Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers - io9 Comments

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Cacafuego — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:00:44 PDT

@edosan:
Dude, you kind of miss the point--Special Ed teachers have to undergo a LOT of training to keep from slapping "Aspbergy" kids silly, phsyically or verbally. You're not going to find that kind of patience/tolerance with most people. Especially actors.

Cacafuego

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

edosan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:04:05 PDT

@Cacafuego: If an actor's biggest problem is that he still has rabid fans for a role he did in the sixties that is not part of our cultural canon, he's doing pretty well.

edosan

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

RAHfanboy — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:12:20 PDT

@moff: Nope, no "Monk," unless Wikipedia's out of date, which seems unlikely. It's weird, I can see him talking to Shaloub, but it must be my imagination.

RAHfanboy

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

RAHfanboy — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:52:40 PDT

@moff:"@RAHfanboy: Was he on Monk, too? Or do you mean Law & Order: CI ?

Not trying to nitpick -- just curious."

Actually you may be right, I was watching them "back-to-back" for a while. I do remember the L&O now, he turned out to be innocent, it was the daughter. I still vaguely remember a "Monk" though. Let me check on it and get back to you.

RAHfanboy

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

ithidet — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:36:09 PDT

@braak: oh god I have crazy memories about Faust

ithidet

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Cacafuego — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:49:12 PDT

@kityglitr:
I would imagine having to deal with rafts of "Aspbergy" Trek fans for 20+ years would take its toll on most folks. These guys only totally embrace their typecasting after they Surrender All Hope, like Shatner and Doohan. Imagine how bitter Nimoy would be if he didn't have a directorial success outside of the Trek canon he could point to.

Cacafuego

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

moff — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:12:24 PDT

@RAHfanboy: Was he on Monk, too? Or do you mean Law & Order: CI ?

Not trying to nitpick -- just curious.

moff

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

RAHfanboy — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:50:33 PDT

@RAHfanboy: Correction, it is not Lavar Burton, but Chris Williams. Quite a resemblance. Sorry.

RAHfanboy

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

RAHfanboy — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:29:36 PDT

Mr. Spiner was a talented and working Broadway actor before STNG, and I definitely understand his not wanting to be forever branded as Data. I also understand his undoubted impatience with fans (remember Shatner's SNL skit). The true greats, however, are unfailingy polite, patient and gracious, which he apparently is not.

I've seen him as a murderer on Matlock (at mom's!) and a murderer on Monk. Strangely enough, I am at this moment, watching a Monk guest starring Lavar Burton. He is not a murderer, but instead an incredibly rude and annoying FBI man. Coincidence? You be the judge.

RAHfanboy

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Grey_Area — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:57:25 PDT

@Miranda Kali: Your Trivia Powers are indeed humbling. one of my fave W.B cartoon quotefests...
"Aha, pronoun trouble!"
But I digress. Brent Spiner; classy actor, maybe; class act, nope. It wasn't all that long ago actors would be strongly encouraged to leave town after a show before they started stealing chickens and generally driving down property values. Ego's a helluva drug.

Grey_Area

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

PVIII — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:25:31 PDT

@NefariousNewt: I actually think it was Life X 3 where I met him. Did Helen Hunt co-star?

PVIII

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

edosan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:55:50 PDT

So does this mean that people that only play musicians can get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame now?

I vote for the Rutles and Spinal Tap.

...and Wyld Stallyuns too.

edosan

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

moff — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:28:20 PDT

@gruntwerk & kityglitr: That's really, really too bad, especially considering that Data was a celebration of how wonderful it is to be human, even with all our flaws.

@NefariousNewt: I get that, and I sympathize with actors who are forever associated with one role, because that's sort of antithetical to the whole vocation. But that said, how many people are lucky enough to do something, anything, that'll touch so many other people? I mean, if playing Data is the worst thing that ever happens to you, life's not so bad, y'know?

moff

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

kityglitr — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:15:53 PDT

Sorry guys, but the dicks have it. I was present at the Star Trek panel discussion at Dragon Con last August. I believe Brent, Gates and Jon were all there. When time came for audience questions, a very Asperger-y fellow posed a hypothetical question regarding Data's motive in some scene no one remembers, and Brent, with all the good feeling his sensitive heart could muster said something to the effect of, "See, I'm an actor. I get paid to read what's on the page. That's about as far as it goes." I personally thought that was a horrible way to answer the poor dork's question. I mean, he's an actor, so he has to interpret the words on the page, not just read them back... he actually could have provided some sort of answer to the guy. Instead, he chose to be a dick. I hate to see my heroes fall...

kityglitr

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

gruntwerk — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:12:33 PDT

I got a chance to attend the TNG reunion panel at DragonCon last year. The esteemed Mr. Spiner was part of the panel, and I was very excited to hear what the man had to say. Imagine my disappointment when Brent "I am not my character, Data" Spiner proceeded to mock and belittle the various (some borderline Asperger's) fans who mustered up the courage to ask him a question. He was truly ruthless, and seemed to have completely forgotten why he was famous in the first place. I say fie on you, Mr. Pasty Android Face.

gruntwerk

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

SuperSally — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:12:00 PDT

Or maybe he didn't attend because Data was an android, not a robot.

SuperSally

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

NefariousNewt — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:23:16 PDT

@moff: I think he has a case of "I'm Not Spock." Let's face it, he played arguably the most interesting character on ST:TNG, once that required a lot of sacrifice, not only in what he had to do for the role but by making Brent Spiner the actor disappear. So he's played other Star Trek roles, but perhaps out of necessity more than desire. Who knows? I think given the waning of the franchise and his desire to expand his repertoire, it should come as no shock that the thought of accepting an accolade for playing Data doesn't appeal to him. And you're right: it's not the Oscars.

NefariousNewt

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

moff — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:15:46 PDT

@NefariousNewt & wolfjoat: Has he really moved away from Data that much? I mean, he was playing Arik Soong only a few years ago. Also, it's too bad he didn't attend the ceremony, but people, there are a lot of reasons for that outside of bitterness. I mean, it wasn't the Oscars.

I think it's fine not to love doing cons and so forth, but I hope he's not embarrassed by Data. I really, really admire how Patrick Stewart stands up for his TNG work. Newsweek interviewed him a few weeks ago and made a crack about weirdo Trekkies, and Jean-Luc was not having it.

moff

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Miranda Kali — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:13:52 PDT

@CmdrHunt: Thanks. :) I watched waaaaay to much T.V. as a kid. You should hear me go off on W.B. cartoon quoting, jig sometime.. "There is a rabbit loose in the castle, Rudolph. Return him to me and I shall reward you with a spider goulash." "*squee!*"

Miranda Kali

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Balius — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:04:52 PDT

@NefariousNewt: HAL is hooked up to mechanical processes it controls, so I'd say that it definitely counts as a robot. Unless you consider Discovery One the robot, and HAL 9000 just a component...

Balius

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

CmdrHunt — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:55:33 PDT

@Miranda Kali: Nice! I always get a good chuckle at your obscure trivia!

CmdrHunt

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

lazyeight — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:26:56 PDT

Seems to me that an overwhelming # of inductees would be 'imaginary' robots.
I mean, who knows the names of the car factory welding robots..." and for best seam on a sub-compact mini-van, the award goes to..."

lazyeight

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

wolfjoat — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:02:19 PDT

Wow, feeling a lot of Spiner hate in the room. Since I don't know the guy I don't want to make any judgments or sweeping generalizations but it seems that as he's gotten older he has tried to move away from "being" Data. Also looking at his work history, he does seem to be very busy. At the same time it does seem a little petty not to attend considering the other GoH. But then again if you were famous for portraying a robot, and you were invited would you feel comfortable among a group like that. I know I wouldn't.

wolfjoat

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

NefariousNewt — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:36:35 PDT

@braak: I saw him on Broadway in Life X 3 and he was pretty impressive. I think he'd like to put a lot of distance between himself and Data.

NefariousNewt

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

PVIII — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:30:26 PDT

Met Spiner after a play in NYC, and he was kind of a dick.

PVIII

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Metropolis — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:26:19 PDT

Hey, he's a busy guy. You know, making quality movies such as "Super Hero" movie. He doesn't have time for such trivial matter such a Robot Hall of fame. It's not like people will remember him for the role of Data.

Metropolis

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Zantor — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:22:50 PDT

@braak: Aint' that tha' truth!...

Zantor

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

braak — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:20:23 PDT

@Zantor: There are a lot of Southern sayings.

braak

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

NefariousNewt — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:18:43 PDT

Heard about this on All Things Considered this weekend. Especially telling was the story of why the Hall inducts both real and imaginary robots. One of the sitting board members was: Arthur C. Clarke. He nominated his creation HAL. Well, nobody was going to argue with him, even though technically HAL is a computer, not a robot. So now they accept both types of robot.

NefariousNewt

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Zantor — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:18:23 PDT

@braak: I guess he will be charging $30.00 for an autograph then... I like Brent's work, but there is an old southern saying "Don't go beyond your raisings". Which means always remember, respect and honor that which got you to where you are.

Zantor

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Mathmos — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:07:15 PDT

@Miranda Kali: Or maybe as Dr. Brackish Okun, the long-haired wild-eyed scientist killed by an alien in Independence Day.

Mathmos

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

braak — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:05:56 PDT

@Zantor: He's been doing a lot of stage work. If he was smart with his money (which he may or may not have been) he never really has to take a project in exchange for real live dollars ever again.

He can just do 1776 until his eyes bleed, if he feels like it, or a ten-hour, one-man production of Faust.

braak

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Zantor — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:02:23 PDT

I remember how Nimoy went sour on Spock, until they offered him big bucks to reprise the roll.

Trek type-casts it's actors. These TNG guys knew that going in. Unfortunately for him, I doubt Mr. Data will see the same resurrection as Spock in the years to come. As his career fades, as it seems to be doing, he will become a little more grateful for past glories. Don't worry, Brent will be doing the $25.00 "Chiller" autograph tour soon enough.

Zantor

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Ma1agate — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:00:58 PDT

"In the last few days all the lights and gizmos inside have come on...it's been really neat."

Ma1agate

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

Miranda Kali — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:55:02 PDT

Mr. Spiner would like to be known for his other works. ...Such as his reoccurring, yokel character from "Night Court".

Miranda Kali

Let's Hear It For The Robot Hall Of Famers

strider_mt2k — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:43:47 PDT

Classic Data moment:

Processing...
Processing...

"Data, we..."

Stand by...processing!

strider_mt2k