalties to the people of New Caprica who he's left behind: Unable to continue the quest, but concerned that if he goes back, the resulting battle could be the end of humanity altogether. Starbuck is a prisoner of a would-be lover, Tigh is a prisoner of his rage, his wife is a prisoner of her secrets, and Lee Adama is a prisoner of frustration. All of this comes together in the jaw-dropping last two minutes in which a truly horrific trap is sprung that, I suspect, not everyone is getting out of in one piece.

Let me be blunt: Anyone who is allowing the title of this series to prevent them from watching it is, quite simply, nuts.

PAD

Wonder No More

For those who were wondering what sort of idiot would try to fob blame for the Foley scandal over to the Democrats, wonder no more. From the AOL news feed:

"Hastert told the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday night that he has no thoughts of resigning. He blamed ABC News, which broke the Foley e-mail story, and Democratic operatives for the mushrooming scandal."

PAD

Since Peter never remembers to put this sort of thing up

Peter's the guest of honor this year at Albacon, taking place this weekend in Albany, NY.

Pay particular attention to the Saturday Night Extravaganza: "Peter David Unplugged! Spend an hour with Guest of Honor Peter David performing death-defying feats (well, talking and answering questions)." Sat. 8:00 PM.

What's more, I see that David Peters is listed as a guest of the convention, although I'm not sure that he'll be doing any panels with Peter. That may be a good thing, I understand they're not speaking to each other of late and don't even want to be in the same room at the same time...

The Official Series of Cowboy Pete's TV Round-up: Friday Night Lights

Why, you ask? Why would Cowboy Pete even be including such a clearly non-genre, non-loopy series as "Friday Night Lights" in the round-up at all?

Two words: Scott Porter.

No, I haven't gone all Matt Foley on you. It's simple: Scott Porter, who plays the quarterback of a high school football team (the Panthers) in a football-obsessed midwestern town, is--as the movie intoning goes--One. Of. Us. Specifically, guys, he's a comics fans. I know this because I met him at Dragon*Con. He wasn't set up at a table selling autographed photos for $20 a pop; he was simply there because he's as much of a comic book fan as the rest of us. And he was also very nice to Ariel, who was really taken with the future teen idol. We promised we'd watch his upcoming series, and we've made good on that promise.

And you know what? Damned good show. Well written, well acted, and does an excellent job of capturing the "high expectations" placed on the team in such a rural environment, and some heart-stopping developments in the last act that manage to make the game come across as spontaneous rather than scripted. It's the first show in a long time to remind me of the late, lamented "Breaking Away," which was likewise based on a film (which was, in turn, based on a book.)

Problem is, the competition for the time slot is brutal, plus TV series with a sports theme tend to have a short shelf life. And we're not a Nielsen family, so whether we support the show or not realistically doesn't mean a damned thing. I don't know whether the show is going to play at all in New York, Chicago or LA (which seems to be the only markets that networks seem to care about) but I'm hoping it picks up a massive following in the heartlands. Anyone within the sound of my cybervoice: Give "Friday Night Lights" a look. If nothing else, we want to keep Scott Porter employed so he can buy more of my comics.

PAD

The harsh reality outside synagogue

So today in synagogue, we have the day of atonement. And we pray to be better people, and for tolerance and, and a world of peace. We speak about "sins of injustice" such as waging war upon others or trying to use violence to change things.

And I come out of syngague, and into a world where sins of injustice are presidential policy, and a madman shoots children in Amish Country, and an art teacher loses her job--her contract terminated--apparently because a parent complained that their child had been exposed to nudity...during a class trip to an art museum (the school board claims "other reasons" were involved, but this is an award winning teacher of 28 years' standing; the claim rings false.)

The problem with a day of pondering one's own sins and shortcomings is that it prompts you to resolve to try and do better...and then you come out into a world aligned against such philosophies. It says something when the only place where utopias exist are in the pages of a prayer book...or fantasy novels.

PAD