RG Chatroom

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Have fun, and enjoy yourselves!

Gary.

There's a little tiny not-dog (too small to be a real dog) barking incessantly in my neighborhood. Sounds like a squeaky chew toy.

Wreybies wrote:There's a little tiny not-dog (too small to be a real dog) barking incessantly in my neighborhood. Sounds like a squeaky chew toy.

You should pick it up and throw it to a real dog (Rottweiler) to play with.

How is everyone this morning?

I wish I could say well. Today I have a migraine. I rarely ever get them, but they are associated with my medications. I get the aura and the nausea and the whole 9 yards.

Sorry to hear that Wrey. Hope it passes quickly.

Sorry to hear that, Wrey. I only get them two or three times a year, but I remember them when I get one.

Hope you get to feeling better soon.

Hey Wrey, we could have a migraine party. I've been getting them for three days at a time lately. Do yours throb insanely if you move? Only once, though was mine coupled with nausea and the likes.

Nice Race Bannon avatar. One of our rats is named Race (he has a racing stripe down his back).

MC wrote:Nice Race Bannon avatar...

Yes, he and Dr. Quest have a special place in 'the community.' They dared to live in the open, unashamed, loooong before things got more progressive.

Sounds a bit like speculation to me, but...if you say so.

MC wrote:Sounds a bit like speculation to me, but...if you say so.

Not really speculation... more like reading in between the lines, or creative license. This is what happens when you don't see yourself represented in the mainstream media. You're forced to rewrite some characters in your own head, especially when you are young and in need of validation. And in the original 1964 - 1965 run of the show, there wasn't much rewriting that was needed at all.

I've never watched the show. I might have to take a peek now.

Garmar wrote:I've never watched the show. I might have to take a peek now.

You're gonna' have to find the original episodes. When the show was revamped in the 80's (the first revamp,) the rather obvious, if unintentional, subtext was addressed. By this point the Johnny Quest show had already been embraced by the gay community, even with all the other painful racial and cultural stereotypes that it tended to show.* Race was given an x-wife, Dr. Quest was made into a widower, and two females characters were added to the show to round things out.

*in the original run, if you heard a German or Asian accent, you automatically knew who the bad guy was. Ouch.

Wreybies wrote: *in the original run, if you heard a German or Asian accent, you automatically knew who the bad guy was. Ouch.

Funny how modern day "liberal" Hollywood was a major influence perpetuating stereotypes for decades before the 60's. Black hats always equaled bad guys. Chinese were always portrayed as "coolies" or "Charlie Chan" types. Russians were always gruff, unpolished brutes except for Russian female spies who took on classic western style beauty and spoke English with a guttural accent. Blacks were rarely cast as anything but dumb, passive po'folk with hat in hand and little but the lowest career aspirations. Think of Big Jim in Huckleberry Finn. I think the big racial shocker in 1967 was Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" with Sidney Poirier. As far as gays, I don't remember much of any portrayal before the mid 60's. They kind of didn't exist. Even basic sexuality was disguised by Hollywood . . . Lucy and Desi of I Love Lucy had separate beds and the word "pregnancy" was banned from the script. Most of the stereotype-busting attitude began in the 60's. From the sexual revolution to women's lib to social disobedience (war protests, draft card burning, "living" in sin instead of marriage) and "coming out of the closet", these societal changes in attitude gained momentum in the 60's. It was a thrilling time to be young!

Southerners are still stereotyped as low IQ by Hollywood now. Of course some do fall into that stereotype... Oh how I hate fake 'Hollywood' southern accents.
I was delighted to see an episode of Dr Who the other day, where a guy from Tennessee was sorted into the 'high intelligence group' by the Daleks. That made my day.

(Btw, I used to LOVE Johnny Quest! I rented a DVD to show my sons and was so disappointed that it wasn't as thrilling as I remembered it. I don't know why).

MC wrote:(Btw, I used to LOVE Johnny Quest! I rented a DVD to show my sons and was so disappointed that it wasn't as thrilling as I remembered it. I don't know why).

We change as we grow. How we see the world alters. Johnny Quest was also one of my all time favorites. It comes off a little stilted and dated, with a huge dose of political incorrectness to me today.

And as Saulty so eloquently stated, progress commenced. Characters of diversity were given more fair roles and representation. Reading subtext still occurs. The lesbian community latched on to Tasha Yar from Star Trek: TNG, and then to Starbuck (Kara Thrace) of the new Battlestar Galactica.

Funny that the male gay community did not really embrace the one actual gay character of the new BSG, Lt. Felix Gaeta...

I'm just curious. I haven't seen either show enough to know for sure. Are these characters actually stated to be lesbian/gay or were they lumped into a stereotype due to their personality? I remember Tasha Yar. I thought she was awesome and tough. But I don't recall her being lesbian at all. I thought she had a few relationships with men...
I also always looove the very 'femine' man personality. It appeals to me, whereas I'm always turned off by the 'jock' type or the 'burly manly' type. It bugs me that men get stereotyped as gay if they are feminine. Does being refined and artsy with a love for gourmet force a man to be gay? What about us women that like feminine men? Are we just out of luck???? Pardon my fit of jealousy.

I remember Tasha Yar. I thought she was awesome and tough. But I don't
recall her being lesbian at all. I thought she had a few relationships
with men...

Yep. Data got lucky too.

MC wrote:I'm just curious. I haven't seen either show enough to know for sure. Are these characters actually stated to be lesbian/gay or were they lumped into a stereotype due to their personality? I remember Tasha Yar. I thought she was awesome and tough. But I don't recall her being lesbian at all. I thought she had a few relationships with men...
I also always looove the very 'femine' man personality. It appeals to me, whereas I'm always turned off by the 'jock' type or the 'burly manly' type. It bugs me that men get stereotyped as gay if they are feminine. Does being refined and artsy with a love for gourmet force a man to be gay? What about us women that like feminine men? Are we just out of luck???? Pardon my fit of jealousy.

No, neither Tasha Yar nor Starbuck were ever mentioned as lesbians. These characters were appropriated by the lesbian community for lack of any other representation on TV for them. Hence, reading subtext. When interviewed by out.com, Katie Sakhoff, the actress who plays Starbuck is quoted as saying:

My lesbian fans are my favorite! It’s extremely flattering to have a strong female following, both straight and gay. A lot of my friends are gay men, but even when I’m out with my boyfriend [in the gay neighborhood near her home] these fabulous queens will come up to me and tell me I’m fierce. And women too—the real deal, some that look like they could beat up my dad!

Quote source for Katie Sakhoff


The only one of the characters I mentioned who was actually mentioned as gay is Lt. Gaeta from Battlestar Galactica.

Here's the (in)famous scene where it is made clear: Lt. Felix Gaeta

It's pretty bland, just a peck on the cheek, really. Especially given that the show had no issues with everyone else hopping into everyone elses pants!

Garmar wrote:

I remember Tasha Yar. I thought she was awesome and tough. But I don't
recall her being lesbian at all. I thought she had a few relationships
with men...

Yep. Data got lucky too.

Data ~ "If you are speaking about sexuality... I am fully functional. Programmed in various techniques."

Data has always been my favorite character on that show. The look on his face when she grabbed hold of him after he said that was priceless.

The look on his face when she grabbed hold of him after he said that was priceless.

Does anyone have the link to THAT on youtube? LOL.

MC wrote:

The look on his face when she grabbed hold of him after he said that was priceless.

Does anyone have the link to THAT on youtube? LOL.

Ask and you shall receive! The actual dialogue is a smidge different than I remembered.

I am fully funcional.

Is anyone here right now in the chatroom? lol It took me forever to realize I had to go to page nine to see the new chat.

willow wrote:Is anyone here right now in the chatroom? lol It took me forever to realize I had to go to page nine to see the new chat.

I'm always here, luv. I work from home on my computer. That's why you always see me signed on.

Oh cool. Well how are you? Did you get rid of the migraine?