#makingwaves

[consanguinitatum]

Trivia Night: the Takin' Over The Asylum Edition

So after finishing up with my previous post on a never-before revealed DT project during his drama school years, I went back through some of my old Twitter threads to see if there were any I missed posting here. I found quite a few of them, so I figured over the course of the next few weeks I ought to go ahead and post the rest of them here, too! Tonight we'll talk about a fan favorite -- Takin' Over The Asylum.

A month or so back, I was collating some theatre reviews and other tidbits about years which don't fit into my podcast years of c1987-c1992, and I ran across a few things of interest.

The first thing of interest was that Takin' Over The Asylum was rebroadcast on BBC2 in the summer of 1996. I'd always been under the impression it had only run in its entirety in 1994.

See?

from the Sutton Coldfield Observer · Friday, July 12, 1996

Did you know the series also ran in Canada in March of 1997, and in the US in October 2000 on BBC America?

That's cool enough, but it was the other thing which really piqued my interest. It was something really weird.

Did you know there were once plans to remake Takin' Over The Asylum into a major Hollywood movie? Well, I sure didn't! But it certainly appears to be true. By late October 1997, MGM Studios announced they had purchased the rights to make the film. They renamed it Fool On The Hill and plans were made for filming to begin in April of 1998. In this interesting interview in early 1998, David talked about the possible film. He said he would have played Campbell again "like a shot" if they'd offered it to him, and he thought if they did it right, it "could be a fantastic movie." But he wasn't considered.

So who WAS rumored to be cast? Oh, boy. Jim Carrey as Ready Eddie. Julia Ormond was being considered as Francine. .......and, um....Kevin Spacey as....um....who knows?

I say "who knows" because - in true Hollywood style - they started messing with the script. They rewrote it and rewrote it, moving it to an American setting. In this version, the main character remained fairly true to the original, as he was a window and aluminum siding salesman. However, in this rewrite, he isn't our familiar has-been radio DJ, but merely has a passion for radio. This fellow somehow discovers a defunct radio station in a small town mental institution and starts his own broadcasts, in the process "transforming the lives of the institution’s patients as well as those of the town’s more ordinary residents."

These rewrites apparently took so much time they caused delays in the filming schedule, so they ended up unable to start filming in April 1998. And by the time it was ready, Carrey wasn't available. So it sat on a desk.

Now if you'll recall, I mentioned David had been interviewed about the possible movie project in 1998. At that time, David said Campbell had been rewritten as a "black kid from the ghetto" (THEIR words, not mine). And - of course - David said he was not that character.

In 2001 - when they announced Spacey's possible casting - it appears the script must have been rewritten even more. Because here's the thing. In the 2001 version of the script, Spacey was supposed to be "a hospital administration officer who befriends the new 'inmate' in a bid to bring laughter to his patients." Which isn't at all what David has said in the 1998 interview.

To be fair, all of these descriptions are a bit unclear to me. They don't name the character who Spacey was supposed to play. So if Spacey was supposed to be hospital administration, was he a new character in addition to whoever played Campbell, or was Spacey supposed to replace Campbell? If the former, so be it....but if it was the latter I give out a hearty WTF and a double helping of ewwwww. That means Campbell's character had either been written out of the script or had been relegated to a less important role. And can you imagine any version of Takin' Over The Asylum without Campbell? Luckily all of this became a moot point because due to a myriad of issues the the film never got made. My personal opinion is THANK THE HEAVENS. It would've been a disaster, right? An absolute stinker. Because the only proper Takin' Over The Asylum is our Takin' Over The Asylum. With Campbell! Also, you all do know that Takin' Over The Asylum's original working title was Making Waves, right? It sure was! When I interviewed David Blair, the director of Takin' Over The Asylum, he told me so. Here's more proof:

I should point out the filming dates listed in the first blurb aren't completely correct. While I've no idea when filming started, Mr. Blair's given me a photo of the clapperboard for the last day of filming (which I won't publish, as he hasn't given his permission.) The clapperboard reads 29 October 1993.

Anyway, it's really cool that - even after years of doing research, it's fun and ridiculous and remarkable to learn things that are news to me. It's one of the most exciting things about doing this research!

[yurimother]

United Workers of Seven Seas Becomes First North American Manga Publisher to Unionize

Publisher chooses to recognize union on the day ballots were to be sent for election, citing "the well-being and safety of our employees"

On Friday, June 24th, the United Works of Seven Seas Twitter page announced that manga and light novel publisher Seven Seas Entertainment has agreed to voluntarily recognize the union and engage in collective bargaining. This announcement makes the United Works of Seven Seas (UW7S) the first unionized manga and light novel publisher in North America.

The announcement read:

UW7S is happy to announce that Seven Seas has agreed to voluntarily recognize us as the union based on a majority card check. This decision by Seven Seas eliminates the need for an NLRB-conducted election and will pave the way for a more expedited path to bargaining a first contract. At a time when many employers continue to fight the unionization of their employees, we appreciate that Seven Seas decided to respect the voices of the majority of staff and recognize us. We look forward to developing a mutually beneficial relationship and reaching a collective bargaining agreement in the near future.

On Saturday, Seven Seas posted the following statement to Twitter:

At the end of May, Seven Seas was notified that a union had filed an election petition to represent our employees. At the time, the company decided to proceed to an election governed by the National Relations Labor Board in order to allow such an important decision to get its full democratic process. the company is responsible for protecting the rights of all employees, and was uncomfortable waiving such a fundamental right to vote.

However, this has been a challenging time for staff at every level. Above all, the well-being and safety of our employees is of utmost importance to us. In order to protect everyone involved, and to work together in good faith for the sake of our staff, creators, partners and fans, Seven Seas has now decided to waive the right to an election in favor of voluntary recognition of the union.

We look forward to working together with the newly unionized UW7S and the rest of our global staff as we sail towards an even brighter future.

UW7S first publicly announced on May 23rd that the employees of Seven Seas had formed a union and were working alongside the Communications Workers of America. The announcement explained the need for the union citing that although Seven Seas has grown exponentially in recent years, going from 10 employees in 2018 to over 40 today, the workers were overworked, underpaid, and inadequately supported. At the time Seven Seas agreed to recognize the union, 28 of the 36 employees within the bargaining unit had publicly pledged support for the union. 

The organization released a list of goals on its website including

Healthcare

Pension benefits

Paid time off

Increased wages and a transparent increase structure

Paid family leave

Reduced workloads and an end to “crunch” schedules

Protections for employees, including an end of at-will employment

The end of unnecessary “permalancing”

for freelancers (translators, letterers, designers, etc.)

An increase to pay for freelances, including revision and “kill” fees

Clearly defined job roles and responsibilities

A transparent wage ladder and organizational structure

New training methods and materials

The creation of a dedicated scheduling department to track progress

Expansion of administration to maintain their database

Paid training for all managers and supervisors

The end of anti-freelance exclusivity contracts for staff

End-of-year bonuses

Reimbursement for remote work equipment costs

Improved communication between departments, including quarterly updates

Increased staff for overburdened departments

The union also called for the creation of anti-harassment and discrimination policies and the establishment of a process for submitting complaints. In a statement, they noted, “Members of the Seven Seas union have not experienced any issues with harassment or discrimination to date. We strive to keep it that way.”

In light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on Friday which ended the constitutional right to an abortion, UW7S released a new demand “that Seven Seas set up a reproductive health travel fund accessible to all employees and US-based freelancers to states where reproductive healthcare remains available.”

The announcement that Seven Seas had voluntarily recognized the union came as a somewhat of a surprise, as the publisher had initially refused to do so, citing a wish to "respect the right of all eligible employees to vote on this issue," and hired a suspected union-busting law firm, Ogletree Deakins, who challenged the size of the bargaining unit under claimed that several members of the bargaining unit were supervisors under §152 of the National Labor Relations Act. The section states that a supervisor is anyone with authority or responsibilities to direct others and, under the same section, makes them ineligible to join the union. UW7S responded by announcing that four of the ten challenged staff members were determined to be ineligible but that the other six still maintained voting rights.

UW7S had planned to vote on a special election with the National Labor Relations Board, which would send out ballots on June 24, the day the union was voluntarily recognized, to be counted on August 1. The union was set to win the election, with 28 of the 36 individuals eligible publicly pledging support which formed a supermajority of nearly 78%. Seven Seas, which has been facing public backlash and pressure on social media including TikTok and Twitter, recognized the union based on a majority card check that showed a majority of workers wanted to authorize the union to represent them in collective bargaining.

Source: United Workers of Seven Seas Twitter, Website

[mermanthommy]

😳💦When getting in the water,… do you just jump on in,… or,… do you push in your friend first for a safety check??? 🦈😅 - I’m not usually the first one in the water when it comes to myself,… I’d rather let the sea monsters get someone else first just so I know the coast is clear!!! 😳👀😜 - With that said,… let’s see if you’re like me,… or if you just take the plunge in the comments!!! - @mermanthommy Peacock Mantis Shrimp Swimwear by: @mertailormen (10% off non silicone items with code THOMMY10 at checkout with www.TheMertailor.com!!!) Silicone Starfish Necklace by: @merman.arjun Photo by: @digitalfluke Shot on: @canonusa Edited with: @affinitybyserif - #mertaiormen #mymertailor #ad #speedos #speedomen #mensswimwear #swimsuitmodel #swimsuitseason #meninspeedos #sexyinspeedo #menonthebeach #gaymenofinstagram #gayswimwear #gayswimmer #makingwaves #gaysacramento #gaycalifornia #menwithlonghair #aquamanmovie #aquamanedit #aquaman2 #merman #mermen #meninunderwear #mensbikini #lifeinluxury #menwithclass #hotmenofinstagram #gaysofinstagram #gaysofinsta (at Pacifica, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CViUI2dpR-s/?utm_medium=tumblr

[kurtarrigo]

Nobody said it would be plain sailing! Whatever your journey, may you navigate it with happiness, health and laughter... 🙏🏻 . . . . #2021 #newbeginnings #sailon #findingfreedom #keepitreal #myspace #makeithappen #makingwaves #shadows https://www.instagram.com/p/CJeDDJWplbN/?igshid=kpc5hue5v8jz

[jtcartist]

Thanks SO MUCH to all the folks who come out to see me and chat and buy my art on all these grey Saturdays at @alderneylanding !! It always amazes me when a) people buy my work and b) so many come back to buy more and c) how emotional some people get when looking at some of my pieces. I am grateful and honored to touch some heart strings in your lives as I express my own joy through painting! As I told a lady recently, who was embarrassed by tearing up while looking at my work, it is one of the biggest complements an artist can get! . . #art #gratitude #artmarket #artlovers #artcollector #paintinglife #painting #love #artistsoninstagram #artsy #instaart #thankyou #emotions #emotionalart #canadianartist #eastcoastvibes #makingwaves #artforthesoul #modernart #contemporaryart #jillcooperart #jillthirzacooper #interiordesign #wearableart #oceanart #fiercewomen https://www.instagram.com/p/BxH1-_GnQAd/?igshid=1ri75fty0k1n9

[jennifertaylorarts]

🌊🌊 Hope you like this one so far. I still have lots to do, but you can see where we’re headed. Can you spot the subtle hidden gold textures in the waves? ✨🌊🌊🌚🌝 . . Oil on canvas, 61 cm x 61 cm. . . Thanks everyone 🌊 . . #artwork #makingwaves #waves #painter #seas #moon #moonlight #art #skies #sky #oceans #dreams #realms #clouds #seascape #oilpainting #artist #artistsoninstagram #magicalplaces #water #imagination #universe #stars #moonpainting #moonart #textures #artinspiration (at Newcastle upon Tyne) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRt0EXlpSw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ddnanip2rchu

[iridescentdesires]

Nursing School

I’ve been MIA yet again this semester. Have I hit my weight loss goals by graduation? No. Have I gone regularly to the gym in the last couple a months? No. I’ve gained some weight back as well. I plan to see the damage Saturday after a few days of hydrating and de-bloating.  I however have completed 22 credits this semester (in the middle of completing my last 3). Full time is 12 credits just for reference. I've completed all of my courses at the top 10% of my class. I’ve not needed to complete a single remediation (which is commonly done in nursing school). I’m so proud of what I have accomplished in the last year. I have made huge strides towards the career that I want. I’m proud that I took on such a difficult challenge and prevailed. Their were plenty of moments of tears, weakness, and doubt. But I kept going. I’m so proud to see these photos become a reality.

In four weeks is my pinning ceremony. Graduation for nursing. After that, NCLEX. Then I can finally call myself a Nurse.  I had my priorities shift this year from my health and fitness to my career and education. I didn’t toss out all my good habits this year but I was unable to balance both health/fitness and furthering my education. I’m hoping now that things are calming down in my life I can pick up where I left off and continue to work on ingraining healthy lifestyle habits into my life.  

[puppy4mybirthday]

making waves