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Dorothy Snarker

Ilene talks Times – are we ready to listen?

Would you pay $30 to hear Ilene Chaiken talk? No? How about if I told you she was bringing Jennifer Beals along with her? Still no? Wow, tough crowd. What if I told you there'd be ice cream? Fine, so there won't be ice cream but I had to offer something.

The L Word creator, executive producer, killer-offer-of-characters-beloved-and-otherwise will take part in The New York Times discussion series Times Talk on April 20 in New York City. Oh, and Jennifer Beals will be there, too. Yes, that's how it is billed in the Times Talk calendar, well, minus the killer-offer stuff.

And, once again, that billing is a microcosm of what was wrong with The L Word. It was always Mama Chaiken's puppet show. Everyone else were just her marionettes, and no matter how well they performed the strings always showed.

The talk will be moderated by Times reporter Kim Severson, a food writer for the paper. OK, I don't remember any particularly memorable recipes in The L Word, but I guess they were always eating or drinking something at The Planet.

Actually, the talk, titled “Life After 'The L Word',” will discuss how the show “broke new ground for those involved in the show as well as for the lesbian community, its impact on television, media, current events and pop culture — and what’s coming next for them all.”

Well, if by “broke new ground” they actually mean “made me scream at my television,” then the topic sounds about right.

Though the whole thing has me a little concerned. The description calls the who killed Jenny fiasco an “intriguing 'whodunit' plot twist.” Well, if by “intriguing” they actually mean “incomprehensible” and by “plot twist” they actually mean “unsuccessful attempt to ensure the creation of a ludicrous prison-themed spin-off,” then that sounds about right.

So, got your ticket yet?

Comments

wickedgrrl's picture

Brilliant shot of Mia

Everyone else were just her marionettes, and no matter how well they performed the strings always showed.

The picture of Mia and she-who-must-not-be-named is a brilliant image to accompany the marionettes.  If anyone in that cast performed their ass off to the fullest extent possible with the worst everything possible it was Mia. 

~ Otalia: "It's a love story." ~

alex's picture

Agreed!

Mia's a freaking saint. Someone give this girl a successful career after putting up with Mama Chaiken.

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http://rightmindleftcoast.wordpress.com

Amber's picture

Totally Agree

Mia is extremely talented...extremely. Hopefully, she can wrestle an awesome career after we watched her act her ass off when her Jenny's character development floated on a yellow, inflatable boat toward that wacky island of...i don't even know.
jordan-writes's picture

AHAHAHAHA!

Omg "she-who-must-not-be-named" lmao I love it! Hahahaha! That made my day! Oh and I totally agree with you about Mia. She is an amazing actor.

http://jordan-writes.blogspot.com/

Irish88's picture

Totally agree

Mia is an incredible actress who doesn't think she's a very good actress! She's far too humble for her own good!

I'm not going to Ilene bash or L word bash because I loved every minute of the show up until Season 6! And lets face it, nobody can make everyone happy; they gave us another Season as we wanted and now that we've got it everyone is bitching about it! I think if Showtime had allotted 12 episodes instead of 8, we perhaps might have got a more thorough and comprehensive Season!

With that said, whether Ilene invented the characters or not, she still had the guts to bring the concept of this show to the table and deliver it, and for that i'm eternally grateful!

chloe69's picture

ask about the movie

chloe69

OC refugees taking a stand for the L word…Join our World Wide Campaign for more
L Word stories please check out at web site at:

http://xandrasplace.com/lezgarter.html

There you will find all the tools needed to participate in our campaign, petition, video statements etc.
Please place our link on your site for more participation
Please join in - be heard - spread the word
chloe69's picture

we want more

PolitelyOffend's picture

Come on Illene!

omg, why doesn't she just GO AWAY! Honestly, I mean I know that she did increase lesbian visibility in the media, and she has clearly given herself a pat on the back already. However, I think that she might have done much more harm than good. Honestly, the L Word went from being this great series in the first two seasons to the lesbian version of Nip/Tuck in that it hates men/woman/cancer patients/child molestation victims/sick dogs/cute tennis players/lesbians in general/transgendered people/humanity in general outside the world of Illene! Honestly, it went from bashing the transgendered community to butch lesbian! Seriously? And to end it all on such an amazingly negative note! It was obvious that Illene just wrote herself into a hole and decided to make it an "artsy" open ended finale. I'm sorry, but that didn't work out that well for the Sopranos, and at least with that show, people didn't have dartboards with the creator's picture on it! (not that I do...) I know that amateurs borrow and professionals steal, but I honestly don't see Illene as a professional anything. She is self centered and self indulgent. I would say that I wish someone would give her a piece of their mind, but I doubt it would pierce her massive ego. How did this woman get so much exposure? Weren't there two other creators? She never seems to mention them, but they seem to be more humble and less enamored with themselves.

*takes a breath*

I just HAD to get that out!

Sorcha's picture

Yep, that sounds just about right

Hear hear!

Hip To The Beat, Mommie-O!

sarah27's picture

Wow... that was some

Wow... that was some monologue, glad you got that out : )
Penny Winterr's picture

Jennifer Beals

I think she's super delicious.
demerara_rain's picture

swoon

i logged in just to echo your sentiments.  dayum, that woman is fineeeeeee.  well done, god.  well done.

 

 

she was not quite what you would call refined. she was not quite what you would call unrefined. she was the kind of person that keeps a parrot. (mark twain)

Anonymous's picture

haha

i just scrolled through the post and when i saw a picture of jennifer i automatically thought "she's delicious."

this woman is just gorgeous beyond reason..it makes no sense. if i ever met her i'd..i'd...omg..i'd do the most ....*clear throat* no, im calm. *deep breathe*

___insert ultimate swoon here___

 

~ L is for the way you look at me

xxphoenixx's picture

F*ck it, I wouldnt miss it!

but im all the way in cali =P.

Im really tired of all the IC bashing, i mean get over it, in life we dont always get what we want right? Im not gonna bitch and moan about it whenver the topic comes up. At first i was upset at the ending, but the fact is the L word was great show, it had its ups and downs, and yeah the last season, not too great, but i still loved it. Way to turn on the person that brought us tibette & company and some f*cking fantastic lesbian televsion moments. Ive had friends screw up, and i forgave em and still luv em, ive had family do the same, and i forgave em and still love em, we're all flawed. So why is that this woman who imo helped our visibility more than people are willing to acknowledge, is being crucified. I just dont get it.

 

Cerulean Skii's picture

Yeah

I agree with you. All of the IC bashing is soooo unnecessary. Up until the last season, everything seemed to be going well and everyone seemed to love her. Now, she does something that people cannot seem to understand and she's the devil? Come on. Give the woman a break!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He who hides well, lives well. -Descartes

PolitelyOffend's picture

I would have given her a break...

If I hadn't read the AE interview with the show's ACTUAL creators. Illene basically took their idea and kicked them off the project after the pilot! Not to mention that Jenny and Dana were based on the other creators and whaddaya know? They were killed off! Dana, by breast cancer, which was just horrible considering that at the time the creator that the character was based off of (who was also the godmother of Illene's child) was suffering from the same disease and at the time didn't know if she was going to make it. She even said the storyline was bull and was rightfully very angry about it. Honestly, I wasn't angry at Illene about Dana since people in life sometimes do die from cancer, and I certainly did not think that she was a bad or cruel person, but to do that to a former collegue and someone who is basically family is just horrible. She is not only unoriginal, but she is just awful all around.

dntelfan's picture

Yeah...

Ilene always presented the characters and the concept as her own. She always talked about telling their stories and blah, blah, blah. It was funny and somehow not surprising to learn that the concept was someone else's and she just ended up taking all the credit for it.

 

Though for the record, please let me state, I always thought Ilene was really incompetent since the second season of the show. The first season it was new and exciting... it definitely wasn't perfect, but there was some genuine drama and humour moments. It was all down hill from there until finding a stride in season five and then exploding into a million pieces of crap in season six. I was never, ever a fan of Ilene.

Cerulean Skii's picture

I understand

 I read that interview also. I can honestly say that I wasn't too fond of her after that either. I was not fond of the way the Dana story line turned out. I meant give her break and give her credit for her work on the show...for the positive things she has done on the show and in her community. All I mean is don't forget the postive things she has done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He who hides well, lives well. -Descartes

Nona J.'s picture

I Would Pay..

I would actually pay to see this discussion. Having been an avid supporter of the L Word amongst many, I'm sure there would be an extremely pissed off L Word fan in the audience who will let IC know how much she screwed up.  

Also,  I would be able to see the Lovely Jennifer Beals in person.  

" True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united" ~ Wilhelm von Humbolt

DameRhetorica's picture

Moderation

Given Severson is an active member of the NLGJA and an NLGJA-award winner, her moderator assignment makes sense. Maybe the question is whether it's one more example of tokenization in the workplace (i.e., must have a lesbian moderating the talk about lesbians) or something much better (i.e., a fun, even plum assignment for someone who may actually have an informed opinion about the show)?
FreewheelNat's picture

I would definitively

I would definitively pay... to see Jennifer Beals :) 

 ****    ****    ****

Taking off (the web novel) is coming to a website near you in May. Starring Katie, a 20 something lesbian living in London.

Check out www.takingoff.org for more info.

Riese's picture

jenny gives me the giggles

I can't imagine a better way to celebrate 4.20.

 

*riese*

http://www.autostraddle.com

Anonymous's picture

=)

four twenty....nice catch ;)

 

and J Beals is worth the price of admission herself!

7Up's picture

I don't know why but

While I am beyond over IC, and have been since about the second season of TLW (and all Jenny's ridiculous dream sequences), I still appreciated the existence of The L Word every season until this last one with the poorly developed who done it theme.... and I can't help but wonder if IC is more of a puppet for Showtime than we realize, or if she is really lacking in judgement skills and an understanding of subtlety (but gleefully unaware).  Still, The L Word existed and I can't knock that, and I won't.... and her being the face of the show was probably a courageous thing to do at the time, she's allowed herself to be everyone's scapegoat, even ours. For that I appreciate what she did, because TLW certainly made a difference for our visibility and acceptance no matter how inconsistent and outlandish the writing's been over the years....  Now I hope the next lesbian show (and sadly I still won't hold my breath till it arrives) will take up the challenge to do a better more subtle and complex job with our stories, because hopefully now the general public learning curve has been raised.  
TruMischief's picture

Didn't?

Didn't Queer as Folk have a lesbian couple.  So technically the L word wasn't the first to portray a lesbian couple on tv. 
therainbowcollective.com's picture

I will be there! WATCH SOME ILENE & JENNIFER at WOMEN's EVENT!

Ilene and Jennifer are the perfect pair. That is why they had Jennifer present Ilene with an award at last year's Women's Event 11. Sadly, Jennifer almost forget she was presenting and instead gave a heartfelt speech that reconfirmed she is my bff.

Watch now!

http://therainbowcollective.com/?p=359

pecola's picture

For Beals, I'd Go

Wow, the TimesTalks are like a parade of some of the world's biggest egos: Ilene, Coach K, Paul Krugman and TYRA...must make for interesting discussions. 

I'd pay $30 to go see Jennifer Beals in person, for sure. One of the best results from six seasons of The L Word is having Beals as an advocate for LGBT issues. That said, I would, no doubt, experience immense frustration at hearing Ilene defend herself and would probably sigh audibly or curse her under my breathe numerous times...so, you know, it's probably good I can't go. 

 

"The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use — of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public." -- Robert F. Kennedy  

Kels.'s picture

Memorable recipes from

Memorable recipes from The L Word?  How about that stir-fry that Angie never got to eat.

 

..That was pretty memorable. :)

Cathy's picture

OH ANGIE!!

haha!! that made me laugh. poor angie....

 

anyway, i'm paying.... slightly ashamed... but this feeling doesn't come close to the excitement of meeting jennifer beals!!! 

Jamie's picture

"And, once again, that

"And, once again, that billing is a microcosm of what was wrong with The L Word. It was always Mama Chaiken's puppet show. Everyone else were just her marionettes, and no matter how well they performed the strings always showed."

 

 "Though the whole thing has me a little concerned. The description calls the who killed Jenny fiasco an “intriguing 'whodunit' plot twist.” Well, if by “intriguing” they actually mean “incomprehensible” and by “plot twist” they actually mean “unsuccessful attempt to ensure the creation of a ludicrous prison-themed spin-off,” then that sounds about right."

 

Two of the most accurate descriptions of "The L Word" ever. 

________________________________________________________

 

http://stuffqueerpeopleneedtoknow.wordpress.com/

CoolCustomer's picture

Double Standard?

When I consider the substandard entertainment on television, cable subscription based included, the Chaiken-bashing that exists is surprising. She wasn’t exactly a mainstream entity before TLW and quite frankly none of the cast members were either. As it turns out Chaiken, Beals, etc. turned out a fairly entertaining series for six years.  According to a survey done by the Director’s Guild of America a few years ago, of the top 40 prime time drama series and comedy shows, 80% were directed by Caucasian males. So, yes, I’m sure Chaiken jockeyed for position to get ahead, as there are always power struggles within an organization, particularly in the entertainment industry. When men achieve that in any endeavor, they are admired and considered successful. She isn’t William Wyler, John Ford, Coppola, Scorcese or even Ida Lupino but her break into mainstream cable will, hopefully make it possible for other women to aspire to be one of the future’s great directors. Congratulations to Ms. Chaiken and particularly a straight actress like Jennifer Beals for taking risks and being moderately successful. It still is a man’s world and for that to change, we all need to tolerate the imperfect. I wish them luck with their Times Talk discussion.

'the future has arrived, it just hasn't been evenly distributed yet'

notshane's picture

Jennifer Beals

Must be an exceptional actor (I know she is) and diplomat to put up with being within range of Chaiken without strangling her.

Good piece of barb, DS.

From the pic, its clear Kim was chosen to interview them because she's "family" :) I doubt there'll be any claws out, pity.

Why is it that egomaniacs like Chaiken always rise to the top of the (dung) heap that is Hollywood?

And no, I wouldn't give Chaiken a break because she brought us L Word. Sounds like there were 2 other producers - Abbot & Greenberg - who concieved the show & had it stolen - who could have given us a much higher quality show. (See interview with them in AE a few days ago). 

dntelfan's picture

Award-winning?

It really irks me that the L Word can be called an award-winning show. What award? An effing GLAAD Award because it was the only lesbian-themed show on television? That would be like if the awful Gigli was the only movie that came out all year that had clowns and it won an award from the National Clown Association or something. Let's not make Ilene's head any bigger with this "award-winning" nonsense. I'm giving it award for Biggest Letdown and Most Tedious. Ta-da!
Harpy's picture

Hmmm...

Quote:
An effing GLAAD Award because it was the only lesbian-themed show on television? That would be like if the awful Gigli was the only movie that came out all year that had clowns and it won an award from the National Clown Association or something.

Hah!  That made me laugh.

I'm tempted though.  Maybe I'll go.  Just to see Jennifer Beals, of course.

_________

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AfterEllen Moderator

tibette12's picture

ILENE NEEDS JENNIFER TO AVOID THE FLYING TOMATOES..

I THINK JENNIFER IS APPEARING WITH ILENE TO PROTECT HER FROM THE TOMATOES THAT WOULD BE THROWN FROM THE CROWD IF JENNIFER WASN'T THERE,I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT MS CHAIKEN ADMITS SHE BLEW IT HUGE AND AND ADDRESSES THE OVERWHELMING OUTRAGE FROM THE FANS...NOW IF JENNIFER AND LAUREL WERE APPEARING SOMEWHERE TOGETHER,I'D PAY WHATEVER THEY WERE CHARGING...

Amelia Manderscheid's picture

Already got my ticket

Just so I can make Illene cry-actually I'm going completely to see JBeals, my one true love!
PiratePops's picture

Betty did this....

 

Villagers, we must wave our medieval torchesat Betty's moat....!

 

as soonas that band arrived, everything became incredibly cringeworthy on the L word...need i remind anyone of Jenny's carnival flashback music...?

and let's face it, "EZGirl" had more than just her digits on the mixing desk.......

 

chaiken was merely a victim, an accessory if you will,  in/to the brutal murder of a classy soundtrack......

Kris's picture

I've had my ticket for a while

but to hear that Jennifer Beals is going is even more exciting. When I got my ticket, she wasn't listed at all.
vickie's picture

I definitely

got my ticket =)  Every show can't be perfect or go exactly how we want it to.  So im grateful to have had it on air for 6 years regardless of the disagreements I have with it.

If Jennifer Beals shakes my hand I will never ever wash it again.

Di's picture

I loved the l word, but I

I loved the l word, but I feel that what IC did with it was almost like a betrayal, at least that's the feeling it gave me. kinda like when that bastard rob tapert killed xena - god i hate the man.

so no, i wouldn't pay to hear IC talk, tho it would be nice to see Jennifer for sure.

xxphoenixx's picture

aww hes a lovely chap really,

Rob has stated in interviews that the death of Xena was not suppose to be the end, he had intentions of continuing the story on a different format, like the movie that never came, but sadly the movie never took off. I think he more than anyone hates that , that was it, the ending for xena.
Di's picture

I guess he's got his

I guess he's got his redeeming qualities, after all, lucy married him. That ending really upset me tho.

Sweet little forum avatar you have ; )

xxphoenixx's picture

Thanks =)

Makes me smile when i look at it. Ive never seen the ending, I live in a world without FIN ^_^

jordan-writes's picture

I would go

I would definitely go. I mean I'm not the Chaikenator's number 1 fan (if you could call me a fan of hers at all) but I would definitely go to see the Chaiken and some J Beals. That's not saying much because I was pretty willing to cough up some money at a Pride parade last year to see Betty. I would have seen them too if my friend hadn't talked me out of it. It's not that I like Betty, it's just one of those things I had to see to believe.

http://jordan-writes.blogspot.com/

alittle's picture

Your ten minutes of fame are up, Chaiken

Will someone find a hook and get these two off the stage? 

Now that Caiken is washed up, I have some books to recommend to her and to her and  Beals.

Chaiken, please go read books of literature that have substantive character development and plots that follow a somewhat logical plot.  Also, please read books like Desert of the Hearts - books that depict average American lesbians trying to make a lesbian relationship work for a LIFETIME.Also, put away your treasured goals of pruducin lesbian-centric porn.

Beals:  Please read every feminist book you can get your hands o.  Then, and only then, can you tell us why you found it necessary to use your visitors pass into the gay community to urge gay women to vote for Obama instead of what would have been our first female president.

 

Zbornak's picture

Stop

Please leave the political rant on the politics board. J/K

alittle's picture

oops...busted!

---
araparatus's picture

Thanks!

I too wonder why we were encouraged to vote against our own best interests by voting for yet another man instead of a working woman with years of experience.

 

Still dancing backward.

carmbridge's picture

I'd go if I could

I have so much respect for Jennifer and regardless of what happened in Season 6, IC brought it to us and I havent loved a show so much in quite some time.
afan's picture

I don't want to bash IC or

I don't want to bash IC or The L Word. I just want them both to go quietly into the night and let us all GET OVER IT.

I miss tlw a lot. I bitched and moaned as loud if not louder then anyone. But; I still miss it. Not because it was a good show, it wasn't, not because it showed us in a better light it didn't, not because it broke new ground well maybe that I will concede. 

I miss it because I miss Tibette, Bette Porter/JB and all those great actors and I miss having something that was ours.

What I don't need is the continued self promotion that is IC. We've had 6 years, we've had enough.

I hope someone, somewhere will create a new lesbian show that actually attempts to tell our stories, show us in a better light and still hold that hot damn beautiful women allure, with maybe some women that look and act like lesbians without it being a negative.

You don't have biker shows without leather jackets and cigarettes, cooking shows  without aprons, or war shows without uniforms. How can you have a lesbian show without butch or tomboy women??????

Yes I love all the beautiful gals, Jennifer, Rachel, Leshia, Rose, Erin etc. I'm saying wow and I did but; Rachel Maddow is also a wow. I know many beautiful "butch, boyish" women, what is there to be afraid of. How can you show us in a better light if YOU are ashamed of a large portion of US. I just never got that......

The tlw message just reinforced the same old crap, put on a dress and heels and act like a girl even if it hurts and everything will be alright. I take it back no real ground breaking here...

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