Siesta week: calm before the storm!

It may be obvious that both my blogging and even Twittering have dropped off the past week. So yes, this is another one of those "sorry, it's been hellcious on the time crunch" I swore I'd never stoop to post.

But it's coming: the next "Spirit of Star Trek" promo video, with John "Phlox" Billingsley, will go up this weekend... and then I have a slew of backed up stuff, both videos and interviews-to-transcribe chats, with a great bunch of Treklanders then and now. Cloning machine, anyone? I've even had a couple interesting conversations lately that conjured up some new POVs to share for some new essay posts.

S0...stay tuned!

Class M, Class M—My Kingdom for a Class M!

Yup, we're getting there.


No matter who's formula you use... Drake's or Roddenberry's ...


..it looks like the Earth-like extra-solar planet tally is already starting to take off:

WASHINGTON — European astronomers have found 32 new planets outside our solar system, adding evidence to the theory that the universe has many places where life could develop. ....
Astronomer Stephane Udry of the University of Geneva said the results support the theory that planet formation is common, especially around the most common types of stars.
"I'm pretty confident that there are Earth-like planets everywhere," Udry said in a Web-based news briefing from a conference in Portugal. "Nature doesn't like a vacuum. If there is space to put a planet there, there will be a planet there." ....

Look! Up in the sky--it's Juan!

Had to forward this from his own Facebook page:

My buddy Juan Fernandez, the last script coordinator on Enterprise (currently on Cold Case) and a fixture now in the AIDS Lifecycle coastal bike jaunt, added the L.A. AIDS Marathon to his repertoire last year—and now look who's on the billboard! Well, he's in the back, there, but still--he's big!



Juan snapped this on Melrose and Spaulding in Hollywood and added the snark: "The other side is advertising "2012". Make of that what you will..."

Of course he is still fund-raising for the marathon next spring—check his page out here.

Missed It? Video up from historic Trek Art Directors Night

If you missed the big Art Director's Panel recently with four Trek design luminaries (the DS9 art reunion was only a happy sidebar) or had to live outside of The SoCal, there's video of the evening now up at the Guild website here (scroll down). What an historic night from all eras—with John Jefferies, Joe Jennings, Herman Zimmerman and Scott Chambliss—plus a wonderfully blunt video interview with the late Harold Michaelson.

Our pal and Gene Roddenberry impersonator extraordinaire Daren Dochterman did a great job as moderator...

STV: LA Alert: NEVERMORE: Jeff Combs plays Poe!

FLASH: News of the closing of Jeff Combs's one-man Edgar Allan Poe play "Nevermore" in east Hollywood is greatly exaggerated; it's been extended again! Right through, duh, Halloween—at least.

As of this post there's tickets for all four shows; they are unreserved, so get there for house opening at 7:30.

Catch it Fridays and Saturdays at the intimately eclectic Steve Allen Theatre through Oct. 31; tickets are now $20/$10 students, it's been ravely reviewed, and is absolutely spellbinding ... not the least bit what you're likely expecting. Jeff and Poe even benefit from wig and stage nose prosthetics worked over by onetime Trek make-up crew Brad Look, with input from Gloria Casney.

After we enjoyed it one Friday, I immediately hit up Jeff for a STV chat, and here we are rendezvouzing in Burbank—yes, Johnny Carson Park ... on Bob Hope Drive—plus: getting an earful about his new movie Dark House (he mentions this review) ... a little Weyoun ...

... and Floyd the Barber?

Captain, there be Kelvans HERE!

It's too bad Mike, Denise, Dave and Niel didn't have THIS image of the Andromeda Galaxy in time when they Remastered "By Any Other Name." But still, it's an amazing first—wondrously detailed like never before.

Turns out this is an ultraviolet image taken by the SWIFT satellite in Earth orbit, and snapped while moonlighting from its primary mission of studying gamms-ray bursts.

No word yet on the current radiation levels in the Andromeda Galaxy, or any empires of brainy, hundred-tentacled giants.

We're live on TrekCast: Pods away!

It took a year, but they finally got me.

My onetime Warp Core Breach-slingin' buddy Darren Benjamin from the old Quark's bar at STTE in Vegas (right) and his partner David Thomas Ivy had me on their Trekcast podcast, which is now the newest one up. ... They wanted me to help tackle the first TNG entry in their Best of Trek review and geek session and they chose "The Measure of The... I mean, 'A' Man." But there's a lot more fansy goodness in there, too ... Take a listen online, or check 'em out on iTunes.

We were #46... missed it by THAT much!

'Seeker' lands another Treklander: Jolene Blalock!

Just got the news that the syndicated fantasy series Legend of the Seeker, which debuts Season 2 the week of Nov. 7 and already claims several Trek vets—has just signed Jolene "T'Pol" Blalock to a recurring role as a magical baddie. Word is she's already filming this week--at the show's regular sets in New Zealand. She arrived there only Sunday, she says on Facebook.

Congrats to Jolene, and here's hoping it's a bigger success and a bigger audience than the last time we caught her (photo). No word yet on how soon her eps will appear.

We just saw the Trek vets already on the writing staff at Seeker at Comic-Con last summer—head writer Ken Biller of Voyager, plus Mike Sussman (VGR/Enterprise) and Season 2 "newcomer" Andre Bormanis (ditto). It's getting to be almost as big a Trekland outpost as Chuck and BSG/Caprica.

Full press release below:

"STAR TREK" SIREN JOLENE BLALOCK JOINS SEASON TWO OF “LEGEND OF THE SEEKER” IN A RECURRING ROLE

Begins Filming in New Zealand This Week


Burbank, CA. – October 12, 2009 – Actress Jolene Blalock, best known for her role as the Vulcan T'Pol in "Star Trek: Enterprise," has been cast in a recurring role on the upcoming second season of the nationally syndicated series "Legend of the Seeker," it was announced today. Blalock, who begins filming in New Zealand this week, will portray a mysterious Sister of the Dark who possesses very powerful magic -- she not only threatens Richard's (Craig Horner) quest to defeat evil forces, but her ultimate goal is to destroy Kahlan (Bridget Regan). The second season of the captivating action-adventure series “Legend of the Seeker” will premiere the weekend of November 7th. Combining elements of fantasy, adventure, magic, mystery and romance with state-of-the-art visual effects and a high level of action, the series is an adaptation of internationally best-selling author Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth book series.



Jolene Blalock is most notably known from her role as the Vulcan sub-commander T'Pol in the long-running hit series "Star Trek: Enterprise." She also appeared on "Stargate SG-1" and was in the film "Starship Troopers 3: Marauder." Blalock began her career at the young age of 17, modeling in Europe and Asia. After that, she pursued acting and has appeared in “CSI,” "Jason and the Argonauts," "Diamond Hunters," "On the Edge," JAG," and "Veronica's Closet.”


Shot with the exotic and rugged New Zealand landscape as its backdrop, “Legend of the Seeker” is from the talented team behind the long-running, successful series “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” and “Xena: Warrior Princess,” and the studio that produces primetime network hits including “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Ghost Whisperer” and “Army Wives.” The series is produced by ABC Studios and distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Ken Biller, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Ned Nalle and Josh Donen serve as executive producers. The series airs Saturdays and Sundays in national syndication.

Must read: inteview with the 'adult' Alexander Siddig

I want to pass along (h/t trekweb.com) an original interview (and photo) from NY-based Arab arts site Bidoun with today's Alexander "Dr. Bashir" Siddig. I say that, and almost use his DS9 personna with caution, because the man and the actor have "grown up" so much since then, in his own words—his half-English, half-Sudanese heritage much more a conscious state, politicially, and gift, as an actor, for him in his daily life and career now.

What's fascinating is both he and his interviewer share that heritage, and while they chat at Sid's Sussex house in England their conversations offers an intercultural glimpse we in the West rarely see. And there are layers and layers of perspective, in the artistic-poltical mix, that too often get simplified or outright overlooked in our too-shallow 24/7 screaming-mimi media.

Most of all, bully for Sid in taking on the cultural responsibilities of rationality he has shouldered for his roles and projects ... and our condolences on the loss of the world he knew as a boy—albeit a naive one, in his own words

L.A. ALERT! Free Trek/anthro talk in Glendale Oct. 8

Got Thursday noon open in SoCal?

My new good buddy Daryl Frazetti, his talks on display at San Diego Comic-Con the past couple years to a full house (this photo: 2008), brings his engaging talk of using Star Trek and other sci-fi to view and teach anthropology in a special event on the Glendale City College campus Thursday.

Congrats to Daryl also, as his Comic-Con talk and audience is a featurette on the new TOS Season 3 Blu-Ray set just released. Darryl is winging his way down from home base at Western Nevada College in Reno.

Get parked in time to catch him at noon Thursday in Kriedler Hall auditorium, in the San Rafael Building along Verdugo Avenue (best parking is across the street, by meters). I'll be there, too. The appearance is being sponsored by the GCC Cosmology and Astrophysics Club.

The only story online is a posted campus press release, or call 818-240-1000 for more
info.

ST: The Experience—Alive, but no news. Duh.

Since August, when Creation Vegas con-goers realized what should have been obvious all along—that any "new" Star Trek: The Experience in downtown Vegas at Neonopolis (model, above) is months if not years away—the drip of rumors and interest has dried up considerably.

Now comes a story in the Las Vegas Sun I have not seen breathlessly hyperlinked everywhere—yet—but there's nothing new there, only to stay "it's still alive."

As local developer and year-old CBS licensee Rohit Joshi told me earlier this year, and as I still hear from sources, there's still two hurdles to cross before opening day: the slow economy for both investment and tourism, and the design, approval and contruction phase of at least a couple years. Remember, development on the original Experience began in 1995 if not earlier, and it didn't open til January 1998—and the universe for both design and approval is much more splintered than it was back then.

A simple jigsaw recycle of architectural pieces, an early crutch for a faster or temp re-open, was eventually discarded as impractical, Joshi told me months ago. So now ... How much of the new JJverse from ST '09 to include—visually, if not thematically? How much of the feel and the nostalgia of the old Experience to retain, or of the older series—and how much to reinvent? How do you balance the fans' notoriously precise needs with what draws the general tourist? What aspect of Trekland do the museum, shops, eateries, bars and especially the rides represent, and how will technology (and available space) dictate for the next generation?

I've seen a couple of basic passes at floor plans, but those are pretty prelim from a year ago: A lot of folks from a lot of different turf need to sit down at the table and hash this out... folks who do not know each other near as well, nor are all located on the same Paramount lot, as did the first group to do so. Production of active Star Trek was not only a going concern, but was a tight bundle of series and movies under one roof; today there's only JJ's Bad Robot for a movie every couple years or so, and the prior series/films' DVDs make the big news.

I'm betting a picked-up economy will be a great catalyst for forward movement, but even then you've got to have a vision that doesn't look like it was approved by a committee. Not impossible—but it takes the T-word.

And another factor fans overlook: it's not all about them. The local scene is a big part of this: Neonopolis is part of a needed downtown revitalizing effort that's been up and down and always under the microscope for years in Vegas, and Joshi's complex has to have other component tenants that make a logical fit with each other...and the rest of the area.

Add it all up ... and it's still a while before the Warp Core Breaches and Holy Rings of Betazed are being slung again at Quarks—or wherever. But nobody's giving up any time soon.

(Neonopolis model: LN photo)

Another clue: the "Trekkie" stigma finally beaming out?

The local CBS TV affiliate of Mobile, Ala./Pensacola, Fla., of all places, just posted online this brief webnote and slide video of a small Trek gathering at a local coffee shop, "Khan Con 2009." Kudos to both organizer Christie Barrington and to Chris Petrie of WKRG.

Don't just stop with the video of stills, above ... check out how the YOUNG reporter, likely doing webbie/tweetie reporting anyway, had a brief, respectfully cute text intro to the slides--plus Christie's contact info.

Just a simple little online note, but still... it's a sign. No sneers, no leers, no token goofball costumed shots.

If "mainstream media" is all online anyway, and the generations have changed ... we may FINALLY turn the corner on the Trekkie "freak" stigma once and for all, among the Old Media Gang—if that's all that's left. Right now, at least, here's where one local TV hub...in the SOUTH ... is, right now...

STV: Bob Picardo is Oct. 11's free L.A. "Spirit of Trek" guest

If you're in SoCal and haven't seen a Treklander at one of the "Spirit of Star Trek" nights, what's your excuse? As an FYI:
(a) they are FREE
(b) you see names like Shimerman, Grodenchik, Phillips, Masterson, Roddenberry, O'Reilly,
(c) it's NOTHING like a typical glib con appearance, and
(d) forget being freaked by the church site thing. You get a relevant episode on big screen, then a discussion/Q&A with co-hosts Michael "Mr. Makeup" Westmore and Curtis Webster that's both funny and thoughtful: behind-the-scenes banter and some deeper thoughts on morals, ethics, and philosophy as seen in Star Trek, through its aliens' eyes.

Next up Sunday, Oct. 11: None other than Bob Picardo:

That's 7-9 p.m., First Presbyterian of Encino, 4963 Balboa Blvd., 91316— south of the 101 ... 818-788-1147 to RSVP, please!

And it's a double-doctor autumn: mark calendars now for Nov. 8 and John "Dr. Phlox" Billingsley!

A cool, uncrammed Comic-Con in Long Beach!

Lots of folks can claim residency in Trekland. One of them is an old buddy and one of the crack Licensing team at Viacom/Paramount in the 1990s and later: Chip Carter, whose solo company now is on the team that just launched the Long Beach Comic Con. Everyone loves San Diego's breezy show on the coast with hotels and clubs adjacent the convention center, but many long for the smaller, simpler days—and that's the feel we got today. If you're in the area this weekend, it is NOT too late to check it out: Saturday and Sunday are full days with lots of celebs, premieres, exclusives... plus panels and dealers, of course.

Here's but a sample: We were tickled today to get a peek around on the very first day of the very first year ... even before doors opened ... as the first hundreds were streamed in and the lines began: