Grrr... punk fanboys.

[teddog]

I'll admit something - last spring I got someone into MST3K who probably shouldn't have been exposed: a high schooler who, at the time, I didn't know was borderline violently obsessive.

I met the kid again today and he went fanboy on me. Normally I don't have trouble with kids like this. I too was a nasty and rude n00b at one point; blame it on the awkward teenager phase. Hanging around in fan fic communities, you see it a lot.

The kid started spewing out facts (the history of Gizmonics, etc) and told me to check out the Satellite News. I politely told him that I've been visiting the site since 1999 and help run a fan fic site, so I'm well schooled in the subject.

Then, out of the blue, he started the taboo arguement. Yeah, that's right, he wanted to have a "Joel versuses Mike" debate.

If only you could have seen my face.

Okay MiSTies, what's the golden rule in MST3K communities? We don't fight over which host is better. It's the Topic That Shall Not Be Named. There's a whole page on it in the offical FAQ!

Anywho, Fanboy decided to start his rant with discussing how Joel was "whipped" by Forrester and was whimp because he never tried to escape. I explained that there were a few fan theories on why this was (if you're a MST3K slasher and you know it, raise your hand), but it boiled down to the fact that Joel was probably happier in the SOL than on Earth. Fanboy then suggested that if Joel was such a good inventor, than why was he a janitor for the Gizmonics Institute. Before I had to handle that question, another person near us said the famous line from the opening "It's just show; I should really should relax".

Thank goodness. o_O

And for the record, I like both Mike and Joel equally. I only have strong opinions when it comes to the Mads. I liked Clayton Forrester a lot more than Pearl, but then that's just me and I have a thing for mad scientist. Observer was pretty cool in the Sci-Fi era, though. ^_^

Comments

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

*rasies hand* It's pointless, but it's worth the price of addmission since you mentioned Forrester/Joel. At least, I think you did.

[commanderteddog.livejournal.com]

I've heard the Joel/Forrester explaination to the characters' behavior, so I mentioned it. It should be noted that I have a circle of friends I was with last night and I like messing with their heads by mentioning what I see in fandom. We have a demented collective sense of humour. For example, we want the anime series Elfen Lied (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=4148) to break down into a romantic comedy like Tenchi Muyo.

I still do not support the Joel/Forrester theory and have my own beliefs in the matter. It's sorta like communications/media studies; while I need to know about all the theories on why and how we communicate, I don't have to accept all of them. In short, two guys going at it does nothing for me.

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

It's just that that pairing is so rare, it's an occasion to be marked when it comes up at all. I think I've come across it twice before this, and I've only seen it explained on the MST3K/Gravity's Rainbow conspircy page. Even there, it was more of "Hmmm" than anything else.

And Nightcat's mention was more of a passing "I made this Forrester/Frank icon, but I much prefer Forrester/Joel" thing.

It's magically obscure!

[commanderteddog.livejournal.com]

I remember hearing the idea kicked around once or twice in 1999, when I first really got into the online end of the fandom. Like you said, it's not a common theory, but it is out there.