XPost: rec.arts.tv   
   From: ahk@chinet.com   
      
   I've cut out the Doctor Who newsgroup from the crosspost, for what the fuck   
   does this idiocy have to do with Doctor Who?   
      
   Shadow Walker  wrote:   
      
   >I just found out today Michael O'Hare, who 20 years ago played Commander   
   >Sinclair on Babylon 5, passed away last year.  Earlier this year, JMS   
   >revealed the truth about the actor's sudden departure from the lead role   
   >after only one season.  At the time, most people assumed it was a decision   
   >made or forced by the executives of the show, but it turns out they were way   
   >off the mark.   
      
   >It really got me thinking about how fans and fandom can sometimes latch on   
   >to a piece of speculation about what goes on behind the scenes, which   
   >doesn't have any basis in fact, and just run with it until it becomes   
   >accepted as such.   
      
   >In this case, the effect of that turned out to be a positive thing, for the   
   >sake of both the show and the actor involved, but that's not always the   
   >case.   
      
   Oh, you just found out about this, did you? It's not just sour grapes on   
   your part to revive a long closed issue, is it?   
      
   Funny how we had an extensive thread discussing this some time ago, 5-29-2013.   
   It was in rec.arts.tv and I'm sure other articles were separately posted to   
   other newsgroups at the time. It quoted Jan's summary of Straczynski's   
   remarks to a science fiction convention in Phoenix from JMSNews Forums,   
   which she participates in (if she's not in charge).   
      
   Subject: Babylon 5 producer JMS admits real reason for Michael O'Hare's   
       departure --- Will JMS now apologize to the people JMS trashed?   
      
   Oh, it really got you to thinking, did it, all those poor unnamed network   
   and studio executives who were acused of disliking the actor enough that   
   they didn't want him to star on the program in later seasons. Yeah,   
   well, Straczynski's explanation decades ago sounded lame at the time, so   
   some people assumed he was ordered by his studio not to besmirch their   
   casting decision, because he has to continue to work with the studio.   
      
   It wasn't the truth at the time, and it didn't fool anyone, but it was   
   a distraction. It also wasn't his place back then to reveal personal   
   information about Michael O'Hare that wasn't any of your fucking business.   
   A Hollywood producer not trashing someone else's career prospects is   
   pretty rare indeed.   
      
   I wish to apologize to any network or studio executive who I wrongly   
   assumed exhibited venal behavior. I know these are all honorable men   
   that anyone who worked in any other business or industry would wish to   
   work along side. I'm sure they'd all make very fine used car dealers or   
   personal injury attorneys, and I wouldn't want to hurt their chances to   
   go into another line of work.   
      
   I apologize.   
      
   Studio and network interference is, therefore, a complete myth. It's never   
   happened. Casting choices are never overruled. Actors are never fired for   
   the wrong reason. Programs never take sudden turns in creative direction.   
      
   Earth: [spit] Final Conflict   
      
   I am therefore starting a collection to assist wronged network and studio   
   executives buy the public relations representation they need. Who among   
   you will be the first to contribute? Give all you can.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)