RDA Tech-TV interview

[CynVision]

Was this posted yet? If you've got a good ISP you might have the bandwidth to play these files.

http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/bitchat/story/0,24330,3387521,00.html

It's the longest interview I've seen with him! But I'm young... maybe there's something from MacGyver days that's as long.

And we're safe from ever being "discovered" by him. He's not a computer person at all.

 

[summershake]

Thanks for the link. I watched it and although RDA said he didn't want to come across as a complete idiot, just a virtual idiot he came across a little bit...distracted.
How long did it take him to describe the show's demise? Mhmmm...makes me think...

 

[taun2]

Cool link, thanx... It is quite a long interview when you consider the ones that he has done in the past. Again, thanx!!

 

[CynVision]

Originally posted by summershake
Thanks for the link. I watched it and although RDA said he didn't want to come across as a complete idiot, just a virtual idiot he came across a little bit...distracted.
How long did it take him to describe the show's demise? Mhmmm...makes me think...

I think has the reputation is for being a tad flighty. His print/magazine interviewers all play him that way. In that last Lycos online chat he didn't seem that way. I felt he was a very fine online chatter for all his "I don't know computers" spin. I should know, I'm in the IRC #newbies room every night and see complete chat beginners typing incomplete thoughts. So he's far better with computers and written communication than he lets on. It could be the difference of "playing" with computer to chat and being set in front of cameras where he's ready to ham it up. You know what I mean? It's not easy to be interviewed. Who knows what you're going to be asked? His distraction could have been annoyance with the shovel guys. Setting the interview up in the fringes of a set can be distracting for one of the "in charge" guys.

"The shows demise?" Not sure what you mean there. He seemed tongue-tied over the whole show's premise. And he's only been working there, what, six years on it? He always oversimplifies it.

 

[summershake]

Originally posted by CynVision
"The shows demise?" Not sure what you mean there. He seemed tongue-tied over the whole show's premise. And he's only been working there, what, six years on it? He always oversimplifies it.

Sorry, foreigner here, of course I ment premise.
I guess you're right about interviews being one of the hard parts of popularity. It isn't really easy to come up with good answers in a short amount of time, but I think it's harder when you're new to the buissness...this is something that needs getting used to it.
But I think RDA is in this buissness for...oh, quite some time and we're talking about a series in which he's the star and producer...one for four, the other for five years.
It's just that I sat there and waited for his answer...and waited...and he stuttered a little bit...and I waited...and he stuttered some more...and I just thought: 'Now PLEASE say something, it's getting embarrassing'...LOL
So don't take me too serious here...

But I have to admit I was shocked about his response to Slash fiction. Although I'm no slasher and had much fun watching Michael Shanks trying to find the right words at SG4 without offending too many fans I think RDA may have offended some slashers out there...But I guess they have to speak for themselves...

 

[gategeek]

re slash

i don't think anyone can accurately judge RDA's opinion of slash based on this interview. the interviewer asked "have you heard of slash fiction?". while RDA has undoubtably heard of the slash phenomenon, he wouldn't necessarily understand the term "slash" or "slash fiction". and then the interviewer's subsequent explanation was confusing at best - rambling on about murdoc and macgyver,"x-rated" etc.
For all we know, RDA might've understood it to be some kind of serial killer/horror type story with an erotic theme (which is what i thought when i first heard the term "slash" - i thought "blair witch project")
shanilka

 

[summershake]

LOL...what you're definately right about is that the definition the interviewer gave him was a little bit unhappy...McGyver and Murdoc sounded really...weird...

 

[CynVision]

Originally posted by summershake
and I just thought: 'Now PLEASE say something, it's getting embarrassing'...

I'm sure he's thinking the same thing right then. I can see how that can make him appear distracted. Maybe there was really stuff going on out of sight that was annoying. He really should have had his standard, canned "wall o water is a gateway to distant plantets" answer to that question. He's asked it by everyone who interviews him, right?

But I have to admit I was shocked about his response to Slash fiction. Although I'm no slasher and had much fun watching Michael Shanks trying to find the right words at SG4 without offending too many fans I think RDA may have offended some slashers out there...But I guess they have to speak for themselves...

I think the slashers may be the thoughest skinned bunch of the fic writers. They have to defend themselves from all camps poking fun or disersion on them... The example given might have been too out there. Why would the interviewer use Mac and Murd? Why not Jack and Daniel? That's the far more common scheme. That might have gotten a laugh out of him. I don't think RDA has seen the fan fic of any form because he's first to admit the surfing the Internet is not how he uses it. He's floored and tongue-tied that someone he knows has made a site for him. The "get a life" comment had to apply to all fic. He's not going to go jumping feet first into Ascifi's SG fic boards. And he could be holding back to not influence his work while he's still producing the show.

I could read his slam another way. If he understood what, shall we say, "unusual" acts some slash fic contains-- and I so don't want to say he's against gays, but-- could he be implying that kids reading about that (no matter who it involves) is not right? The same way we shelter kids from porn? The question about slash came around a question on how his daughter works with computers at a young age. And how open the Internet is, IIRC. That's where he's coming from. I feel a bit like that when I learned one friend has been writing slash. I can't help wondering if it's 'good' or 'wholesome' for someone young to be writing it. But it's out there and it's satisfying some people's needs.

 

[taun2]

Cool link, but the interviewer seems to have 'MacGyver-on-the-brain'. Also given the percentage of the interview that was focused on slash, I think that too much attention is being centered upon it. Besides, did anyone catch the part when he mentioned that he *still* has the knife from MacGyver??? That's cool...

 

[CynVision]

Originally posted by taun2
Cool link, but the interviewer seems to have 'MacGyver-on-the-brain'.

Well, that show went on for longer than most shows of it's time. It ended around 1987? That's fifteen years ago. So they must have done a bit of research and figured to clue in viewers of the Screensavers with who RDA was. RDA is way better known for Mac than SG. I saw this first hand at Gatecon where some passer-by got one blink at a photo held by someone in the autograph line and squeed "macGyver's here?!" We had to let her down gently.

We have to remember it was a interview for a more general audience than sci fi fans. I think it would be many more SG questions if, say, an interview done by SciFi channel. I'm sure the questions were weighted to a few more MacGyver ones just to not drive away the people that don't like sci fi.

And I'm told the entirity of the video files we can watch on the TechTV site didn't make it into the TV version of the interview. So not sure if much of the question emphasizing concerns about slash was aired.

 

[spookypumpkin]

i didn't think much of the interviewer's definition of slash. and RDA was worried about it harming kids. neither the ship or the slash is *that* likely to harm kids, coz there are appropriate warnings. (which the interviewer failed to mention). i reckon RDA'd like some of the ship stuff, though!

i liked the fact that the interview was really natural, like a loose conversation, and that was helped by the fact that RDA had met the guy before. when they were talking about the digital cameras and such, and the interviewer asked if RDA downloaded them off the camera, etc, and RDA went ****! you can do that!? he was being really casual and relaxed, and i liked that. it was like you were getting a more natural answer.

the only thing i didnt like was the way RDA seemed set on veering the whole interview to talking about his computer illiteracy. though, it kinda smashes my hopes of talking to him on the net!!

xox

 

[CynVision]

Originally posted by spookypumpkin
i liked the fact that the interview was really natural, like a loose conversation, and that was helped by the fact that RDA had met the guy before. when they were talking about the digital cameras and such, and the interviewer asked if RDA downloaded them off the camera, etc, and RDA went ****! you can do that!? he was being really casual and relaxed, and i liked that. it was like you were getting a more natural answer.

the only thing i didnt like was the way RDA seemed set on veering the whole interview to talking about his computer illiteracy.

That little asperated swear. Well, I didn't think it was a natural answer, it was a joke that any comedian can play on a straight guy. If fact, I think they can't resist.

I didn't know they'd met before. Or, I missed that mention. There was the online chat refernece, but I didn't think it meant Martin (?) had hosted the chat, just that he'd seen been there. RDA's first comment of "nice voice" seemed something you'd say when first meeting someone and watching them put on their interview voice. Or was he trying to crack him up and have to start rolling again? I wouldn't put it past him!

The Lycos chat last month was great. Unless it was all AT coaching him on the laptop?! "Type here, dearie."

I didn't see the interview going very down a depreciating path. I think he's in awe of them computer things. That seems to be one reaction. The other reaction is fear. My mother took close to five continuning education computer classes and still won't use the Internet or email. Anyone that didn't have computers in grade school would face an uphill battle to retraining their brain to work with them. I also think he's getting not having time to sit down and work on the G4 to edit his river footage confused with ineptitude.

 

[spookypumpkin]

Originally posted by CynVision
The Lycos chat last month was great. Unless it was all AT coaching him on the laptop?! "Type here, dearie."

lol, i can see it!!

ive heard RDA can be a pain in the a:blpaw:se when they are trying to do anything serious. if he doenst want to be interviewed, he just makes a pain of himself to anyone trying to interview him, so you may be right!

 

[CynVision]

Originally posted by spookypumpkin
ive heard RDA can be a pain in the a:blpaw:se when they are trying to do anything serious. if he doenst want to be interviewed, he just makes a pain of himself to anyone trying to interview him, so you may be right!

Really! He tries to intimidate them into leaving him alone? I think that's just typical "guy" behavior. Who specifically have you heard about? Your comment on RDA and Martin hiting it off well must be correct!

 

[spookypumpkin]

its not the intimidating, he just makes them laugh so much, and they can't get any useful footage!

 

[CynVision]

So in comparasion to other interview attempts, 24+ minutes of RDA talking sensiably is quite a feat!

Got to admit I love the parting email address joke. I barely remember the time when Standard Oil was big business in the US.

What you think caused it? Did they take his coffee away that morning? Slip him some mood-calming substance?

You know what I started watching? (I've been watching my copy of this interview quite a bit...) But I've been watching the extras in the background over his shoulder. Some of what they're doing is quite funny, too. At one point you've got some kid in a robe Vogue-ing in the background.

Do we need a transcript of this interview posted? I'm feeling ambitious: if it would help the deaf members or people with a horrid ISP I could try.

 

[summershake]

Hey, that's actually a great idea. Since english is not my mothertongue I had in fact some problems at some points understanding him....so feel free to post it here....

 

[spookypumpkin]

Originally posted by CynVision
So in comparasion to other interview attempts, 24+ minutes of RDA talking sensiably is quite a feat!

yeh, that kinda thing, and there was a break in the middle! he probably made someone laugh or went completely off topic!

 

[CynVision]

I didn't immediately think that. He's a producer. He could have had to take a call or answer some question.

 

[spookypumpkin]

nyer! lol, ruined it