Pat...for starters, let me disagree with your thesis in the first place.
I've read all the messages here, and not every single person here fell over
dead and drooling over the idea of Bruce doing the show. Many here *LIKED HIS
PRIOR WORK*, and said so. Some said they didn't. Some said they would wait
and see. The "rose colored glasses" you note don't exist.

When people *did* pose an opinion, and liked him, it was because they
liked his prior work, as stated. Now, you didn't. That's fine. But what you
are doing is stating *your* opinion as fact. "Hey, all you people who spoke
well of Bruce because you liked his work, HE'S WOODEN! Your opinions don't
matter! I'm the one who's right here, and you should all sober up!" That's
not a direct statement, but it's what's implied.

So okay...you didn't like his work. You are one of a very few who
expressed this. Your opinion is neither more nor less valid than anyone
else's. Don't get this sense that you have to correct everybody else by using
the litmus test of your personal opinion. Because that's all it is, it's not
an objective law of nature.

On the topic of the way things are said around here...what one tends to
forget is that the GEnie topic(s) are unusual in that unlike many such
discussions of shows, the executive producer is here, and at least one cast
member here lurks (Hi, Mira). This tends to result in more cast and crew
members peeking in here from time to time than it would in any other forum,
like Prodigy or AOL.

Secondarily, again remember that this is part of the B5 experiment, in
having direct interaction between viewers and production types. That means
that the rules are a trifle different. You can go on any other board and say,
"So-and-so sucks," and not be expected to behave in any other manner. Now,
you can also say "So-and-so sucks" *here* as well; there's no one to stop you.
It just seems to me that if you have the ear of someone making the show, that
you might *want* to be a bit more specific.

There are a LOT of comments that I could make, shots that I could take,
that I don't, because I try to respect the conversation and the process of
what we're doing here; I think it has a greater obligation than to insult
people. (Granted, once in a great while, if someone *really* goes out of his
way to provoke me, I'll take his head off...but that is FAR more the exception
than the rule.) I try to be respectful of the people at the other end of the
modem, due to our relationship. I do not therefore think it is altogether
inappropriate to ask the same; otherwise one is in the position of fighting
with one's hands tied behind one's back.

I've never said, and do not want, anyone to hold back; I like the open
exchange. (And, I'd point out, given what I see on the systems where I lurk,
there is MORE direct criticism and evaluation of the show on those systems
where I'm known to be present than those where I'm not; knowing that someone
from the show is here tends to result in people expressing more critical
opinions because they know that someone's actually LISTENING.) We are fast
becoming a discourteous, uncivil society, and I know that we won't ever go
back to anything other. I just think that, in the case of our special
conversation here...and it is special...we should endeavor to rise above "He
stinks!" to a clarification of WHY you don't (or do) like someone or
something.

This ain't your basic forum. I certainly don't act like it is. Ask
Christy or Katherine Lawrence about my "basic" posts someday...you'll get an
earful. Here there's a different sensibility.

(Which is one reason why, btw, both NEWSWEEK and EMMY magazine are doing
major stories on TV in BBS-land, focusing in large measure on this and a few
other B5 forums. We've grown used to what this is; the reporters, when they
finally understand what this is all about, are simply astonished. The
foregoing intended as nothing other than a nudge to the compass....)

jms