I didn't create the troll. I didn't date the troll. In fact I hate the troll. I helped deflate the troll-- All done.

Willow ,'Potential'


Natter 77: I miss my friends. I miss my enemies. I miss the people I talked to every day.  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


DavidS - Jan 18, 2022 8:36:54 pm PST #12222 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

I was specifically thinking of Spike- where in his mind he was writing this thing where of course he didn’t have a soul and therefore had to rape Buffy and then get a soul to be redeemed.

Right. Aside from all the instances of rape/sexbot/mind control that recur in his work (which are numerous), I'm now more conscious of his wrestling with that narratively. (Don't worry, this isn't his redemption arc.)

I'm certain in his mind there was something like, "Writers need to go to dark places. That's where the good stuff is." That's basically how he pitched Firefly to Tim (with a horrible rape/murder of Inara by Reavers planned in S2).

He's Spike, he's Warren/Andrew/Jonathan, he's Topher, he's Mr. Universe in Serenity, he's Xander's resentment /entitlement.

The comparison to Louis CK stuck with me, because I remember watching an earlier comedy special of his where he said something like, "I can't look at this rental car agent without imagining wrapping her long hair around my dick and jerking off in her face" - and I was like, "Whoa! He thinks that's how every guy operates, and he thinks he's being edgy but he's wayyyyy past that edge."


askye - Jan 18, 2022 9:20:57 pm PST #12223 of 30000
Thrive to spite them

When the whole Spike has a soul so now he is redeemed thing was going on and we kept hearing "Spike has a soul" come up for, I wanted once for someone to say "Warren has a soul!"

I really want Joss to go away and not be involved in any thing. I hope no one tries to even give him a writing job because no matter what he touches he's going to infuse it with his themes and just do a retread of what he's already overdone and/or that is icky like his take on Black Widow or another River/Drucilla type ,etc.


Cass - Jan 19, 2022 3:13:16 am PST #12224 of 30000
Bob's learned to live with tragedy, but he knows that this tragedy is one that won't ever leave him or get better.

What a delightful Time to be surprise awake.


Calli - Jan 19, 2022 7:02:33 am PST #12225 of 30000
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs

I'm glad Tim will be able to visit his father in reasonable safety, Steph.

I wanted once for someone to say "Warren has a soul!"

Yes, this. Lot's of people who've done horrible things have souls. Suggesting that evil acts are the provenance of Monsters(tm) just makes dealing with regular people's evil harder. I prefer Pratchett's approach where he talks about a man who tortured someone in a dungeon for hours and a man who gave charity to a beggar and how they were the same man.


Dana - Jan 19, 2022 7:17:44 am PST #12226 of 30000
"I'm useless alone." // "We're all useless alone. It's a good thing you're not alone."

JK Rowling is another example, though without the gender complication. She does lots of charitable stuff. She's also a TERF. Do I take all of the Harry Potter references out of my speech? She already got my money from the books and the movies. There's no way around the fact that she had, and continues to have, huge influence. Should charities turn down her money?

Welcome to my early morning sleepy rambles.


Tom Scola - Jan 19, 2022 7:17:54 am PST #12227 of 30000
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

The Joss article has me depressed thinking about my own self-loathing, and the things I do to sabotage myself, and how implacable it seems.


Steph L. - Jan 19, 2022 7:31:55 am PST #12228 of 30000
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

The Joss article has me depressed thinking about my own self-loathing, and the things I do to sabotage myself, and how implacable it seems.

Huge difference here: Joss used his issues as an excuse for why he was unable to stop himself from treating people like things and abusing them. You don't. You DON'T. And that difference is enormous. It's everything.


Pix - Jan 19, 2022 7:55:19 am PST #12229 of 30000
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie

What. Teppy. Said.


DavidS - Jan 19, 2022 8:32:01 am PST #12230 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

The Joss article has me depressed thinking about my own self-loathing, and the things I do to sabotage myself, and how implacable it seems.

First of all he's a narcissist, and you're not. Second, he hurts other people and you hurt yourself.

I wish there was an airflow button for you, Tom, like we have on a car. Instead of circulating your own self-loathing you could be flooded with the way everybody else feels about you.


Toddson - Jan 19, 2022 9:16:06 am PST #12231 of 30000
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"

OK, it's not exactly an island, but how about this for the Buffistas? since most are working remotely, location shouldn't be an issue.