Furries on TV
Posted by Aureth on Fri 12 Sep 2003 - 21:00
Like ER a couple of years ago, another popular TV series appears to be planning on using furries in an upcoming episode. CSI is planning an episode involving a murder victim found in a racoon suit who turns out to be 'part of a group of people called "Furries" who dress up for sexual pleasure.'
In addition, it appears that a southern California furry fan by the name of Dark Fox is advising on the script.
Tags:
About the author
Aureth — read stories — contact (login required)an agronomist and Cornwuff from Northern Illinois, interested in sf, homebrewing, photography and running
Comments
Dark Fox, are you stupid, or just high? Furries in a positive light when the TV guide synopsis in the listings have it down as going for the fetish angle? If you're smart, you'd drop Viacom like a bad habit on this.
I was sent here through the Mailing List to see what the story was on this end. So I figured I'd nip this in the bud here as well.
CSI contacted me (since I am the Admin of the SoCalFurs Mailing List) asking if I'd help in the creation of an episode. I said "It depends on how much furry will be slandered" The Producer wanted me to meet them and discuss the script and learn more about furry. I agreed and we talked for 5 hours. All the information they had gathered came from the MTV Sex Fetish episode, and from easily obtainable sexual websites like www.fursuitsex.com. So I spent time trying to tell them that they were looking at the small percentage of furry and that we were not accurately being portrayed.
The Production Team I met (Producer, Director, Costume, Set Director, Set Designer, Production Assistant) were shocked when I told them all about what REALLY happens at a con. I sat with a few furs that are in the immediate area to help me go through the script and let me tell you, we could have been the poster boys for what MTV originally showed. There were scenes of 10 fursuiters having sex, I have been playing chess with them and was able to keep it down to 1 (because the story required the sex) and there was even a plushophile sequence that move down to them showing a "modified plush" rather than being a little more intimate with it.
Unfortunately this website has linked to the LJ where we announced a local casting call in hopes to gather normal furs to portray us as we are instead of having Extras doing the bump-and-grind all over. What you miss are the literal 100s of e-mails that this episode has spawned, and flooded the Mailing List with; some furs even came up with ideas to improve further media relations, but because of crap like the MTV thing we are already boned at the start.
This episode was already planning to be shot as I was talking to the Production Team. They were already going by the original script, then I stepped in and had them change as much as I could without them fighting saying that "We are not making a documentary, we are trying to make an interesting episode".
I cannot reiterate this enough, I am being pro-active and trying to make a difference and not sit at home, see the episode, and say OMG WTF!?! It was a pretty gutsy move yes, but hopefully me showing backbone will encourage others to look into the next media coverage and go "let's see what if anything I can do". I am in the entertainment industry now and I know how it works, I am not high, I am not delusional, I am not selling myself out, I am trying to make a difference. And if flak hits me, so be it, at least I gave it a shot and will have that for me. I have received tons of e-mail ("98% positive" / "2% Dude! What are you doing to yourself?") about this, and with the support of those in the immediate area we are taking a huge risk and actually going to film on Monday the 15th.
I know that the episode is better than originally planned, as well as the couple of the furs who got to see the script for a few minutes. When the show airs (I think prior to Halloween), I can only say “This was the best I could do” and actually the episode is very interesting. There is just a lot of stuff taken from the MTV Episode that I was no able to change (Mostly being the “Fursuit Party”) and they (to me) are not using “fur pile” in the correct context.
Why did I post here? Man you wouldn’t believe the people e-mailing me and responding to my old LJ entry right now. When a fur on the SoCalFurs list said “check here” I figured I would see if I could stop some of the traffic J
err.. that was posted by me... heh
Regardless of what turns up on camera, if the furries at the shoot play it right, most of the professionals AT the shoot may come away with a better idea of what we're really like...
Anyway, being a fan of both furry and CSI, I'll be there - check my LJ later for my own take on the subject. (username kayshapero, aka Calico Cat)
Kay Shapero
http://www.kayshapero.net/
Well, I suppose I'll just wish you luck. The last time a group I am involved with tried to influence media in a positive direction, we ended up with the craptacular Vanity Fair article. Our media relations gal was physically ill when she saw that the writer (or the editor) had completely ignored her and the positive interviews she had set up in favor of going straight for the fetish aspects.
At the same time, I don't really care very much about media portrayals, anymore. They will happen with or without our participation, it's just a part of being a rather bizarre fandom. If you think you're moderating the script, then good for you.
Jack here:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/jackfurlong/
Thanks for the history on this; now that I see what you managed to accomplish, you indeed have my thanks...obviously, it could have been _far_worse_ that it will be when it airs (if one can BELIEVE the ratings hungry media).
I havent been watching CSI (I'd rather see the real thing on Discovery Channel) and I'll wait for postings online to see how it turns out. I'm with Angel_Bear on this one (FM wcotp board post) CSI has _definintly_ jumped the shark. This sounds like desperation on their part for a show going "down the hole".... *gurglegurglegurgle*
Good luck with everything DarkFox.
And a big THANK YOU to someone who decided to *do* something about nasty media images of furry rather than just sit back and complain.
Eric Hinkle
"Fur and Loathing" in Las Vegas?
I don't know what's worse--the PR, or the pun! ;)
Trickster
And they totally ripped me off, man!
:}
It's probably coincidence, but last month someone I don't know emailed me out of the blue asking about furries. Said he saw some furries at SDCC (same place I found furry) and realized that "other people found these characters sexual".
I had a slight hunch he might be a reporter, but I replied as I would to anyone. I cautioned him that furry was not predominantly about fetish, and many furries are completely non-sexual. I told him to get in touch with local groups of furs and ask questions there. And since he lives in So. CA, who knows.
In all honesty, yes, the portrayal will likely be bad; but after contact with Real Furries it's likely to be slightly-less-bad, if that's any consolation.
Trickster
i just don't get what's with media
other then that they seem to think they have to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
i may be paranoid but it seems to me that there are a lot of vested axes to grind out there, politicly and otherwise, that seem to feel there is something to be gained by representing anything speculative fantasy in some kind of distortedly negative light.
and not just furry.
too bad this happens, but maybe it's as much as can be expected of the ambient culture of the times.
of course a lot of furry art is to varying degrees sexualy oriented, but it seems rather obvious to me, that it is one hell of a jump from that to interpreting fursuiting as somehow eroticly motivated.
i can understand the mtv thing because that was clearly what they were looking for in the furst place. but csi? what rock were their script writers living under before they thought of bringing in after the fact consultation?
is the real furry world THAT invissable?
=^^=
.../\...
Yes, it is. We're still well under the mainstream cultural radar... which can be both a good and a bad thing.
As someone else pointed out somewhere else, furry is a relatively young fandom, and is going through growing pains right now.
I think also the point is being ignored that when you look at all the press coverage overall
all the stuff that was bad :
e.g.
vanity fair
loaded
these publications are literally 1 step above the tabloids
im not that familiar with either but
who really reads this stuff like vanity fair ? yeah, sure, people on the internet pass that article around ...id be shocked to find any of the people who have read that article the most actually buy the magazine on a regular basis
its probably 2 very different demographics
in general: this type of shit is for people with no attention span ..sorry but, that's who tabloid news is for
if it doesnt have tons of pictures and something shocking/bizarre/whatever every other sentence - they cant get through it.
meanwhile look at any time furry has been in a regular newspaper or regular newsprogram (FL channel 7)
they all acknowledge the same elements but the spin is different ...why? its simple - its not an important story, and never will be
its filler
furry is under the radar and will remain there until it actually starts doing something productive. (ex. promoting comics that the mainstream can enjoy - TO THE MAINSTREAM)
at this point in time, unless you live your life on the internet
you will almost never run into furries , nor will they be of any consequence
dont make the mistake of thinking that people actually give a shit either..how can they when they have thier own lives to live?
some program that features bizarre-behaviour of furries airs
"gee, thats weird" then onto the next program
do you think the guy that saw the MTV special last year was driving to work this morning
"god!...those furries are so fucked up.."
later at lunch "ya know, i just cant get over that mtv special last year...christ!...what a bunch of weirdos!"
"i wish i could get to sleep but i just cant stop thinking about those damn furries!"
i doubt it, and if he is that neurotic, then maybe he should see a doctor. only furries think about furry this much
all this press coverage will do is maybe give someone a negative predisposition if they ever come across furry stuff..thats IF they can remember these stories. and, typically, the average person does not heavily research things they are not interested in
remember:
big news to you - not to everyone else
(btw, dont take any of this to mean that furry shouldnt clean up its act -ASAP)
-mouse
That was Kage! At AC2001. And he's quite right. But as he said, despite these growing pains, the mud that's been slung...
...we're still here!! ^)^
Clicking the "Want to discuss this episode in our forum?" button
below the Episode 406 info at the CSI link, produces an error
message, but if you click "Forums" on the left side of that CSI
page, select "CSI", then Search for "Episode 406", and select
the thread by Stuart, you can read existing posts- and if you
register, may add your thoughts. I dont know if anyone
influential will read them, but it couldn't hurt to present our
side in numbers that show we care.
Oh hey, look at that URL again! They've taken the "who dress up for sexual pleasure" part out of the description. Yaay!
lmao .. i got to see this on tv i had nothing better to do :| as in the :csi: it was kinda good but very wrong at the same time :| but.... all of us furrys really cant do eney thing about it. there going to make it into one of them new bondeg typ things :|
Post new comment