Beginning earlier this year with the Martin Wood / Amanda Tapping interview, GateWorld has been proud to include additional questions culled from fans at GateWorld Forum in select interviews. In addition to adding a new flavor in our interviews going forward, we look at it as a new way for all of you, our loyal readers, to have a bit of input in the content of the site — while also giving the chance for those who can’t go to conventions and events that the stars attend to have a voice that is heard. In that spirit, enjoy!

FAN QUESTIONS FOR DAVID BLUE

Graham Masters: Since you’ve played a nerd or a geek on screen more than once, just how much of one are you in real life?

David Blue: Oh, I’m a gigantic nerd. I mean, that’s the one thing that I followed the shows. Everyone used to make fun of me and say that I was Eli. Because Jamil [Walker Smith] is nothing like Greer. And Louis’ nothing like Colonel Young. People say, “Who’s the most like their character?” They always point at me.

I am actually probably a bigger nerd than Eli. I used to program, ran a bulletin board system, been playing video games my entire life. D&D, Legos. I’ve seen more movies and television than Eli ever has. I watch everything. I love entertainment. I love nerdom in general. I’d always wanted to go to Comic Con and my first chance to go was to premiere SGU.

Like, I’m a pretty big geek. Which is why it’s nice that my group of friends out here now – Alison Haislip, Zac Levi, Neil Grayston, Chris Hardwick – you know it’s nice to be in the nerd community ‘cause I always was in my own way. It’s actually kind of … it ended up working out well because I’d always bother poor Joe Mallozzi about asking if I can add other movie references into my lines ‘cause I was a bigger nerd. And, in fact, that’s why when Eli talks about Halo or The Last Starfighter. I asked if I could add that. Because to me, that’s what Eli was. From the beginning it was like The Last Starfighter for him. So I begged Joe Mallozzi on set that episode and he said, “Yes. You’re allowed to say it. Go ahead.”

Huge … long story short: Huge nerd.

Dan Wolfgram: Which character on The Big Bang Theory best represents your personality?

DB: Funny. I actually went to the producers of The Big Bang Theory for … to play Leonard.

I would say … hmm. I would say I pretend like I’m Leonard, but I’m probably Sheldon. [Laughter]

It’s … I think that’s probably why the show is a hit. You know, I watch it. They’re all different aspects of my personality. I think I’m probably as good with women as Wolowitz. I think I’m probably always battling being as shy as Koothrappali. I’m … I know I’m as quirky as Sheldon. But I wanna pretend like I’m Leonard and the leader of the group.

Michele888: Since you’ve admitted you’re not a math genius yourself, who did you use as inspiration when you were playing Eli and why?”

DB: Well, I used to be good at math. I’m just not anymore. I took Calculus 1 Honors in college and got an A. I just forgot it all somehow.

You know, it was actually a really hard audition at first because I’m a weird actor in that I never want to play the same role twice. And having played Logan on Moonlight, I had already kind of played, like, a computer geek. And I was just … it was very important to me to make Eli different. And then on top of that, the description for Eli was just, “An acerbic sense of wit. Never really had his confidence tested.” It sounded kind of McKay-like. And I just was terrified. I’m like, “I can’t be as good as David Hewlett. I don’t wanna try.”

So, it was just kind of figuring out who this guy was: A math genius. Work came naturally. And thank God on set we had physicists and mathematicians to write these equations on the board. Because I would not have known what was going on.

And, in fact, that’s actually what Eli and McKay are arguing about in the episode was the mathematics. I made sure, being the nerd I am, I said, “What is this equation arguing over? Because I want to make sure that I’m taking the right stance.”

ZombiesRiseFromTheSea: Considering some of the criticisms that were lobbed at the show over the course of the two years, if you could go back in time, would you have played Eli any differently in any way?”

DB: ZombiesRiseFromTheSea?! What?! Mermaid zombies?! [Laughter]

Nope. I don’t think anybody would.

You know, that’s how you have to be in … you can’t change something because of how people are. I’m so happy with the way the show turned out. I’m proud of my work. I’m not … I don’t want to sound egotistical at all. I’m proud of my work. And I wouldn’t have changed any of it.

However, I’d never experienced … I mean, you know, in this industry you get critiqued. It’s what you do. You know? People get reviewed and critiqued and whatever. I’d never experienced what happened after we premiered. I mean, it got to the point where you couldn’t look up stuff about the show because of what people would be saying about … even now. I wouldn’t dare click on the IMDb message board for SGU even now. Because it’s horrible to see somebody say “Love the show. Eli’s horrific. They gotta kill him.” You’re like, “Oh, well, thanks.”

So, I probably … if I could change anything, I would never have looked. You know, it got to the point where we stopped … we would just actively avoid forums or what-have-you. Because of some of the way that people would act. You know?

So that’s unfortunate. But as far as my performance or the experiences? No. It was amazing and I’m proud of it and I thank the writers for what they gave me.

Digifluid: Did you feel the network gave as much support to the show as they possibly could?”

DB: I mean, that’s a hard one. I don’t know. I felt supported. You know, when we were at events … Comic Con. You know, they flew me there for the upfronts and whatever. I don’t know what else they could’ve done. I mean, I don’t know if more advertising would’ve helped or this would’ve helped. Anything that would’ve kept the show on the air would’ve been nice.

I think they did. I don’t know. That’s a hard one for me to answer. Like as I always say, “I’m just the actor.” You know?

Digifluid: Have you heard any explanation from MGM or Fox on why season two, as beautifully and gorgeously shot as it was still has not been released on Blu-ray?”

DB: No, I have not. In fact, I e-mailed them. It’s pretty sad when the physical copy that we have is actually less quality than what we can see on Netflix.

It’s very, very unfortunate. And that’s one thing that kind of sucked. I love Space Channel, but at the time, they didn’t have HD in Canada. And I was living in Canada. So, we would watch the show in a lower quality than you guys were able to here in the States.

The show is so beautifully shot and especially on Blu-ray. It was gorgeous sets shot in HD. People who thought the show was too dark … like, if you really look at it on Blu-ray you can see all the intricacies. I feel like a lot of people who complained that it was too dark because they were watching it in the wrong definition. You know?

So, I was really looking forward to having my final work on the show be in Blu-ray. I have no idea why it isn’t. I e-mailed and asked. And I didn’t really get a response. They just said it wasn’t going to be. I don’t know why. I don’t know why that would be. Is it more expensive to do Blu-rays? I’m guessing it may have also been a factor on how well the Season One Blu-rays sold.

I’ve also never really understood half seasons, like they released Season One in initially, if you ask me. And as a fan I prefer shows that just air straight through. Like Lost. Like towards the end. Like, I hate waiting for it.

Maybe … you know, it always comes down to financials and money and all that. And I wish the sales would’ve been better to warrant that. Maybe if they had, maybe there would’ve been a movie. I don’t know.

Tanith0709: What would you consider one of Louis Ferreira’s best practical jokes?

DB: Hmm. That’s a rough one. Well, here’s one of the most ongoing: He has this little fake mustache that he would wear so often that the camera crew would actually always have it on them for when he wanted it. And he would put it on and put on this voice. He would call himself Huevos Rancheros.

And, so, when we’d be rehearsing a scene, he would walk into the set wearing the mustache and do the entire scene with that voice. Like [in a Hispanic accent], “Hello. I’m Huevos. And I am here to save the Stargates.” And it was hilarious. And it was just completely counter-productive. And we’d never get anything done, but we’d all be dying laughing.

The best prank ever was actually pulled on him. And I have a video of it. In the episode … was it “Common Descent” or “Epilogue” where T.J. gives birth and he’s there? We did one of our rehearsals and they put the fake Huevos mustache on the baby.

And so they pulled the baby out and handed it to him and he just busted out laughing. Like, “Baby Huevos!” And it was hilarious. And I have it all on tape.

If you have a burning question for the casts and crews of the Stargate franchise, visit the question thread at GateWorld Forum to ask it (you’ll need to register first!). Please read the initial post for full details.