I Don't Remember Vader Being That Petite

Recently I got to enjoy the parody burlesque show known as The Empire Strips Back.

It was a memorable and enjoyable experience.

I do applaud our Host for the show, Eric Calrissian, Lando's nephew, who did a great job of keeping us entertained between acts and engaging the audience in energized exchanges.

The shows started off with an individual dressed in a costume much like Luke's Hoth outfit, but very much NOT Luke, climbing off her Tauntaun and then dancing with it. The poor girl ends up removing articles of clothing that leaves her cold and needing to reenact a well-known scene from the movies.  At one point the outer casing is removed from C-3PO, but the inner structure doesn't match up with what we saw in Episode 1. We get an extended scene from the opening of Episode 4 where Leia is recording her message with R2. A batch of Storm Troopers wearing what did not look like screen accurate armor, with a Darth Vader who was not as imposing as what we saw in the films.

We also get a rapping Jabba the Hutt.

It was a fun, crazy, erotic show with decent production values.

The crowd itself was something to take note of. A very diverse crowd with what looked to be an equal male/female ratio, with a fair number of couples, as well as a wide range of ages. It was a geeky crowd and despite the stereotypes, the geek crowd is very sexual group as showed by many in the audience wearing highly suggestive outfits in competition with what was on stage.

I left with a T-shirt that most likely will be worn only in certain company.

If you get the chance and it is your type of entertainment, I can highly recommend it as an enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Just Let Them Like What They Like

I have been a major fanboy of so many things over my life. Just looking around my office you can see at least a dozen different geeky franchises represented on my shelves. There are so many geeky things that I am passionate about and enjoy being part of.

I have also at times been laughed at or told that I should not have such 'childish' interests or been told I am liking the wrong things. The reasons for this are varied, but at all times there do seem to be individuals out there who dislike my interests and wish to put me down in some manner for having them.

While I will admit there have been times where I myself have been critical of someone else's interests that I disliked and might not have been at my best regarding my comments, I have very much become a person who understands that everyone is going to have their passions and should be allowed to embrace those passions if it gives them joy. I do not need to like a franchise or interest for other to find value in them. A prime example of this is sports, which I really have no interest at all in and find boring. Yet there is no doubt how huge sporting events are and how passionate the fans can be of them. People enjoying going to a baseball game does no harm at all to me, even if I do not get any pleasure from such events.

It surprises me at how many people are unable to comprehend that.

I have never been one to jump on the bandwagon. While the crowd yells out what bands you are supposed to hate, I've listened to what I like. I will defend that Nickelback has some great songs, no matter how much some wish to tell us they suck. I think 'Howard the Duck' is a great, fun film, despite all the hate it gets. I kept collecting action figures even after I was told I needed to grow up.

I know I have the right to enjoy what I enjoy, as long as it does not harm anyone, no matter what anyone or everyone else thinks. I also know that is the right for everyone else out there.

Now I will admit I have not always been the best regarding this in the past, but I go out of my way to respect the passions of others, even if I do not share or understanding them. There are many popular and unpopular franchises that I just do not connect with. And it is fine if others enjoy them, no matter how little I may think of some of them. Unless I am being forced to against my will, which would be a whole different issue, I don't have to watch of take part in them.

Yet there too often seems to be those out there who wish to put down others because they do not share in the same passions. There does seem to be an element of human nature in doing this, but that does not justify such actions. We are beings capable to growing beyond such needs after all.

We are all individuals with unique aspects that make us who we are, and a big part of that is what we get passionate over. Only someone with a disrespectful ego would believe that everyone should find enjoyment in all of their passions and nothing else.

There is room for all of our passions in this world and we as a whole are best served by being respectful of that.