Time for Australian Trek fans to go into hiding...

[donners22]

This letter was published on the opinion page of the Herald Sun, the widest-circulated paper in Victoria and certainly one of the biggest in Australia.

Buzz McCain refers to the Bluetooth device as a "Klingon-like communicator" ("Smile, You're on Bluetooth, Connect, January 2).

This article should have read "a Borg-like communicator".

Everything else seemed well-researched, except for this mistake.

I know people often make jokes about Star Trek fans.

I'm not a huge fan, but I know a mistake when I see one.

Please pass on the following message. "Buzz McClain, your mother has a smooth forehead.

Obviously, your little human brain is in error.

Hoe dare you confuse Klingon and Borg technology.

Your insults endanger the Klingon EMpire's alliance with your Federation.

THe Klingon High Council demands an apology!

You will make it in person at the Great Hall on Qo'noS or I will take out your tongue with my d'k tahg."

Amelia Smith, Benalla

I think this is one of those "don't know whether to laugh or cry" moments...

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

The grammar seems decent, so the typos are good for a laugh. But, maybe that's just me.

 

[donners22]

^ Actually, the typos are my fault. Never try to type while on an exercise bike.

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

If you have never seen “Trekkies,” a documentary about Star Trek fans, you should. There have been people in the United States that have worn Star Trek costumes to political conventions and other serious gatherings. This is mild by comparison, and completely tongue in cheek, I’m sure.

 

[donners22]

Oh, I've seen it, and I know people like that exist. It's quite rare to encounter people like that here, though. Whether this is tongue-in-cheek or not, and I'm slightly doubious about that, I bet the majority will be laughing at rather than with.

 

[Therin of Andor]

donners22 said:
I bet the majority will be laughing at rather than with.

As I said to you once before, you hang with the wrong crowd. I don't find that the Australian general public bothers singling out Star Trek fans alone to laugh at. And I'm in the public eye as a ST fan more often than most.

Australians are just as likely to cut down a famous tall poppy or two with humor, be they a celebrity gone bad, a stupid, flirtatious, faded sporting hero, or the American president. Or John Howard.

It's a funny letter, and most people would view it as parody. Even it is was written by an actual wacky Star Trek fan.

 

[JD]

I think this is probably one of those moments where somebody really should have thought about what kind of a impression they were giving people about themself.

 

[donners22]

Therin of Andor said:

donners22 said:
I bet the majority will be laughing at rather than with.

As I said to you once before, you hang with the wrong crowd. I don't find that the Australian general public bothers singling out Star Trek fans alone to laugh at. And I'm in the public eye as a ST fan more often than most.

Australians are just as likely to cut down a famous tall poppy or two with humor, be they a celebrity gone bad, a stupid, flirtatious, faded sporting hero, or the American president. Or John Howard.

It's a funny letter, and most people would view it as parody. Even it is was written by an actual wacky Star Trek fan.

Maybe it's a generational thing? My experiences as a fan seem quite different to yours.

I probably should take it in the context you suggest. It's a bit like the difference between watching a Trek film at a premiere mostly populated by fans, and a general screening. At the latter, I wound up cringing at the same moments I laughed at along with fans, worrying more about what others would think about it. This is probably similar.

Still, in the course of writing an article for a Star Trek magazine, I've been going through newspaper stories on Star Trek premieres. First Contact (in addition to an excellent review) also had a half-page article on why Star Wars was better than Trek, and a guide to dealing with Star Trek fans (ending with the advice to run away). A review of Voyager noted that Trekkies could get on board Voyager in their adventures 70,000 light years from home, "and good riddance".

Perhaps I take this too seriously.

 

[Therin of Andor]

donners22 said:
Maybe it's a generational thing? My experiences as a fan seem quite different to yours.

I'm 49 and was at fan previews and gala premieres of ST II through to "Insurrection" (no Sydney clubs bothered to help Paramount promote "Nemesis", I guess), and have been interviewed by the media often. I've never been ridiculed by a reporter - they are usually in awe about fannish activities - but I often send up myself before they can. An Andorian can often get away with stuff a human can't.

While ST events are often the last-two-minutes-"fun bit" at the end of a TV news bulletin, so are most other light-hearted, feel-good media stories.

During the height of TNG's popularity, much of the general public the world over seemed to have a positive attitude towards ST and ST fans. Where so-called "straight science fiction" fans could barely tolerate ST fans at one of their literary conventions in the early 70s, it all seemed extremely tolerant in the late 80s.

I probably should take it in the context you suggest. It's a bit like the difference between watching a Trek film at a premiere mostly populated by fans, and a general screening. At the latter, I wound up cringing at the same moments I laughed at along with fans, worrying more about what others would think about it.

No problem. Many ST, SF media and literary SF fans move into and out of "mundane" groups all the time. The general public probably scoff at the likes of Asimov, Heinlein, "2001" and Stephen Hawking, too.

A review of Voyager noted that Trekkies could get on board Voyager in their adventures 70,000 light years from home, "and good riddance".

But that's very funny. If I were reviewing VOY for the general public, I'd probably say something very similar. If it were for "Starlog", then the context and audience have changed.

Perhaps I take this too seriously.

Definitely. Have fun with it all.

 

[Chuckling]

Nah, I wouldn't worry too much. Aussies know how to laugh at themselves and how to have fun without going overboard.

Anyone reading the Herald Sun knows how to take it's "letters to the editor" with a grain of salt. It's part of the fun of reading a newspaper with a reading age of about 8 years old!

I doubt Buzz would get the reference to his mother's scalp though, unless he's a bit of a Trekker himself. :thumbsup:

I can picture him leaning on the bar at his local pub, asking his mates what that's about! Not sure about their answers though.....

 

[MrPointy]

Thumbs up from me.