Brent Spiner's Nephew

[pr]

It occured to me today, that if I was Brent Spiner's (http://www.imdb.com/Bio?Spiner,%20Brent) nephew, I would constantly be asking him to play Data.

I would probably want to play cards, or read him some contemporary poetry. I would also like to play paper, scissors, stone. He would have to remain in character.

Anyone else ever had thoughts like this?

[Ted]

Not really. I've met quite a few celebrities and found early on it's best to say absolutely nothing or "Hello, I enjoy your work."

I suspect this sentiment would be even stronger if I was related to the celebrity because I would know them as a real person. Of course, celebrities as "real people" can get ugly. Try arresting one for DUI
or domestic violence
or possession of a loaded firearm
or (my favorite) battery on a peace officer.

Ted
killjoy
(sorry)

[Tony Hoffman]

I think it depends on how old Brent Spiner's nephew is. If he's 35, it might have worn a little thin.

[Alasdair]

In the same genre, I once met John Pertwee (http://www.eyespider.freeserve.co.uk/drwho/jp/) who played Doctor Who. I was 10 and a big fan and all I could blurt out was something like "I think time travel is great" to which he had no real answer. I guess he didn't want to say something along the lines of "It's actually a battered old police box with a special effects budget of 12.50 pounds a week".

Al.

[Rachel Bunting]

I met once the singer of the band Catherine Wheel, who I desperately adored. I couldn't manage to get a real word out, so I gave him my (15-year-old sized) bra instead.

He was a little weirded out.

On an up note, I met Polly Harvey two years ago after a show: She was quite nice, and I managed not to make an ass out of myself: "Great show, Polly, hope you're enjoying the States."

And I kept my underwear.

Rachel

[HowardM2]

I could mention the evening I had dinner with Vincent Price, but that would be unconscionable namedropping, so I won't.

[Alasdair]

Rachelb commented:
I met once the singer of the band Catherine Wheel, who I desperately adored. I couldn't manage to get a real word out, so I gave him my (15-year-old sized) bra instead.

I hope this was a communication method you limited to pop singers, otherwise school could have been really embarrassing.

Did he do anything with the bra?

Al.

[Alasdair]

Howard M2 said:

I could mention the evening I had dinner with Vincent Price, but that would be unconscionable namedropping, so I won't.
Agreed, thanks for not mentioning it.

Al.

[Rachel Bunting]

Alasdair said:

I hope this was a communication method you limited to pop singers, otherwise school could have been really embarrassing.

Did he do anything with the bra?

Umm, I won't tell you what used to happen in school. Let's just say I was pretty popular. (kidding, kidding. I swear it.)

Rob Dickinson (the singer) said he was going to donate it to Planet Hollywood, but I don't think that's happened.

Gads, I hope not.

Rachel

[cookala]

Originally posted by pr
It occured to me today, that if I was Brent Spiner's (http://www.imdb.com/Bio?Spiner,%20Brent) nephew, I would constantly be asking him to play Data.

I would probably want to play cards, or read him some contemporary poetry. I would also like to play paper, scissors, stone. He would have to remain in character.

Anyone else ever had thoughts like this?

He would probably end up hating you as much as the boredom of playing that character over and over and over and... maybe he'd even exile you to Antarctica for it.

cookala
heh, though Data
is one of the coolest characters

[pr]

Originally posted by Tony Hoffman
I think it depends on how old Brent Spiner's nephew is. If he's 35, it might have worn a little thin.

I don't know whether Brent Spiner has a nephew. I would be his nephew. There wouldn't be any other nephew who really was his nephew, as this might spoil my enjoyment.

My ideal age would be ten or eleven. I think this would be the age where I would get most out of the interaction, without it ever wearing thin.

Continuing the theme of influential cultural icons, I always found Steve Buscemi (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Buscemi,+Steve) addictively watchable, especially his characters in Reservoir Dogs, Fargo and Con Air. (Although Con Air to a lesser extent; which was a whole lot more cheesy and a whole lot less peculiar than Reservoir Dogs and Fargo. He's also quite good in The Big Lebowski although the film itself is gratuitously weird.)

But certainly, being Brent Spiner's only nephew, with Spiner playing Data, at least for a while, would be a rewarding and interesting experience. It's something that I'd like to do.

This isn't celebrity worship.

He would probably end up hating you as much as the boredom of playing that character over and over and over and... maybe he'd even exile you to Antarctica for it.

I do not care how Spiner would feel about the interaction. My only concern would be my own childish enjoyment. As for being exiled; I doubt he would be able to enforce this action, and would have difficulty convincing a modern court that this punishment was justified.

[Dunc]

Y'know, Roddenbury had the same values and ambitions, politically and dramatically, give or take the usual few, that I do. And both Billy (under Roddenbury) and Pat (next after) were rational commanders and explorers of what-might-be. What I thought dramatically important was the short story style - that each episode was about a clearly defined issue and a non-superstitious and humane resolution.

What's given me the shits ever since (and The Bill from the UK has fallen into the same bottomless pit) is that now its successors are a soap. Around Janeway, the plot was about how the characters related to each other - and who gives a tart after shitloads of TV about exactly the same thing? And Babylon 5? Up itself in just the same fashion. Where are the external ideas, the problems to be solved, the larger possibilities to be explored? On DVD - not in the present. O ye morons, pissing on your possibilities! Little wonder that Shatner and Stewart remain the touchstones. Regards / Dunc

[pr]

Originally posted by Dunc McReil
...What I thought dramatically important was the short story style - that each episode was about a clearly defined issue and a non-superstitious and humane resolution.

What's given me the shits ever since (and The Bill from the UK has fallen into the same bottomless pit) is that now its successors are a soap. Around Janeway, the plot was about how the characters related to each other - and who gives a tart after shitloads of TV about exactly the same thing?

Hear, hear.
I agree wholeheartedly; the appeal of ST:TNG (and the original) was the human issues and aspects of the (dare I say it) 'human condition' they explored.

They did this through encounters with aliens (which were, more often than not, walking allegories of a certain aspect of the human personality/human society) and their own crew, such as Data, the endearing android, who only wanted to be human.

These factors are what made the series so absolutely watchable. The travesty which was Voyager (and--yes, what The Bill has now become) was far more centred around 'relationships' and other girly concerns.

But then, girls just don't get Star Trek, in the same way that I don't get Hollyoaks. But that's an entirely different thread.

[Sestina]

But then, girls just don't get Star Trek, in the same way that I don't get Hollyoaks. But that's an entirely different thread.

I recently read this book:

Religions of Star Trek
Ross S. Kraemer
William Cassidy
Susan L. Schwartz
(Westview Press 2001)

and found it fascinating. It explores the way in which the pervading cultural and religious background at the time is reflected in each of the series.

I have been a Star Trek nut almost since birth (my parents were avid watchers of the original series). My favorite series is TNG and I never really got into DS9, although I have enjoyed Voyager and am persevering with Enterprise.

I recently got my haircut and now look a bit like T'Pal (without the pointy ears).

In what way exactly don't girls get Star Trek? (Said ever so sweetly but with a hint of pique)

Sestina, who never 'got' Hollyoaks

[pr]

Originally posted by pr
But that's an entirely different thread.

:)

Besides which, it was just one of those off-the-cuff, entirely untenable remarks.

Sorry.

Edit: Hold on, here's some justification: All the girls I've known have never let me watch Star Trek, which has lead me to believe they don't 'get' it. Although in quite which way it isn't 'got', I don't know.

pr,
smoothing down your pique

[Sestina]

Originally posted by pr
:)


pr,
smoothing down your pique

Thanks

Sestina, smoothed

[amaranthus]

Originally posted by pr
Edit: Hold on, here's some justification: All the girls I've known have never let me watch Star Trek, which has lead me to believe they don't 'get' it. Although in quite which way it isn't 'got', I don't know.


May I suggest you need to find a getter class of 'girl'. I enjoyed ST:NG from the start, but I'll admit to never really liking the original. Billy's habit of conquering every woman he came into contact with is high on my list of reasons for disliking the show (along with his complete - inability - to - utter- two - words - in - one - breath). Nontheless, I never stopped my former sweetie from watching, I'd either watch with him or go do something else. I have to admit that I did sometimes take pot-shots at the show, but he could always shoo me off to a book.

Carol
pique-free

[Harry R]

Interesting.

I found TNG fairly pompous on first watching and find it completely unbearably pompous watching the repeats now. The original series was also po-faced, but was rescued by Shatner's complete inability to take the script seriously.

DS9 was boring just because the fact the station was immobile undermined the basic dynamic of the show, and they failed to find an alternative.

But I thought Voyager was quite entertaining. And the prequel seemed quite fun, but the horrible title music meant I couldn't watch it.

Harry
I can't believe I'm admitting to having all these opinions about Start Trek

[Donner]

Girls don't get Star Trek? Excuse me? When I was in college we used to take over the TV lounge and would threaten to kill anyone who even hinted that they wanted to change the channel. I "got" ST.

Saw Tom Selleck on the street in Seattle once after finishing a shoot for a made-for-TV movie. I about died, but didn't run across the street, screaming or anything. He is so tall.

Saw Walt Disney drink a martini in the Disney Studio commissary once when I was 14. My image of him was totally shattered.

I always figured it's best to let celebrities have their space. I suppose if Spiner was my uncle I'd just call him "Uncle Brent" realizing that he wasn't actually a robot with a pasty white face--just plain old "Uncle Brent". I also have always wondered what all the fuss is about. Famous people went to junior high, too, right?

Donner

[Kristi]

PR said...But then, girls just don't get Star Trek, in the same way that I don't get Hollyoaks. But that's an entirely different thread. Sestina, Amaranthus, Donner, do we need to get started on that thread? I suddenly feel compelled to make the world a more trekky place.

PR, I don't even DATE a guy unless he is a ST fan!

Sadly, I've only devoted one page (http://www.geocities.com/kjazstar79/trek.html) of my website to this addiction...of course my line of Barbie Doll ST Clothing is in the works! ;)

Kristi


edited in Donner since we posted at the same time...

[pr]

Originally posted by Kristi
PR, I don't even DATE a guy unless he is a ST fan!

Is that a subliminal offer?

Honestly, my criteria for the perfect woman is:

1) she's fine looking
2) she can hold her own in conversation
3) she'll let me watch Star Trek*

*Athough it's rarely now shown on terrestrial British TV, and I've seen them all before. Having seen an episode before does not affect my enjoyment of said episode.
I always figured it's best to let celebrities have their space. I suppose if Spiner was my uncle I'd just call him "Uncle Brent" realizing that he wasn't actually a robot with a pasty white face--just plain old "Uncle Brent". I also have always wondered what all the fuss is about. Famous people went to junior high, too, right?

It's not so much the fact that Spiner's relatively famous; more than he is the best person available to play Data. I wouldn't want to realise Uncle Brent wasn't actually Data. Moreover, I would be completely disillusioned if this fact were ever made clear to me, and this would be an undesirable thing, especially within the context of this perverse fantasy.

pr
still wanting Spiner to be his uncle.

[David Bowers]

Originally posted by pr

Anyone else ever had thoughts like this?



If I knew Ricky Gervais, I'd wheel him out at parties and force him into the role of the legendary David Brent (http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/characters/images/david_feetup_800.jpg). The finest comedy character to ever grace our televisions in the UK...

I've heared Ricky's just sold the rights to an American station, actually, but I'm not holding my breath on that one (I saw what the studio boys over there did to 'Cracker' - aired as the obscenely PC 'Fitz', I believe. Bloody awful.)

Regards,
Dave.

[Kristi]

I would almost say that Brent Spiner would be a cool friend or relative...but I'm sure he wouldn't watch ST with me so he's definitely off the list.

Now Craig Kilborn (http://imdb.com/Name?Kilborn,+Craig) would be a hoot!

Kristi
*looking for the Subliminal messge vB Code*

[Alasdair]

Wandering a little off from Brent Spiner but staying with Star Trek, a rampant Star Trek friend told me about how the studio hopelessly underestimated the popularity of the original Star Trek series. They conducted telephone polls of viewers to find out how popular programs were, Star Trek got lousy ratings and they changed it to a less valuable slot. But the polls were done during office hours and they talked to housewives who didn't like the series (sorry Sestina). When the changed the slot, they were besieged by irate Trekkies demanding it back.

I used to work part time for Sky Television and the ferocity of the complaints we got whenever we aired the wrong episode or cancelled an episode were awesome. They were, in my humble experience, mainly from men...

Al.

(Ducking from the flying pique)

[Kristi]

They were, in my humble experience, mainly from men...Now I know how rare and truly special I am :D

[pr]

Originally posted by Kristi
Now I know how rare and truly special I am :D

Was there really ever any doubt? :rolleyes:

[Kristi]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Kristi
Now I know how rare and truly special I am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by PR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was there really ever any doubt?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Briefly, but then I received another Instant Message from a random 64 yr old man who reassured me of the fact that I was "hot" and did I "wanna?"