Roddenberry was a dirtbag

[TOS Purist]

Wow, we can say "fuck" in our posts without having them deleted? Wow, I didn't really read the forum rules but I assumed that was a definate "no-no." Cool, now I can call Roddenberry a fucking douchebag and I don't have to water anything down!!

But yeah, the documentaries don't go into his personal life, but I never mentioned that. I said that people exaggerate his professional contributions to Trek, and the documentaries that I mentioned do exactly that.

 

[Michael]

Wow, we can say "fuck" in our posts without having them deleted? Wow, I didn't really read the forum rules but I assumed that was a definate "no-no." Cool, now I can call Roddenberry a fucking douchebag and I don't have to water anything down!!

Yes, you can. But you need not to.

 

[TOS Purist]

Yes, you can. But you need not to.

LOL Of course, I prefer not to use strong language, but sometimes it's more suitable to the situation and/or funny and adds humour to what I'm saying. Either way I'm glad to know that there aren't any Edit Nazis here!!

 

[Esteban]

I think you were quoting Joshua, bud.

But I do miss ol' Johnny C!

Like Gene, I was too busy draining my Scotch and watching my "featured player" perform fascinating acts upon my person while avoiding my wife to properly tame this board's technology. Sorry.

But, agreed sir, Colicos was King.

 

[TOS Purist]

Like Gene, I was too busy draining my Scotch and watching my "featured player" perform fascinating acts upon my person while avoiding my wife to properly tame this board's technology. Sorry.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I think my lungs are permanently damaged from the five straight minutes of hard laughing I experienced after reading that. Bravo, sir!!

 

[NiteTrek]

I'm rereading Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (Solow and Justman) and while he certainly did have a vision, he also was a complete lowlife scumbag.

How many women did he cheat on while married twice? Countless. His boozing and pill popping are legendary. He also was proud of his philandering ways.

He was just a man of low, low moral fiber.

I haven't read the book but you've made me curious, I may have to check it out. I'd take it with a grain of salt though, I think it's in very poor taste to wait until someone is dead before airing their dirty laundry. How much of it is true and how much of it was "fabricated?" If Solow and Justman had any balls, they would have published this when Gene was alive so he could at least have defended himself.

I think the description of "lowlife" and "scumbag" could probably fit them as well.

 

[Defcon]

I'm rereading Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (Solow and Justman) and while he certainly did have a vision, he also was a complete lowlife scumbag.

How many women did he cheat on while married twice? Countless. His boozing and pill popping are legendary. He also was proud of his philandering ways.

He was just a man of low, low moral fiber.

I haven't read the book but you've made me curious, I may have to check it out. I'd take it with a grain of salt though, I think it's in very poor taste to wait until someone is dead before airing their dirty laundry. How much of it is true and how much of it was "fabricated?" If Solow and Justman had any balls, they would have published this when Gene was alive so he could at least have defended himself.

I think the description of "lowlife" and "scumbag" could probably fit them as well.

How about waiting with your judgement until you read the book?

Only because one reader choose to focus his comments on those parts dealing with Roddenberry's less moral "hobbies", doesn't mean that the whole book is one big Roddenberry hate fest. It's quite the opposite to be honest, it's a very balanced book in my opinion, just showing Roddenberry's "bad side" along his "good" side, and a book trying to show that Star Trek wasn't a one man show Granted, sometimes they most likely are overstating their roles as well, but overall it's a very interesting and I think relatively honest and balanced view at the making of Star Trek.

 

[Triskelion]

I know people who got a little randy at work. I don't think they deserved national attention. I daresay it's a hell of a lot more common than people are willing to admit. For one thing, psychologically speaking, when someone cheats on their spouse, more often than not, it's with a coworker. I'm just saying I wouldn't want to be the one to turn over that particular rock. Not that I've ever.... oh never mind.

 

[Red Ranger]

Well, a coworker is one thing, a subordinate another. That was Rodenberry's sin. If you make it with a coworker you don't report to, or who doesn't report to you, it's more acceptable in my view. I have boffed coworkers over the years -- it was three, for the record -- and of course, wanted to boff some other coworkers but never got a chance. But hey, the fact that Rodenberry bagged Nichelle Nichols makes me say he's my kind of dirtbag! -- RR

 

[TOS Purist]

Let me just say...

Defcon, your avatar reminds me of Gene.

 

[trevanian]

INSIDE ST came off to me like a pretty decent attempt at being honest, BUT ...

The erroneous Ellison stuff in there (and the fact that he corrected them on it and they chose to ignore it anyway, more than once I think) calls into question their veracity on everything. So much of TREK history (as in lore becomes fact) has become 'print the legend' that future generations might think Gene Roddenberry was "the man who shot liberty vallance."

 

[Maurice]

INSIDE ST came off to me like a pretty decent attempt at being honest, BUT ...

The erroneous Ellison stuff in there (and the fact that he corrected them on it and they chose to ignore it anyway, more than once I think) calls into question their veracity on everything. So much of TREK history (as in lore becomes fact) has become 'print the legend' that future generations might think Gene Roddenberry was "the man who shot liberty vallance."

Hear hear!

I like the book a lot, but there are definitely parts in it that are suspect.

And, let's face it, everyone's memories are colored by time, perspective, and retelling.

 

[Outpost4]

...and likes and dislikes. If you read the book, you'll find out Justman thinks Roddenberry shafted him out of the producer's role for the third season, bringing in Freiberger instead. You can tell from the writing he was pissed. I'm sure if you asked Bob Justman if he was over that by now, he'd laugh and say, of course. But how much do instances like that with both Solow and Justman affected their portrait of Roddenberry? It certainly wasn't a kind one.

Has Majel ever commented on this part of her husband and his life?

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I think in the long run his contributions to the world outweigh whatever negatives might be ascribed to him.

Tell that to his first wife and also to Majel Barrett. Then again, she knew he was a dirt bag when she was having an affair with him during marriage #1 so she's really no better than he was. Note to Majel: As you sow so shall you reap.

Those that live in Glass Houses.....

 

[Dave Scarpa]

And this is why I weep for society's moral values.

You weep for morals using Roddenberry as a comparison when we have the ultimate moral breaker sitting in the White House?

Um, well, I respectfully disagree with your characterization of our President (I'm assuming you're in the USA but correct me if I'm wrong).

Anyway, I don't see what one person's conduct has to do with the other's, unless you're speaking about the moral crime of adultery. In that case you'd need to bring in former President Clinton, no?

What it shows is that people have the wrong priorites at the end of a day its only a TV Show, What our Revolting Leader does, is Torture, rape the constitution, attack and Kill Whole Populaces that have done nothing to us. I would say that's a bit more disconcerting.

 

[Red Ranger]

You weep for morals using Roddenberry as a comparison when we have the ultimate moral breaker sitting in the White House?

Um, well, I respectfully disagree with your characterization of our President (I'm assuming you're in the USA but correct me if I'm wrong).

Anyway, I don't see what one person's conduct has to do with the other's, unless you're speaking about the moral crime of adultery. In that case you'd need to bring in former President Clinton, no?

What it shows is that people have the wrong priorites at the end of a day its only a TV Show, What our Revolting Leader does, is Torture, rape the constitution, attack and Kill Whole Populaces that have done nothing to us. I would say that's a bit more disconcerting.

Agreed! -- RR

 

[AlboOfBorg]

I'm rereading Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (Solow and Justman) and while he certainly did have a vision, he also was a complete lowlife scumbag.

How many women did he cheat on while married twice? Countless. His boozing and pill popping are legendary. He also was proud of his philandering ways.

He was just a man of low, low moral fiber.

Just sad.

Wow. I didn't realize he was that much of a dirtbag. I heard some stuff about him but nothing like this.

 

[TOS Purist]

Typical liberal insanity...twist ANY topic into hysteric Bush-bashing. I mean, I'm not too fond of the guy, either, but I'm not psychotic or militant about it. Sheesh. Give it a rest already!

Can we get back on topic, please?

 

[trevanian]

Typical liberal insanity...twist ANY topic into hysteric Bush-bashing. I mean, I'm not too fond of the guy, either, but I'm not psychotic or militant about it. Sheesh. Give it a rest already!

Can we get back on topic, please?

If we talk about PRIVATE LITTLE WAR can we drag Bush into it without upsetting you?

 

[TOS Purist]

Typical liberal insanity...twist ANY topic into hysteric Bush-bashing. I mean, I'm not too fond of the guy, either, but I'm not psychotic or militant about it. Sheesh. Give it a rest already!

Can we get back on topic, please?

If we talk about PRIVATE LITTLE WAR can we drag Bush into it without upsetting you?

I'm not getting upset here, but if you did drag Bush into a topic about a 40-year-old science-fiction television episode, that would be pretty sad and nothing more than a testimony to the psychotic insanity that I mentioned before.