Is Avery Brooks a little out there?

Sisko is probably my favorite captain when all is said and done.

I just finished watching Shatner's new documentary "The Captains" and I have to say, I thought it was a frank and introspective endeavor.

My only question is this, Avery Brooks seemed different than I've heard him described in the past, in person, and in interview...

Was how he was in the film, indicative of how he is in everyday life now, or do you think it was just him having fun in the situation for the cameras?

No disrespect to Mr. Brooks, but I just found it a bit decentralized, almost an attempt at a conversation in a constant state of limbo.

Thoughts?

 

I don't know if I've seen the doc in question, but in the documentary extras included with the Deep Space Nine DVDs he seemed normal enough.

 

I agree that in the Shat's doc. Brooks did seem alittle(well alot actually) out there...

 

I saw him speak at the Generations II convention at the Royal Albert Hall back in the mid-90s. he was just as "out there" back then

someone asked him what it was like to command the Defiant to which he replied "what ship? we don't have a ship... it's just a set"

 

He was definitely a little 'out there' in Shatner's documentary, but I'm cool with that.

 

I liked it
he seemed to be having a lot of fun with Shatner
they both had a lot of fun

 

So is Brooks the one "out there," or is it the fans? I guess it's a matter of perspective.

 

It is indeed.

However, if I was taking a college course and pulled Brooks as a professor, It'd get old quick if everytime someone asked a question, he played a jazz solo or just redefined the question by challenging your perception of reality.

Still my favorite captain though.

 

He seems like a passionate man.

 

Well, I suppose that's just it, though: unlike the other Captains, he's a teacher and a professor, and it's their job to provoke thought and answer questions with another question. (also kids: this is why it's always important to attend your discussion sections and seminars )

 

I *knew* this would be about The Captains!

I was at a pre-release screening in Hollywood back in July and Brooks was easily the best, most entertaining part of the doc.

That said, he sure has hell does come off as being way,way out there. But he's hella entertaining, and his jazz is awesome.

 

No question there. His jazz was quite good.

I think I just wanted to see Brooks responding more as himself, more "real" like Bakula, Mulgrew, & Stewart were. Pine wasn't bad either. I'm not sure if I've ever had the ability to tell if Shatner was being real or not. It always just seemed put on.

 

I agree, it was interesting hearing Stewart talking about his marriage, Mulgrew about her children, Bakula about his history as a Trek fan, and Pine about... oh, I don't really care about Pine. It would have been interesting to get some more insight into Brooks but whenever he was asked a question he deflected it towards something more philosophical or he'd start singing. I don't think the editing helped either, it made him seem a bit loopy.

In this panel where Shatner and Brooks discuss the making of the film he comes across as more grounded, but he still goes off on one or two intellectual tangents.

 

Thank you for pointing me towards that Comic Con Panel! (In spite of the audio issues) I thought it was a really nice treat, and more in line with what I'd been expecting from Avery Brooks in the film itself.

Alright, cool. Seems like he's just an extraordinarily gifted man.

 

Dude, what a buzz kill.

 

Can't blame him. Hanging w/nut-job profs a Rutgers would do that to anyone

 

Someone should have gone "It's REEEEAAAAAL!" on him, but this was before the episode even existed, right? Oh well.

It sounds kind of smartass to say "people, it's not a real ship". Come now, Avery, suspention of disbelief and all that? Or maybe he was just quoting the commander from Galaxy Quest, who knows.

 

I haven't seen this documentary I'll have to try and find it. He always seemed to take pride in the wrk he did for star trek which I respected.

 

I just watched The Captains, and I think there are four possibilities:

1. Avery Brooks has gone completely insane.
2. The day that they filmed this, Brooks had a high fever or was on some serious medication.
3. It was all a put-on, just Brooks having some fun at Shatner's expense.
4. Shatner recut the footage to make Brooks look crazy.

Listening to him speak was absolutely exasperating. Just rambling, vaguely philosophical allusions to...who knows. Seriously, this is what it was like:

Having just wrapped up a class on writing where we stressed using clear language and speaking naturally, this drove me nuts. I can only imagine what it would be like to show up for the first day of his class. I picture him rambling on like that for a half hour without passing out a syllabus until a brave student asks about the midterm, then he goes off.

The way he was cackling made him seem just a little more demented than Apple Annie.

To be honest, having seen this side of him is going to make it difficult to take his performance in DS9 seriously.

 

One neat thing I was surprised about: Avery Brooks is the film's music supervisor, too. That sounds about right.

This too sounds about right. I've had philosophy, english, and history professors -- and a couple of improv teachers -- who would go off on similar tangents (though I've never gone to Ivy League. I can't imagine what it'd be like to have those profs).

Honestly, it sounds like he made a simple lighthearted joke, the kind you expect to find at conventions anyhow. Let's remember that this is the guy who used to tape his lectures for students in his DS9 uniform, whenever filming prevented him from being on campus. From all other things I've heard about him at conventions, he seems genuinely enthusiastic to go up on stage (like many Trek alumni, that is).