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Former Trek Writer Ignores NDA, Gets In Tribble

gerroldtribble.jpgParamount is fanatically guarding the secrets of the new Star Trek movie — even if they're as vague as "a humongous thing," and "some guys in costumes." Former Star Trek writer (and Tribble creator) David Gerrold got a sharp reminder that the ND in NDA stands for "Non-Disclosure." Gerrold, who signed an NDA before visiting the set of JJ Abrams' Star Trek movie, and then made the mistake of talking about it on his blog. Find out the secrets Paramount will go to any lengths to protect, after the jump.

If you went to Gerrold's site the other day, you would have seen an enthusiastic description of his Trek set visit, followed by some amorphous references to "bad guy costumes" and a humongous thing hanging from the rafters. We quoted it in full on Thursday. But now, if you go to that same page, you'll see this paragraph instead:

Previously in this space I had an enthusiastic paragraph about how I couldn't describe anything I saw, but it looked terrific. I was enthusiastic about what I saw, and I said I was looking forward to the movie. I wasn't revealing any details and I wasn't saying anything that hadn't already been said by a dozen other folks. But then my phone started ringing because somebody with a skewed sense of perspective doesn't think that the author of "The Trouble With Tribbles" episode should even say that much about a Star Trek movie, so as a favor to the folks who invited me I've removed the paragraphs that say I'm not going to describe what I saw, but it looked terrific. Sheesh.
The Unanswered Question [Bottomless Soup]

7:30 AM on Fri Mar 7 2008
By Graeme McMillan
3,412 views
17 comments

Comments

  • "somebody else said it first" has never been a valid defense for breaking NDAs, no matter how vague. like trademark defense, and copyright infringement, you *have* to defend your NDAs vigorously, lest someone actually think they can slip out something useful and/or potentially damaging.

  • What did he expect? If J.J. Abrams can't keep everything a secret, how else will he sucker everyone into falling for all the mysterious viral marketing that'll pop up any day now, promising secret insights into the film but ultimately proving irrelevant (albeit quite lucrative for Abrams & Co) to the final product?

  • Going after one of the best classic Trek writers for making vague but complimentary comments about the film ... yeah, they're really winning me over on this.

  • It's not like they shot him, sued him or pissed on his door, so big deal. Get over it.

    That said, he didn't really reveal much, did he? So leave him alone, you big wankers!

  • I love the non-apology apology.

  • @Frozen-Tex: Don't they know who I am? I wrote The Trouble with Tribbles!

  • I will always love David Gerrold for introducing me to the phrase "farting in an airlock" as an impressionable child.

    Explains a lot, I think.

  • Intellectual property needs to be protected, and that's why the Lawyers are kept on a strict diet of raw meat and blood.

    Did anyone's very special nerdy aunty make them a mother tribble with a pouch full of babies? They were so cute...until the dog ate them.

  • @eirenicon: we have a winnner! what have we got for him johnny?!

    i've said it before and i'll say it again, the difference between a gimmicky piece of kitsch and a good piece of media is that with one interest wanes the more you find out about it and with the other interest waxes the more you find out about it.

  • somebody with a skewed sense of perspective doesn't think that the author of "The Trouble With Tribbles"

    Where's your skewed sense of perspective NOW, Moses??

  • Well, it's clear that Gerrold sold out and joined the ranks of evil censorship police. We all know the movie is going suck just as bad and just as much as cloverfield and Lost, so why bother getting worked up at what is clearly going to be the very worst remake ever in the history of cinema? Why mess with perfection when it works?

    Screw Abrams and his Trek wannabe crew- ignore the movie and watch it go down in flames.

  • @aixelsyd:
    Hyperbole as a lifestyle much?

  • Go ahead, prove me wrong. I would love for the new trek to do anything but suck the life out of the franchise forever.

  • @aixelsyd:
    It's not my job or raison d'etre to "prove you wrong".
    Tossing around statements like "worst remake in the history of cinema" is just plain ludicrous.
    That has already been done by Gus Van Sant.

  • @aixelsyd: Paramount would love this to suck just as bad as Lost...

    wait.. did that come out right?

  • Best title ever.

  • @zerofritz "like trademark defense, and copyright infringement, you *have* to defend your NDAs vigorously."

    Er, no. You don't *have to*. Trademark law is the only case where that even comes close to being true, and that doesn't even apply here. The "have to" is just a cop-out by lawyers who hate being seen as anusheads, especially when they are being just that.

    There's absolutely no reason that David's remarks couldn't have been let pass without comment, unless the details don't live up to what his vague descriptions conjured up in your mind.

    I'm just a little more jaded about this project now. I'll probably skip opening weekend.

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