Lockdown Update Day 334

[elisi]

So, first of all a vid from 2009 (yeah, Joss['s work] has been skeevy for a loooong time). Original LJ post here (go read the comments!)

Watch on YouTube

For I have made her prison be
Her every step away from me

Thinking about this vid and what is says and how those themes are echoed throughout Joss' work, I found this post from 2010: Thoughts on Joss and why Buffy is special.

Buffy, of all of Joss's heroines, is the odd one out. Her strength is innate, she takes charge, and she wins.

But Joss's template is Drusilla: Gifted - but broken, controlled, and turned into a weapon/monster [by a man].

It really doesn't get any less disturbing. :(

I feel I should write more, cause meta is my thing, but... It's very depressing. As I say in the post, Buffy is the one who got away.

~~

Anyway, here's to Adam's Busch who's the latest Buffy alumni to lend his support:

I support Charisma, Sarah, Amber & Michelle. I admire their courage and leadership. The truth is powerful and it prevails.

— adam busch (@adambusch) February 14, 2021

This Twitter thread pulls together all the MT stuff <- I'd put a trigger warning on it. :(



I should probably post something newsworthy, but instead have this lovely thing.

Here’s an original, one-shot comic I made for fun! It’s called THIS IS SHE, it’s about a lonely, middle-aged lady who hits it off with a telemarketer lady and they fall in love. I hope you enjoy it! 💕 (Pages 4/40) pic.twitter.com/S1LKWyHUla

— Kyra Kupetsky (@KyraKupetsky) November 7, 2019

Comments

[deird1]

I’ve never seen that vid before. It’s powerful, and disturbing.

[elisi]

Really? In which case I am even more pleased that I decided to re-post it.

It just works so well.

[maia]

I’ve never seen that vid before.

Likewise.


It’s powerful, and disturbing.

Indeed.

[elisi]

I'm surprised, since I have posted it regularly for the past... 10+ years. However I am glad that I re-posted, since it says things much more clearly than many essays.

[shadowkat]

Thanks for the video.

I think Buffy got away - because it was the first show, before Whedon had any creative clout. And Buffy had others working on it, and Gail Berman who reigned Whedon in a bit.

That said - people have since pointed out that Buffy was also highly problematic in places. (Yeah, it was - it really doesn't age well.)

Anyhow - I've managed to cobble together 20 people who supported Charisma. Go HERE. I found them vis Twitter and the Whedon Studies site.

Since your post - Danny Strong, Tom Lenk, Julie Benze, David Boreanze, have all posted their support.
There's also both Buffy and Angel tie-in novelists who did.

[elisi]

Thanks for the video.
I've kept coming back to it over the years, it's just that good.

I think Buffy got away - because it was the first show, before Whedon had any creative clout. And Buffy had others working on it, and Gail Berman who reigned Whedon in a bit.
*nods* (Like George Lucas & Star Wars...)

That said - people have since pointed out that Buffy was also highly problematic in places. (Yeah, it was - it really doesn't age well.)
Oh yeah. It did a lot of stuff well and was a trailblazer in many ways, BUT. It was also a product of its time. I'm sure we could all produce a list at the drop of a hat!

Anyhow - I've managed to cobble together 20 people who supported Charisma. Go HERE. I found them vis Twitter and the Whedon Studies site.
Ooooh shiny! Am I OK to link to it?

And thanks for the name updates. It's heartening to see so many people rally.

[shadowkat]

Ooooh shiny! Am I OK to link to it?

And thanks for the name updates. It's heartening to see so many people rally.

Yes, you may link to it. I've updated it to include Amy Acker's statement on Twitter released today, and Charisma's response to DB's. (Who had talked to her privately when it was released).

There's 21 to date supporting her. Acker doesn't state that she experienced any of it, but does support Charisma. (I honestly don't think she did experience any of it, not everyone does. Some are targeted some aren't. Which means it is important to look closely at work places..]

Oh, also, the Whedon Studies Association - the scholarly association that studies the writers work around the world is reeling - they made the NY Times. Go Here.

[elisi]

Yes, you may link to it.
Thank you! Will probably add it to tomorrow's post, it's quite nice to not post about Joss. ;)

Acker doesn't state that she experienced any of it, but does support Charisma. (I honestly don't think she did, not everyone does. Some are targeted some aren't. Which means it is important to look closely at work places..]
*nods a lot* Although it's difficult to predict - there are people at my work who have always been perfectly pleasant to me/others outside their department and then other stuff is passed along the grapevine. :(

Oh, also, the Whedon Studies Association - the scholarly association that studies the writers work around the world is reeling - they made the NY Times. Go Here.
ETA: Thank you! Although I can't read it. But I heard something. I'm glad it's made the news.

[shadowkat]

ETA: Thank you! Although I can't read it. But I heard something. I'm glad it's made the news.

Here you go.. Buffy fans, another reckoning - I posted to my journal.

It's an interesting article - it's pulling direct quotes from the FB page that I've been following - it's how I got so much of the information - it's also how I found out about it.

[elisi]

Thank you! Am on my way to bed so will read tomorrow. <3

[avrelia]

It was really disturbing to watch this video, especially after years of Joss creations, yes.

I mean - it seems like a quirk, worthy of rolling one's eyes, first, and then it just snowballing into this weird kink. "the audience will get what they need, not what they want." Are you sure it is what we need, Joss? And what is wrong with wanting stories that don't torture and kill quite that much?

Buffy got away, I think, because, in her case, the story was stronger than Joss' quirks, and he is not a bad storyteller to disregard it. HE set out to tell a story of a small blonde girl who is stronger than monsters because she has family and friends and herself, the story couldn't end any other way, but with Buffy's victory without losing all the meaning.

But all other stories Joss tried to tell - he could break his heroines into nothing without losing the thread of the story...

[elisi]

It was really disturbing to watch this video, especially after years of Joss creations, yes.
In which case I am pleased that I posted it (again). I have loved it for years. It lines everything up with brutal precision.

I mean - it seems like a quirk, worthy of rolling one's eyes, first, and then it just snowballing into this weird kink.
*nods* And all writers have things they keep returning to, notes they always hit. But taking a step back it can be... worrying to look at the pattern.

Are you sure it is what we need, Joss? And what is wrong with wanting stories that don't torture and kill quite that much?
I've been pondering this too. It's such a famous line, but...

Buffy got away, I think, because, in her case, the story was stronger than Joss' quirks, and he is not a bad storyteller to disregard it. HE set out to tell a story of a small blonde girl who is stronger than monsters because she has family and friends and herself, the story couldn't end any other way, but with Buffy's victory without losing all the meaning.
Very true. And he had a lot of people alongside him to help keep it in line.

But all other stories Joss tried to tell - he could break his heroines into nothing without losing the thread of the story...
:( :( :(

[avrelia]

I usually have trouble with fanvids, because I need some kind of emotional response to a song for me to fanvid really work, you know? And it is easier with familiar songs, but I don't know that many songs in English, still. If that makes sense to you.

So I actually watched very little fanvids (But sometimes I come up with weird fanvid ideas that I can't do anything about.)

It's such a famous line, but...
It was always borderline uncomfortable for me, but didn't really question this line until now. But really, why should we accept that someone knows better than me what I need? I do get this line from the point of storytelling: the most obvious solution is not always the best one, and a character in the story often has different wants and needs, but it is so patronizing!

[elisi]

I usually have trouble with fanvids, because I need some kind of emotional response to a song for me to fanvid really work, you know? And it is easier with familiar songs, but I don't know that many songs in English, still. If that makes sense to you.
Oh definitely. I love vids, but I prefer meta vids, those that have something to say. Where the juxtaposition of words/images creates new meaning/highlights things.

So I actually watched very little fanvids (But sometimes I come up with weird fanvid ideas that I can't do anything about.)
Me too! :)

But really, why should we accept that someone knows better than me what I need? I do get this line from the point of storytelling: the most obvious solution is not always the best one, and a character in the story often has different wants and needs, but it is so patronizing!
It is VERY patronising. And quite like 'Mother Knows Best' (if you have seen Tangled?). Of course the writer can tell whatever story they want, but - as a writer - I don't tend to think about 'what the readers need' but what the story/character(s) needs.

[sea_thoughts]

A Buffy/Faith gif set that made me happy

And this is very cute!

[elisi]

A Buffy/Faith gif set that made me happy
♥ (Although 'Anonymous asked: Buffy/Riley or Buffy/Faith?' - like that's not a question. I've not got anything against the enormous hall monitor, but compared to Faith...)

And this is very cute!
Oh wow! Thank you.

[sea_thoughts]

Although 'Anonymous asked: Buffy/Riley or Buffy/Faith?' - like that's not a question. I've not got anything against the enormous hall monitor, but compared to Faith...

Haha, I know, how is that even a question? It's obviously Faith, it's always gonna be Faith. And I mean, Buffy did try to kill her, which is a prerequisite for any Buffy love interest. ;DD

[elisi]

And I mean, Buffy did try to kill her, which is a prerequisite for any Buffy love interest. ;DD
THIS. (It's a prerequisite for any 'ship of mine...)

[double_dutchess]

Thank you for sharing that comic. HEARTWARMING!

[elisi]

It only belatedly occurred to me that it was also perfect for Valentines! But hey, I'm glad I chose it, even if it was subconsciously. It's was just too sweet not to share. ♥

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you for these. It is heartbreaking, but we must face the awfulness to be able to grapple with it and make sure it is a thing of the past.

*HUGS*

[elisi]

You're welcome. It part of how I process it all - gather all the links, try to get a good picture of everything.

Here's to hoping things get better!

*hugs back*