Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Star Trek

Nichelle Nichols Tribute & Trekonderoga

Last night proved to be a lovefeast for Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Commander, then Commander) Uhura. Thank you so much to those of you who dropped by to share your anecdotes and observations.

Nichols was a pioneer in more ways than one, who leveraged her celebrity to create a better world. Also, she had the ability to connect with people and to make them feel special, as attested to in every one of last night’s viewer comments and video testimonials. Two qualities that were noted repeatedly were Nichols’ kindness and her graciousness. May she rest in peace.

Other highlights included an impromptu crossover, when we patched into Captain Phil Merkel’s radio show on WUSB, and Warren Friedrich’s startling revelation that I wasn’t wearing pants!

We’ll be taking the night off next Friday, so that Roy can head north to Ticonderoga, NY for this year’s Trekonderoga, presented by the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour. Roy will be giving a couple of presentations there, so consult the website and keep an eye on the Facebook page.

I’ll be sitting this one out, but we’ll soon reunite for another Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner, on Friday, August 27, at 7:30 pm, and another nostalgic conversation with a few laughs, when we livestream on Facebook – the topic to be announced.

https://www.facebook.com/roystiedyescificorner

In the meantime, have a great couple of weeks! Live long and prosper!

August 13, 2022
Nichelle Nichols Star Trek Legend Dies at 89

Nichelle Nichols died on July 30th at the age of 89. As Star Trek’s communications officer Lieutenant Uhura, Nichols became one of the first African American women to be featured in a non-menial role on television.

Nichols played Uhura on the original “Star Trek” series (1966-68), voiced her on Filmation’s Saturday morning animated show (1973-74), and reprised the role in six “Star Trek” movies (1979-91). In “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” she was promoted to lieutenant commander, and in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” she was simply commander. She was also a crack translator, who could sing and play the Vulcan lyre.

In real life, Nichols was a singer and dancer who worked with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton, a longtime supporter of NASA, and the first African American woman to have her handprints immortalized in cement at Grauman’s Chinese Theater.

We’ll pay tribute to Nichols tomorrow night on Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner. Viewers are invited to join us in sharing their memories and observations. Hailing frequencies will be open, both in the comments section and on-camera, when we livestream on Facebook, this Friday evening at 7:30 EDT.

https://www.facebook.com/roystiedyescificorner

August 11, 2022
1982 Summer of Fun Star Trek E.T. Anniversary

“Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn” opened on this date 40 years ago, as did Steven Spielberg’s “Poltergeist.” Even so, it was really “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” released the following week, I was most looking forward to. 1982 was, truly, the Summer of Fun.

On Thursday, Roy and I got to reminisce a little bit about our theatrical “Trek” and treks that summer, which bloomed gloriously during a brief, halcyon span between our sophomore and junior years of high school, when summers were still very much summer, full of possibility, laughter, and adventure.

Enjoy the full Khan-versation here. And be sure to stick around for the end, when we acknowledge my second anniversary on the show and join in a group “KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”

When next we convene, the subject will indeed be “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.” That should give your tear ducts time to replenish after a poignant farewell to Spock. Turn on your heartlights in the comments section, when we livestream on Facebook. Our celebration of the Summer of Fun continues IN TWO WEEKS, FRIDAY, JUNE 17, at 7 PM EDT, on Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner!

https://www.facebook.com/roystiedyescificorner

June 4, 2022
Sci-Fi Talk Star Trek Salt Vampire and More

In the world of classical music cosplay, as in all things, the T-800 brooks no nonsense.

I terminate last night’s discussion about “The Terminator” (1984) with an honest assessment of the most recent “Star Wars” trilogy. But the show’s not really about that (even if it happens to be a recurring theme). The Skynet apocalypse is inevitable. Watching the show will toughen you up, with some good viewer comments and questions, some of which we really don’t seem to get around to answering, even if they do stimulate conversation. You can watch it here:

“Star Trek” fans take note: Roy will be back tomorrow evening to team-up with Jaime “Fez” Sanchez, host of the podcast “Fez Talks,” to discuss the original series’ third-season episode “The Enterprise Incident,” Sunday at 7 pm EDT.

Then on Friday, May 6, his guest will be actor, stuntperson, and dancer Sandra Gimpel, who played the Salt Vampire in the “Star Trek” original series’ episode “Man Trap.” She also appeared in the series’ pilot “The Cage,” as a Talosian. Furthermore, she found regular work on “Lost in Space” as Bill Mumy’s stunt double. And she danced with Elvis 15 times! Suffice it to say that her list of credits is long, and she’s still working. The May 6 show will begin one half hour later than usual, at 7:30 pm EDT.

Make the trek! And bring your thoughts and questions to the next Facebook livestreams of Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner!

https://www.facebook.com/roystiedyescificorner

April 30, 2022
City on the Edge of Forever Star Trek Review

McCoy goes sweaty crazy, Kirk falls for Joan Collins, and Spock does his best Michael Nesmith impression. That’s right, it’s what many consider to be the greatest of the original “Star Trek” episodes, “The City on the Edge of Forever” (1967).

Roy and I will be slumming it in a Depression-era soup kitchen with our esteemed colleagues, Mike and Marybeth of SciFi Distilled, as we mop up the minutiae of this fan favorite.

We’ll search for “Bones” in a time-displacing doughnut, on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner. Construct your mnemonic memory devices using stone knives and bear skins in the comments section. It will be a “flop,” even if the show’s a hit, when we livestream on Facebook, this Friday evening at 7:00 EDT!

https://www.facebook.com/roystiedyescificorner

April 22, 2022

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