More Words Of Wisdom From Spock

Yahoo News has an uncharacteristically good piece on a 1968 letter Leonard Nimoy (p.b.u.h) wrote in response to a biracial fan who asked him how he thought Spock, being half-human and half-Vulcan, handled bullies and being an outcast. A real class act, he not only responded to her letter, but answered her question in depth. Likely drawing from his own background as "the other", Nimoy was able to both flesh out his most famous character and provide further inspiration for those of us who march to a different drum. I highly recommend you read the whole article, but I will leave you with this choice quote:

"Spock decided he would live up to his own personal value and uniqueness. He'd do whatever made him feel best about himself. He decided to listen to that little voice inside him and not the people around him. 

He replaced the idea of wanting to be liked with the idea of becoming accomplished. Instead of being interested in being popular, be became interested in being intelligent. And instead of wanting to be powerful, he became interested in being useful. 

He said to himself: 'Not everyone will like me. But there will be those who will accept me just for what I am. I will develop myself to such a point of excellence, intelligence, and brilliance that I can see through any problem and deal with any crisis. I will become such a master of my own abilities and career that there will be a place for me. People of all races will need me and not be able to do without me.' And that's just what he did. And when I see him standing there on the bridge of the Enterprise, facing danger and life-and-death problems so cooly and with so much intelligence, I'm sure he made the right decision."

Requiescat In Pace: Leonard Nimoy

Goodnight, sweet Vulcan.

Today, I was planning on writing my second Flashback Friday post. God knows about what, but at least I would have some new material for the past week. I have been working on my first semi-serious post (in the sense that I attempt actual analysis of something) during that time, but it's taken much longer than expected, so before I knew it, Friday was upon me, and I hadn't settled on an event from my life to write about. I went to bed Thursday night, bouncing topics back and forth and pondering my other post to no end before I finally fell asleep.

Morning came, and as you probably suspect, the first thing I did was turn on my phone (can't us millennials get a break?) I went on Facebook to see if anybody liked the funny pic about that stupid dress I pilfered from OMG Science Is Like Totally Cool (they did, in case you're wondering) when I saw my timeline blown up with the worst news a Trekker could hear: Spock was dead.

Well, he's not really Spock of course. In fact, he wrote a whole book about that (which I still have to read), but the point is, someone from a franchise very close to my and millions of people's hearts' has passed on. As Captain Kirk's famous first officer, Leonard Nimoy was one of the few personalities within science fiction as a whole to venture beyond the boundaries of that highly-niched genre and attain not only recognition, but also veneration in mainstream pop culture, as evidenced by guest appearances of him or his likeness and references to his character in such places as South Park, The Big Bang Theory, an interview with Pharrell Williams, and the music videos for Genesis' "Land of Confusion" and Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song" (alongside William Shatner, no less). I can't help but scratch my head at some of these selections (*cough cough* The Lazy Song *cough*), but one should appreciate the high esteem Nimoy had to be held in to be included in them.

Not entirely sure what the point of this is, but cool!

So one must ask, why Leonard Nimoy? What about Spock electrified people? Why did J.J. Abrams want him to do a cameo in his Star Trek reboot and it's sequel instead of, say, George Takei (not to say Takei doesn't get recognition nowadays, it's just that it's generally for silly reasons, as a quick perusal of his Facebook feed will show.) How come he cast him as the duplicitous William Bell on Fringe  rather than Walter Koenig? Why was it him who played Dr. Kibner in Philip Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, not DeForest Kelley? The only cast member of The Original Series who managed to achieve this level of success, both in terms of visibility and creativity, outside the franchise is William Shatner, as anybody who has seen Boston Legal will tell you.

Perhaps it was the moral authority Spock exuded. A less skilled actor almost certainly would have turned the Enterprise's elf-eared "logic" devotee into a one-note joke that viewers would laugh at his first few appearances, but soon find grating once they realized he was one of the main players. Nimoy, however, managed to not only make the character credible, but also engaging. In a show that featured dogs with fake horns, an omnipotent Liberace look-alike, green-painted babes, and a half-black, half-white Frank Gorshin as aliens, this was no small feat. Building on the solid base Gene Roddenberry laid, he contributed invaluably to the image and character of Spock and Vulcans, most notably when he drew inspiration from the Priestly Blessing he grew up witnessing in synagogue to create the iconic Vulcan salute. By basing the famous gesture on one used in religious practice, Nimoy imbued it with a significance that even those who didn't understand it's origin or share his beliefs could recognize.

Of course, the philosophy that the salute represented also contributed to Spock's status as the face of Trek. Although Vulcan logic would be relentlessly deconstructed decades later in Voyager and Enterprise,  it would remain the only viable alternative to Kirk and McCoy's hot-headedness and sentimentalism in the original series' run and subsequent movies. Viable, of course, only because Nimoy could make the character advocating it believable. Indeed, many of the quotes people most identify with Star Trek were said by him. Not the infamous "It's life Jim, but not as we know it" (considering that, you know, he never f***ing said it!), but others like "Live long and prosper" and "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few". It is, however, where these quotes are concerned that I dissent from many of my fellow Trekkers. I've never really cared for the implicit totalitarianism of "The needs of the many" (seriously, doesn't that sound like something the Borg would say?), and live long and prosper, while good-natured and inoffensive, has unfortunately been struck by the damnable curse of oversaturation.

"We are The Many. We need to assimilate The Few. That would be you. Resistance is futile."

I was, however, taken with two of Spock's quotes from the much-maligned Star Trek: The Motion Picture (unfairly, I might add, but that's a post for another day). The first he says just after *spoiler alert* Kirk gives the command to initiate the Enterprise's self-destruct function in the hopes that the subsequent explosion will destroy V'Ger. Spock is crying, and Kirk says he knows it's not for the crew's sake (himself included). Holding back tears, Spock replies,

"No, captain, not for us. For V'Ger... I weep for V'Ger as I would for a brother."

 This was the quote I thought of when I got up this morning and saw the news of his passing. No, I did not literally cry, but I genuinely felt the sentiment it conveyed. It is especially moving given the context. At this point in the Star Trek universe (and, when the movie first came out, in real life), we have seen Spock cry only once. And that was because he, along with much of the rest of the crew, was under the influence of what was essentially extraterrestrial alcohol. This time, the tears were made of his own conscious will. For the villain of the film, no less, whom he compared to a brother. Call it naive (his naivety, you should note though, ultimately saved Earth), call it empathy for the devil, but to me it shows that beneath the facade of cold rationality and thinly-veiled smugness, Spock was a passionate humanist (admittedly a strange word to use in the context of Trek), eager to understand and connect with any being he encountered, even ones that had caused untold amounts of destruction and death. After all, if he could connect with V'Ger, why couldn't he possibly connect with Kirk, McCoy, and the rest of the Enterprise regulars?

The other quote is spoken soon after. As he continues crying, Spock observes:

"Each of us, at some time in our lives, turns to someone - a father, a brother, a God - and asks... 'Why am I here? What was I meant to be?'"

Spock humanizes V'Ger further by drawing parallels between the quests for purpose and meaning we all undergo over the course of our lives. In a universe many times wider than the one Trek portrays, we are bound to be lost and humbled at various points by whatever it throws at us, just like the crew of the Enterprise is over the course of it's five-year mission. But Leonard Nimoy showed us that even in the face of incomprehensible adversity, we can manage to overcome and find meaning in our lives. I like to think that he found that sense of purpose before he beamed up that one last time.

Live long and prosper.

Flashback Friday: The Time I Interviewed Tim Russ

As I mentioned in my last post, one of the perks of being in college radio is that you have reason to speak with people you normally wouldn't have.

Exhibit A: this written interview I did with actor and musician Tim Russ, who is best known for portraying Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager (I must confess though, that I knew him primarily beforehand as the "We Ain't Found Shit" guy from Spaceballs). I originally submitted this to the station's new media department for publication on UCLA Radio's Tumblr, but for whatever reason, it was never posted there. Fret not, however, for I am publishing the interview in full! Enjoy!

The Cardinal: Prior to starring as Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager, you appeared in small roles on The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and the seventh film, Star Trek: Generations, and before that you were a fan of The Original Series. With this background, what were your expectations going into Voyager? Did your experience on the show meet or exceed them?  

Tim  Russ: I watched The Original Series  along with most of the country because there were only 3 stations and one of them played the same 3 shows over and over for years. Trek was one of them. 

Upon landing my role on Voyager, I mostly expected to be working on a show that ran for at least 7 years. That was a big boost to my career. I did not expect the "extras" I received from being on the show, from the smallest thing like favors from people, to expanding my work in the entertainment business to directing and voice-over work. 

TC: Tuvok was the first Vulcan regular on a Star Trek series since Leonard Nimoy's classic performance as Spock. Was it challenging to differentiate your performance from Nimoy's, and how did you try to accomplish that?

TR: Basically, since my character type had already been established by Nimoy and others in the various incarnations, I just used those characters as a base for how Tuvok carried himself, and behaved in general.

I then relied on the writers to flesh out the character over the length of the series, with suggestions from myself as to what type of situations I'd like to see him in. For example, in the episode "Innocence", we get a glimpse into how Tuvok may have raised his own children, as unlike Spock's character, mine was married with a family.

TC: In addition to Voyager, you've had regular roles on Samantha Who? and The Highwayman, recurring and guest roles on iCarly and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and a brief-but-memorable role in the science fiction comedy Spaceballs, among others. Can you tell us what working on these projects was like for you?

TR: Each character I played outside of Voyager  was unique based on the project and the traits of each character. Basically during that time and for years after I was and still am a working actor going from one role to the next. And each role is a new challenge in it's own way.

TC: As a director, you've worked on such projects as the award-winning Web series Bloomers, the short films Plugged and Cavity, an episode of Voyager, the independent fan production Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, where you reprised the role of Tuvok alongside fellow Trek actors Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and Garrett Wang, and the upcoming Star Trek: Renegades and 5th Passenger. What is your dream project, and how have these past projects influence your selection?

TR: I would love to work on a period piece of some kind, simply because of the opportunity to bring to life a story that takes place in a different time period. It could be as far back as ancient times, or as recent as the last couple of centuries. And of course, I would love to include pieces that would take place in the future as well.

TC: A triple threat, you have sang and played guitar in your own band for over 30 years, releasing four albums and playing live in Santa Monica as recently as last weekend. On an artistic level, does music differ from acting and directing for you? How so?

TR: Music is a unique performing experience, because you are playing music for a live audience, and there is an energy that goes back and forth between you and the audience - and it's always a little different. Plus when you are performing in a band, it's very exciting when all the players are tightly in sync with each other on a song. It's an incredibly experience, that I hope goes on for a long time.

TC: On a final note, what projects, whether they are in acting, directing, or music, can we expect to see in the near future from you?

TR: Right now, I am slated to direct a feature film in 2015 called Knights of Mary Phagan and episodes of a new sci-fi series called New Dawn. I am also developing two other feature films with independent producers. I am currently in post-production on Star Trek: Renegades.

Musically, I have written a couple of songs for a comedy feature, and may writer another one for a sci-fi feature, and I still am performing regularly in L.A.

I am cast in a sci-fi feature called 5th Passenger that may shoot soon as well as a film called The Entwined. 

And I'll leave you guys with this bit of Tuvok-related silliness!

Possibilities And Necessities

"We admit possibility only when we grant necessity." 

So says Goldberg as he and McCann interrogate Stanley Weber in Harold Pinter's inscrutable-yet-indelible The Birthday Party. Increasingly, I find myself returning to this quote again and again as I go forth in my various activities and ventures. Goldberg says this statement merely to contradict poor Stanley (who, like viewers and readers, struggles to answer the progressively absurd questions Goldberg and McCann bombard him with), but I cannot shake the idea that there is some element of truth to it.

Perhaps the quote's resonance lies in it's applicability to any number of situations in real life. Indeed, the snarker inside me rubbed his devilish little hands with glee the first time I heard it, for I thought it might come in handy when a disagreement arose between me and others and I needed a potent quip to cast doubt on the legitimacy of their position.

"Oh you can't go with me to the 5 hour Philip Glass show because you HAVE to go to the circkle jerk downtown? Well, we admit possibility only when we grant necessity, so I guess if getting beat off by a bunch of strangers is that important to you, go ahead."

See what I mean?

But as I thought about it, I realized, horror of horrors, that it applies just as much to me. I am very much a creature of habit. I always have been, which to be fair, might be because I am autistic. I am not able to exactly quantify how being autistic makes it hard for me to move beyond boundaries I am accustomed to and adopt new hobbies and activities, but I would wager it plays a significant role, sorry as I am to say. I have missed out on countless opportunities because of my significant, in some instances even crippling propensity for the familiar, and every time I did, I justified it on the grounds that it wasn't possible. For a time, I bought such explanations, but eventually they would crumble as I thought them over and realized that if I really wanted, if I really needed to, I could have done whatever I considering doing. Case in point is this blog.

I have flirted with blogging before, but I lacked the discipline (I would have said time but that would irreparably undermine the point and spirit of this post) to carry through with such a project, so I stuck mostly to Tumblr, which is hardly a conducive environment to serious or even just consistent writing. For the majority of my short life, I have focused on school, whether it be in elementary school or UCLA, so everything took a back seat to my education. I am still in college at the moment, but unlike many of my fellow bachelors, I am pursuing a vocational certificate rather than a graduate degree. Thus, I have a lot more time on my hands than I did before, allowing me to spend more time on activities like writing and, hopefully, podcasting. During my undergraduate studies, I was, against all odds, involved with the campus radio station, UCLA Radio, so I found myself not only behind the mic when not playing music that I actually wanted to hear on the airwaves, but also interviewing figures who a couple years ago or even months before I never would have had the opportunity to speak to. It was the apogee of my time at UCLA, and I hope that this blog will not only continue that adventure, but also take it to new heights.

I look forward to writing for you - no, let me be honest, writing for me, because let's face it, deep down, bloggers write for themselves. We do, however, enjoy reader's comments almost as much as we do writing, so I look forward to reading your feedback.

To possibility, dear reader.