With all of the fall-out from JMallozzi's comments, there have come a couple of things that I don't think are being acknowledged enough.

First and foremost, I don't go to any other Fandom for StarGate except GateWorld. So I am pretty narrow in my view of Online Fandom. I found that when I searched all those years ago for a place to play in fandom GateWorld was the one that seemed to pay attention to the members in all ways and at least tried to keep the majority of trolling out, Keep a standard of respect for the Membership, The show and its Cast and Crew as people. So most all other SG Fandoms fell off my radar pretty quickly.

I say all that because I am no expert when it comes to Fandom and I really want to be clear about that.

I believe that the fans at GW that while letting off a bunch of steam and venting their annoyance with the way TPTB have handled this past brew-ha-ha have shown alot of creativity and have turned what could have been a potentially *PITA* situation for months into a fun-for-all instead.

Granted I still completely believe that Brad Wright should have either been a bit more informative with his statement regarding a Major character, considering the track record SG has when they *say* a character is going to be *recurring* or part of a *Major story arc* (see Rainbow Sun Franks for further info). OR should have not said anything if he wasn't able to be a bit more informative.

I also still believe that if JM didn't mean to stir up the entire fandom, he wouldn't have. He is a PAID professional writer, it is his job to understand how his use of words will come across. Now if a scene doesn't work, a writer has the choice of either re-writing the scene or lambasting the actors for not understanding the words he just wrote, I mean really they are right there in black and white. You and I both know that the writer is normally going to re-work the scene so it is clearer to both the actor and the director.

All that being said. The fact still remains that I see at least one particular fandom having alot a fun with the whole thing and not really raking the PTB over the coals so much any more. KUDOS to all of them for making it a rally point to just laugh at and move on eventually.

It really doesn't matter if it was misunderstood at this point. It also is too bad that it is the Fans that are being *expected* to take the *High Road* in this misunderstanding. I was always taught that communication is receiver oriented. If you as the giver of information have been misunderstood then the problem was in your delivery, not in the receiver's receipt. It was always up to the Giver of information to clear up the matter graciously and with deference. Maybe I am of a different generation.

Aside from all of this I am still looking forward to the final 10 episodes of SG-1. I have been with the show for all 10 seasons. Having been there at the beginning it seems fitting to be there at the end.

I am a huge fan of Amanda Tapping and while I have never been as into SGA as I have been SG-1, maybe I will find something with her joining the cast. I am not to big on the whole cross-over thing. But I will give it a chance.

A last note about the *stir*, I had a conversation with a co-worker the other day. He isn't a big online fan of sorts but he will pop on from time to time on GW and he did the other day and saw all the new lemmings gracing many signatures and went in search of why. So he thought to ask me about it knowing I am a Moderator. I sent him a link to the Blog in question that had started it all and figured he could decide for himself. He is fairly similar to me in temperament, pretty even and really doesn't get to caught up in the drama of things to any real extent. So I listened when he spoke his thoughts on this whole issue.

Thoughts from a normally OFF line fan.
"While I can see that many people did misinterpreted what Mr Mallozzi wrote, the way Mr Mallozzi dealt with it was even worse. I really came away from that feeling like this man just does not like the fans in general and that's too bad. I feel for any and all online fans or anyone for that matter that ever misunderstands him. I am almost sad that I asked to see this because now I think it will make me look at the show a bit differently and that bothers me a bit. Some of my enjoyment is gone I think."

And that is the end of my thoughts and follow ups on this situation (grin)

I too want to enjoy my remaining time with SG-1 and PTB faux Paus, as well as Fans and their views can sometimes take the shine off of that for some, myself included. So I am now placing it all on a shelf and moving on. In 1 year, 3 years and definitely in 5 years it won't mean a hill of beans, so I choose to walk on some flat ground now.......

OH and don't forget... Sunday Jan 21st NEW BSG YIPEE!!!!
see ya on the return trip Gaterites :-)

Disclaimer- The following is my own personal feelings, thoughts and opinions and is in no way shared or a reflection on GateWorld.

This is how I envision TPTB after they do an interview or at the very least JMallozzi after he writes his blog SG FANS

Sometimes I wonder if the use of the statement *Out of Context* is a cop out.

Why? Well because after an Exec says or writes something really horrendous and realizes "Aw Man, that is so not how I meant that to come across" they use that statement.

I have no real feelings either way about Brad Wright's interview or Joe Mallozzi's Blog in my day to day life. I do have some thoughts as a Person who has to Moderatoe other people's opinions on what they had to say LOL. And I guess as a fan of the StarGate Franchise I have a few opinions as well.

Brad Wright - The Interview *cue ominous music*
I have to wonder if TPTB don't want speculation about what they say, even wild and outlandish speculation, then why would they make ambiguous statements regarding Main Characters of their show. I mean if you want no one to talk, make wild speculation and/or spread rumors then I would guess the best course of action would be to be very specific and very up front about things. OR even better say nothing at all. Both ways will solve the problem of rumors, wild speculation, fan retaliation and misunderstandings.

But thats not what happened. Brad hasn't made any attempt to clear anything up nor has he taken the time to recognize that not ALL ONLINE fans are getting all worked up. Some are still going about their online fandom with relative happiness.

What I find really strange about TPTB is that the fans that are online...take the time to be loyal....pay out the $$$ for merchandise ...and even pay out $$ for conventions get lumped into this one big group of Fandom. There is no diversity in how Online fans are referred to by TPTB so the fact that some are disgruntled and make it their cause in life to berate the PTB are the same as the fan that never did anymore than sign on and post "I Love StarGate".

The majority of GW fans are fairly articulate and intelligent in their posting. They give insightful reasons for the things they critisize and they give balanced reasons for the things they like. I will never say we don't have our share of trolls but the trolls don't define GW nor do they hold the majority YET TPTB seem to act like they do. Why is that. Does it make it easier to believe we are all geeky, no-lifers that have no clue when you are telling yourself how great you are??? (That was a question to TPTB) The fact that we ask for a more specific answers while at the same time expressing our worst fears as well as our personal feelings doesn't make us lemmings or a *thoughtless-mob* it makes us people that are frustrated with a group of individuals that have spent alot of time dodging real answers up until now.

I sat here this last weekend and watched the final season of Babylon 5. In the Special Features they had a whole thing with TPTB that had interviews and one of the things they talked about was the fans and the gratitude The B5 PTB expressed was incredible and it was sincere or at the very least it came across that way. They truly seemed to love their fans.

Then I sat down and watched my Farscape PeaceKeeper Wars DVD and the Special Features after it as well and you know what TPTB of that show did the EXACT SAME THING. They truly seemed to love the fans and interacting with them.

I have watched StarGate from the beginning and I have watched all of the Sci-Fi Insider" shows that come with each season and you know what. The actors express a joy at meeting fans. But I can't say that TPTB have ever really ever come across as really liking their fanbase. Its almost as if they tell themselves "We know we are good, so they must think so too" In fact I think my jaw hit the floor the day Rob Cooper informed the fans that Shipped Sam & Jack that they had "Issues"...oh but wait...he then retracted that saying it was.......yup thats right "Out of Context"

Thankfully I watched the show for the actors and I had a hope that regardless of what I was hearing from TPTB they wouldn't truly believe their own press and think they could have a hit show without fans.....I am begining to believe I gave them too much credit........


Then Joe...*cue really dreadful funeral music*
JM as we used to lovingly refer to him as Wrote a Blog that maybe wasn't meant to be what amounted to be a slap in the face to Online fans....but it very well may be the "Blog that was read round the World".

I never thought of myself as a hysterical fan, nor was I ever a FANatical fan. I was just a fan and I liked to chat with other fans since SG wasn't a well watched show in my area. So if I wanted to talk about it the only way was to sign on my computer and find someplace to do it :) Hence I landed at GW YAY!!

Now I have listened to TPTB tout Rob Cooper as a wonderful Show Runner and thought to myself..."Well..if thats the case then I guess I just have different taste" cause once he took over I began to tape the show more and miss watching episodes here and there. I just didn't agree with his taste and what he let out the front door as *Quality Programming* compared to what I had seen in previous seasons. I also didn't spend anymore $$$ after Season 6 for that same reason. THEN Rob opened his mouth...not a good idea......YIKES

Now JM has done the equivalent with the written word. Lumped fans that are online into one big bunch. Granted many won't be offended because they will have
1) not read the Blog
2) could give a rats ass what JM says
3) get off on that sort of drama
or any other reason I haven't thought of :-)

I on the other hand...while not really offended...am disappointed in a PTB of a show I once thought to enjoy. It gets hard to stand behind a product when the ones producing that product is such a........ Klutz in the Public Media (that was a nice way to say that right??)

JM has since updated his Blog to point out that he wasn't Calling anyone names...and only JM knows his own mind and his own intentions. I will take him at his word that he had no "Bad Intentions" but written word has a way of NOT conveying your tone of voice. *Shrug* But just like we tell many posters here at GW sometimes it sounds right in your head but when its written down...others read it differently.
So I'll be the first to say JOE Maybe I made a mistake :-) and misunderstood your meaning as well. However, I guess the only thing fans can ask for as well is that it be understood that with your Blog coming on the heels of Brad's rather vague interview and the ensuing fall-out...Your timing really sucked and with emotions running high...can you admit that there was at least the room for the fans to have a reason as well to think they were being slapped. Slack can be cut both ways.

The shows aren't slated to even begin airing until March-April here in the States and while I was looking forward to enjoying that...a lot of the excitment has been deflated by JM and his comments. Brad is just wishy washy...so he really has never been a huge factor But JM and his disdain for the fans sometimes is just a bit much.

So My Enlightenment for TPTB... Guys you are selling a product...I don't know when that part of things got forgotten...but you do need to at least TRY to sell it a little bit. Alienating the very people that buy your product...talk about your product.... talk to OFF LINE fans about you and your product... won't go quietly into the night all chastised just because you took it into your head to indirectly call them names or just flat out be obtuse. Just because they said you had a season 4 doesn't mean you will if there is no one there to watch it...... think about it.......

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