From: owner-tmbg-list To: tmbg-digest Subject: They Might Be Giants Digest V1 #26 Reply-To: tmbg-list@tmbg.org Errors-To: owner-tmbg-list Precedence: bulk They Might Be Giants Digest Tuesday, 10 October 1995 Volume 01 : Number 026 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Sara.B.Carmichael@Dartmouth.EDU (Sara B. Carmichael) Date: 10 Oct 95 01:25:49 EDT Subject: sick, sick,sick > and another rumour that I heard that at >their '90 show, >after the show when flans was signing >autographs, linnel didn't show >(after) since he was purportedly upstairs >getting a blowjob from a >friends' acquaintances' friends' friend i REALLY did not want to hear that!!! i realize in my head theyre only human, but id really rather not dwell on their sex lives, gay or straight; it takes something away from the general mystique of it all - -sara- im still writing my german paper thats due tomorrow, so if anyone has some amazing insights on aesthetic theory of german classicism as it pertains to winckelmann and lessing, im all ears! ------------------------------ From: "Francesca Parker" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 01:15:17 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: a mystery... In message Mon, 9 Oct 1995 23:44:36 -0500 (CDT), Erik Swedberg wonders whether the johns are gay. well, erik, at last, highly-confirmable report, they both had girlfriends. this only narrows down the field of sexual-preference-possiblity a degree, but it's something. what I'm about to do is take exception to your characterization of gay people. listen, I've been active in the gay/lesbian/'n more movement and I'm *still*, in the most general terms, willing to credit, to some extent, the existence of "gay" characteristics - in vocal intonation, gait, style, etc. so I'm not going to get all Politically Correct, and call you on using cliches...it's that you've not only stated those stigmas as an absolute, instead of the potential indication that is, perhaps, more appropriate, but you've presented them really offensively: > 1)it is completely uncharacteristic when > looking at their personalities/demeanors/songs/etc. (that's to say > they're not flamboyant at all nor do they sport any of the normal > attention-wanting gay affectations) I guess the point here, is that that's not proof one way or another. (I have to add that I'm slightly amused by the idea of tmbg as anything *less* than flamboyantly attention-grabbing) and I might have overlooked it as the shorthand for our extremely complicated modern societal milieu, which, in itself, doesn't bother me, if your post hadn't included musings about all *sorts* of crassness on the subject of they might be lewd. "sexual favors from fans" is one of the very few things in this universe that is unrelated by subreference or connotation to the band - and the lack of roadies wading through the crowd to give backstage passes to the babes is just one of the reasons why tmbg concerts are purely good places. incidentally, hugh grant used to look ladies soulfully in the eyes and tell them "I think I might be gay" at university...lucky thing he made a public display of his manhood, no? I'm sorry to push this...like I said, it's not so much the insertion of the question, or the characterization of gays in general (because over-general characterization is a necessity now and then) - it's the *tone* of the whole thing that bothers me. I'm sure you wouldn't stop listening to tmbg if you found out they were gay - but how long would you wonder why they weren't prancing around the stage in lavender silk ascots? franny. ------------------------------ From: "Doris the Finkasaurus" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 01:15:05 CST Subject: The JH Girl I'm with Cathy on this one - PLEASE don't vote for any form of Genevieve for the JH Girl's name. Yes, I mean the name obviously rocks and all (and I'm pronouncing it as the American Bastardization - JEN-uh-veev - blame my parents), but really... I'd be very sad if this was the consensus. So, this would be the point where I'd plug the name I want, but y'know, did that in the spring quite adamantely (oops, sp) and now, for the life of me, I can't remember what I wanted to name her. It was briefly Desdemona, but I abandoned that after someone objected because their car was named that... hmmm Genevieve (yes, the Patron St. of Paris) is not a name for an evil girl! A freak, yes, but, not eeveel - like the fruuts of thee dehveel. Delicatessen has an awesome opening scene, but that's all I've seen of it. I'd expect more TMBG fans to love Clerks! This is, IMHO, the best movie ever and the only one where I can quote the lines before the characters (well, Holy Grail, too...). " No time for love Dr. Jones!' ' Kids today..." Go watch Clerks!!!!! Yes, I mean you! I guess the JH girl looks kind of like a Shannon... now we'll hear from all the Shannon's on the list... :) Gennie (you see, if I pronounced it Jen-uh-VEEV my nickname would have to be something like Viv or Veev and those just sound dumb,even if I'm constantly saying "Gennie, With a G" !@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!@#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@!!@#$%^&*()(*&^% "I'm a firm believer in the concept of a ruling class. Especially since I rule." -Randall "Obedience! Obey! Obey!" -me Gennie (or Genevieve or Freakshow as she's sometimes known) is ever so pleased to announce her fall office hours! They are, are you ready?, Mondays 11-2 and Fridays 11-1 (Central times). Yes, these days are rather spread apart, or close together, depending on how you look at it. Deal. Occasional Wednesdays after 4 are a possibility. Call me at the office (608)262-1206 or fax (608)265-3549!! :) PS-these are my WLHA/UW student radio hours if you haven't figured that out yet. I'm still Co-music director. I still like swiss cheese. ------------------------------ From: THOMASVB@CEDAR.GOSHEN.EDU Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 2:44:16 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: a mystery... To say that all gays are "flamboyant" and "attention wanting" is ludicrous. Where do you get off saying this? Anyway, who care what their orientation is? Its a non-topic and I'd just as soon discuss race relations in Antartica. Thomas V Bona ------------------------------ From: THOMASVB@CEDAR.GOSHEN.EDU Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 2:46:36 -0500 (EST) Subject: RE: The JH Girl Clerks!! Cool n stuff!! "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" TV Bona ------------------------------ From: "Jennifer Parker" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 10:05:11 EST Subject: Re: a mystery... On Mon, 9 Oct 1995 23:44:36 -0500 (CDT) Erik Swedberg proclaimed: > that the John's were both homosexual--and that's why the johns live in > the same apartment, etc.... And........? Your point being.......? > they're not flamboyant at all nor do they sport any of the normal > attention-wanting gay affectations) I know plenty of shy and quiet gay people who really don't appreciate being characterized that way. > plus 2)i didn't want to believe the > hitchhikers because they were just dumbasses anyway.... What's this anti-gay thing? > .until an article I read recently > off one of the homepages said something like "Flans met me one day and he > was wearing purple fingernail polish and he said "I'm gay" and I said > okay let's do a video", blah-blah-blah SO WHAT?!?! > and another rumour that I heard that at their '90 show, > after the show when flans was signing autographs, linnel didn't show > (after) since he was purportedly upstairs getting a blowjob from a > friends' acquaintances' friends' friend (but I still don't know if I THESE are the kind of postings that need to be moderated!! My God, it's like thinking about your parents having sex!!!! > believe this one either since I think Linnell just has a general aversion > to people, especially fans)..... aversion to PEOPLE does not mean aversion to SEX > So, anyway, not that I would respect their music or them any more or less > or that knowledge of the truth would help me decide whether to buy their > next album or not... Then why do you care enough to ask us??? Well, Destin----there you go. We finally started talking about Them. Jennifer ############################################################ "If it wasn't for disappointments, I wouldn't have any appointments." Jennifer Parker jparker@agnes.scottlan.edu ################################################################## ------------------------------ From: Russ Josephson x722 Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 08:43:20 MDT Subject: are THEY gay? On Mon, 9 Oct 1995 23:44:36 -0500 (CDT) Erik Swedberg proclaimed: > that the John's were both homosexual--and that's why the johns live in > the same apartment, etc.... This issue came up on the Joe Jackson mailing list that I also subscribe to. Someone quoted Michael Stipe of REM as having said something like: "Who I have sex with is not your business ... unless you happen to be sitting on my lap." Let's kill the rumours, unless THEY want to answer the question THEMselves. =============================================================================== RussJ@btc.adaptec.com "The one man lays down 10 percent, another one trembles and shakes, I save my money. I handle snakes" --Tonio K =============================================================================== ------------------------------ From: Brad Tutterow Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 10:27:19 -0500 (CDT) Subject: RE: copy shop No, it's defintely COPY shop clerk. Brad Tutterow tutterow@stlcop.edu On Mon, 9 Oct 1995 THOMASVB@CEDAR.GOSHEN.EDU wrote: > I thought that it said coffee shop in Sleeping in The Flowers! I could be > wrong, though, being a caffeine addict! > ------------------------------ From: Brad Tutterow Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 10:30:41 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: are THEY gay? Did anyone know that TMBG were part of the ending credits of Space Ghost on TBS. 3:00 CT, check it out. Brad Tutterow tutterow@stlcop.edu ------------------------------ From: "Francesca Parker" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 10:49:49 -0600 (CST) Subject: RE: are THEY gay? In message Tue, 10 Oct 95 08:43:20 MDT, Russ Josephson x722 writes: > Let's kill the rumours, unless THEY want to answer the question > THEMselves. I'm not sure why this is getting under my skin - it's certainly not the first time it's come up.... but I'm feeling inclined to mention that it's no more of a rumor to wonder if someone's homosexual than it is to assume that that person is heterosexual... franny. ------------------------------ From: Joshua Fried Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 10:45:10 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: a mystery... Right on Franny! ------------------------------ From: aimee elisabeth pflieger Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 11:00:18 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: are THEY gay? > > Did anyone know that TMBG were part of the ending credits of Space Ghost > on TBS. 3:00 CT, check it out. > > > Brad Tutterow > tutterow@stlcop.edu > WOW, yes, i knew this and I taped Spavce Ghost one saturday morning and was suprised to see this this man in a cape and tights dancing around to "No One Knows My Plan". It was quite surreal and I LOVED IT! - -aims ------------------------------ From: "The Princess Bridesmaid" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 13:08:10 EST Subject: Re: Ana Ng Interp > Point made, but if you point a gun at the globe, resting the barrel on that > globe , it will tilt upwards, pointing at, approximately NYC. If you rest the barrel on the globe, the shot will be parallel, not perpendicular. perpendicular makes a T shape, while paeallel looks like two l"s together (T as opposed to ll) Cathy ******************************************** "I am not the only dust my mother raised" They Might Be Giants Catherine Gurry catherine.gurry@Agnes.ScottLAN.edu ********************************************* ------------------------------ From: "The Princess Bridesmaid" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 13:12:00 EST Subject: Re: The "Name That JH Girl!" Contest.(Take 2) > (Oh, and Cathy, you don't get to vote till friday!) That wasn't a vote. It was a frantic plea for you all to not scar me permanently by naming the creepy JH girl my name. It was also campaining, which, as far as I know is not against the rules. Cathy Phoebe! Phoebe! Phoebe! ******************************************** "I am not the only dust my mother raised" They Might Be Giants Catherine Gurry catherine.gurry@Agnes.ScottLAN.edu ********************************************* ------------------------------ From: "The Princess Bridesmaid" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 13:16:02 EST Subject: Re: a mystery... Erik, To calm you soul. A year ago christmas time, when I fell in love with Flans (he's the most beautiful man on earth) my hopefull emotions were squelched by people telling me that they both had girlfriends. And I read in an article somewhere that Linnell was spending Christmas with his girlfriend and her family in England or something like that. Cathy ******************************************** "I am not the only dust my mother raised" They Might Be Giants Catherine Gurry catherine.gurry@Agnes.ScottLAN.edu ********************************************* ------------------------------ From: "The Princess Bridesmaid" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 13:21:23 EST Subject: Re: The JH Girl > I'm with Cathy on this one - PLEASE don't vote for any form of Genevieve for > the JH Girl's name. Yes, I mean the name obviously rocks and all (and I'm > pronouncing it as the American Bastardization - JEN-uh-veev - blame my > parents), but really... I'd be very sad if this was the consensus. . It was briefly Desdemona, > but I abandoned that after someone objected because their car was named > that... hmmm Gennie, you fabulous person. Backing me up left right and center. It is my car that is named Desdemona, and a very good car she is too. I pronounce Genevieve the french way, but that is because I got it from my great-grandmother, and she was French. But I believe people should be allowed to pronounce their mane any way they want. But I do think they should pick a pronunciation and stick with it. (like that whaol demi moore thing, what was that?) Cathy ******************************************** "I am not the only dust my mother raised" They Might Be Giants Catherine Gurry catherine.gurry@Agnes.ScottLAN.edu ********************************************* ------------------------------ From: "The Princess Bridesmaid" Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 13:27:28 EST Subject: Re: a mystery... > THESE are the kind of postings that need to be moderated!! My God, > it's like thinking about your parents having sex!!!! I don't have to think about it, I know. My parents haven't had sex since 1975. (that may be a slight exaggeration, but not by much, and don't make remarks, you don't know my parents) > > believe this one either since I think Linnell just has a general aversion > > to people, especially fans)..... > aversion to PEOPLE does not mean aversion to SEX Good point, my friend. The only reason I would care in the first place is my lust for Flans, I could really care less about Linnell's extracurricular activities. But you know my love for gossip. Cathy ******************************************** "I am not the only dust my mother raised" They Might Be Giants Catherine Gurry catherine.gurry@Agnes.ScottLAN.edu ********************************************* ------------------------------ From: myke Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 14:20:38 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: are THEY gay? What a stupid f!cking thread! No, they are not, No, it doesn't matter, No, it's none of your g!dd@mned business! PLEASE refrain from posting Linnell blowjob stories, or whatever despicable figments of your deranged inagination you can dream up. F!cking HAL... ------------------------------ From: GoldLeder@aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 15:34:37 -0400 Subject: Re: a mystery... Okay, here's the deal. John and John are NOT gay. As we all know, Flans and Linnell have been friends since high school and that's where they started makin' music. Second, Yes Linell does have a thing with the public -- he hates it. He doesn't like being in spotlight. One big reason is when I was talking to a rhoadie after one concert (at McCabe's guitar shop in Santa Monica Ca. the most unbelieveable concert I've seen of them but I'll go into that later) He said that Linell has had someone stalking, yes stalking him and he has been very careful in staying away from the public and fans. This doesn't prove the point, but it does answer your question about Linell - -- My two cents -- they are Staright!!! ------------------------------ From: GoldLeder@aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 15:40:41 -0400 Subject: Clerk, movies and TMBG Yes I must say Clerks certainly does rule!!! I just wish TMBG could/would do musci for cool movies like that. Instead they do music for the MIghty Morphin Power Rangers -- That blows almost as hard as Linell's. Anyway has anyone heard the new TMBG song on the soundtrack to MMPW It's called Sensorround and It rocks!!! I just don't want to buy the whole album to get one song -- I f I had money, it would be worth it though Chris Miko ------------------------------ From: GoldLeder@aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 15:46:26 -0400 Subject: Flans fun fact Did you guys all realize that John Flansburgh directed, yes directed, the new Edwin Collins video it's called something like "a girl like you" it's a cool song and video, keep your eyes out for it! Chris Miko goldleder@aol.com ------------------------------ From: My brain to your screen Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 12:57:25 PDT Subject: Re: Ana Ng Interp Forwarded message: > > From: "The Princess Bridesmaid" > Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 17:47:08 EST > Subject: Re: Ana Ng Interp > > > um, I think China isn't on the other side of the equator from the U.S. (I > > think -- I don't have a map in front of me). I believe the Johns were > > thinking about Vietnam when they wrote the song (At least, I think I saw > > that assertion in an interview or FAQ somewhere.) I don't know where that > > puts the "speaker", maybe in Bulgaria (Like Jason Weiner (and others) said). > > They were thinking about Vietnam, but on the exact other side of the > world from Vietnam is Peru. So it apparently has nothing to do with > the US at all. > > Cathy > Taken from the Official TMBG FAQ: 13) What does "Ana Ng" mean? Derek Thomas interviews John Flansburgh in the 8/90 THROTTLE magazine: JF: Ng is a Vietnamese name. The song is about someone who's thinking about a person on the exact opposite side of the world. John looked at a globe and figured out that if Ana Ng is in Vietnam and the person is on the other side of the world, then it must be written by someone in Peru. Jon McIntyre says, "John F is wrong; it's a Chinese name. `Nguyen' and `Ngoc' are examples of similar Vietnamese names." Well now you know! Pat ------------------------------ From: Stephen Dierdorf Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 15:09:45 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Ana Ng again Regarding the location of Ana Ng: I sort of think it's China, but not because of actual geographics (it seems that people have proven that China isn't opposite of NYC). It's sort of a cliche that China is on the other side of the Earth from the US- cartoon characters are always digging deep holes and coming out in China. I sort of just thought that the Johns latched on to this popular cliche (as they do so often), even though it isn't true. On the other hand, the name "Ng" sounds more Vietnamese to me than Chinese, but what the hell do I know? Merely my two pfennig. Scott "I hate verisimilitude." ------------------------------ From: aimee elisabeth pflieger Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 15:13:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Clerk, movies and TMBG On Tue, 10 Oct 1995 GoldLeder@aol.com wrote: > Yes I must say Clerks certainly does rule!!! I just wish TMBG could/would do > musci for cool movies like that. Instead they do music for the MIghty > Morphin Power Rangers -- That blows almost as hard as Linell's. Anyway has > anyone heard the new TMBG song on the soundtrack to MMPW It's called > Sensorround and It rocks!!! I just don't want to buy the whole album to get > one song -- I f I had money, it would be worth it though > > Chris Miko > it is awesome, sophie has it and we are head over heels for it! - -a ------------------------------ From: DUPREY11@SNYCORVA.CORTLAND.EDU Date: Tue, 10 Oct 1995 16:27:07 -0400 (EDT) Subject: ant Does anyone out there have an interp for "Ant"? It's truly a great little song. My initial understanding of the song is that some of our best ideas sneak up on us while we dream "there's an ant crawling up your back in the nighttime/that ant crawls in your head in the nighttime/but you think that's okay while you're sleeping". Some of these ideas prosper and flourish "Someday that ant he will grow up to be president". After these ideas have become accepted by other people, you credit yourself for coming up with them: "The president calls your name in the nighttime". However, as good as some of them may be, some people will obviously reject them: "The men ransack your house in the nighttime/as the ant crawls up your back while you're sleeping" Anyone have anything different? I could be wrong. -Ondine ------------------------------ End of They Might Be Giants Digest V1 #26 *****************************************