- Green Tea Opera Cake served with Green Tea Ice Cream
We went to Miku, a fairly new Japanese restaurant on the Vancouver scene that specializes in Aburi-style sushi (“lightly seared and infused with savory French sauces”), sourcing local produce and ingredients for its artfully presented dishes. The room is colorful and contemporary, its open dining area surrounded by glass walls looking out onto an expansive patio.
We sat indoors and ordered six items from the menu. The first was one of the daily features, engawa nigiri, “engawa” being a choice muscle in a hirame’s (flounder‘s) dorsal fin. It was served three different ways – with a touch of salt and pepper, a spicy salsa, and the house Miku sauce – each one utterly delicate and delicious.
Our next dish was the Soba Peperoncino, Soba Noodle tossed in Olive Oil, Jalapeno, Squid and Bell Peppers. As she took our order, our waitress inquired whether we’d like it spicy or not. We, of course, requested the spicy version, but the Soba Peperoncino we were served lacked any real bite.
Next up was the King Roll – Prawn Tempura, Crab Meat, Avocado, Golden Caviar with Spicy Mayo Sauce. While tasty, it was a little unwieldy and struck me as more a menu item worthy of a less refined sushi eatery.
The next two dishes came together, two rolls – The Scallop Crunchy Roll (Chopped Scallop, Golden Caviar, Tempura Bits) and The Aburi Saba Oshi Sushi (Pressed Aburi Mackerel with Miso Sauce) – and proved out of this world. When I go back (and I will be back) I’ll be doing a double order of both.
Rounding out our mains was the Washugyu Carpaccio (American Kobe Beef with Avocado Sauce). The beef was very delicate – so delicate, in fact, that it was thoroughly overwhelmed by the accompanying sauce. Also, Fondy felt the meat could have benefited from a thinner slicing.
Now dessert rarely warrants a look at most Japanese restaurants but, Miku is different. It takes its sweets seriously. How seriously? Well, it apparently employs three different pastry chefs, one of whom hails from Kyoto. Impressive? You bet.
Fondy had the Yuzu Tart, a “Yuzu” Japanese Citron Cream Tart served with Vanilla Ice Cream. Although she found it a tad sweet, I had no problem polishing it off for her – and given my aversion to any trace of tartness in my desserts, that’s a huge compliment.
As for my dessert – well, just the other week, I had a Green Tea Opera Cake at Market. While good it, alas, in no way compared to The Greatest Cake I’ve Ever Had The Pleasure To Eat = The Green Tea Opera Cake at Sadaharu Aoki’s in Tokyo’s Roppogni Hills District. It turns out Mizu does their own version – Gateau and Almond Sponge Cake layered with Green Tea Cream and Ganache – served with an astoundingly dense and rich green tea ice cream. The verdit? Divine. Not as good as the Sadaharu Aoki version mind you, but remarkable nevertheless.
So, all in all, a wonderful dinner. Next time out, I’ll be skipping the soba and steak to in favor of the Aburi and Green Tea Opera Cake. Oishikatta! http://mikurestaurant.com/
Well, the month of May has come to an end and, thankfully, my dogs’ twitter account (http://twitter.com/JellMaxBubLu) did not achieve its targeted 1000 followers, thus sparing us all a spoiler pic of the first page of the Stargate: Extinction script (my contact on the inside tells me that was their diabolical plan). Unfortunately, they have managed to sneak out a few little spoilers buried within the texts of their existing twitters (http://twitter.com/JellMaxBubLu) but, thankfully, they’ve gone unnoticed. Still, the fight to deny my dogs their 1000 followers continues (here: http://twitter.com/JellMaxBubLu). Please, do your part to avoid the risk of further Stargate Atlantis movie and Stargate Universe spoilers getting out by NOT sign up to follow my dogs on twitter (http://twitter.com/JellMaxBubLu)!
Oh, yeah – my bad in a recent post when I was trying to wrack my brain to figure out what story I’d failed to list in the back half. In fact, I forgot that Space was pushed to #11 – so they all move down a slot.
And speaking of slots, great news on the director front. Both Peter DeLuise and Alex Chapple will be returning to direct episodes in the back half.
Today’s blog entry is dedicated to birthday individual unegawaya.
The mailbag:
PG15 writes: “1. Did the same freelancer write Faith and #14, or were they written by different people?
2. Will you be able to tell us the Freelancer’s names eventually?
3. Any ideas on when more promotional stuff is coming out? Besides this blog, things have been pretty quiet on the SGU front.
4. Some over at Gateworld have been wondering on the action-quota of SGU, since it’s more character-focused. What can you say about the quantity (i.e. are there as many action scenes as in the past?) and quality (are they done differently than in the past?) of the action scenes in SGU? “
Answers: 1. Nope. Different freelancers.
2. Yep.
3. No idea what MGM and SciFi are planning on their end. My guess is this year’s San Diego Comic Con will be the big roll-out (late July).
4. There will be plenty of action for those of you into that sort of thing. The episode presently in prep for instance, Space, is going to be spectacular. The Visual Effects meeting started at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon and they were still in there when I left.
Arctic Goddess writes: “Of all the cool props and gadgets, as well as seriously hot costumes from the past decade and a half of Stargate, would you personally like to have in your home or to wear? “
Answer: Baal’s wardrobe. And probably one of those nifty Icarus uniforms.
DasNdanger writes: “1. How are you liking Y – The Last Man and Scalped??
2. Wasn’t there links to other sites/blogs over on the right side? Where did they go?”
Answers: 1. Liking Y: The Last Man, loving Scalped.
2. Yep, there was a list and it did, indeed, disappear. I had to go back into my widget controls to make it magically reappear. Thanks for the heads up.
Daniel Willis writes: “Is there a style of filming that the Stargate series has? What I mean is that there are always different directors making the different episodes, so do they have to be told what they can and can’t do with the episode? If so, what are the sort of limitations… Can you explain the process a little?”
Answer: The shooting style will be a little looser, allow the director more freedom to move the camera rather than have to rely on static shots. This doesn’t mean it’s going to be shot in a nausea-inducing handheld documentary style. Rather, it will be more visually dynamic than its predecessors. Before the season began, Brad and Robert sat down and talked to Andy Mikita about what they envisioned for the show – and Andy delivered big time in the opening three-parter. Ensuing directors took their cues from Brad, Rob, Andy, and the look of those three episodes.
Kathi writes: “1. Can you please explain the relationship between Teyla and John? Are they “Almost lovers”, or like brother and sister or is there only a team- relation?
2. Have you ever visit germany?”
Answers: 1. There is certainly a mutual attraction there but, alas, Teyla has settled down with Kanaan.
2. Not yet.
Ben writes: “Are you able to find out the progress of the Stargate Worlds game, and any prospective release/beta dates?”
Answer: Sorry. I’m out of the loop on the game.
Chevron7 writes: “I’m wondering if it would be useful to have a static page on the dogs, some vital statistics, which dog is which etc. In addition, maybe a static page of book/movie recommendations for SciFi & Horror, graphic novels & comics etc. What do you think? Too much work?”
Answer: It’s not that much work – just that my right sidebar is pretty busy as it is.
JimFromJersey writes: “I read mostly Stephen King and Clive Barker for the years following, at one point owning every King book published until 2001.”
Answer: I was big into Clive Barker. I very much enjoyed King as well.
JimFromJersey also writes: “Williams masterfully recreated his London in minute detail. Including actual place names, streets, dates and minutiae that brought the story to life amongst all of that death. He poetically lays bare the beauty of horror, much in the fashion of Clive Barker.”
Answer: Agreed. As I said, The Unblemished had strong echoes of Barker. Regarding the “London in minute detail” comment – do you live/have you ever lived in London? Did your familiarity with the city make the horror all the more effective?
JimFromJersey also writes: “However, the detail is also one of my only criticisms. There was too much of it in places that didn’t bear the need for it.”
Answer: I thought Williams struck a fine balance. That said, I thought the same thing of a previous book only to have someone comment that they found there wasn’t enough description and detail. To each his own I suppose.
JimFromJersey also writes: “My other criticism is the lack of explanation of the missing authorities. The cops gone? Ok…maybe. But the military? Not likely.”
Answer: You know, that is a very good point. Even if, say, they dealt with the military as well, they did so awful quickly…
Chevron7 also writes: “ Any news with Paul & yourself on the comic series front? You were vision pitching last week weren’t you?”
Answer: Final conference call with the President of the company on Thursday in which we’ll pitch out our vision for the series: talking dogs and invisible monkeys.
Michael A. Burstein writes: “The Spider in the Hairdo” was a horror/SF story I wrote a few years back for an anthology called Urban Nightmares. I still can’t go back to it because it gives me nightmares.”
Answer: Extra points for the title!
Major D. Davis writes: “1. Besides Air, Earth and Life, will there be any episodes partially set on earth( you know, getting out of those sound stages for a breath of fresh air)?
2. When do you think we will be able to see some interesting SGU updates( such as MGM’s Secret Project)/ Us fans are dying for new news.”
Answers: 1. It’s possible.
2. Again, I’m not sure what the studio or network have planned.
Joshua writes: “Hey Joe; I would really not like to take comments made in interviews out of context. What is your thoughts on this statement(Just as the sentence itself, not some pissing contest with well…the other joe.)
“If Universe is successful, the prevailing theory among the writers and producers will be that actors are dispensible and not a critical part of the show(Joe Flanigan)””
Answer: Well, anyone who has frequented this blog for any amount of time knows that isn’t true. Over the past few months, I’ve expressed my excitement about the upcoming Stargate: Universe series and, more often than not, my comments have centered on our wonderful cast. From Robert Carlyle to our local supporting players, they are all very talented, professional, and genuinely kind individuals. As I told Michael Shanks and wife Lexa Doig the last time they dropped by the office: It’s an embarrassment of riches for us this year. And, speaking of actors from our former shows, feel free to search this blog for what I’ve had to say about actors like Michael Shanks, Lexa Doig, Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Don S. Davis, Beau Bridges, Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Robert Picardo, Jewel Staite, Rachel Luttrell, David Hewlett, Jason Momoa, and David Nykl – to name just a few – and it will be readily apparent that we have great respect for the contribution cast members past and present have made to the franchise. Of course, it’ll be up to you, the fans, to form your opinion on this new cast. But take it from someone who has been working with them since February – every one of them is not only great at what they do, but incredibly down to earth. Not an inflated ego or demanding grandstander in the bunch.
Shanise writes: “I’m trying to find on what would be engraved on John Sheppard’s dogtags. I bought a set of dogtags and would like to get it engraved.”
Answer: “I’M NUMBER ONE”.
Nadine writes: “Just one question today: what are your thoughts on the proposal to close a lane each way on the Burrard Bridge for bicycles? Do you use it often enough for it to make a difference or are you rather ambivalent?”
Answer: I think it’s a terrible idea that will lead to traffic chaos. City Hall’s thinking is that the move will be good for the environment because it will encourage people to bike into town. Of course the reality is that this bonehead move will actually hurt the environment because of all the backed-up cars idling on the bridge.
Joe, Regard costumes – Great choice of Baal’s wardrobe. A few years ago at Gatecon, you wore one and looked just super. Your appearance in the black costume was just grand.
So Todd is freed in the movie! Yehaaa you can’t keep a good human eating wraith dwn.
Left your subtle-pants in the closet today, eh?
Thanks for the pics of all the delectable Japanese-French fusion food. I’m glad the new restaurant did a pretty good job overall, and that you and Fondy had the chance to size up some new taste treats. That’s better, of course, than being a new taste treat.
– Which leads me to The Drowned Life, which I’ve almost finished and have enjoyed very much overall. I felt the title story was somewhat predictable, but that has been more than compensated for by the other stories. Ford’s otherworldly fantasies are jaw-dropping in the wonderment they produce. The best author comparison that comes to mind (given my limited exposure) is Gene Wolfe, but whereas Wolfe’s narratives left me perplexed and frustrated, Ford’s style is often beyond delightful and the unique developments can be well-grasped with a bit of thought. Best part: So many of his stories just get better with a second reading.
Thanks again for keeping us current with so much new speculative fiction.
Hmmmm,
Food didn’t really appeal to me this time. Glad to hear about the directors. Thanks for answering my questions.( I promise not to ask any more questions regarding spoilers about sgu).
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
Can’t we all just get along?
Is your dogs atlantis hint contained in their twitter on May 30th?
The only words I could make out from it were:
kewl Atlantis IOA
Joe, I am a bit saddened here today. I think some people get a kind of perverted thrill by stirring up trouble between others. Somehow it enriches their small lives. And you have such a wonderfuly snarky personality that it must be that much more entertaining to them when you volley back. I honestly feel a bit soiled. Are you sure you want to feed this modern day blog induced spectacle any further? In other days and times disagreements between people were between actual people, not fed through and processed by some pubic third or fourth hand rumor mill.
Can’t we all just get along?
I hear ya, but I think it’s fair for Joe M. to defend the SGU cast against a presumption that TPTB think actors are dispensable. The casting process for SGU took way, way longer than for SGA (partly because the green light came earlier and they had more time, I know). That and everything we’ve heard shows how much emphasis the franchise is placing on casting, esp for a character-driven show like SGU. So if SGU is successful, it means they got a lot of things right, including the actors. I don’t see how a successful SGU is a slam to the SGA actors, unless Joe F is implying there were some lessons learned on SGA.
Miku looks awesome Joe!
arggggggggg! “public” not “pubic”
I can’t win……whatever
@ Brian – Not so sure that says Todd is freed…more like he’s…a freek (sic)?? 😕
Ha! You think such teasers are going to get me to join Twitter, Joe??! Alas…sorry. It’s all I can do right now to keep up with this, GW, Moorcock’s site, e-mail, and Jinxworld. However, I did just see the puppy pics posted with the tweets – TOO adorable!
It is tempting…but…unless you can give me something better than ‘Todd…freek’, it’s just not gonna happen.
Answers: 1. Liking Y: The Last Man, loving Scalped.
Ah, good to hear! Hubby wants to read Y – I’m thinking of getting it for him, and I’ve been curious about Scalped. I will, however, have to finish a multiverse of stories first…GEEZ! What did I get myself into!
*eyes up Corum and Hawkmoon stories…and that Jerry Cornelius fella…and…ugh…someone take Moorcock’s pen away from him!*
2. Yep, there was a list and it did, indeed, disappear. I had to go back into my widget controls to make it magically reappear. Thanks for the heads up.
So – why am *I* not on your list of links?? Huh-huh, why???! Afterall, we DO have a working relationship, right? 😉 Now – let’s talk about that Todd shower scene in the movie…
H’hum…whew. Is it getting hot in here…
ANYhoo…sorry I wasn’t able to come up with anything coherent for Ashleigh. My mind is rather full right now – and for the obsessive, one-track-minded (is that a word?) person that I am, it doesn’t take much to crowd out other interests. You gotta get me when I’m on a roll…otherwise, well…I get easily distracted…kinda like that t-shirt that reads:
“They say I have ADD, but they just don’t understand. Oh, look! A chicken!”
God…that is SO me. 😛 Right now, Elric’s the chicken. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I don’t love Todd anymore – oh, I DO…and if you touch a single silver hair on that purty head of his…well, I’ll…I’ll…(I’ll think about it, and get back to you…). 🙂
Oh, you did NOT just diss Sheppard with that dogtag remark, did you??! You’re an absolute devil!
Hey – are all the SGU episodes one-word titles??
I am very jealous of you and your Japanese restaurant. The food looks – and sounds – wonderful! Is that Japanese owned/operated – or like all of our ‘Japanese’ restaurants – Chinese/Korean-operated? I have yet to find a truly authentic Japanese restaurant, though – I suppose – there may be something in Philly.
Oh well…I should be in bed. Been taking vitamins I grabbed at the health food store, and drinking herbal teas, and I am wired all the time now. Went from sleeping all the time, to not being tired at all (well, except at 2 in the afternoon, when I pass out at my desk…).
Good night, or morning…whenever you get to this! Take care!
das
Joe,
I definitely agree regarding Burrard Bridge. Comparatively speaking, those downtown bridges are actually pretty good: Living on the North Shore, I think the worst bridge which I frequent is Lions Gate simply because it’s so small (compared to the others). Even with the changes Burrard would still be bigger…
I’m really not looking forward to the traffic *chaos* which will come with the 2010 Olympics. I think we’ll hole up in the house with two week’s worth of food 😀
Oh, have you been following the tech conference this week? E3? Some of the stuff coming out sounds/looks very cool. Project Natal (Microsoft) especially.
You know technology is getting up there in the cool-factor when it seems like it would be more at home in science fiction!
Oh, forgot to ask: with that review does it mean you’d recommend Miku? How does it rank with, say, Tojo’s? Or is it too different?
Is Todd still in the city someplace at the end of 5×20? Or was he left off someplace in Pegasus before Atlantis left to defend Earth?
Jedi
“Not an inflated ego or demanding grandstander in the bunch.”
Firstly, can I say how refreshing it is to hear an Actor express his or her opinions, without necessarily feeling bound by the spin of a studio or franchise. As with the premature cancellation of any successful show, Fans will always feel they have been dealt an unfair blow. It’s only natural and understandable. Of course, for the most part, they have no physical connection to the production itself and thus any rumours or tides of opinion, can only be based on frustration aimed at those involved in the decision making. Agreed that, as a Writer and fairly substantial cog within the Stargate machinary, you will have a more informed view of what is happening. Blog Readers here will no doubt be grateful that you lay their concerns to rest. That said, fielding frustration from an uninformed Fan without access to the daily studio life, is one thing. But when an Actor expresses similar sentiments, don’t you feel that perhaps something has gone awry somewhere along the way?
As a long time Reader of this Blog, i’d also like to hark on an issue that has been biting away for some time now. Perhaps the finishing tone of today’s entry has brought it (sadly so) to the forefront: You are often quoted as saying that there is ..little point talking about something, if you’ve nothing nice to say on the subject. Should we then perhaps take something from the fact that you rarely speak of Mr Flanigan, even when (often) praising the tremendous qualities of his Co-Workers?
Ha! I knew I didn’t imagine that picture of you in that Ba’al outfit; as I recall, it had lace cuffs or something. I spent almost 5 minutes searching the ‘nets, but couldn’t find it. Luckily, sylvia‘s mention of it being during Gatecon helped.
And here they are! Two of them! Alas, neither were the ones I remembered finding and laughing…with. Not at, with. Oh yes.
Ba’al
As in, Bocce?
Good times, good times.
Anyways, thank you AGAIN for answering my questions! Man, I’m on a roll. Hmm…better make my next one count.
Question:
One hand claps and nobody’s around. Does it make a sound?
*Sits back and waits for the answer*
Hurry up, now.
I wonder what the raspberry has to do with Todd being freed (More seriously I wonder what galaxy/planet he gets freed on and whether it was intentional.)
And regarding the blogroll, Joe, do you think having a link to your own blog in your blogroll will increase repeat traffic? 😛
@ Shanise – so, babe, will you follow the recomendation, when you got your answer? 😉
Joe,
arigatou gozaimasu for the totemo omoshiroi entry.
Made me hungry. Made me jealous. Made me want to start cooking. if I poison my family, I blame you 🙂
Are your dogs secret plotting how to reach the world domination? That would explain the “looking happy and satisfied” pictures lately…
Are the SGU cast members getting the fanmail already? (you’ve mentioned before that one of them already got something.. I think it was nice show of support).
Ava
Joe,
Lou Diamond Phillips?? LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS?? As in “I’m a celebrity, get me out of here” trash TV???
Sanjaya I can see, the wife of a disgraced Chicago politician I can see, but a lead actor for a brand new Stargate series starring in a TV show full of losers and wannabe’s, on a network that celebrates how closely it has mirrored the TV station in the movie Network?
I can just see it now; NBC graces its scfi channel’s SGU with some pro bono 30-sec spots on the run up to the premiere and many thousands of potential viewers and fans sees Phillips in one of the clips and thinks “This guy? Didn’t I just see him eat a spider in a reality show of D List celebrities?” Suddenly the respectability of the show takes a dive.
Does anyone think they would ever see anyone from SG1 or SGA on one of these shows? And this one, this show is the worst of the worst.
Were you guys aware of this horrendously stupid career choice for Phillips?
Belated comments on Unblemished. Got to say, I considered this one a home run. From the opening, through the slow unfolding of the causes and results of that horrific event, the author kept my interest gripped to the tale. For me, the strongest aspect of the tale was the prose. As already pointed out, this book is not for the weak minded. Yet I appreciated that Mr. Williams also left certain details to the readers’ minds, while making it clear what was happening. This gave my sometimes-too- vivid imagination full rein to paint pictures that made the book live up to its horror genre.
I’ll simply second the opinions of many about the characters. While not so cardboardish(if I say that’s a word then it is) as some of the other horror tales I’e read, I did find it hard to engage emtionially with any of them. My only other negative comment would be in the shifting perspectives. While I’ve read and enjoyed other books that move from one character to another and back in order to lay out the story, for some reason I didn’t feel that the technique worked as well here. I don’t see how it could have been managed, but I thinkn this would have slightly more enjoyable seen through a single character’s POV. Again, only a minor quibble. But overall, really enjoyed this particular BotM club entry.
Anyways, thanks as always for the pictures and updates. Think I’ll pass on trying out Miku. I’m ok with the occasional sushi, but I’d still be trying to decide what to eat by closing time with such a selection.
Answer: “I’M NUMBER ONE”.
“..and I’m also number two..too.”
..and that is number two..as in second..not
as in number two that means and ryhmes
with doo..doo.
Hi there Mr M!
Wow, what great food!! I have only one question to ask….Did they sing the Tippu Tippu song?
Thanks for updates re: Bubba et al’s twitter page. Yes, I did notice the odd word here and there…but I think I let PG15 and others decode it for me….
Thanks for the updates and best to all
S’n’T
It’s not that the dogs’ Tweets are going unnoticed….I just can’t figure out how to respond on that darn thing.
Maybe you can have one of the pups reply if they know…
do you live/have you ever lived in London? Did your familiarity with the city make the horror all the more effective?
No, I’ve never even been to London. But Williams presented the city in such a familiar (to him) way that it gave a very “real” feel. Like say, watching a documentary (like 28 Days Later!) that would open a scene with a caption of where the scene takes place.
dasNdanger, freek is correctly spelled freak so I’m assuming it’s suppose to be free, since Joe knows how to spell.
Regarding your comment to Joshua about Joe Flanigan’s interview, I don’t think it is about whether you like the actors. I took it as, and think it true, that if SGU makes it, then the franchise shows that the actors aren’t the important issue that the franchise is. In my case I think I have been quite open that the actors are it for me not a franchise.
Mmmm…. sushi! Why wasn’t that place open when I was there? I would eaten there in a heartbeat.
Great. Now I want sushi.
Chevron7 writes: “I’m wondering if it would be useful to have a static page on the dogs, some vital statistics, which dog is which etc. In addition, maybe a static page of book/movie recommendations for SciFi & Horror, graphic novels & comics etc. What do you think? Too much work?”
Answer: It’s not that much work – just that my right sidebar is pretty busy as it is.
Well actually I wasn’t talking about the sidebar but a page linked at the top, like the about tab.
Go to your dashboard and in the menu on the left you’ll see a link for pages. Click on that and then click on Add new. Give the page a title (that will be on the tab) and write your content, then publish.
Here’s one I created earlier.
http://teenonline.wordpress.com/
Brilliant, no?
Cheers, Chev
The ability to add pages is one thing that WordPress has over Blogger. You have to hack blogger to do it.
Cheers, Chev
@Chevron 7 and Nadine: Yes! X-files had many good epis. Glad we all like the same ones. 😀
@Nadine: So glad Bella’s doing better. Allergies really suck. 🙁
To be really honest, I did call up my Dad once when I heard monsters outside. I was alone. Jeremy was away on business. I waited under a comforter on my couch with a knife and my cordless phone. There was such a horrible noise right outside the living room window! My dad finally knocked on the door. He’d found two cats in the bushes. They were trying to mate, I guess? 😯 And I felt really stupid.
In my defence I had no idea that cats could sound like demons or something out of Amityville Horror. It’s really not a pleasant sound.
@Chevron 7: Did you ask a while ago if anyone had any weird drugged stories to tell? I’ve been under general anesth. a couple of times. I had my appendix out and I did NOT want to wake up for the nurse. He kept calling me Patty. 🙁 I hate being called that. My husband told him I’d never answer to that and maybe he should try *Trish*. I still remember being really resentful when I woke up.
I had wrist surgery in January. I wasn’t fully under. I am not sure what they used on me. I was very worried I’d talk about Stargate and reveal my secret identity as an obsessed fan. I did remember talking about being excited to finally try push-ups again. ??? After the surgery I asked one of the nurses if I said embarrassing things. One nurse said, “No. You were very appropriate.” I said, “Are you sure? Did I talk about… Star-” and her eyes light up “gate.” And then she looked confused. “She said, “Star—GATE? Uh, no. What’s that?” I said, “Oh it’s a show I watch. Good. No Stargate talk.” I thought the nurse wasn’t telling me everything.
On the drive home Jeremy said, “I guess you were talking all about Starbucks during your surgery.” 😳 I said, “Starbucks? Like as in coffee?” Jeremy said, “Yeah. The surgeon must have told me about five times that it was OK to get you Starbucks on the way home. He said you really, really wanted Starbucks.”
That was a little bit embarrassing. Ok. A lot bit embarrassing. I mean, I have two kids, a husband and parents still alive. Most people worry about their loved ones. Not me. I just kept asking for a caffeine fix. 🙄
And there ya have it. My *drugged-out* story.
Shanise writes: “I’m trying to find on what would be engraved on John Sheppard’s dogtags. I bought a set of dogtags and would like to get it engraved.”
Answer: “I’M NUMBER ONE”.
He is number 1 and it’s a very long way to 2nd.
Cheers, Chev
Chevron7 also writes: “ Any news with Paul & yourself on the comic series front? You were vision pitching last week weren’t you?”
Answer: Final conference call with the President of the company on Thursday in which we’ll pitch out our vision for the series: talking dogs and invisible monkeys.
How does one draw invisible monkeys? Lemme try.
What do you think? Look any good?
Cheers, Chev
When an episode is being filmed (in production?) and another episode is being prepped, does this mean that the actors who are filming are also working on this new episode as well? Could you please explain this process? Thank you.
My take on Joe v Joe – you’re both as bad as each other, like to stir and aren’t afraid to tell everyone how you really feel.
I would love to see you guys sit down to a friendly dinner, maybe when he’s next in Vancouver, ‘cos I’d hate to see this all blowing up and spoiling future Atlantis projects. Please, for me?
Cheers, Chev
The first few volumes of Y – The Last Man still stand as some of my favourite comics ever. Have you had a chance to read Vaughan’s series Ex Machina yet? It’s an entertaining read also.
I watched the first few episodes of I’m A Celebrity…, and Lou Diamond Phillips comes across as quietly awesome. If the rest of the cast is even half as nice, I can imagine the SGU sets must be pretty great places to work, especially as we keep hearing how utterly awesome the Stargate crew is.
Is LDP going to have a decent-sized role to play in the new SGU series, rather than just a ‘Jack O’ Neill in season 8, insert witty one-liner here and there’ role?
Oh yeah, I’m probably the last person in the world to see Star Trek. My friend took me for my birthday. It was hilarious, we really enjoyed it and my friend isn’t a Trek fan (not that I am really into it but i have seen quite a few eps and movies). Funniest comment from her, “Is it just me or is there a lot of phallic things in this movie?” LOL.
Cheers, Chev
I may be one of the uncultured but I prefer my food cooked. 😀
I caught that interview with J.F. over on Gateworld. There are some people that need a p.r. person talking for them. I can relate to that. I’m always sticking my foot in my mouth.
However, I agree/disagree with some of J. F. statements. It seems to me, most cancellations are business decisions. From what I understand, some of the actor’s contracts were up for renegotiation. That would have raised the production cost, so, I can understand why the network (or whoever) made the decision to cancel the show.
I mourn the loss but understand that it is a business. Everyone wants to make a living. I didn’t see any of the actors stating they would forgo raises. The entertainment industry is not altruistic business.
I disagree that the demise of SGU would discourage any further business decisions like this one.
I’m waiting for SG-2? There are still tons of adventures for an earth based team. A new team, with cameo’s of the orginial cast. How about it Mr. M? I will be altruistic and forgo any royalties for this idea.
Hmmm, Let me rethink that, I’ll get back to you on the royality thing 😀 .
Tam
Hey Trish,
Love the “drugged stories”. You wouldn’t be an original Battlestar Galactica fan by any chance? Starbuck? LOL.
Cheers, Chev
Hi Joe,
That sushi looks great, I’m jealous.
Any word on whether Brian Michael Bendis is still planning to answer our questions?
–Chris
Wikipedia has a great article about what’s engraved on dog tags of different army, navy etc divisions in the USA. I got a close-up of the dogtags from the third or fourth season 1 episode once (you know, where he gets bitten by the bug, where teyla ripps off his shirt you get a great view of the tags) and it seemed to match the wikipedia article. What I couldn’t figure out though, was if there was a religion engraved or not.
Coucou =) Vous allez bien?
Yéé un nouveaux restaurant, sa faiser longtemp! hummm tout cela à l’aire délicieux!!
..roh joseph, mais c’est pas possible, il faut que John aille avec Teyla!!….sniff!!!
Tient j’ai une question!
Quel sont selon vous les differences entre les couples Jack/Sam & Teyla/John ??
Sheyla révolution !!!! lol
Bonne journée! Bisou
@PG15 – thanks for posting the pictures.
As good as these are, they do not do justice to the super dashing appearance Joe made in costume. My first sighting of him was in the dealer room where the lights were much brighter and wow…he looked absolutely so cool and so fabulous. Of course he was also at lot closer range than on stage. If I had been bolder then as I am now…I would have asked permission and without waiting for an answer – gave him a big hug. sigh….thanks for memories!!!
Joe, you still look very cool whether in jeans or 3 piece suit or Baal costume!
I feel that I need to make a comment here.
I’ve been an avid reader of your blog for some time now. I always liked the information we get about the Stargate shows. And I’ve always thought you were okay.
But this obvious slam against Joe Flanigan you got going on these days is really cheap, even for you. Is it not bad PR?
I guess you feel somewhat pissed off when he says things that might be seen as negative about the cancelation of SGA, and your new show Universe, but can’t you try and see it from his side? He perhaps felt that the actors voice wasn’t heard enough, and obviously you dissagree. Maybe you should sit down and have conversation with eachother.
But one thing is different to what he is doing and what is going on here. He might say negetive things about the franchise, but NEVER about you personally. That is, however, what you are doing.
Why don’t you just write “Joe Flanigan is a jerk” and be done with it?
But I hope it doesn’t come to this. Perhaps this is just a big missunderstanding from me and other fans. I hope this will blow over soon.
I made a comment about this earlier, but appearently it wasn’t approved. I hope this one will. Or maybe I’m not welcome here either?
But I think the person who gave you that quote of what JoeF had said, is just spiteful of that person.
Everyone is entiteld to their own opinion, and all the pople who post things that JoeF, for instance has said, on your blog, is obviously trying to get you to write things like this. I feel that those people are not very nice.
I know it happened earlier this year. Someone actually quoted from someones PERSONAL livejournal, where she/he had written down what Joe was talking about with them.
Also that was taken out of context. These people who do that, obviously has a thing against Joe Flanigan. It feels that to me anyway.
Did anyone mention to you Joe, when David Hewlett called Stargate Universe for Stargate 90210, some time ago on a con he did? No one huh?
If Joe Flanigan had said it, what would you have written here then?
I disagree with the comment on the grounds that SGA was never going to be SG1, perhaps if they both launched at the same time, itd last longer, but alas.
I think everyone can agree that 5 seasons for any show is pretty amazing in this day and age, shows like Star Trek Enterprise, Prison Break etc havent gone beyond their 4th before ending.
I think it is interesting, though, to discuss how much of a show’s attractiveness is due to the writing, the genre, the production values or the acting?
I know I choose which shows I see by genre first. I won’t watch soaps or romantic dramas and usually only tune in to see sci fi or crime drama/procedurals. Rarely comedy and never Reality.
I love well written and produced shows, but I will be honest, I’m somewhat shallow in my TV viewing, and if there is no actor that “clicks” for me, no matter what great story is being told, I tune out. On the other hand, if the story is crap, I lose interest quickly but hang on for awhile.
On the whole I will put up with an actor I like in a show that has less than stellar writing and presentation but will tune out a show that is production-wise brilliant but with no actor that catches my attention.
Books are another matter entirely, the focus is entirely on the writing.
With comics and graphic novels, I look for the artwork to be great, but I want a good story too. Big boobs and hunked out hero’s are a turn off.
OK. Gotta say it:
@PG15: Re: the pics…certainly the second one was DEFINITELY Mr M’s try out for “The Tudors”..
Best to all
S’n’T
Hey Joe thanks for taking the time to answer my question about that comment. I have read your blog on and off, since early 07(?) i think which is a mighty long time. And it’s good to know; and have faith, and comfort in the fact that you Joe, are very appreciative of actors and their contributions to the Stargate franchise. Thanks a bunch.
I have one question about writing for a new show like SGU for example; How do you begin to write for a NEW show when the casting is still going on? I think i remember hearing to a commentary on season 2 Atlantis an a writer was talking about not knowing that Jason was going to play Ronon? Does that severly influence the writing, as to not make him too narrow as a character with a format that is(using Ronon for an example) – Big-Tall-Mean-Mysterious-Awesome? Do you just write for the situation and make sure you give the script/story enough leeway to make sure the actor isn’t well…basically a dick??(Sorry this is a long post but I’m well…curious.)
Hi, Joe. Glad to hear things are going well with SGU.
I would like to comment on the “Joe v Joe” situation, as Chevron 7 phrased it. I believe it is obvious that there is perhaps some residual “tension” over the cancellation of SGA as well as how certain aspects of the show evolved during the five years it was on the air. Not everyone is going to get along, or see eye to eye; that is only human nature and is very natural. Everybody is entitled to an opinion based on their experiences, and only people directly involved with SGA know what went on during its production. Anything else is pure speculation.
I would like point out that there were a whole slew of writers and producers during SGA’s 5 year run. Joe F. has never ONCE said the name Joe M. in his general comments. But since you, Joe M., are the only writer/producer with a blog as this, it seems natural that many fans start looking to you when comments are made, so it becomes “Joe v Joe” in the eyes of some.
I think what frustrates a lot of fans, whether they are general SGA fans, or Joe F. fans, is that here you have one person being very direct, honest, and blunt about their feelings, as Joe F. tends to be. He says what is on his mind; there is no guessing here. On the other spectrum, you have you, Joe, being more indirect and unclear; snarky, as someone else called it. Now that’s not a bad thing! However, there’s obviously a lot more room for interpretation here, especially for most of us who don’t know you personally. I think this only adds fuel to the fire. People start to think ‘Why isn’t Joe F. mentioned anymore?’ or ‘Why was Joe F. left off that fairly inclusive list of actors when you said: “We have great respect for the contribution cast members past and present have made to the franchise”?’ The speculations start to mount.
This is how I see things, from my perspective. Is it even possible to acknowledge the contribution Joe F. made to the franchise? He is a great actor and he sticks up for what he believes in and isn’t afraid to give his opinion openly. He is one of the reasons many people who weren’t even Stargate fans at all, started watching SGA. And most likely many of these people, despite what many claim, will tune into SGU in the fall to check it out. I know I plan to!
Whether or not there was a good working relationship, we fans would just appreciate confirmation that Joe made Sheppard a great character to watch each week; his relationships with all the other characters made each of them more enjoyable to watch. Whether it was the Rodney/John banter, the Ronon/John action, or the subtle Teyla/John relationship, Joe helped to bring these relationships to light and just added so much to the SGA team cohesiveness. It is things like this that made me enjoy the show, and it is things like this that make me miss the show.
I can understand and appreciate there were circumstances and situations that led to the ultimate cancellation of SGA, but overall it is a run to be proud of. Even Joe F. himself has said that making 100 episodes is a great achievement, especially in today’s television production environment. I am sure the writers and producers of SGU are looking for the same success. If Brad Wright and Rob Cooper can keep developing exciting new aspects of the Stargate franchise, who is to say that there won’t be a 4th or even a 5th series with a new cast? I think this idea is where the idea of casts being “disposable” comes into view. I appreciate that the writers and producers don’t agree with the term “disposable”; it is a bit harsh, and perhaps not the best choice of words, but I understand why it was used. I see both sides here.
OK, enough of my rambling. I just want to say a “few” words and leave a comment. Thanks for reading and bearing with a Joe F. fan who is looking forward to giving SGU a shot in the fall.
@ Brian – Yeah, but do his dogs know how to spell??! 😉
@ Troy – I, too, have noticed the dead silence from Joe every time Flanigan’s name is brought up – as I believe many of us have. Of course, I could also say that I haven’t noticed Joe gushing praise over my personal favorite – Chris Heyerdahl – but never have I jumped to conclusions about that. Of course, Chris isn’t a main player, so his omission isn’t quite as glaring as Flanigan’s, but sometimes there are things going on that we are not quite aware of and – honestly – those things really are none of our business. Joe is kind enough to share much of Stargate with us – something he really doesn’t have to do – so if he chooses to keep something to himself, so be it – it is his prerogative.
That said – and for as much as I would like to think the best of everyone…I’m going to go out on a limb here and make a suggestion. I may be totally off-base, but perhaps things are not quite as they seem. For instance, remember a few weeks back when someone slapped Joe on the wrists for posting SGU pictures? Well, what if – and it is a BIG what if, since this is pure speculation – but what if Mr. Mallozzi was asked and/or told not to mention Flanigan on this blog, without prior permission? What if Mr. Flanigan doesn’t want to be discussed here – perhaps out of a desire for privacy, or for control over his image – and Joe is just respecting those wishes? And maybe – just maybe – Joe got slapped on the wrists for saying something that wasn’t appreciated, and he now prefers to err on the side of caution and remain silent?
Yes, that silence speaks volumes. But if there is some issue between these men, it’s really not our business and we shouldn’t pry, but respect Mr. Mallozzi’s decision to remain silent. Afterall, he may just be obeying orders.
AND I may be WAY off, but sometimes there really are two sides to every story.
das
I was thinking something like “Spooks”. (Please refer to Joe’s post on February 21, 2007).
Kill em off, I say. (except Todd, for Das’s sake) 😀
Whatever personal issues between you and Flanigan are none of our business. But Flanigan was the lead in your show. And in my humble opinion, I think he did a great job playing Sheppard. An acknowledgement of that would be helpful, unless you think otherwise.
@montybird I heartily agree with all you wrote.
Thank you. I think that there can be some civility to this all, even if there are private issues (as Das pointed out) that are truly none of our business.
One thing to note, the time that Joe F was asked to comment on Joe M (see how people want to stir the pot?), he said that JM was a nice guy.
So I think people should be arguing over issues, not over personalities.
HI Joe,
Re a blog you wrote some time ago about dogs flying with their owners on planes.
I have found a website for you – http://www.petairways.com. This operation is run by Dan Wiesel and Alysa Binder who say”At Pet Airways, pets fly in the main cabin – which is climate controlled with lots of recirculating air – and under the watchful eye of a “pet attendant” It’s all about safety and comfort for our “pawsengers”.
I also have to comment on the Joe vs Joe comments. Freedom of speech is something that both our countrys have fought for over many generations. I admire JF for not being afraid to say what he thinks – in this day and age there are too many “yes” men. I too mourn the passing of Atlantis – I think it was an unwise decision based on the recent LEO awards. Having said that the decision was made by the franchise and not by you. That said I would like to think that JF comments would not alienate him with the franchise management as I for one, would hate to see hm being penalised because he was brave enough to say what he thought.
@ Das: I apologise if my earlier post came across as anything other than simple curiosity. As I have already mentioned, I have been a daily Visitor to this Blog for some time now and hold the upmost respect for Mr Mallozzi in his work as both a Writer and Producer. It was purely a simple query. An observation, if you will, that has grown in momentum over the past few months.
Perhaps you are correct and any omission of reference is simply based on a personal wish for privacy. As with Chev, I would hate to see any underlying friction cause problems in future Atlantis projects. I admire both men for their tenacity and dedication to their work and would hate for misunderstandings in communication to taint everything they have given us over the past five years.
@ Joe: I apologise if I have caused any offence, Sire 😉
Hey, das! I had an idea last night that might help you sleep better. Maybe the Evil Asgard are the ones made extinct. Their society is on the brink.
Anne Teldy
Joe, do you really dislike Joe F. so much? You certainly go to great and noticeable lengths to exclude him from your ever-growing lists of SG actors who “walk on water.” Someone took one quote from a set of answers that covered a wide range of topics, and that’s your reponse? Joe F. said he still had no idea why SGA was cancelled. He is not alone, despite the many and varying explanations we have been given. Also, it has been shown that TPTB of Stargate have no problem discarding main characters as they see fit — Jonas, Ford, Beckett and Weir — so why wouldn’t Joe have qualms?
What I got most from Joe’s interview was that he truly enjoyed being a part of SGA and was sorry that it ended in the rather abrupt way it did, and that he misses his fellow cast and crew members.
@ Bailey – I forgot to add…
YOU WIN TYPO OF THE YEAR AWARD! 😀
das
>> … every one of them is not only great at what they do, but incredibly down to earth. Not an inflated ego or demanding grandstander in the bunch.
Shanise writes: “I’m trying to find on what would be engraved on John Sheppard’s dogtags. I bought a set of dogtags and would like to get it engraved.”
Answer: “I’M NUMBER ONE”.<<
I can't help it but to me this sounds as if a personal dislike for the actor got mixed up with the answer about the fictional character.
Hope this kind of confusion didn't make it into the movie-script.
@ Troy – Oh, no worries! Although I was addressing you, it was simply because you presented an opportunity for me to express my feelings about this situation as they have evolved over the past 18 months, and it felt like a good time to speak up. I never had the impression that you were coming down hard on Mr. M…no, not at all. Just that you opened the door a crack, and I pushed my way in…like a door-to-door salesman! 😀
das
The thing is, Joe F has criticized the production time after time in interviews, saying they didn’t listen to the actors/him, they didn’t explore Sheppard’s past, they didn’t write him good romances, they made bad decisions, etc. Maybe he doesn’t criticize them as individuals, but he sure criticizes them as professionals. And the producers never get to respond publicly because somehow they’re supposed to take criticism from all quarters and never react. Fans tend to take the actors’ side because a) we love the actors and their portrayal of our beloved characters and b) we all enjoy a David (actor) vs Goliath (franchise) story. But Goliath in this case is made up of human beings who have a breaking point… So yeah, maybe it’s not pleasant for some loyal readers, but to me it’s very understandable.
@ Bailey. Thanks for reading through my long post! Yes, I did forget about when Joe F. said Joe M. was a nice guy. Thanks for remembering that! So I stand corrected; Joe F. DID mention Joe M. by name once. 😉
@ Das. You have a good point there! Only the Joe F. and Joe M. truly know what is up, IF anything! Sometimes people try to read between the lines too much. I know from experience that something written online can be totally misinterpreted by another since the reader doesn’t have the benefit of being face to face with the writer and seeing their facial expressions and hearing their voice inflections. This is when trouble can start and things can be easily taken out of context. And I totally agree with your last statement but I believe there are ALWAYS two sides to every story.
Dangit!!! I keep missing people… (sorry Joe…)
@ anneteldy – Nothing makes me sleep better, but it does help a little…depending on what ‘free’ means. Free to be hunted down and killed in the next movie? Not so good. Free to rule the Pegasus without ever being bothered by the Stargate crew again? Very good. Yes – will always be conditions with me. 😛
On a side note…
I just had a spider running over my keyboard. It was small, and black, and VERY fast. I did not freak out. I waited patiently until it was clear of my keyboard, then I took a piece of paper and flicked it to the floor, where it would be no threat to me. However, I cannot see where it went…and without the visual confirmation that the thing is nowhere near me, I AM starting to freak out a little. But only a little…
so far…
Pray for me. 😛
das
@das, I humbly accept that award. :O
and all this Joe vs Joe stuff is starting to sound like Spy vs Spy!
@ Bailey – Yes…yes…see??! This PROVES IT!
Joe Flanigan – we know – is John Sheppard, and Sheppard’s main antagonist is Todd.
And just last week we were discussing how Wraith-like Mr. M is…his obsession with food, his preference for black…his penchant for cryptic double-talk…which leads me to only one conclusion:
Joe Mallozzi IS Todd the Wraith, disguised as a human! Vegas proved it can be done! It a warning to us all! Don’t be fooled by those dimples – they’re really just plugged-up sensory pits!
😀
Now…I must really get back to work… 😛
das
Arriving on the blog today only to find myself in a weird scifi schoolyard with fighting over who’s got the bigger and badder…ahem…lightsaber? Is that what’s going on here?!
Let me see if I understand this…so, if John Sheppard’s dogtags say “I’M NUMBER ONE”, and remembering for a brief second that he’s a FICTIONAL CHARACTER on a television show that you WROTE and PRODUCED (and therefore had some input into said character), I’d hate to know what your opinion is of the actor who played him. Seeing as how he’s not listed on the list of those who walk on water, I think we have our answer.
~Miz
P.S. I think you should kill off the character of Sheppard in the movie just to put him, and the man who plays him, out of his apparent misery.
@Bailey: I might share that award with you. I’m quite the typo queen. And sometimes my typos are really horrid. 😯
🙂 And all the Joe vs Joe stuff reminds me of Joe vs. the Volcano. But maybe that’s just me? You know, because my mind works in mysterious ways.
@Chevron 7: I so AM an orginal BSG fan. And Starbuck was quite a cutie! LOL! Maybe that’s the real reason I think I love Starbucks? Where’s Frued when you need him? 😆
Actually, I noticed almost anything with *Star* in the name is something I love… Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Star Search…
Ooooh wait. That last one maybe shouldn’t be shared in public. 😳
I swear I see a Troll or two. (Reaches for the AK-47)
montybird: Well said. You should be my p.r. person. I really do need someone to write what I say. I’m always stepping on people’s toes with some of my comments.
Das: You had some good points, too. I hate spiders but roaches freak me out more, ick.
I know several SG fans that are anxiously waiting for SGU. When is the pilot going to air?
Tam
@ Das: Thank you for that delightful picture. And now, if you start to talk about Todd’s nipples again, I fear I shall cry 0.o
@das
so if Todd and Shep are each other’s alter egos, (as I believe some were saying they are opposite sides of the same coin)… it must lead to the fact (somehow in some unknown convoluted way) that Joe and Joe are, in fact, alternate universe versions of the same person.
They both should not exist in the same universe at the same time, or it will explode!
But, but, but…Miz – In all seriousness…Sheppard’s tags would read something like that…if dogtags had little quips on them. Afterall, he was team leader, only he was allowed to name things (thus proving his superior place on the team), and he made the final decisions in the field. He was #1… except when Todd was around…then he was #2. 😀
das
@Tammy Dixon: Really? Roaches freak you out more than spiders? The thing is… spiders have bitten me. And they’ve done it by chasing me down. *shudder* Not only that but they’ve done it to other family members, too. Roaches are a close second. *shudder* And I know they carry diseases and are just icky as all get-out. But I don’t think I’ve been bitten by one.
Ya know what? If it’s one little spider vs. 1,000 roaches in my livingroom then roaches are scarier.
*shudder*
And Joe says I’m too sensitive and that’s why I don’t read horror. Humph! Maybe Joe isn’t paying attention to all the icky-creepy around us!
@jmanzione: If you go to the I’m a Celebrity website, Stargate Universe isn’t even MENTIONED in his bio. Shame on them.
Hi, Joe —
Couldn’t help weighing in on the whole JM vs JF kerfuffle. If JF is going to make provocative comments, it shouldn’t surprise anyone when he provokes a response. I think he is a big boy and can handle it. He is entitled to express his opinion just as you are to express your disagreement with that opinion. You have been very discreet up until now on his comments, but sometimes a person can’t just continue to bite his tongue.
I’m hoping this goes the way of your issues with Michael Shanks back in season 4-5 of SG1. Grown-ups disagree, move on and create great television.
And I do think Sheppard would have I’m Number 1 dogtags. Beneath the Gary Cooper-esque, aw-shucks persona, Flyboys aren’t known for an abundance of modesty.
Green tea opera cake? Yeah, baby!
Mostly I have nothing to say today after reading through the comments. I need to get either a shower or a life.
Except I always have something to say. Military dogtags are not allowed to have cutesy sayings, and you do not get to wear personalized cutesy ones in uniform. Name, branch of service, SSN and religious preference. That’s it, unless the new ones are very different with microchips containing your medical record.
Mmmm, microchips. Where’s my snack packs?
Hi Joe
I saw this article and was quite shocked.
http://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/06/flanigan-talks-atlantis-cancellation/
I mean seriously, It has been made clear several times who canceled atlantis and why atlantis was cancled. Also, Joe talks like he doesn’t want SGU to succeed cause everyone won’t like him and other SGA actors as much. BULL ****!!!!! The Characters of SGA are what brought SGA to life and that will never be forgotten even if SGU becomes the no 1. cable series. And he says he doesn’t want to take many television roles cause they won’t be very interesting. REALLY. Cause even thought his character in SGA was interesting, most other TV characters are. You see what I mean?
So I just wanted your opinion on what Joe F. said, do you think he is being misunderstood by me and other fans or did he say what he meant.
OH and SORRY if I came across rude or obnoxious. And sorry of I am just complaining on your blog, that is not my intention. I just want to make sure I understand Joe F. correctly.
Do any fellow blog commenters agree with me?
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was you don’t have to like the people you work with, you just have to be able to work with them. Also if you fill a water bottle full of vodka and sit in on your desk, no one is the wiser.
It must be frustrating having adulation heaped on an actor that you don’t think is worthy of it because of personality issues, but he’s your product to sell. It might be cathartic to vent, but that’s what friends and private spaces are, and as much as this is a personal blog it’s in a public space.
It would be like a Chef running into a restaurant and throwing hints about that one of the ingredient suppliers didn’t wash their hands and kicked baby crippled orphans for laughs – it might feel liberating to say, but the dessert for your customers is certainly going to look less appetising.
Should Flanigan have toed the line himself? Probably. But then again he’s not the only SGA actor who has voiced concerns over season five or the cancellation, and at least publically he’s limited his comments to the material and not given an extensive list of TPTB that he praised with your name glaringly missing, and then made not so subtle comments about egos and grandstanding.
This is the stuff that gets bitched about behind closed doors, not in front of the kids (fanbase).
Oh and a couple questions
1. Will Peter Direct Episode 14 of SGU?
2. Will we notice a reduction of people in SGU when when people die, cause it gets fake when people die in battles in shows but the same number of extras are still running around in the backround.
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
Todd? Free? Asda? Surely not?!…
Surprise surprise, the fans are overreacting again. A few comments here and there and it’s “Joe, do you really dislike Joe F. so much?” Really? Seriously?
Some of these people; I swear, it’s like they work for the Enquirer or something. Or FoxNews. A little something and it’s OMG THEY’RE FEUDING!!!@@#!#@!q!!! THE WAR OF WORDS!!!!!! OH SHIT THE SKY’S CAVING IN!!!!!
Give me a break. Nobody here knows what’s happening so stop assuming, because assuming makes an ass of you, and you alone.
@ jmanzione: As much as I hate reality shows, they usually get high ratings. For instance, this particular one got 6.4 million viewers when it premiered which, let’s be honest, is probably higher than what SGU will eventually get when it premiers; sad as it is.
So this could only mean more exposure for LDP.
Besides, the man’s doing it for charity; that’s got to count for something.
@Major D Davis, I believe, and I could be wrong, that JF meant to defend the importance of “the actor” in the success of a show and not at all diss the new show or its’ people.
He said how much he enjoyed working on Atlantis and with his fellow actors and crew in that same interview.
I don’t think Gateworld presenting a very small portion of the entire (fairly humorous) Q&A session or the person who posted a small line from that session here on this blog did anyone a service, and has just stirred up bad feelings on all sides.
This is very unfortunate, but people love a car wreck and always slow down to take a look.
Also reading some of the answers Joe F gave, it would appear he ‘quit’ Atlantis. Is there any truth in that Joe?
@J T Williams,
Raspberry Todd Free
Who’s Raspberry Todd? Todd’s gay brother?
@pg15
Ok, I did over react, and I appologize/
No more reading…need to head out to a nice sushi restaurant and see if I can get anything close to the delights Joe and Fondy enjoyed. And, some hot sake…ahhhh, just like the water bottle with the vodka.
And, readlly gotta find that opera cake that sure looks yummy. Have tried green tea ice cream and it is nice.
bon appetit
Joe, I liked the Baal outfit, and I especially liked your hair!!
.thanks to pg15 for posting.
@pg15, thank you for calling me an ass. I am old enough and have thick enough skin for YOUR hyperbole not to bother me too much. I probably was overreacting, and I do not expect any answer from Joe; however, reading through the comments — including yours — it appears that I am not alone when it comes to overreacting.
As a fan of Joe F I was saddened after seeing a farewell vid done by MGM. I don’t know if it was neglect from them or whatever, but I was disappointed that you did not say anything about Joe F. I don’t care for the personal details… it’s none of my business, but unfortunately, it looks off. There may not be any tension between the two of you, but it might seem that way in a fan’s POV.
I also think that when things are reported as “he said” and so on it only fuel things more.
I hope that whatever goes on it does not come through in the character’s developement. I’ve seen Sheppard grow from a Solitary man to a man that thought of those of his team as family, yet he’s suppose to be consider a loner. I personally disagree. Everyone on his team also had a “happy” ending in EatG, but him and that really bummed me out.
I know as a fan of SGA, I am hurt with the fact that the show was cancelled and then immediately replaced. I know it wasn’t your choice, but for those that did make the choice should’ve thought of the fans as well. IMO. If we feel let down I can only imagine how the actors did or still may feel from that decision.
Oh and one last thing. It is sad…. again IMO… that we know more about the movie than the actors do. I thank you for the little tidbits that you give us, but can’t you give at least the main cast members a mass email giving them some ideas of what your doing…. if you haven’t done so already? Poor Rachel found out in a interview what the working title for the movie was. I know I would be upset. And the dog tag answer. 😮 I never thought of Shep thinking he was number one. If he did, wouldn’t he try to save himself and want constant ego stroking??? I think that person that was asking the question was being earnest and should deserve a true answer.
End of Rant.
Trish: Could be because roaches move so fast. I worked at place that had a terrible roach problem. They would fall out of the ceiling tiles. Shudder….. still at the memory. We set out roach bombs and then we would sweep them up in the morning by the thousands! Still have nightmares about it. Sure a spider could make her skin die and sluff off but they don’t move as fast. Don’t try to logic me, it’s a phobia 😀 .
@ Das: I just wanted to say “well said”! I thought you phrased those responses very well, and it was exactly what I was thinking, just didn’t know how to phrase…
@Trish : Awesome “drugged-out” stories. 😀 The first (and only) time I’ve ever been under was this past Christmas when I got my wisdom teeth out. My mom said it was like I was drunk or something: I kept going on and on about the nasal cannula which they’d used during my surgery. And I repeated things a lot.
I’ve actually never seen X-Files. I’d call myself a sci-fi fan, but I’m coming rather late to the party. But hey, at least I showed up right? Lol.
Joe,
Do your little ones enjoy the hot weather? Usually Bella chases the spots of sun around the house, but today she’s been rather lethargic and I think it’s hit the far-too-hot-to-do-anything-but-sleep level…
Oh, also, meant to weigh in RE the roach VS spider debate….
For me, spiders are my phobia: I’m perfectly aware I’m being irrational, but they scare me really really badly….
Roaches, I just find kinda gross…. I was down in the Galapagos Islands in 2007 and they have really big roaches there, and they’re *really* hard to squish. When people say the only thing left at the end of the world will be roaches and duct tape, I agree 😛
Did you hear David Eddings died yesterday. To those out there who love fantasy, this is definitely a major loss. The Belgariad series was my first fantasy novel and opened the entire genre to me. He will be missed.
Also, sorry, no comments on Unblemished. I have read the first couple of chapters, but never managed to gain enough momentum to finish it. I think this is the product of my general malaise rather than any commentary on the book itself. I’ll probably finish it off next week and then kick myself for not getting comments in.
Have a great evening Joe.
(my apologies for re-sending this but I saw I had submitted an incomplete e-mail address and I wasn’t sure if that would preclude you from posting my comment. I also edited one paragraph – if you decide to post my comment please to not include this)
Joe,
I have lurked in your blog and have enjoyed the comments and the biting sense of humor you have. But I am very disappointed in your thinly veiled dislike of JoeF.
I hope you read the entire Q&A he gave before you made your not so subtle remark. He never said a disparaging word about SGU, nor did he make any personal insults about any writer or producer – he expressed concern over the how the contributions of actors might be viewed and expressed the fact he got different explanations for the cancellation of SGA.
However you seem to feel it is okay to make it personal issue with snide remarks about him. Are you entitled to your feelings – of course! Is it appropriate to express them in your blog which is now semi official? Not so much.
JoeF is very well liked on SGA and has a lot of fans. Whether you like him personally or not is your right and your business – but it is your business, it shouldn’t be the business of the SG fan community or any media people that may drop in to your blog. It invites argument and has fans taking sides in a personal issue between a producer and an actor which is really none of their business.
The whole thing is disgusting and unprofessional. It really gives me, and I am sure a few others a bad taste in my mouth and worse yet a sense of disdain for the SG franchise, SGU and the future SGA movie.
Please, keep your personal issues and nasty snipes about people you worked with for five years out of the blog, so we can all do what we want to do – enjoy SG.
So, if you become a Comic Book creator, does that mean we can expect to see you making the rounds of comic book conventions?
Dragon*Con, perhaps?
Hiya Joe,
Just joining many others in crawling out of lurkerdom to weigh in on today’s topic. The situation reminds me of a few years ago when the small company I was working at let a troublesome employee go. She was hired by a rival and wasted no time badmouthing management and her fellow co-workers. It got very frustrating but my bosses bit their tongues. Eventually, that woman was let go and last I heard she’s unemployed. After that, no one would touch her with a ten foot pole.
My point is you should let Joe Flanigan’s own words do the damage. Fans may cheer him on for speaking his mind but in the real world attitude is something people consider when hiring someone. I’m sure the last thing the producer of a new show wants to do is hire an actor who both publicly and privately shits all over his former bosses.
The same fans who will say J.F. is keeping it professional by being critical of you guys will scream for your heads if you turned around and did the same thing like criticize his acting. It’s an argument you can’t win. My advice is to just sit back and let karma do her thing. I hear she can be a real bitch.
I hope I’m wrong, but I have a feeling that this latest volley by J.F. may jeopardize the Atlantis movie. Can you at least put these concerns to rest.
I thought today’s topic was sushi…
😛
Joe – you’d be proud of me…I actually READ tonight! 😀 Read, and fretted… and fretted…
I think I’m turning into Moonglum. 😛
das
Regarding the Burrard St. Bridge closure, it happens every couple years. They allow the bikes through for a week or two and then say it’s not viable and reopen it anyways. If you want to see a traffic nightmare, come out to Surrey and try to get across the damn Port Mann, yesterday it was backed up to 203st, approx. 60 urban blocks during which you have to pass 5 onramps causing even more congestion.
@ Major D. Davis – Over reacting is the star Gate Fan Way! Nothing wrong with a little over reacting. That’s how most of us get our much needed StarGate news fix.
Joe, How are you coping with the very unseasonably warm weather you guys are getting? It was a balmy 15 degrees here in Alberta today. I can’t imagine 32 right now. But, at least it isn’t rain…until Saturday. Your weather forcast is for rain this weekend.
Great news for Cliff Simon Fans. Cliff will be appearing in the first episode of the new season of 24. He’s playing a Russian assassin. Will he get killed? Probably, but if there is anyone who knows how to die well, it’s Cliff. He’s had enough practice.
Patricia
I find it sad that Joe Flanigan has to resort to disparaging you guys every chance he gets. I’ve lost a lot of respect for the guy.
Tim
Oh man.
Today’s entry is going to be GOOD.
Ahem, you’re welcome.
Thanks Joe, I always knew John Sheppard was #1. I guess i could have engraved:
“Joe Flanigan
aka John Sheppard
Sexiest Man Alive”
Chev, what do u think???
On the topic of those turncoat doggies, I have noticed the secret messages but not been able to put any of it together.
Stargate Eggstinction Atlantis IOA
Katherine miss
Atlantis Strom IOA
Raspberry Todd
I am assuming the IOA gets invovled and tries to turn Todd into a vegetarian?
Gateworld is a small group of fans who populate a tiny part of the internet, and who specialise in promoting a particular line from the company and quite ruthlessly quash discussions of dissent. I wouldn’t be using them as a site for impartial news regarding anything to do with the Stargate universe.
Why do you never mention JoeF by name? Whenever you mention the cast of SGA you *always* leave him out??
I’d like to point out that there’s apparently a second “Pat” around since it wasn’t me asking the question of why JFlan isn’t mentioned by name.