Parodies-r-us

[jay]

Now remembering the goofball reporter that called me on 9/26, just before I left for the field... I should have known better. Apparently this week's local entertainment tabloid (San Jose "Metro") includes a story poking fun at Mars robotics in general and parodying the subject. I haven't seen the story, but am apparently mocked, misunderstood (intentionally?) and taken far out of context... and I apparently "badly need a wedgie", as quoted by a co-worker via email. I haven't seen the article myself... just as well I'm in Spain, I suspect.

Comments

Thumbs Down on the Metro Article

[shadopanther.livejournal.com]

I found the Metro article.

I've seen stuff I've thought of as much better writing (parody or not) out of the Metro. To me, the author (claiming to be one "Alien Gottlieb") comes across as a alien-obsessed jerk with about as much understanding of science as a pill-bug 7yr old writing a bad essay. The article is juvenile with a tangent on robot vs. human intelligence mixed up with "little green men" and badly supports what ever points the author may be trying to make. I think the author has axes to grind regarding employment and man vs. machine issues & twists the Robots on Mars information to try to frame it in that context.

IMO, it's just bad writing -- it doesn't even seem to be a good (humorous) parody. :P
-- Shadopanther

Re: Thumbs Down on the Metro Article

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link -- it would have otherwise have been replaced by the next week's issue by the time I get home. I had to correct her several times during the interview ("no, robots aren't going to take over the world from humans..." etc.). To little avail, it seems.

Re: Thumbs Down on the Metro Article

[shadopanther.livejournal.com]

You are welcome for the link.

I had to correct her several times during the interview ("no, robots aren't going to take over the world from humans..." etc.). To little avail, it seems.

Proof Luddites still exist, I guess. Or she's taking some doses of Hollywood a little too seriously. Or she was very attached to the idea that it'd be humorous (and failed).

-- Shadopanther

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

If they were making fun of you, they failed fairly badly, but it was dishonest of the writer not to let you know that he (she?) would be writing a parody.

I find myself wondering if the reporter is on drugs or something. It's really just that badly written.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

She played it as a straight news interview, but her ignorance and attempts at leading questions gave me doubts -- confirmed in the article. Sigh...

[phoenixrisen.livejournal.com]

Umm - what a ridiculously humiliating article. For the writer, that is, not you. Apart from not being in the least bit funny, it comes across to me as something written by someone who's watched way too many science fiction movies and as such has totally closed their minds to the possibility that there may be fascinating things out there that we never could have imagined. And the R2D2/Hal thing? Oh please.

I'm no writer, and even I can tell this is just so much hogwash. Sorry you had to be the brunt of such a pathetic attempt at parody.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's almost a meta-parody... and I'm still waiting for someone to attempt the wedgie thing, but most of the folks here have geeky credentials equal to my own (or more so ;).