Harlan Ellison to sue over Crucible? (via Psi Phi)

[Sxottlan]

Ellison is a pathetic, small man. Irrelevant anymore too. Me thinks his rants are his only way of getting attention anymore (always?). His crass behaviour has turned me off to ever buying anything of his (what I have read of his I didn't see what the big deal was) and he has only himself to blame.

As has been pointed out in this thread, that he appears to constantly fail to understand how television writing works makes him appear well, stupid. I imagine that since they haven't had to fight off his lawyers about all the other numerous works referencing the episode, this will go nowhere and just be a waste of everyone's time and money.

 

[Enterpriserules]

It is so sad that he would do this.

 

[sidious618]

Enterpriserules said:
It is so sad that he would do this.

Although, looking at his track record, not particularly surprising...

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Interesting. I'm only halfway through Crucible: McCoy: Provenance of Shadows right now, so I can't say how much it builds on Ellison's work. It seems to me that as of right now, it's only based on the aired elements of COTEOF. If it took some elements from the unmade "City" script that I assume Ellison would still have the rights to, that would be a sticky situation.

Of course, there's also the matter of the fact that many other Trek stories (including ones written by Ellison's friends Peter David and Dorothy Fontana) have used elements of COTEOF in the past.

sidious618 said:
I was actually considering buying "The Essential Ellison" but I sure won't now.

You should still pick it up. Even if Harlan Ellison is a prick, he still tells damn good yarns.

 

[Turtletrekker]

^^
Buy it used.

 

[DarthPipes]

Ellison is a friggin nut. He needs to get his own head out of his ass for once in his miserable life.

 

[Rosalind]

Guys, please, let's keep it civil. Thank you.

 

[DaveGalanter]

*ahem* Nothing has happened yet other than Ellison ranting. He does this at the trop of a hat. Until something happens other than Harlan going off half cocked, I suggest everyone just ignore it.

 

[Christopher]

Harlan Ellison: "I Have a Mouth and I Like to Scream."

 

[Therin of Andor]

Sxottlan said:
Ellison is a pathetic, small man.

But has excellent taste when judging science fiction costume parades. He once awarded my Andorian persona (see avatar) first prize!

Ellison was a guest at a Sydney SF convention in June 1983, and a group of us ST fans went along, fully expecting him to bag Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry all weekend. But either he was in a rare good mood, or he felt no need to antagonize us, but he spoke of Star Trek (and Gene) with affection. At the time it seemed he'd buried the hatchet, but this was long before his White Wolf tell-all book came out.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Sxottlan said:
Ellison is a pathetic, small man.

No, that would be you.

Throw in "ignorant, completely lacking in taste or insight, and arrogant" while we're at it.

And I know arrogant from the inside-out.

 

[rafterman1701]

I'm not surprised with this considering he's not new to lawsuits. It just seems so petty. He did work for hire. How much of City does he really own? Reminds me a lot of the McClory stuff dealing with Thunderball.

 

[JWolf]

Christopher said:

Allyn Gibson said:
I'll put it like this.

If I don't get Crucible: Spock and Crucible: Kirk because of Ellison, I'll lead the pitchfork and burning torches brigade myself. It'll be just like the end of Frankenstein, only not in black-and-white.

No, no -- what we should do is organize a campaign to have him pelted with jellybeans until he backs down and apologizes. Then we write a story about it and call it -- yes, you guessed it:

"Repent, Harlan!" Said the Star Trek Fan.

I think malted milk balls are better to pelt him with. Malted milk balls are as bad as the suit.

 

[Sxottlan]

UWC Defiance said:

Sxottlan said:
Ellison is a pathetic, small man.

No, that would be you.

Wow! Just...wow. I guess I should feel honored that out of a threadful of people ragging on Ellison, you should pick me. Such a pithy comeback too!

Throw in "ignorant, completely lacking in taste or insight, and arrogant" while we're at it. And I know arrogant from the inside-out.

While you may know arrogant, you clearly don't know me.

 

[Rosalind]

UWC Defiance said:

Sxottlan said:
Ellison is a pathetic, small man.

No, that would be you.

Throw in "ignorant, completely lacking in taste or insight, and arrogant" while we're at it.

Dennis, you know this is a warnable flame, so I'll say no more. One Warning, comments to PM.

 

[trevanian]

rafterman1701 said:
If there was a legal problem wouldn't the licensing department at CBS have put a stop to it before the book was written?

Oh, sure, just like the 25th anniversary book that had to be PULPED because Paramount didn't get a release from Nimoy and he turned thumbs down when he saw how the thing was a deification of GR.

Ellison already established some kind of precedent over HIS version of CITY in terms of ownership, as stated at length in the book on that script. I'd sure love to see him fuck these people over, he's taken way too much crap for decades over CITY, he OUGHT to cash in.

 

[trevanian]

Rosalind said:
Guys, please, let's keep it civil. Thank you.

If you're trying to keep it civil, then start issuing warnings to the slanderers.

I'm the last person on earth to take Bailey's side -- not exaggerating here, I think his viewpoints are usually skewed and often unsupported -- about anything, but in this case, he seems totally justified. The snipes about Ellison being short may be justified, but pathetic? No, I'd reserve that for the morons splashing in the pissed-in pond that is this thread (I guess that is nearly everybody, isn't it? Does that mean I get a dozen warnings?)

 

[trevanian]

Sxottlan said:

UWC Defiance said:

Sxottlan said:
Ellison is a pathetic, small man.

No, that would be you.

Wow! Just...wow. I guess I should feel honored that out of a threadful of people ragging on Ellison, you should pick me. Such a pithy comeback too!

Throw in "ignorant, completely lacking in taste or insight, and arrogant" while we're at it. And I know arrogant from the inside-out.

While you may know arrogant, you clearly don't know me.

Yes, and this thread is ABOUT you now, is it? Grow the fuck up, and quit taking cheap snipe-shots at folks who have talent and integrity and a sense of accountability.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

trevanian said:

Rosalind said:
Guys, please, let's keep it civil. Thank you.

If you're trying to keep it civil, then start issuing warnings to the slanderers.

I'm the last person on earth to take Bailey's side -- not exaggerating here, I think his viewpoints are usually skewed and often unsupported -- about anything, but in this case, he seems totally justified. The snipes about Ellison being short may be justified, but pathetic? No, I'd reserve that for the morons splashing in the pissed-in pond that is this thread (I guess that is nearly everybody, isn't it? Does that mean I get a dozen warnings?)

If you finished the thread before posting, then you'll note that Rosalind did warn him. However, this thread is about Harlan Ellison and not about the posters in this thread. And no, this doesn't mean you'll get warned, just a polite friendly.

trevanian said:

Sxottlan said:

UWC Defiance said:

Sxottlan said:
Ellison is a pathetic, small man.

No, that would be you.

Wow! Just...wow. I guess I should feel honored that out of a threadful of people ragging on Ellison, you should pick me. Such a pithy comeback too!

Throw in "ignorant, completely lacking in taste or insight, and arrogant" while we're at it. And I know arrogant from the inside-out.

While you may know arrogant, you clearly don't know me.

Yes, and this thread is ABOUT you now, is it? Grow the fuck up, and quit taking cheap snipe-shots at folks who have talent and integrity and a sense of accountability.

This, however, does constitute a warning. Discuss the topic, not the posters.

One warning for flaming. Comments to PM.

I'm keeping this thread open for now, but this is everyone's last warning: stay on topic or I'll close this thread.

 

[Christopher]

Where's that beast that shouted love when you need him?