+=YAWN=+
Just another one out of ten lesbian stories.
I wrote a note weeks ago about how the last time I was in the car and playing a podcast, and the writer threw in some superfluous lesbian scene - and my passenger piped up immediately how this podcast was lesbian themed and just, "in the closet" (she even made up her own name which was pretty catchy and stuck in my head).
Now- *I* had been getting more and more tired of the lesbians as time had gone on, but until I had heard somebody else GO OFF on a rant.. I thought it was just me...
Later I wrote a note to the editors voicing just how tired I was of hearing about lesbian lovers seemingly constantly. And I asked if they would count up just how many stories HAD to have some of this girl-on-girl action in it. Now - don't get me wrong- I am not opposed to some hot lez action on its own.. but when it's coming to me in 1 out of every 10 podcasts... .. it really starts to taint the actual stories involved. Yup- the editors stepped up to the plate and did the work of counting. And they came back saying that it was about 1 in ten of the past year or so had some good womanly loving in it. And they saw nothing wrong with it.
Now - I just must not have articulated myself well enough (not a crazy thought there) but my point was that if one out of every ten stories had a T-Rex in it, I would feel the same. It would be the same if one in ten had a touch of Zombie, or a touch of Robot. It reminds me of those shameless product placements in some of the old movies like "Cannonball Run". They'd pretty much stop the scene, look into the camera and hold up the product, and then go back to the scene.
Those Product Placements had their own comedic value at least, and the movie WAS A COMEDY. But holding up a hot lesbian couple in every 10 episodes has a cumulative effect. And this wasn't branded as a lesbian-centric podcast.
"God- not ANOTHER damned T-Rex.... Do ALL of these stories HAVE to have a T-Rex in it to get into an episode?"
Like anyone I can and do brush off parts in any story that I really don't have much interest in, but this constant theme of superfluous lesbianism has gotten to the point with me that I just shut the podcast down. The Product Placements come just too often for me these days. It wasn't even noticeable at first, but maybe since I am a long time listener than it really IS the cumulative effect hitting me hard.
To quote a character in Jim Butcher's in Dead Beat:
"Exactly," Butters said. "Multiply that. These guys and other
athletes take a huge beating, right? They develop a mental and
physical toughness that lets them ignore a lot of pain and
overcome the damage, but the damage gets done to their bodies
nonetheless. And it's cumulative. That's why you see football
players, boxers, a lot of guys like that all beat to hell by the time
they're in their thirties. They regain most of the function after an
injury, but the damage is still there, and it adds up bit by bit."
It has turned into a joke with my friend and I (she has since unsubscribed over the repetition) whenever I bring up what I have listened to in the past.
The constant repetition of material just makes me stop listening as soon as the lady-love starts coming out. Either I switch it off in my head, or I do it physically more and more. Does it REALLY matter that the character is a lesbain and having sex? Does it add anything to the story itself? I know I am missing a good story by shutting off- but it's just not worth it to have the story intertwined yet again with some meaningless lesbian drivel.
Anyway - After I wrote the note and got the response I kept subscribed for those other 9 stories. And the next podcast revolved around gay bears... Although I would have never had EVER guessed I would have said it, after the story I actually said aloud, "HOORAY FOR GAY BEAR-MEN!!"
I have all the respect in the world for the staff here - and this is their BABY. They all bleed and breathe life into this podcast - nurture and care for it as a living thing. They want it to be as big and as great and as wonderful as it can be - and I am all for that. I don't write this just to rant and rave - but to bring to light that it's just not me getting tired and worn down by this recurring topic. If the baby needs to come out of the closet - then please.. bring her out in full view and stand tall! If not, then please.. PLEASE.. hear my plea. Get off the broken lesbian record before you drive long-time listeners like me away. I HAVE your t-shirt, I am a faithful listener - I have introduced at least 50 people to your show, and I've spoken good words, and sent good energies your way. I want you to do well - and I want to enjoy your works.
I am just so tired. I’m holding on for the other stories – really 10% shouldn’t be anything that drives me away… should it? Every time I listen now, I am awaiting for that old lesbian shoe to drop - and for the disappointment to begin.
I wrote a note weeks ago about how the last time I was in the car and playing a podcast, and the writer threw in some superfluous lesbian scene - and my passenger piped up immediately how this podcast was lesbian themed and just, "in the closet" (she even made up her own name which was pretty catchy and stuck in my head).
Now- *I* had been getting more and more tired of the lesbians as time had gone on, but until I had heard somebody else GO OFF on a rant.. I thought it was just me...
Later I wrote a note to the editors voicing just how tired I was of hearing about lesbian lovers seemingly constantly. And I asked if they would count up just how many stories HAD to have some of this girl-on-girl action in it. Now - don't get me wrong- I am not opposed to some hot lez action on its own.. but when it's coming to me in 1 out of every 10 podcasts... .. it really starts to taint the actual stories involved. Yup- the editors stepped up to the plate and did the work of counting. And they came back saying that it was about 1 in ten of the past year or so had some good womanly loving in it. And they saw nothing wrong with it.
Now - I just must not have articulated myself well enough (not a crazy thought there) but my point was that if one out of every ten stories had a T-Rex in it, I would feel the same. It would be the same if one in ten had a touch of Zombie, or a touch of Robot. It reminds me of those shameless product placements in some of the old movies like "Cannonball Run". They'd pretty much stop the scene, look into the camera and hold up the product, and then go back to the scene.
Those Product Placements had their own comedic value at least, and the movie WAS A COMEDY. But holding up a hot lesbian couple in every 10 episodes has a cumulative effect. And this wasn't branded as a lesbian-centric podcast.
"God- not ANOTHER damned T-Rex.... Do ALL of these stories HAVE to have a T-Rex in it to get into an episode?"
Like anyone I can and do brush off parts in any story that I really don't have much interest in, but this constant theme of superfluous lesbianism has gotten to the point with me that I just shut the podcast down. The Product Placements come just too often for me these days. It wasn't even noticeable at first, but maybe since I am a long time listener than it really IS the cumulative effect hitting me hard.
-SNIP-
Tang!, the letter you mentioned was actually to the editors of PodCastle, which is me (or, at least, half me, and half Anarkey). Just to be clear, EP and PC are under the same banner of EA, and Mur's my friend, but all the EA podcasts are different ships, and don't consult each other regarding story selection.
Yes, I counted the stories when you wrote into us. It was actually less than 1 of 10 - coming in at eight percent. What I didn't explicity state (because I thought it was rather obvious) that while 8% of our stories featured lesbians (note: not necesarilly lesbians having sex), it meant that the rest of our stories - 92% - featured either straight or gay characters. (Unfortunately - at PodCastle, we only ran two stories that feature gay characters in the past year.)
So my question is: at what point would you feel comfortable listening to stories featuring lesbian characters? 5%? 3%? 1%? Less than 1%?
Additionally, I'm also disturbed that you compare stories featuring lesbians to stories featuring zombies, or stories that feature T-rexes. I don't think that you mean to equate lesbians to monsters (or dinosaurs), but regardless: it's very, very bad taste. Lesbians, like you, are people, not a genre.
I do appreciate that you like the 92% of the stories, and that you even dug the gay bears, and I do hope you continue to listen to our podcasts. But while I haven't yet had the oppurtunity to listen to this particular story yet, I can tell you that at PodCastle we'll continue to run stories with lesbian protagonists - especially when they're as strong as the one you initially complained about. And I have no doubt Mur will continue to do the same at EP.
I'm on my way out the door, otherwise I'd split this off. Hopefully, eytanz or another mod will be around soon to take care of it, and we can get back to talking about the story in question, and continue this discussion elsewhere if necessary.