April 21, 2015April 22, 2015 by Michael

Off topic: David Letterman and Leonard Nimoy (Spock is no more)

David Letterman

Almost since the Letterman Show (The Late Show) went on the air, I have NOT watched it. WE have not watched it.

He was stiff, rude, east coast-pushy, and not funny at all. IMO.

But in the last year or so, and now his last month, he has become fumble-brained, absent minded, casually inept – JUST LIKE A REAL PERSON.

I like to think he has finally entered that stage when one is so good at their profession, so much better than the competition, while at the same time realizing that one sucks at what they do (just that everyone else sucks more), that this kind of endorphin-based high sets in and you do your thing with humility and appreciation for its finer points, points soon to be lost to the world. But at the same time, being okay with this.

The show has become quite charming, albeit you may have to be over 50 to properly enjoy it.

Spock

With Leonard’s passing, one cannot help but reflect on the success that was Spock.

Spock in The Original Series that is.

I’ve watched the Next Generation, The Voyages, The Enterprise, Deep Space Nine, read Star Trek comics and several dozen of the fan-fiction books. And now the new movies.

Only TOS got Spock right.

Apparently only Gene Roddenberry knew what the heck he was doing. Everyone else is just riffing off what he did, and sloppily at that.

Why do I say this?

Because Spock was the ultimate expression of tech geek (nerd) angst. All of us geeks who loved, loved, loved technology: mathmeticians, astronauts, electrical engineers, physicists, astronomers. All of us who looked at society and social relations with confusion and mistrust. All of us who looked at mating and courtship rituals as if they were designed for a different species – perhaps penguins; certainly not thinking human beings.

This was Spock, science officer, with his distrust of stupid emotions and 7 year mating cycles.

Spock? In the new movies? Diddling Uhuru? Geeks may dream (over and over) that their lives would be so blessed. But in reality? New Spock is no geek. New Spock is one of THEM, just a little smarter, and with pointy ears (and the same is true for the Spock in the vast majority of the books and later movies).

Now, with both Leonard Nimoy and Roddenberry gone, Spock is no more.

Now Spock is only us.