August 31, 2007

The package arrived on set today compliments of MGM, a little thank you for my participation in the Comic Con Stargate Atlantis panel. Inside: a glossy 2007 Stargate Atlantis calendar (still good for the last four months of the year!), and a cool Stargate Atlantis mug sporting the following warning “This product contains or may contain a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm”. Good thing I prefer dogs over kids!

Well, today’s late call meant I could sleep in past 5:00 a.m. and not have to roll onto set until 11:00 a.m.-ish. They were just setting up the scene with special guest star and Extra correspondent Jerry Penacoli, a.k.a. Genii #3, a.k.a. Genii Jerry. Jerry was all smiles and laughs but the second Will yelled “Action!”, he was IN character - tensing up, quavering, and then hitting the dirt like Sir Lawrence Olivier as an after-sticked Julius Caesar. He even threw in a little finishing leg kick. Masterful!

We finished up the scene at the ruins a little before 8:00 p.m. at which point I was informed that we were moving. I packed away my camera, slipped my laptop into its case, tossed out my empty pudding can, then turned around…. Everyone was gone. And they’d taken the equipment with them. I was alone in the woods. Bewildered, I looked around to see if I could see which way they’d headed. A rustling in the brush behind me could well have been a meandering A.D. - but my first thought was “hungry cougar” and that was enough to send me quickly off in the opposite direction. I finally found a path that led me out of the forest and over to the trucks and trailers where the next scene was being set up: the late night search and sniff.

I returned home sleepy yet satisfied in the knowledge that this episode will surprise fans not unlike that enormous dead branch Techy Chuck leaned up against and sent crashing down onto the forest floor, mere inches from where I was standing.

Chocolates sampled on this day: Milk Chocolate Pistachio, Milk Chocolate Elderblossom Cream and Apple Brandy, Dark Chocolate Beetroot with Galingale, and ultimate winner Dark Chocolate Lemon Polenta.

Pics: Ready to roll, the Genii lie in wait, the Genii effect repairs and kick back, checking out the onscreen action, Ivon and Linda-Lisa, my still usable 2007 Stargate Atlantis calendar, my sterility mug warning.

Video: Click the date!

August 30th, 2007

The day got off to an exciting start when, at a little after 5:00 a.m. this morning, I scooped up the puppy to hurry her outside for her morning pee only to lose my footing on the darkened landing and take a crazy carpet ride down the stairs - sans crazy carpet. As soon as I hit the ground floor, Lulu hopped out of my lap and happily bounded off and into the kitchen. She was just finishing off her morning pee by the one of the leather couches by the time I caught up.

Thankfully uninjured but more than a little spooked (I’m not superstitious, but I clearly started the day off on the wrong foot and my bad luck seemed to follow me through my morning work-out routine when I almost took out an overhead light executing a standing shoulder press). Still, I made it out of the house in one piece and vowed to be prepared - for anything. Especially bears. By the time I got my camera out yesterday, the cute little furball was long gone, so I made a mental note to myself “On the drive back home tonight, remember to have the camera handy.” Just as I was making that mental mote, my driver Larry hit the brakes and pointed - at the black bear sitting on the side of the road. Crap! I reached into the back seat, pulled out my camera, turned it on, and swung it around to snap - too late. It was long gone.

I finally made it to Widgen Park where Will was setting up the only scene we’d be shooting that day: scene 29, a seven and a half page complex monster. Arguing, stunning, fixing, shooting, running, jumping, falling. And that was just the behind-the-scenes goings-on. By the time lunch was called, we were running a little late but Will assured me he’d be making up time in the afternoon. Of course the best laid plans of mice, men, and determined directors can be completely undone by something as simple as an airplane flying over the location and ruining three successive takes.

Still, a good time was had by all, especially those hanging around the director’s chair as I had brought along some Zotter’s chocolates for those in need of a pick-me-up. The flavors providing the pick-me-up on this day included Dark Chocolate and Green Veltliner Wine with Long Pepper, Milk Chocolate Sunflower Seeds and Rye Bread, and consensus favorite Dark Chocolate Coffee Plum with Caramelized Bacon.

Tomorrow’s the big night shoot so expect my blog entry to be a little later - say, midnight-ish. Set your alarms!

Pics: David waiting for something to happen, Will psyche's himself up, Joe's alternative to bug spray.

Video: Click on the date. Oooh, spooky!

August 29, 2007

We turned off the main street and onto a back road that snaked through a heavily forested area, endlessly rising, falling, zigging and zagging - nothing but deep, dark wilderness to either side. “It’s beautiful,”remarked Larry, my driver. Hmmm. To me, it looked like an ideal place to dump a murder victim.

Eventually, we reached the end of the road - which turned out to be an even rougher trail that continued for another two miles before delivering us to an impromptu tree-lined parking area. I made the rest of the trek on foot, arriving by the water as they were setting up the first shot of the day, a “walk and talk” backlit by the rising sun. It was a beautiful scene, one of those rare instances that someone bears witness to only on those rare occasions he wakes up 5:00 a.m. and takes the 90 minute drive down to the location to watch it being shot - or, better yet, just watches it on t.v. months later.

From there, we moved on to the bridge scene and got as far as blocking the power bar scene before lunch was called. Veal cutlets and peanut butter bars! Fortified, we hiked back into the bush to shoot the power bar scene followed by the search scene and ending with the green screen shot.

Jodelle F. - What can I say? She’s an incredibly talented young lady eho is doing a fantastic job as little Harmony. Her character, McKay, and Sheppard play wonderfully off one another, and the fun between these three continues long after the scene has been shot.

No bears on set this day (the one we saw ambling across the trail on the drive back doesn’t count) but plenty of mosquitoes and the odd plane flying by to ruin a take or five. Apparently, there are cougars in the area, but they’re mainly up in the mountains and only come down when it’s dark - like, say, this Friday when we do the night shoot. Also, excitement galore and a near-disaster averted after quick action was taken to fix a tear in David Hewelett’s pants (“Them aren’t sitting pants!“I warned him.). Ah, show business!

Pics: You bet!

August 28, 2007

When someone walks into your office, gives the place a once-over, and asks: “Was this place hit by a tornado?”, you know it’s time to do a little tidying up. Well as it turned out, I had the opportunity to do a little summer spring cleaning today since my planned outing to Widgen Park for the first day of Harmony was rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances. Part of me was disappointed to hear I would not be making the 1 1/2 hour trek to the forest location as I had already set aside my long-sleeved t-shirt and bug spray and, more importantly, gotten up at 5:30 a.m. for the excursion, while another part of me was even more disappointed because it meant the schedule was pushed and I would have to do it all over again tomorrow morning. Well, not exactly, as the call time has been pulled a half an hour which means I’ll be waking up at 5:00 a.m. instead.

The last time the production shot at Widgen was way back in SG-1’s fourth season on a little episode called Scorched Earth, the very first script Paul and I wrote for the show. According to legend, one of the actors refused to come out of their trailer until the bear that was stalking the grounds had left the area. In the end, it came down to a couple of P.A.’s who saved the day by chasing away the no-doubt adorable furball. Seriously, I wonder what that conversation must’ve been like. Martin Wood: “Hey, Spencer, we need you and Tim to wrangle the extras, get the guest star a script and, oh yeah, chase away that hungry predator.” Hmmm. According to the fine print on the spray I picked up, it repels mosquitoes, ticks, and something called “chiggers” (which, if I remember correctly, are surly forest-dwelling gnomes). It doesn’t say anything about bears. In fact, it’s quite possible that bears enjoy the taste of Raid.

Still, it should be fun. Though probably not as much fun as trying to upload a video to blogger. Yesterday, after innumerable attempts, I eventually gave up and went through photobucket instead. Hopefully, the bugs will be worked out (of either blogger or me) sooner than later.

Today’s pics: Andy Mikita means business, the big men on set, what's so funny?, locked and loaded.

Mailbag will return…hmmm, don’t really know when. I’ll be on location for the rest of the week and while I’ll probably be able to upload my entries and some pics and, hopefully, some vids, I probably won’t be getting around to answering any questions. So, for the time being, limit your comments to effusive praise and we’ll get back to questions this weekend.

August 27, 2007 click here for video!

Hmnm. Let's try this.

August 27, 2007

Hey, check out the new video addition to this blog featuring extra special guest star…that Dallas Cowboys fan. No, no, no. Not Robert Cooper. The OTHER Dallas Cowboys fan.

So I was contacted by one of those email scammers with news that I had been chosen at random to receive the princely sum of $950 000. I wrote back as one of my numerous aliases - in this case, Baron Destructo, head of the League of Aliens and Mutants for Evil bent on global domination - little imagining I’d receive a response. Well, I received plenty. In fact, over the past few days, Baron Destructo has received a number of emails from one Martin Holme, ever eager to secure the Baron‘s personal information or, at the very least, $200 cash. Alas, Baron Destructo doesn‘t deal in cash and instead offered to loan Mr. Holme his choice of one of five super items: fire gauntlets, rocket boots, a chameleon cloak, a helm of fortitude, or tickets to see Neil Sedaka at the Mirage. Well, this morning, I found the following sitting in my inbox:

“ATTN: Baron Destructo,

This is to acknowledged the receipt of your email regarding your Payment . We prefair option two the five options that you have been given to us wich says

Rocket Boots: Fly around the city! Buzz news choppers! Catch the big game from the best seat in the house AND then beat traffic home! A great way to check out the exosphere (note: if you do, dress warmly).

I wait for your urgent response as soon as you receive this email.”

Hmmm. Baron Destructo wrote back:

“Dearest Human Rubbish,

An excellent choice! The rocket boots will serve you well for the last two weeks of your worthless existence!

With regard to the delivery of said rocket boots, please choose from the following options:

1. If you happen to find yourself in the lunar area, feel free to drop by our Fortress of Depravity moonbase. Be sure to call ahead so that we can arrange for you to join one of the daily tours which will include: a guided walkthrough of the facilities, a ride in a shadow scram jet, a complimentary drink ticket and photo op with a super villain of your choice (subject to availability), and access to our gift shop where you may purchase exclusive League of Aliens and Mutants for Evil merchandise including t-shirts, posters, and commemorative plates.

2. If you do not foresee yourself in the area any time in the near future, might I suggest we meet at any of our following Earthen sanctums:

A. Disneyland - Anaheim, California. Our subterranean lair is conveniently located beneath the Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse attraction. Ask Goofy for details.

B. High Point, North Carolina at the site of the world’s largest chest of drawers. Our headquarters are situated in the second drawer from the top, directly above the one with the gigantic dangling socks.

C. Shibuya Love Hotel - Tokyo, Japan. Come find us in the Pantieless Pirate theme room.

D. The Bramah Tea and Coffee Museum in London, England. Visit the tea room and ask to see Death Knell.

E. Restaurant La Vieille Chausettte - Paris, France. Dine or die in style at this 5 star eatery. Sample Cordon Bleu-trained Master Chef Brutus Badly’s famed foie gras-stuffed squab, profiteroles au chocolat, and electric death whip.

Let me know which works best for you.

Thank you for keeping the dream alive.

Sincerely,

Baron Destructo

Cc: Calamitous Jane, Glaxnor the Miscreant, Sinderella Washington, Xxxaptak’qul, Dr. Catastro, Dr. Disastro, Dr. Quinn Meddlesome Woman, Ray Mephistopheles, Archfiend Animus, Brutus Badly, the Plague Zombies, Vorzik the Planet Squisher, the Malevolater, Count Sinister, Kugal Baruth, Death Knell, Star Father Celestio, Shatterdam, Princess Arcana, the Mystifier, the Procrastinator, the Soul Emancipator, Quickstrike, Professor Frosty, Flamer the Flaming Man, the Pummeler, the Purple Lamprey, and John Tesh.”

Well, as it turns out, Martin Holme is a very industrious fellow. Besides trying to land himself a pair of rocket boots, he is also trying to finagle some cash from one of my other aliases. My Margaret Quibble yahoo account received a follow-up to her sad tale of domestic apathy, bingo gone awry, and a kidnapping:

“This is to acknowledged the receipt of your email regarding your Payment . We have just received your prize payment File a while ago from the lottery committe.Before i go on i will like to clarify you on this exersice…”

A thrilled Ms. Quibble wrote back:

“Dear Mr. Holme,

This money couldn’t have come at a better time. The ransom payment my husband’s kidnappers requested amounts to exactly $950 000 and, while I’m in no hurry to see Melvin back home, I am interested in questioning him about some Costa Rican beachfront property I discovered in his secretary’s name.

If you could, would you be so kind as to deal with the kidnappers directly. Please direct any further correspondence to:

Mr. Kidnapper at melvinskidnappers@yahoo.com

Thank you,

Margaret Quibble”

Today’s pics: None today. Don’t be so greedy.

Today’s mailbag -

Anonymous #1 writes: “You mentioned a huge ending for season 4 which will be a good pick up for season five but if there is no season five will you just leave the fans hanging?”

Answer: I’m not in a position to make any promises, but I’m fairly certain that we’ll find a way to answer most of those unanswered questions.

Zabadoo writes: “1.)Will there be any more Batman references this season? 2.)How long is Teal'c in Reunion? What about Midway? 3.)Who is the least developed character in the fourth season?”

Answers: 1) Yes. 2) He’ll make a cameo in Reunion and put in a full appearance in Midway. 3) Chuck.

Chevron 7 writes: “Did he get rid of the pony tail?”

Answer: Yup and Carl was soooo disappointed.

Sanura writes: “Was the Sedge in "The Real World" Torri's dog?”

Answer: Yep.

Dsbeerf writes: “Thanks for not mentioning to Jason what I said about him wearing glasses in the picture you snapped. I am glad I did not have to spend long months in the hospital.”

Answer: Not yet anyway. Jason has been kind of busy but he’s sworn a blood oath to get you. Just saying.

Vikitty writes: “Will you be going to Nibbles & Bites in Richmond in September?”

Answer: Maybe. What is it?

Atlantis babe34 writes: “Hey Joe, Im going to Hong Kong at the end of the year. Got any Nice resturants?”

Answer: Kowloon: The Peninsula Hotel’s restaurants (Felix and Gaddi's) delivers terrific high-end fare. Spring Moon, also in the Peninsula, is a great place for dim sum. Spoon, an Alain Ducasse restaurant located at the InterContinental, is also wonderfully creative. Finally, the Aqua Restaurant Group (http://www.aqua.com.hk/) offers up superior food in a stylish setting with gorgeous views of Hong Kong Harbour. I highly recommend both Aqua and Hutong. If you do Hutong, order the deboned lamb ribs and, if you're feeling brave, the soft shell crab with red chilis. Hong Kong Island: The Island Shangri-La offers an unbelievable morning buffet and direct access to Pacific Place, a great shopping and entertainment complex where you'll find, among many other things, two great casual restaurants: Ye Shanghai and Basil. A couple of other restaurants I've heard very good things about include: Opia (1-5 Irving St, Jia Hotel), Man Wah (5 Connaught Rd, Mandarin Oriental Hotel)and Yunk Kee which is famous for its roast goose (32 Wellington Street, Central).

Linzi writes: “Will we learn about Sheppard's parents? That is to say, will we find out if they're dead or alive?”

Answer: We will.

Namiko writes: “ Where do you think the Raiders will go this season?”

Answer: Sadly - probably nowhere.

Vern writes: “It's my birthday on the 27th and I want the blog dedicated to me.”

Answer: Happy Birthday. Today’s blog entry is dedicated to you and Cheeky. And the League of Aliens and Mutants for Evil.

Susan the Tartan Turtle writes: “ Are any of the Pugs related other than by adoption?”

Answer: Nope.

August 26, 2007

With Fondy at the store, pricing stock and prepping for the Petits Fours opening (she‘ll be serving ube cake next Saturday!), I’ve spent the good part of the weekend lazing around with the dogs and catching up on some reading. Finished Iain M. Banks’s Use of Weapons, a novel I found a little tougher going than Player of Games and Consider Phlebas, but one that ultimately rewards with a rockingly great ending. I didn’t get around to the second book in the Ice and Fire series, until Friday as I was waylaid by a selection from my Fantasy Book Club. Utter garbage. It was the kind of book - slow-paced, cardboard characters, trite dialogue - that makes me not want to continue reading fantasy. Fortunately, the brilliance of George R. R. Martin washed away the stench of that particularly crappy read, and I’m about half-way through A Clash of Kings. Damn, is it great.

I gave a little more thought to the proposed Joseph Mallozzi’s Book Club idea and have decided to offer up two selections - one scifi, the other fantasy. Interested parties can choose to read one or both books between now and then end of September, at which point I invite all to weigh in with their thoughts and opinions.

Since I’m planning to eventually make my way through all of Iain M. Banks’s science fiction offerings, I’d like to make “Excession” the scifi pick. According to the wikipedia entry: “ It is the fourth of his novels to feature the Culture. It is a large-scale space opera, with a complex plot following many characters across large volumes of space.” It’s a stand-alone so you won’t have to have read any of his previously published works.

And, since I’m also planning to eventually make my way through all of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, I’d like to make “Hogfather” the fantasy pick. According to the wikipedia entry: “ The Hogfather is also a character in the book, representing something akin to Father Christmas. He grants children's wishes on Hogswatchnight (32nd of December) and brings them presents.”

Well, that’s it. I’m heading back to my reading. Oh, and those set pics I mentioned I was sitting on a while back. Check ‘em out -

Today’s Q&A -

Jen Kirk writes: “Second, what type of files does your cam create?”

Answer: Problem solved. Rather than film in HD, I’ll switch to the lower quality Standard Def which has proven much easier to transfer and upload. I’ll give it my first official test tomorrow.

Sanura writes: “ If Stargate ever finishes for good (PTB and ratings and heaven forbid), would you be allowed/inclined to read any fanfiction?”

Answer: If and when Stargate ends, I believe I’ll be so Stargated out that the last thing I’ll want to check out is anything Stargate related.

Jill_Ion writes: “I've read Howl's Moving Castle - pretty good book.”

Answer: There’s a book? Cool.

Alipeeps writes: “I'm sure half of those items are actually available in City of Villains…”

Answer: There’s a City of Villains game? Even cooler.

Alipeeps also writes: “Season 3 of Dr Who is due out on DVD in November - you planning to pick it up?”

Answer: I picked up and watched the first two seasons, so I’ll definitely be picking up the third.

Alipeeps who is just full of questions today writes: “What is your absolute favourite cut of meat (or is that a silly question, given your recent rhapsodizing over the Côte de Boeuf)?”

Answer: I prefer a nicely marbled rib-eye.

Pauline writes: “Roasted monkfish tail with a red wine butter sauce and herb risotto…”

Answer: I want.

Alipeeps at it again writes: “As a confirmed foodie and chocolate lover, could I get your opinion on a menu?”

Answer: Hmmm. Hard to judge. Offhand, I wouldn’t think to pair swordfish with chocolate but, hey, I’d be willing to give it a go. The duck with bitter chocolate sauce on the other hand - now that sounds a little more intriguing.

Rac76 writes: “I must have missed something, but who is Evil?”

Answer: Evil, aka Kenny Gibbs, is our props master.

Anonymous #1 writes: “I do recognize Lulu but which ones are Maximus, Jelly and Bubba? As for the 2 tan coloured ones do you need the bandana to distinguish which one is which?”

Answer: Maximus is the black one, Jelly is the chubbier female with the horizontal wrinkles, Bubba is the lanky male with the vertical wrinkles. If you spend enough time around them, pugs are fairly easy to tell apart. Unlike, say, babies.

Anonymous #2 writes: “I'm sorry if you mentioned this before, but I'm wondering, what is the garnish that accompanies your bowl of delicious corn soup?”

Answer: Okanagan peaches and chili.

Wingwyrm writes: “I can't seem to find a single episode with Ra's eye as a tattoo. Either I'm missing something or Ra had few to none warriors.”

Answer: My take has always been that Ra’s Jaffa were so fiercely loyal that they perished in battle rather than being taken alive and given the opportunity to switch their allegiance.

PG15 writes: “My question is, do you ever travel to just see the scenery? Or is it mainly for relaxation and food?”

Answer: Welcome back. What did you bring me? When I travel, it’s usually for relaxation and food, although I do end up checking out the scenery if I’m with my wife.

Laura writes: “I'm travelling to Vancouver in October, with my family, and I was wondering if you could suggest some good restaurants to visit?”

Answer: Check out past blog entries for restaurant recommendations. Off the top of my head: Fuel, Vij’s, Yuji’s, Aki’s, Bistrot Bistro, Don Francesco’s.

Laz writes: “ Normally I'll ran a mile to get a sub rather than a dub, but in this case…”

Answer: My problem with dubbed versions has little to do with the voice actors or the accuracy of the script and everything to do with the voice directors who, more often than not, think “cartoon = wacky” and err on the side of embarrassing over-the-top performances.

Crazymom writes: “Did Fondy enjoy the dog expo? Did she bring back gifts for Lulu and the pugs? Did she bring you any New York chocolate?”

Answers: She had a great time. She didn’t bring back anything for me or the dogs. Come to think of it, she was supposed to stop by MarieBelle and pick me up a Margot 60% dark chocolate bar. Thanks for reminding me!

AtlantisFanNew1 a ecrit: “1)Vous avez toujour eu des bouldogues francais comme chiens? 2)Vous préférez, le chocolat blanc? noir? au lait? avec des noisettes?des amandes?aux riz soufflé? 3)Le bébé de teyla sera normal? 4)Avez vous un couple préféré dans stargate atlantis ? Lequel?”

Reponses: 1) Non. Lulu est un bouldogue francais, mais Jelly, Maximus, et Bubba sont des pugs. 2) Non. 3) ? 4) Non.

MrsB108 writes: “1)Will Rodney have continuing moments of selflessness this season, thoughtfully putting others before himself? 2)Can we expect some interesting interactions between Keller and Ronon? 3)Can we expect big storyline changes when Season Five gets picked up?”

Answer: 1) Yup. One particularly memorable moment from the first half of season four comes to mind. 2) Yup. Some particularly memorable scenes from the second half of season four come to mind. 3) We’ve set up something BIG for the end of this season that should make for a very exciting fifth season.

August 25, 2007

Well, I was back at Fuel last night for the fourth visit in about a week, this time with Fondy who had her heart set on the Cote de Boeuf. I’ll let the picture do the talking but, suffice it to say, the quality of the food and the service remains wonderfully consistent. A huuuge fan of Chef Belcham’s luxuriously rich chilled corn soup, I’m not ashamed to admit that I started the meal with a double serving - but a little embarrassed to confess I skipped dessert in favor of ending my meal with another double serving. According to Chef Belcham, 8 ears of corn go into one full-bodied serving. So, do the math. I had 32 ears of corn in one sitting. That must be a record - for me anyway.

I’m pleased to report that Baron Destructo (one of my many online aliases) received a response from a determined email scammer, committed to “doing business” with him despite the fact that the Baron and his cohorts are super villains bent on taking over the world. Meh, who cares? So long as he gets the $200 processing fee he requested, I suppose. Yeah, about that, Baron Destructo wrote back:

“ Dearest Human Offal,

Your speedy response is much appreciated. Regarding your request for $200, the sad reality is that as a secret league of supervillains dedicated to world domination and the enslavement of humankind, we do not make use of public bank accounts or any traceable means of finance, thus any sort of wire transfer is problematic. Mailing you the cash is out of question as well as the thought of entrusting the payment to a postal service plagued by unscrupulous opportunists makes us all very uneasy. So in lieu of the $200 fee, might I suggest we temporarily loan you one of the following items:

1. Fire Gauntlets: Ideal for generating and manipulating fireballs, firewalls, and incendiary strikes. A wonderful conversation starter. And stopper.

2. Rocket Boots: Fly around the city! Buzz news choppers! Catch the big game from the best seat in the house and then beat traffic home! A great way to check out the exosphere (note: if you do, dress warmly).

3. Chameleon Cloak: Blend in to most any background like a Freddie Prinze Jr. movie on a summer release slate.

4. Helm of Fortitude: This handy headgear guards against the deleterious mental effects of psionic assaults, attempted mind control, and summer reality television.

5. Two Tickets to see Neil Sedaka at the Mirage: Great seats, third row center, at this once in a lifetime show! Unfortunately, the tickets are part of a foursome that will have you seated beside the Dr. Catastro and the Purple Lamprey who are notorious for talking through these types of live events.

Let me know which of the five you would prefer. All we ask is that you have said item on your person when our representatives show up to collect the monies, and level your offices, so that we may conveniently reclaim it from your smoldering corpse.

Many thanks and, as always, thank you for keeping the dream alive,

Sincerely,

Baron Destructo

Cc: Calamitous Jane, Glaxnor the Miscreant, Sinderella Washington, Xxxaptak’qul, Dr. Catastro, Dr. Disastro, Dr. Quinn Meddlesome Woman, Ray Mephistopheles, Archfiend Animus, Brutus Badly, the Plague Zombies, Vorzik the Planet Squisher, the Malevolater, Count Sinister, Kugal Baruth, Death Knell, Star Father Celestio, Shatterdam, Princess Arcana, the Mystifier, the Procrastinator, the Soul Emancipator, Quickstrike, Professor Frosty, Flamer the Flaming Man, the Pummeler, the Purple Lamprey, and John Tesh.”

Personally, I would go with the rocket boots.

On the other hand, I’m sad to report I’ve received no word from my other industrious scammer, James Williams. Hoping to prod a response, I had his mark (and my alternate alias) Cookie Monster, send off a quick, hopeful note:

“Hello dere,

Oh boy oh boy! Cookie Monster have good news for James Williams! Get another $480 dollars, this time from Oscar the Grouch. Oscar flush running Nigerian email scam. Contact idiots and offer dem millions of dollars, but first make dem cough up personal information and cash. Halarious! People so stupid dey send him free money! Ha ha ha!

So anyway, Cookie Monster send $480 dollars yesterday. No worry. Look up James Williams address in U.K. directory. Luckily is not very common name. So when James Williams get money, let Cookie Monster know. Cookie Monster not trust mail system. Last week receive package of crocodiles not remember ordering.

Love,

Cookie Monster”

Here’s hoping he writes back soon.

Oh, good news and bad news. The good news is blogger.com has added a new video feature that will allow me to post clips. The bad news is I’m completely inept when it comes to things techie and I haven’t the faintest how to convert clips from my HD camera to wmv or avi files. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Today's pics: Appetizer, dinner, dessert, Evil shows off the bling, Director Wil Waring and Evil, Lulu settling in, something from the Art Department

Today’s mail -

Alipeeps writes: “Good lord! What on earth is Jason wearing in that photo? Is that a costume or his own clothes?”

Answer: When I spotted him, I wondered aloud: “What the hell was our costume department thinking?” Alas, it was an outfit from his own closet.

Flying Fig writes: “It sounds like Nora Jones was behind Stargate quite a bit…”

Answer: Great to hear we have celebrity fans. I know Nora did a guest stint on CSI. Wonderful if she’d be willing to do one on Atlantis.

Anonymous #1 writes: “When will you find out if Atlantis is gonna get picked up for a fifth season?”

Answer: Probably not until November.

Anonymous #2 writes: “And did you even attempt to get Rick for a couple of episodes in S4? It's just strange how you tricked him to do 3 Atlantis appearances last season…”

Answer: Yeah, tricking him was really tough. We told him we were going to take him out for lunch and told him to meet us down on Stage 6 and then, when he showed up, we locked the doors and told him he wasn’t getting out until he delivered the lines we had scripted for him. Boy, nothing gets by a swift-minded cretin such as yourself. Anymore juvenile conspiracy theories you’d care to throw our way?

Skopadiggle writes: “ Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away and The Castle of Cagliostro. Bearing in mind that I have never watched any anime films before (mostly because I don't really think I would like them) which one do you think I should pick?”

Answer: I’m assuming you’re watching them subtitled (I hope). Castle of Cagliostro is great but much older. Haven’t seen Howl’s Moving Castle yet but did watch and love Spirited Away. So, if I was going to recommend one of the three titles, I’d go with Spirited Away.

Susan the Tartan Turtle writes: “How are the 'pack' doing? Is Lulu now a member or is Jelly still giving her a hard time?”

Answer: She’s settling in quite nicely. Check out the pics.

Joshua Meyers writes: “Where is John Glassner? Why doesn't he do Stargate anymore, since season 6/7?”

Answer: Uh, you mean “since season 3”, no?

Sanura writes: “I thought I'd introduce myself first. And ask if you like cookies (if so, what kind?).”

Answer: I personally prefer chewy cookies devoid of fruity bits.

August 24, 2007

Lawren poked his head into my office and informed us: “Claire just called. Nora and Mark would like to speak with you and Paul just as soon as Mark has finished up his meeting.” Paul and I exchanged bewildered glances. “Any idea what this is about?”I asked. Lawren shrugged back. Nope. Lawren headed back down the corridor to his office, leaving Paul and I to our wild assumptions. The show had been picked up! The show had been cancelled! They had a problem with one of the scripts! They wanted to have a talk about that Binder guy!

Well, it was none of the above. It turned out to be great news for Nora O’Brien who, on the heels of a well-deserved promotion, will be leaving SciFi for NBC where she will assume the duties of VP of Development. As many of you long-time readers of this blog know, I’m a big Nora fan. She’s a pleasure to work with - smart, savvy, creative, and, well, just one hell of a nice person on both a professional and personal level. Never in my many years on Stargate did I ever get off a call with her and say “What terrible notes!” or “She doesn’t know what the hell she’s talking about!” or “I think she must be drunk!”. At the end of the day, I may not have always agreed with her, but I always respected her opinion. And so, to be perfectly candid, while I’m thrilled to see Nora move up and on to hopefully bigger and better things, a selfish little part of me is kind of bummed. I know I speak for Paul, Rob, Brad, Martin, Carl, and Alan when I say we’re really going to miss her. Nevertheless, congratulations to Nora. Maybe some day, if and when Stargate ever ends, we’ll get the chance to work together again.

Speaking of work, I swung by the set today to see check out how things are coming along on Andy Mikita’s episode. Wow. I’ve heard some directors can be tough, but I had no idea what a taskmaster Andy could be. Check out the two thoroughly exhausted extras trying to wind down after a grueling day’s shooting. Also check out Infanity host and very funny foodie Lisa Joyner who swung by the studio for a couple days to interview cast and crew for an upcoming Stargate: Atlantis piece. ALSO also, look who dropped by the production offices the other day to presumably drop off the bagged lunch he had no doubt packed with love and PB&J sandwiches for his wife Jewel. Matt swung by for a couple of hours, long enough to take the grand tour of my super villain office statues, (sort of) enjoy a power bar, and pose for this stagy argument pic with his wife.

Oh, and I’ve noticed that a thoroughly innocent passing comment I made in yesterday’s blog installment has engendered a fair amount of discussion. I wrote: “watched the episode with the engagement scene”. First, keep in mind that on average two and half weeks pass between episodes so it’s very possible for a relationship that develops early in the season to pay off in some surprising way later in the season. Second, it’s all the more likely if there are extenuating circumstances. Third, fans are getting angry and upset, so forget I mentioned it.

Mailbag -

Steph writes: “What's your favorite of Shakespeare's plays?”

Answer: Henry IV Part 1 and 2.

Keirberos writes: “First up?”

Answer: Any suggestions? Let’s put together a list of nominations, choose one, then give everyone two weeks in which to read it.

Jenny Robin writes: “Once upon a dinner dreary, while he dined, red-eyed and bleary…”

Answer: Brilliant! Just for that, this entire weekend’s blog is dedicated to you.

Jill_Ion writes: “Have you always been a foodie?”

Answer: Yep. Although when I was younger, my tastes were much less refined. My powdered doughnuts and milk breakfasts come to mind.

LogicSequence writes: “All kidding aside (not that i was kidding about the plant eating death of KB), can i have a blog dedicated to me? I hurt my foot so bad…”

Answer: This blog entry is dedicated to both you and your foot.

Anonymous #1 writes: “Rising is a strong pilot b/c it is a total copy of the the SG1 pilot.”

Answer: True. It had both a Stargate AND science fiction elements! We tried to do a pilot that was radically different than the SG1 pilot but instead of naming it Stargate: Atlantis, they ended up calling it Desperate Housewives.

Platschu writes: “1. Will Christopher Judge be in Reunion and Midway? 2. When will be released the first offical season 4 team photos? 3. Why do you prefer the Earth-based stories? 4. Will Ronon or Teyla have an own character centric episode in the second half of the season? 5. What do you think about the Stargate : Worlds game?”

Answers: 1. He will be in both. 2. No idea. 3. I do? 4. The majority of the episodes in the back half will be team-centered. 5. No opinion as I’m not familiar with it.

TJ writes: “Where is 'Fuel' because I'm currently dribbling into my keyboard over the latest entry and photos!”

Answer: 1944 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.