Hero Games (Sue) <75162.372@compuserve.com> asks:
> Me> "I've never known her to lie, have you?"
> You> Not to say otherwise, but...how long have you known her that
> You> you can say this? Have you known her...or have you known the
> You> character? Did Claudia want to do season five?
> You> Why should I believe she doesn't?
> You> Is there some reason that a new contract couldn't be drawn
> You> up for a few episodes such as has been done with Tracy Scoggins?

I note in the beinning that nowhere in your note did you cite
what you would consider "evidence." So please refrain from doing so in
future, since apparently you can't define it.

"If someone were to tell me that *you* were lying in this situation, I
would be just as offended and just as strong in defending you."

Sue, by taking the position you have taken in this, you are de
facto calling me a liar. I have said clearly that the situation was X.
You have said, repeatedly, that the situation could be Y. If it's Y
then I'm a liar. You may think this is just an academic exercise in
intellectual fairness; you are, however, calling my honesty into
question.

"I don't know any of the people involved, and therefore I'm not going
to draw any negative conclusions about anyone unless there is a first
hand account."

Yes, you *do* know at least one of the people involved, you know
*me*, and I *do* have a first hand account. There ain't much in the
show that is MORE first hand than me. You don't seem to grasp here
that I *run* Babylon 5. No offers are made to agents or actors that I
don't know about.

"If you were to say "I told Claudia she could do 18 episodes for 18
pay" then I would see a direct conflict."

Then there's a direct conflict because that is EXACTLY what she
was told.

"Claudia says she was never offered 18 episodes at 18 episodes of
pay."

No, she doesn't say that. Look back at what you posted again.
I quote you quoting her.

"I was never offered 18 episodes at a different price."

Not the same price. A DIFFERENT PRICE PER EPISODE. That's what
I've been trying to get you to understand for months now. There was a
desire on their part to get her a pay raise per episode, which would
violate our contracts with the other actors. She wanted to do 18
episodes for the 22 price. That only confirms what I have been saying
here from day one.

"You keep saying that *I* don't think your statements are enough.
I've never contradicted or disbelieved your statements."

Yes you have, by implication. Maybe you don't see it that way,
but I and others here do.

"1. Was Claudia told that she could do 18 episodes for 18 episodes of
pay. If you say "yes, I told her" or "I was there when she was told" or
"My good friend Bob who I know and trust told her" then fine, I would
be prone to take your word for it."

YES, SHE WAS TOLD THAT. FOR THE TEN THOUSANDTH TIME, SHE
THROUGH HER MANAGER WAS TOLD THIS. WHAT PART OF THIS SENTENCE IS IN
SWAHILI?

"However, so far as I can tell, there has been no statement from
anyone who can say that she was informed."

Sue, I sat across from her in a pub in the UK. I talked to her
at length. This was referenced in the conversation by me. She was
aware of it.

"2. Did Claudia want to do season five? She stated before, during
and after that she wants to do B-5. Why should I believe she doesn't?"

I think -- and this is speculation -- she wanted to do S5, but
she wanted a pay raise, something confirmed by her comments in the TV
Guide Online magazine. Go read it, she wanted an increase that none of
the other cast members were getting. (And as part of that interview,
she says that all the other male actors were paid more than her, which
is, by the way, an absolute and outright fabrication.)

"Is there some reason that a new contract couldn't be drawn up for a
few episodes such as has been done with Tracy Scoggins?"

If she wouldn't go for 18 episodes at 18 episodes pay, why
should she go for 8 episodes at 8 episodes pay? At the point we're
talking about, we got every indication that she did not want to return
to the show, period. There were no phone calls from her or her people
saying so, nothing, absolute silence. Now, you'll pardon me for being
realistic, but I've got a show to run, and that means we have to have
scripts ready 4-5 weeks prior to shooting, and the first one was due
the day we GOT this information.

What was I supposed to do? Say, "Oh, no, wait around for a few
months, until right before filming, so we'll have plenty of time for
her to come back to us. We won't have any scripts, of course...." No.
I needed that gap in the command structure filled from the very first
episode. So now what do I do? Bring in a character for 2 episodes,
then turn the show upside down AGAIN and get rid of Tracy? Because we
don't make this show for a hell of a lot of money; every dime goes to
the show. If we brought back Ivanova for 8, we'd have to fire Tracy.

No...it's real simple, Sue. Whatever was in her head at the
time, the reality is that she walked off the show. She made a
deliberate, conscious decision to go. My obligation is to the 10 other
members of our cast, the 200 people in our crew, and the 5 million
viewers to move on and make the best show I can. There were no
misunderstandings here. It was a business decision on her part.

Now can we please, finally, drop this, so I can put in the time
I'm spending arguing here back into making the show? Or do you still
want to doubt the veracity of me, my crew, John Copeland, and others
just so you can give Claudia the benefit of the doubt?

jms