Several weeks ago, this blog hosted its very first Caption This contest. After considering countless inspired entries, contest judge Carl Binder selected the winner: none other than blog regular JES who took home the grand prize. Well, actually, he didn’t take anything home because I hadn’t decided on a prize at the time. But I have know. And so, today, it is with great pride that I make the grand prize announcement!

Congratulations, JES! Check out the pics below to see what you’ve won!

Right down this way.
Right down this way.
And right over there.
And right over there.
Okay, now look down.
Okay, now look down.
Closer.  There you go!
Closer. There you go!

That’s right! It’s your very own alien non-prop rock! And it comes with the following certificate of authenticity:

“This is a one-of-a-kind, limited edition “alien” non-prop rock from the set of Stargate: Universe, Episode #14, Human. Although similar in appearance, texture, and taste to the various other “alien” non-prop rocks that appeared in the episode, this one is special in that it is the one I, Consulting Producer Joseph Mallozzi, picked up off the ground while strolling through a darkened Stage 5 looking for a way out.

Furthermore, this rock may have been trodden upon by any member of the SGU crew from Director Robert Cooper to that guy with the baggy orange shorts that carries the ladder around, in addition to certain actors including, but not limited to: Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, David Blue, and Jamil Walker Smith.

For external use only.”

Congratulations again, JES! Oh, and send me your address.

Last night, birthday dinner with Carl at Fuel. Corn soup, crispy duck, a special rabbit dish, and birthday upside-down plum cake.

Carl's birthday wish fulfilled.  No, not world peace.  Better!  Crispy duck!
Carl’s birthday wish fulfilled. No, not world peace. Better! Crispy duck!
Lookit 'em go!  He not only finished his duck but was eyeing my leftovers I'd set aside for the dogs.
Lookit 'em go! He not only finished his duck but was eyeing my leftovers I'd set aside for the dogs.
Carl's birthday cake.
Carl's birthday cake.

 

Look at him pretending to have fun!
Look at him pretending to have fun!

And now, let’s move on to a robust mailbag –

Terry writes: “I’ll be tuning into season five of Supernatural. Have you ever seen it?”

Answer: Hey, Terry. Welcome back! No, I haven’t watched Supernatural – but I have heard very good things.

DasNdanger writes: “Well, I guess that didn’t include me, BUT I did offer you chocolate sushi!”

Answer: And it was much appreciated. Alas, I get to Toronto – the store’s location – about as often as I get to Albuquerque. But Ivon heads back ever hiatus so maybe I can convince him to run a little errand while he’s there.

Major D. Davis writes: “What do you do for your workout? Is it a program you follow, or just do random stuff. Like do you do it at home or at the gym?”

Answer: I alternate, one day weights, one day cardio, and change my work-out every two weeks. Weight training days are split into upper body (chest, shoulders, back, biceps, and triceps) while lower body days focus on legs and abs – mid to heavy weight to failure. On cardio days I hit the treadmill alternating between a healthy jog to full-out serial-killer-is-chasing-you sprints.

Major D. Davis also writes: “Just out of curiosity, does Mark watch Eureka?”

Answer: I don’t know. You should invite him to a con and ask him.

Sorrykb writes: “OK, so now we’re all wondering if Ashleigh and Lawren are getting married….”

Answer: If they were, I’m sure Ashleigh’s boyfriend would be a very unhappy guy.

Aud writes: “Also, just wondering, but is each character going to get an episode that focuses on themselves this season?”

Answer: Different characters may be spotlighted more in different episodes but, for the most part, the stories will reflects the show’s ensemble nature.

Lee writes: “A few days ago, you mentioned Air would use an “established contemporary tune”. You probably can’t tell us the name of the song, but any hints as to who the performer is?”

Answer: I’m embarrassed to say that, while I remember the song, I don’t remember the title or the artist. Also, even though it was Air I referenced, contemporary songs will feature throughout the show’s first season.

MaggieMayDay writes: “Winter in Japan means yaki-imo carts in the neighborhoods. Is this a treat you’ve had the chance to try?”

Answer: Not the last time I was there but I’ll certainly sample some when I’m there in this winter. I love sweet potatoes.

PG15 writes: “1. Is the title of the episodes, “Incursion”? Plus “part 1″ and “part 2″ where necessary, of course.

2. So is this it then? It’s for sure going to be a 2-parter? I mean, unless something unforeseen happens?”

Answer: 1. Brilliant deductions. Why, yes, it is.

2. And, yes, it will certainly be a two-parter. We are all in agreement.

Nadine writes: “Well, I finally got my MCAT out of the way (it’s the test you have to write for medical school applications) and let me tell you, 5 hour exams are not my idea of a good time. Given that, my brain is feeling a little fried so if bits of this comment don’t make sense, that would be why…”

Answer: When, I first read this, I thought you’d gone in for a CAT Scan (and your brain was fried to boot!) and I was going to wish you the best on those test results. Having re-read your comment, I’m going to wish you good luck on those test results all the same. Pleased to hear you enjoyed Campagnolo.

Quade1 writes: “Happy Birthday to Carl, how old is he now? nevermind that the real question is did he REALLY write Pocahontas?”

Answer: Yes, he did write Pocahontas, and he reminds us of this fact ALL the time. Whenever we’re giving him script notes, it’s always: “Believe you me, this isn’t the way we used to do things on Pocahontas!” or “I don’t have to take this! I wrote freakin’ Pocahantas!” or “I’m sorry, remind me again. What was the last Disney animated feature YOU wrote?”. Oh, and I believe he turned 32.

Kdvb1 writes: “Just finding it a bit humorous Joe that you nailed some fans for “name call(ing) like a bunch of children” which was a valid complaint and in my opinion true. Erm…but then you name called them “raving loon(s)”.”

Answer: I actually said that bad behavior on the part of certain fans helps to reinforce the negative stereotypes of fandom, said behavior crossing the line from spirited to raving loon. I could add alarmingly obsessive as well. You need look no further than many of the ways fandom has been represented in mass media, in everything from SNL skits to movies.

Airelle writes: “Can you ship back chocolates from Japan? Are they known for any good chocolates, bon bons, etc.?”

Answer: Tokyo is foodie heaven. They’re tops in everything, from fish to beef to fresh fruits and vegetables to desserts. I don’t know if they ship (I’d advise against it given how long it would take), but purchasing something while I’m visiting and bringing it back with me is certainly an option.

Luis writes: “Joe where is Brie????…..”

Answer: Brie had surgery last week and is being kept apart from the other dogs until she gets her stitches removed. She is presently sporting the cone of shame.

Elanthra writes: “For me, though, your assurances that the movie will go ahead, eventually, simply because you and Paul have written the script and have been very busy drawing up production plans just won’t wash… it wouldn’t be the first time, in your line of work, that a project has been dropped, even at this stage. And you’d always expressed surprise at the cancellation of the show… i.e you might have been the last to know?”

Answer: True and, not having received definitive word on the fate of the SGA movie from the studio (contrary to rumor) I can only offer my opinion. And my opinion is that the movie will be produced.

Alyjude writes: “Season 1 (figures unk)

Season 2: 62,142 units sold = $2,248,919 (average cost per set @ $35+) – The DVD set didn’t make enough the second week to remain on list

Season 3: 70,763 units sold = $2,299,090 (average cost per set: $32) and again, didn’t maintain enough sales to remain on chart for 2nd week

Season 4: 85,680 units sold = $2,740,903 (average cost per set: $31) but made it to the second week with a 53% drop in sales, but was dropped from the list for week 3

Season 5: 106,161 units sold = $3,297,361 (average cost per set: $31)
For week two, it remained on the list even with a 68% drop in sales – and remained on the list for an unprecedented third week with sales dropping to 38,988 units sold.

So in spite of costs for the sets remaining basically the same – Season 5 outdid all previous seasons and remained on the sales charts for three! weeks. Not even SG1 managed that.”

Answer: Hey, Alyjude, thanks for this! It affirms what I said in my post – that there is no way the studio would scrap the movie and blame the fans for lack of support. It just doesn’t make sense. It also reaffirms my confidence that this movie WILL get made. That said, I’m not privy to all of the variables and considerations the studio weighs in deciding on whether and when to move forward. Still, this is very heartening. Do you have specific source links? (My attempts to search out the data on the site has proven frustrating and futile)? Would love to pass this info along.

Alyjude also writes: “Okay, so with numbers like that – and the movie still not firmed up – no contracts signed – why should anyone be surprised that the fans feel like the movie is being scrapped (even if only temporarily)?”

Answer: I never objected to fans feeling frustrated or making assumptions on the fate of the movie. I objected to a fan claiming to have insider information that the movie WAS scrapped and that the studio pinned the blame on the fans. As I said, your data clearly supports the fact that this wouldn’t be the case.

Alyjude also writes: “But maybe SGU is costing more than expected? *arched eyebrow* No money left for the movie?”

Answer: Alas, it doesn’t work that way. There’s no communal Stargate pot from which the various productions draw from. Each budget is approved on a project by project basis.

Cyn writes: “Honestly, can you blame any fan for being frustrated at this point?”

Answer: I’ve never blamed fans for being frustrated. But I do blame some of them for crossing the line in the way they’ve expressed their frustration.

Mrs.Hamill writes: “Sorry, but I don’t believe it, and will not believe it until/if the movie is airing on TV or is selling on DVD. The ‘rumors’ are far more than that, and have been stated by certain people who are quite close to you, Mr. Mallozzi.”

Answer: Sorry, you’re wrong. There is no way anyone “close” to me would claim the movie had been canceled or, more specifically, had been canceled due to a “lack of fan support”. Furthermore, why the rush to cancel the movie? It’s not as if we had an approved budget, were in the midst of prep, and suddenly had disaster befall us. Even if present economic factors dictate against moving forward at this time, why call the whole thing off when it would be wiser to simply wait until the situation improves? Delaying production is one thing, but outright canceling the movie doesn’t make sense. Perhaps your purported inside source can shed some light on this. I look forward to hearing his/her reasoning.

Riley writes: “I shudder to think of the kinds of comments you’ve received (and, obviously, not approved) that have led to this post.”

Answer: Surprisingly, no offensive comments here. I’ve approved all comments and only had to edit out an offending line in one. So far, both sides in the debate have been well-behaved. On this blog anyway.

Mercury973 writes: “I cannot speak for anyone but myself. I feel angry. After getting good rating and a People’s Choice award, the show is suddenly axed. Then the very next day, we learn that SGU has been greenlit. Then we read that there is a push for a younger viewing demographic, which seems odd since I know that a good chuck of the viewers are women in the 30-40s. Then we read flippant remarks about how we just need to support the new show, but that it won’t be like the other shows. Darker-edger. Right there, that turns me off, since I don’t want a darker Stargate. The humor and tongue in cheekishness (is that a word?) made me fall for the show in the 1st place.”

Answer: Hi, Mercury973. Thanks for dropping by. Some fans seem to forget that I was equally disappointed with the cancellation (you can check out my entries on the subject). And, I agree, the timing of the SGU announcement was – uh – “unfortunate” (something else I’ve commented on several times). The “push for younger views” was not something that either the studio or the production emphasized and a look at the cast should dispel the notion that we were looking to do “Stargate 90210”. Yes, admittedly the show will be darker, but I can assure you that it will still contain the Stargate sense of humor that fans have enjoyed – and that, quite frankly, we enjoy writing.

Unegawaya writes: “How do you write fully formed stories, where do you get your ideas, and what do you do when you hit a wall? I’m an aspiring writer (of anything, really, though I like writing stories and books) and I can’t seem to stay focused on any one story long enough to figure out where I want to go with it.”

Answer: To be honest, discipline comes with a looming deadline.  If I had all the time in the world, I probably wouldn’t get anything done either.  But knowing I HAVE to finish up by a set date is the greatest motivator.

52 thoughts on “August 22, 2009: Grand Prize Annoucement! Carl’s Birthday Dinner! And A Robust Mailbag!

  1. One-of-a-kind, limited edition “alien” non-prop rock – hehe JES I’m jealous.

    Cheers, Chev

  2. 1. Is it official, are you and Carl going steady? (And does Ivon know??)

    2. I’m more confused about your relationship with Brie than I am about your relationship with the two aforementioned fellas. 😕

    3. Glad you liked the choco-sushi site! There is another one – or, used to be another one (I thought in California) – but I can’t seem to find it. They shipped! 😀

    4. My favorite ‘sushi’ is sweet potato roll. Not sure if you can call that sushi, or what…I don’t pay attention to the proper terminology. It’s damn good, though!

    5. Caught up on some comics tonight…after somehow managing to clean the entire house in just a couple hours, run errands, and do three loads of laundry, including the sheets! I’m like…Ms. Marvel, or something. 😀 I liked Weapon X best (the X-Men books are okay, but I might drop a couple soon because I prefer lone characters to teams). Have a crapload of Spider-Man books to read yet – I like reading several in a row because the story flows better. I should just switch to trades.

    6. Got Series 1 of Lewis in the mail today – and had time to enjoy one movie, and DS Hathaway. Love this character – stoic, sensitive, broody…obviously struggling with his sexuality. I know an episode does tackle the subject, but leaves the question unanswered. I prefer it that way – let the audience draw their own conclusions. He’s got a very dry sense of humor, which I like, too. Series 2 comes out in the fall…looking forward to it – not sure if that’s aired on PBS Masterpiece Mystery yet or not. I guess I’ll know when I see the movies – sometimes I can’t remember what I watched until I see it again.

    7. I was gonna make this quick. I failed. 😛

    @ Trish – Thanks for the laughs! 😆 So far, no ninjas tonight! Woo!

    das

  3. Thanks for the answer! I keep trying to find someone to give me a deadline and tell me “Finish it by this date so I can read it, or else!” but no one I know is terribly interested or has the time these days. Maybe I’ll set deadlines for myself…Set up some sort of punishment system if I fall behind: “No SGA until you finish this story line!” or something equally horrible..Thanks again!

  4. Wow! Sweet, finale title. Thanks for answering my questions Joe!! Wow crazy workout schedule. I really don’t have one. Lol probably why it’s not working. Just to clarify, you do your workout schedule from home. Ok really tired and got to get up in a little over 5 hours for worship practice at church. 🙂

    Goodnight all,
    Major D. Davis

  5. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    Lee writes: “A few days ago, you mentioned Air
    would use an “established contemporary tune”.
    You probably can’t tell us the name of the song,
    but any hints as to who the performer is?”

    Answer: I’m embarrassed to say that, while I
    remember the song, I don’t remember the title
    or the artist. Also, even though it was Air I
    referenced, contemporary songs will feature
    throughout the show’s first season.
    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

    FYI…the musical rumor mill is swirling with some
    serious talk concerning a certain JES and a specific SGU.

    Listen close to the lyrics…because the fits seem
    to be quite the fun.

    =====
    Airscape & JES – My Love (Radio Edit)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c4vIhgeAi8
    =====

    =====
    JES – Imagination (Kaskade Remix)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex_DP9X6C3Y
    =====

  6. In addition to begin my first official freshman year of college (yes, I’m 25. Better late than never) and landing one, possibly two jobs, I also have a semi-regular gig as a dogsitter in the works. Any ideas on how to get these animals to like me? I’m a cat/bird/fish person.

  7. What??……..no semi-official Carl Binder autograph
    on the non-prop rock prize?

    …get it signed…get it signed.
    (….or at least fake a signature.)

    BTW…is the rumor true about Carl Binder having
    invented “CB” Radio back in the day?

    ….breaker breaker good buddy……”indeed.”

  8. A prop rock huh? I was kind of hoping the winner would get something really special like a lock of Carl Binder’s hair or a fingernail clipping (pictures of attaining these items would be most hilarious). As for the rock… well, maybe you could have gotten Carl to actually step on it while you’re taking the picture to accompany the certificate of authenticity.

  9. Belated Tanjoubi Omedetou to Mr Binder!

    Um, Joe, is there any chance I could get you to bring me back some grape Pocky, if they still make it? (It’s actually chocolate, with grape frosting sort of drizzled lightly over it — it’s part of their “Dessert Pocky” line). I’m not sure if they actually *make* it anymore, but if they do, I can no longer find it stateside. I’d gladly pay you in advance ….

    @Trish (Whovian) Thanks for the birthday well-wishes! 😀 *glomp*

    @Dee Been in a similar situation three times, albeit not nearly as scary — I lived in an efficiency in a building with two retail spaces in the same hall, one of which was broken into twice and the other once. The first time, the guy broke down the door to one of shops — a heavy door that was triple-deadlocked! The second time, the thief broke a window to the other shop. The third time, it was a door again, to the second shop. I finally worked up the nerve to call the police that time, but I was still terrified that the guy would hear me and break down *my* door. The first two robberies woke me up in the middle of the night (and the door getting broken down had sounded like gunfire) — I was so petrified I couldn’t move! It took a while before I could convince myself that the person who’d made the noise was gone and not going to break down my own door. But at least the third time, the police caught the guy. And of course I cowered in my efficiencey while they confronted the guy, terrified that there would be gunfire — thankfully, the robber was unarmed and didn’t struggle much …. Anyway, I commisserate with you. I hope you’re not still feeling jumpy — it certainly took me a while to get over all that ….

  10. Gah, forgot to close the bold tag again. Hey Joe, if you can edit posts, can you close that tag for me? That whole paragraph of bold is muy annoying. XD Wish there was an edit/preview feature on this end ….

  11. Hey Joe, are you getting sick of defending SGU yet by answering the same questions with the same answers?
    You must have the patience of a… hawk?

  12. Brie had surgery and we weren’t told?? No pictures of the cone of shame? Shame, shame. But then again, a fat mailbag compensates for a lot. And pictures of a happy Carl just warms the cockles of the old blood pump…thanks for evening smile. One delayed by a inexplicable failure of your website to load for some reason; other sites came up just fine. Luckily persistance is a virtue, and I have to burn up the last of the minutes I’ve paidfor to be online anyways.

  13. Poor Brie. Keep us updated on her progress. The cone of shame is not fun.

    Don’t these people who are complaining realize that you all want to be paid for writing the SGA movie? Brad Wright wants to make both movies so he’ll get paid for it?

    Here’s something that I’d heard, and I can’t remember if it was from you or not. Wasn’t SGU already in the pipeline to be made long before SGA was cancelled and the producers had to speed the process along a little to get it made faster? Just wondering if it was a mad scramble to get SGU on the air at first.

  14. Hey Joe,

    Loved the pictures of Carl’s b-day dinner at Fuel. Always enjoy your descriptive view of food. Carl seemed happy, probably even more happy that he is 32.

    Love the prize. JES might have a had time convincing anyone where it came from though.

    When you wrote about Ivon going home over hiatus, I wondered what is it that you do during that time? Vacation? Ah, Japan…See I can sometimes answer my own questions.

    Best always,
    Cheryl

  15. Oh, forgot to say that your server was down for about an hour. Thought I might not get on tonight at all. Glad I did. You are a bedtime treat.

  16. Joe if it’s not to much trouble can you get a pic of Brie with the “Dreaded Hood”??…..

  17. Coucou! ça va ?

    Yah! Merci pour ces photos! C’est sympas de revoir un peu Carl!!

    Quel concour? qu’a t’il gagner? outch j’ai raté une étape. Bravo à Jes en tout cas!

    Waou vous avez répondu à beaucoup de questiion aujourd’hui! …moi je ne suis pas inspiré, lol si je vous aurez en face de moi j’aurai pleins de questions à vous posez, mais aujourd’hui je n’ai pas d’idée.

    Passez une bonne journée!
    Bisou!

  18. Trish – Good work, there, getting your daughter into horror-spoof, satirical, absurdist musicals at an early age. Since there aren’t that many entries in the genre (I think; maggiemayday would know for sure), she now has a rather unique attribute. I envy her: I was brainwashed against musicals at an equally early age, so may not get fully into the entire experience, unless the action and dialogue are morbidly, irresistibly hilarious. From what I’ve heard, they are, so my chances of having a fun viewing experience look good at this point. – And all because Carl apparently has a thing for possibly carnivorous plants. His subtle means of directing our thoughts to Audrey II, plus the fact that he wrote Pocahontas, have raised my esteem for him another few notches. Any higher, and I’ll have to make a whole new scale.

    Joe, Carl seems amazingly avuncular for a 32-yr-old. I know it’s not just the “aging” makeup — there has to be some way he’s tapping into his inner, more mellow, more mature self. (You really have to be totally over yourself to go along with the jokes, weird poses, etc. – Well, okay, Jim Carrey proves that theory wrong. But for most people. . . .) I wish I knew how he does it, because this trait would be very useful in my line of work.

  19. Hi! I managed to stumble upon your blog while looking for confirmation about those SGA rumors floating around. I’m glad those aren’t true. It’s nice to have reassurance that the movie would continue from you and not just random internet article or something. Admittedly, I’m still upset by SGA being cancelled. For a time I was so upset I was determined not to watch SGU… until I learned Lou Diamond Phillips was part of the cast. He’s a personal fav cuz he’s half Filipino(I am too)… Oh yeah can you ask him if he speaks Tagalog(or any other Filipino language). I am curious. You never know with half breeds(I am half Chinese and I can’t even manage to say a word of it). Anyways, I was saying, I would now watch SGU. In fact I am excited and there’s new gate yay (no gate was one of the ludicrous rumor about SGU… ‘a stargate series with no gate’ they say)…

    I hope the best for you and your new series…

    ~chaka

  20. @Alyjude – I’m assuming those units are physical product. Any numbers on digital downloads for individual episodes and full season downloads?

    My concern for SGA has developed from MGM’s eggs-in one-basket strategy with SGU. Believe me, I understand the studio’s current financial constraints on the SG1/SGA films. We’ve been on the financial edge in the music business for the last five years, and it’s sadly getting worse.

    But with only SGU in production, should it have poor ratings (and I’m not predicting or wanting this), then I believe the entire Stargate franchise is in jeopardy without something in the pipeline to keep fans interested. It’s discouraging that the studio has been silent on its intent with the SGA film, even if it’s in the distant future.

    What I think is great and totally underestimated by the studio is the incredible and continued passion that folks have for SGA, even if at times it’s misguided.

    And…taste, indeed. Who gnawed off the upper part of JES’s grand prize rock? Jeez.

  21. OH MY GOD.

    JES, I, I…I cannot BELIEVE how lucky you are!! Do you have any idea what you have just gained? Does it even begin to enter your mind that, in the near future, your life will be changed forever and ever? Does your neurons connect via new axons due to processing the information of your iminent posession of such a holy piece of Stargate lore?

    I know this feeling, my friend, for we are two of a kind. I can still remember when my house was blessed by the arrival of a similar object. Oh sure, from the surface, both your rock and my flocking were not particularly impressive, nor were they unique…but they are, OH HOW THEY ARE. Believe me when I say that they are the true gifts from the Gods, for they have been touched by the hands that have wrought the Stargate Universe. For my part, the Guardian of the Gate, the Technician of Timelessness, the Ibis of the Iris, Gary Jones, had infused his Stargate spirit into the flocking that I, to this day, revere and give daily offsprings of wine and bread and the corpses of imaginary friends to.

    But you, YOU have received so much more. Not only was your Rock touched by Sir Joe of Mallozzi himself, but I do believe it helped him reach the exit of the Mystic Realm of Stage 5 (I misspelled Stage as “Stargate” the first time around; you see the power of these objects?!). A stone that guided one of the Gods of the Stargate Universe to his salvation is not a simple trinket; it has powers that you and I are not supposed to know, powers given to it when it was tread upon by the Angels themselves: Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, David Blue, and Jamil Walker Smith. The stone, 4-times blessed, shall be a beacon of light in the darkness of your room, giving you long life, hope, and wicked good times.

    Hmmm…

    Can I have it? 😛

    Anyways, congratulations JES on winning the contest and receiving the “alien” non-prop rock! You deserve it; that caption was great! 😀

    Funny story about what I just wrote: after the first 2 epithets for Gary Jones, I tried to find a third that sounded like “Iris”. My mind went to “Ibis”, but I didn’t know what it really meant in Egyptian mythology and whether it fit Gary’s character. Turns out, it does:

    Venerated and often mummified by Ancient Egyptians as a symbol of the god Thoth, the Ibis was according to Herodotus and Pliny the Elder also invoked against incursions of serpents. It was also said that the flies that brought pestilence died immediately upon propitiatory sacrifices of this bird.

    (Via Wikipedia)

    Haha, serpents! Get it? Also, do flies die when Gary’s around? I’ll assume they do. Speaking of incursions…

    WOOHOO!! Well, I guess it was my lucky day; or maybe it was just karma paying me back after I failed to guess “Subversion”. Either way, this was cool. It’s funny, because I chose Incursion out of all those other rhyming words due to it reminding me of my favorite Star Trek episode of all time, “Year of Hell” from Star Trek Voyager, a series which SGU has been frequently compared to by the fans. For my part, I hope the comparison is false. 😉

    So…Incursion, eh? Wonder what that means. Will there be an alien incursion onboard the Destiny? Will there be an incursion into a new galaxy by the Destiny itself? Hmmm…

    Well, whatever it is, thank you for answering my question, as well as for the hefty mailbag! You really do spoil us. 😀

  22. BTW, your workout sounds very well-planned. Do you get any tips from Madonna’s personal trainer? I really could hardly believe the recent pic I saw of her — that’s not buff, that’s chiseled. I think her abs were obscured, but looking at her biceps, I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a six-pack. Makes me wonder about her next career move.

  23. what?! You were at Fuel yesterday?! So was I. I think I might have even dusted your duck with cornstarch before it hit the fryer…depending on what time you ordered it at.

    Foie protesters were outside Fuel today, just three of them. They said it was a night to remember too. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me 🙁 I tried the corn soup today. That soup is freakin’ awesome

  24. Hey Joe,

    That line about the non-prop rock should be used *externally* only cracked me up. And reminded me of what I saw at the store the other day.

    You know those decorative globe/ball things they seem to want you to buy to put into bowls (I guess?). Erin (my younger child) saw one that was an actual globe with a map of the world on it. She said, “Mom, it has a warning label. Look!” I picked up the globe and sure enough… it had a warning label on it that read, “Not for educational purposes.” 😯 I was very tempted to buy that globe and a magnifying glass and teach Erin her geography with that thing. I mean really… the had to label that? And here I thought it was bad that Erin’s Happy Meal toys come with directions in picture form. Something even Erin finds offensive. 😆

    I hope Brie is better soon! Our vet doesn’t use the cone of shame. When Annabelle had her surgery (to be spayed) I was so so sure she’d pull her stitches out. But she didn’t. She licked them a lot. But, was fine. The cone of shame makes me feel more comfortable, though. Plus, it’s really good for laughs.

    Trish

    @Das: You’re welcome! 😀 I must go retrieve my barking Ziggy from the back yard right now. He woke me up at the wee hours of the morning to piss off the neighbors. *sigh* We’re still in the puppy phase with him. Hopefully around next March he’ll start to calm down. He’s lucky he’s adorable and snuggly.

  25. Hi Joe:

    I have an observation and a question:

    Observation: If people’s ears burn when they are talked about, yours must burst into flame on a regular basis, since you seem to be a common topic of Fandom’s conversations.

    Question: If Japan is foodie heaven, why are there so few fat Japanese?

    Thanks for the work all of you guys do.

    Patricia

  26. OMG, I was like totally speechless when I learned what I won. What an honor! The care and consideration that went into the selection of this rock solid prize has been well worth the wait. I promise that in my castle this rock will be cherished around the clock because it is a rock for the ages. I’m also so glad that the certificate contains the warning “for external use only”; I have a gallstone about that size and it doesn’t need competition. Again, thank you so much, Joe. “YOU ROCK!”

    Judy (JES are my initials)

  27. Great blog with Q & A, Mr. M.!!! AND What a great prize JES! 😉 .

    Deeinsouthafrica: Scary story.

    Das: Weird dreams. I can relate because all my dreams are weird.

    Alyjude: Thank you for all the facts and figures. It helps knowing that the numbers are in SGA’s favor.

    Tam

  28. @wolfemn and sheryl – thanks for the kind words. wolfemn – I hope GCU works for you, it’s a big network of artists but it’s seems to be a nurturing environment, the members are very helpful.

    Sheryl – we should get together some day. It would be fun. Where is deni in FLA??

    Ok so Joe I am confused – who is getting married??? Mind you when I read that blog I should have waited until I was more awake.

  29. Hey! I was hoping you could dedicate your blog on Tuesday to my daughter Sara. She’s turning 1!

    Thanks!
    Lauren

  30. For all those fans who are obsessing about the SGA movie being delayed, I’d like to offer the case of a television series back in 1989, called “Alien Nation”. It lasted only one season, and yet (From Wikipedia):

    The weekly series ran for one season, from 1989 through 1990, when a financial crunch at the fledgling Fox Network caused Fox executives to cancel all dramatic series. A second season was expected by the producers, as the season ended with a cliffhanger. The show built a strong fan base, and popular demand led to “Dark Horizon”, the episode that would have begun the second season, being novelized and adapted as a comic book as well as spawning a series of novels. Four years later, after a change of management at Fox, the story of Alien Nation continued with five television movies (including all the original cast).

    I hope MGM won’t wait four years to make the first SGA movie, but it’s reasonable to assume that they’ll wait until it’s deemed to be economically feasible. My only concern is the availability of the actors, because I don’t think I’d enjoy an SGA movie as much without the originals.

  31. my entry might appear delayed, but I’m currently involved in other projects that take a lot of my time.

    Re:this entry on your blog :
    “Eric.Stewart writes: “I’ll be frank with you, I am still trying to understand why it was so important for this Stargate to include a female gay character and why does she has to be a visible minority (Asian).”
    Answer: See above for the first part of your question. As for why she’s a visible minority – when we were casting the role, we weren’t looking to cast the role of “the lesbian character”. We were looking to cast the role of Camile Wray. Ming was hired because she’s an incredible actress and her audition blew us away.”

    I don’t like this answer. I think it is too convenient. Were the 20 episodes scripts written before the auditions? No, scripts are written after the actors are cast in their roles. I’m voicing a legitimate concern and from what I saw on the last teaser, I have reasons to voice a concern.

    I think you answer has the same depth as someone crossing a familiar street with his hands on his eyes and headphones on his ears. I suggest you re-read my entire blog entry.

    I’ve been reading and watching several things on the official promotional sites, that I don’t like and I’m concerned about some of these things. What I’ve talked about in my last entry addresses only one of these concerns. How can a group that goes through such care in trying to prevent any unwanted leak about a project, seems to be paying so little attention to some important details on their promotional sites. There’re only 3 of them, it’s not like there are 20.

    Now I could take time to point out these things to you, but you obviously don’t seem interested, so I won’t even bother wasting the time to point them out to you. I will suggest you take the long run and revisit the sites.

    Remember, while it can take several reasons to do something, it often takes I good one not to do it. I unlike you will never write, to someone who takes the time to voice a concern to me, something like “see above”. Above where??? I need to research my answers now???!!!

    I’ve been reading some of the concerns written by other bloggers, and I suggest you start paying more attention to some of them that are taking the TIME to put their concerns in writing. They are the viewers after all.

    À bon entendeur, salut!

  32. somebody forgot to ‘turn off’ their coding… *points finger at wolfenm and snickers*

    BTW, I also liked your picture of Sheppard…very nice indeed. Only one problem: It’s not Todd. 😉

    @ JES – Congrats on the rock! Lucky you! Hubby and I both collect rocks…why? I have no idea. I like rocks. Once we were in an old open pit garnet mine in upstate New York – we carted down a ton of rocks off that mountain top. We’ve also been known to spend anniversary money on a rock, or two…and I’m not talking diamonds. It’s like…if it’s a geeky hobby, we’re totally into it.

    @ Tammy Dixon – I think dreams tend to be weird – it’s your mind trying to make sense and ‘file’ all the input from recent days, replaying events and mixing things up and making strange subconscious connections. Most dreams I don’t mind, no matter how weird…except the ones where I wake up in a panic, or worse…where I kiss someone who in real life I would not normally kiss. Those make me feel sullied and unusual for days. 😛

    das

  33. My St. Bernard, Gus, can sympathize with poor little Brie. He had knee surgery last Thursday to repair a destroyed ACL and a shredded meniscus. He’s doing well so far. If this repair works then he will also have the other leg repaired. Thank goodness he does not have to wear a cone of shame. I can’t imagine what a St. Bernard would look like in such a device. I can imagine that nothing in his path, animate or inanimate, would be safe from his marauding, coned, 160 pounds. Such an image makes me tremble.

  34. Oh man, *I* want a non-prop rock!!! More caption-this-photo contests, please?

    Haha I totally wished Carl a happy birthday on Twitter and it totally wasn’t his birthday. Whoops. It’s weird to think he’s like my dad’s age.

    I heard that all of Air was recently (finally) fully completed? Yay!!! Congrats to all involved, and I can’t frakking wait for October 2nd!!!

  35. Poor Brie.
    It’s all fun and games until someone gets coned …

    And since we are all now devishly envious of Jes and his rock – er, prize – when is the next caption contest??? With all the pictures you take surely there is at least one that cries out for a caption!

  36. @ Eric.Stewart:

    I think you answer has the same depth as someone crossing a familiar street with his hands on his eyes and headphones on his ears. I suggest you re-read my entire blog entry.

    Now I could take time to point out these things to you, but you obviously don’t seem interested, so I won’t even bother wasting the time to point them out to you. I will suggest you take the long run and revisit the sites.

    Remember, while it can take several reasons to do something, it often takes I good one not to do it. I unlike you will never write, to someone who takes the time to voice a concern to me, something like “see above”. Above where??? I need to research my answers now???!!!

    I feel like Jon Stewart right now. I wonder why that is?

  37. A rock? I must admit I was expecting something a bit more extravagant. Like giving the winner your oldest car in your garage, or inviting them to come stay with you for a few weeks, or even a year of daily dinners at Fuel. But okay, a non-prop rock sounds…good. I would gladly take it. It does come with an autographed picture of you or the new cast, right?

    I can’t wait for the next contest! Whats the prize going to be: discarded candy wrapper dropped on set by a crew member, a dead spider found under Ashleigh’s desk, Carl Binder’s nose hairs? (Please post a warning if it is ever that last one.)

    I have decided Brie belongs to a friend who travels a lot or sometimes works long hours and you are the official baby sitter (or your dogs are). Am I close?

    Well, got to go. I smell my puppy has deposited a gift for me somewhere in the house. Must go find and flush…

  38. Ok Eric.Stewart, I actually took the time and researched my answer and read your blog comment from a few days back. It seems your main point was that visible minorities are frequently treated badly and portrayed in a negative light in the media. I don’t know how frequently it is these days but I will acknowledge that in many ways we have not been treated as equals with, say, Caucasian characters.

    Oh yeah, I’m Chinese. Just thought I mention that.

    Anyways, while we agree on that, I failed to understand why the character of Camille Wray has anything to do with it. It seems from Joe’s description that she’s strong, she’s got an attitude, and she is confident in her resolve to get these people home. I love that.

    And then I realized something that was a bit disturbing. In your comment, you pointed out that she is a lesbian. I really do hope that you don’t consider this a bad thing that will make Wray’s character be a bad portrayal of a visible minority, because if you do, then things will be awkward around here and no discussion can be had.

    Please tell me that I’m wrong in my assertion.

    By the way, it really would’ve helped if you linked to the concerns on the “official promotional site” (which I’ll assume to be the official Stargate MGM site since that’s the only site that they control), as that will surely shed light on this whole thing.

  39. @ Eric.Stewart – How can you be so dogmatic in your opinions? Why must you keep droning on and on and on! You’ve said your peace, now please, take it someplace else. Write your congressman, write the SyFy Channel, write MGM Studios, contact NBC, just please, enough is enough! Over the past week, I think everyone has stated their opions quite nicely. But to keep harping on an issue that has not even occured yet is ridiculous. This is not the Stargate Complaint Department. This is a personal blog. Enough already!

  40. Thanks for your reply, Mr. Mallozzi. In it, you said: “There is no way anyone “close” to me would claim the movie had been canceled or, more specifically, had been canceled due to a “lack of fan support”. ”

    Well, I never said that, actually. 🙂

    Further: “Perhaps your purported inside source can shed some light on this. I look forward to hearing his/her reasoning.”

    What the gentleman in question has said to several of the actors is that there is ‘little to no’ hope that the movie will actually be made. Why? I don’t know, though I can speculate (and that’s *all* it is, speculation). The actors have passed that information on to the fans in various ways, every time they’re asked about the movie which is, as you well know, being breathlessly looked for.

    The other rumor, about Mr. Wright, I have no way of validating. The person who reported it alleges to have a source within Mr. Wright’s production company.

    At any rate. This is all rather moot from where I’m sitting. Very few of us actually believe the move will be completed, but I do wish a formal announcement to that effect could be made.

  41. Um, random question here.
    I know my BlackBerry Pearl works fine internationally when set on roaming, but does anyone know if it can immigrate to the US and be placed permanently on one of the local networks? It’s not locked to a particular provider.

    Happy Birthday Carl!

    Hope Brie makes a speedy recovery Joe.

    Heard something very strange on the weekend. There’s a push to place women in high risk combat zones but there are concerns in relation to Occupational Health and Safety. HUH?! Occupational Health and Safety in a warzone? How do the OH&S meetings go?
    “Now, if you’re going to ambush the enemy under heavy fire, watch out for those pot holes. We don’t want any twisted ankles people. And make sure you switch shoulders when carrying your ammunition slung over your shoulder so you don’t get curvature of the spine. And I don’t want to see anyone slouching when camped out behind a rock waiting for an enemy attack because we all know where that will lead people – straight to the chiropractor.”

  42. @JES (aka Judy): *forehead slap* I think you’re my dad’s hero. Or maybe you’re somehow related to him. That entire comment was so Dad-esque. I think I’ve mentioned before my dad has a Fozzy Bear humor. For this, I applaud you. And also, I’m printing it out and showing my dad who will probably say something like, “She rocked that comment!” 😆 Enjoy your prize. It seems you appreciate it to be quite a gem. 🙄

    @Kabra: I think I missed where you asked where I live? Or if others live in Florida. But as Sheryl so graciously answered, I do live in Tampa. 🙂

    @otros ojos: I’d love to take credit for creating another Little Shop of Horrors fan. But with Allie, I feel like I can’t take the credit at all. She was apparently born with excellent taste. 😀 All I do is point her in the right direction of life’s *good things*. Speaking of musicals, Allie loved Sweeney Todd. I guess it’s way more horror than humor. Also, not really sci-fi. If you like bloody, gory things and Johnny Depp, this may be the musical for you. 🙂

    @Wolfie: Oh good. Glad you accepted my belated birthday wishes. 😀 Did Joe actually fix your post? Cuz I didn’t see it all bolded. Sweet! Ha ha! Is Joe now our preview/edit function on here? 😆

  43. Hey Joe! Here’s a direct link to the chart with SGA’s third week (for the season 5 DVD’s):

    http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/2009/20090719.php

    Of course, I suspect MGM is fully aware of the numbers. 🙂

    BTW: I think we crossed lines somewhere. *G* You intimated in the post I commented in that the reason for the project not moving forward was economy and dvd sales – Your exact words were (not that you don’t already know *G*):

    “…According to this source, the movie wasn’t moving forward, NOT because of the oft-cited economic downturn or due to the much-reported drop-off in DVD sales….”

    Obviously I was attempting to prove that a poor economy wasn’t affecting DVD sales for SGA, so implying that as a reason for not going forward wouldn’t really – you know – cut it? *G*

    But no matter why the movie is being, shall we say…stalled…the bottom line is that the longer MGM waits – the less likely it becomes that we’ll get our movie.

    And did you mention anything about the SG1 movie? Or is that one stalled too due to the economy? (poor MGM) *g*

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