[quote=“HakkaSonic”][quote=“Alien”]Thanks for your post, Jeff.
It’s best you don’t lurk around and instead join the action once in a while. You see, when one of our own writes a book, (Poagao, Almas John, etc) you won’t see threads speculating about ‘what tosspots’ they are, and instead there’ll be accolades. [/quote]
That’s not true. I took Almas John to task for that part in his book where he was admiring two elderly people “bobbing on their knees.”[/quote]
Who has been bobbing on his knees?
[quote=“Alien”][quote=“HakkaSonic”][quote=“Alien”]Thanks for your post, Jeff.
It’s best you don’t lurk around and instead join the action once in a while. You see, when one of our own writes a book, (Poagao, Almas John, etc) you won’t see threads speculating about ‘what tosspots’ they are, and instead there’ll be accolades. [/quote]
That’s not true. I took Almas John to task for that part in his book where he was admiring two elderly people “bobbing on their knees.”[/quote]
Maybe, but you never implied he was a tosser, did you?[/quote]
I’m not sure. Then again, what exactly to you mean by “tosspot”?
I remember a whole thread about Almas John, Tomas and a rubber doll, but the details are fuzzy now. I’ll have to look it up and get back to you.
Thanks, Mr Locker, for that very good post. Wow!
I am sort of the village idiot here, by default, and if any of my previous were off target, I do here apologize. It took alot of courage to write in like that, and I am sure we all, readers here, appreciate that honesty and candor about your books and life.
My mission, not that I was ever on one, is now ENDED. You have explained yourself well. And I think we all have a new appreciation for your life and struggles here. Please post more in the future. We need insight into the things we don’t understand in Taiwan.
Thanks, Jeff.
I mean that!
And bset of luck in your future work here. You have just won my forever respect.
[quote=“formosa”]Thanks, Mr Locker, for that very good post. Wow!
I am sort of the village idiot here, by default, and if any of my previous were off target, I do here apologize. It took alot of courage to write in like that, and I am sure we all, readers here, appreciate that honesty and candor about your books and life.
My mission, not that I was ever on one, is now ENDED. You have explained yourself well. And I think we all have a new appreciation for your life and struggles here. Please post more in the future. We need insight into the things we don’t understand in Taiwan.
Thanks, Jeff.
I mean that!
And bset of luck in your future work here. You have just won my forever respect.[/quote]
Yes, some interesting insights to your books and into Taiwan’s publishing world (although I still think you were pretty mean to some of the callers when you were on Joseph Lin’s show a few weeks ago. Was it a bad hair day, he he?).
And one more thing, Jeff. I have no more questions. Mission completed.
As you can see, I have given all my gwanshee away, and am slowly fading into the sunset. Your post last night at 3 am or so remains the highlight of this board’s recent candor sesssions. You were a real trouper for saying what was on your mind! I still can’t believe YOU posted HERE. Wow, a million times wow!
Those of us who are NOT in show business are just curious what it’s like, that’s all. Keep us posted in future letters…
Many thanks for that rebuttal Jeff, and thanks also for your admirable restraint. I hope you’ll continue to post here.
Also, please pass on my regards to Rick Monday, who really seems to be making an effort to put the “International Community” back into ICRT.
thanks for the quick responses. it was a lot to digest (the icrt stuff was a little brutal, but oh well) and would be great stuff to ramble on about if i had a shrink, but it’s not like i haven’t heard worse. of course anyone in the public eye is an easy target, but i would hope the foreign community here could do more than just leave vicious messages. i am by no means perfect at what i do. case in point: the day i subbed for joseph on icrt! i’ve been having a rough time as of late, and that was not one of my better shows…it was not quite as bad as you described in your message–the segment was failing miserably i admit, but part of that (other than my lackluster performance) was due to listeners bombarding me with song requests and begging for prizes as i was trying to do an english teaching segment/topic…it happens on a daily basis regardless of how much i beg people to actually listen to the show and understand what’s going on. ask any of the dj’s–it is extremely frustrating, especially when you’re subbing for someone for 5 hours on a saturday! i’m sorry it came across as rude–that was not my purpose (and my ‘save me’ was of the melodramatic kind, not a pissy response!) again, i’m sorry if it didn’t sound as witty as i’d hoped. (by the way, i NEVER ask people for their last names, unless the listener is playing that fun fun fun ‘who am i?’ game…) i could go on about icrt but in the end i can only say ‘to each his own’-- i wish more foreigners would take part. i’ve tried to get more of the foreign community involved (teaching chinese, answering questions on life in taiwan, legal stuff, consumer rights) but got few responses. there’s a lot more to running a station than catering to the foreign community’s music tastes (and if we went by that we’d be dead for sure), and i can only go by my 7 years in chinese radio, ratings, sales revenue, and e-mail. i think icrt is working on things, but the foreign community tends to get a little possessive and self-centered when it comes to the station…but i’ll leave that for another day.
all i have to say is, people are allowed to dis me as they please–i just ask that you get the facts straight! i’ve been insanely misquoted on this site more than once…my favorites include the ‘foreigners are only here to bag local bitches’ comment i supposedly made on a news magazine show (when in fact it was a drunk foreigner who said that, the arse!) and my comments condemning homosexuals on a talk show. what? i don’t ask for extra credit, but i can say that i’m extremely vocal about foreigners rights in taiwan, and i’m pretty much the only foreigner on those talk shows (political and otherwise) reminding the other guests and viewers that much of what they say is racist and offensive and unacceptable (you should’ve been here when AIDS was good joke material! and ‘you dead foreigners’–what a hoot! and don’t forget how black people are dirty! FUNNY STUFF!) i’ve never claimed to represent all foreigners, and constantly remind the audience that i don’t, but i’d rather be given the chance to fight than just sit in a pub and bitch about it. that’s why i encourage friends to go on these shows (even when they’re offended) and set things straight. or write a letter to the newspaper–and not just the english papers!
so i’m cool with sensible and responsible discussion, and would like to participate and get some feedback (but you can let the hair thing go–the current style is a keeper, and no gel! heh heh) i’m constantly being asked if i have foreign friends for talk shows, so let me know if you think you can make a difference (jeff@icrt.com.tw) and for you english teachers out there, i’d love some input for future books! if you think of something that might actually be able to help students of english, be fun to read, and ideally marketable, PLEASE let me know.
and as for icrt…well, that’s a tough one. i’m open to ideas as well, but please understand that we have other considerations (easy news, traffic, and some other segments you may hate may just be the ones that pay the bills.) but we’re going to get criticized no matter what we do: not enough personality, too much personality, too much pop, not enough current hits…we’ll never satisfy everyone, and our audience is a very large, random mix of colors and tastes. but constructive input is always welcome.
happy friday all!
August 3, 2001
[quote=“sandman”]As for ICRT, I can’t really comment as I haven’t listened to it properly since they ditched the World Service stuff on AM (which I liked). I thought its supposed to be kind of like high school radio for local kids these days, isn’t it? That’s the impression I get when I hear it in a shop or somewhere like that.
So-called professionals who don’t even get close to amateur standard in any of the station’s aspects. Hell, even their traffic reports are a joke.[/quote]
July 24, 2003
September 10, 2003
[quote=“sandman”]So what happened this morning? I tuned to ICRT at 10:40am, sat through a bit of 80s drivel followed by almost 15 minutes of back to back commercials, followed by some more 80s pap, before tuning back to 99.7.
What a load of total shite![/quote]
September 25, 2003
[quote=“Alien”]
Oh, and Androo, who is this delightful camp Jacqueline character portrayed by and why is she into spanking? [/quote]
Ummm…
Picture: big bouffant, overly made-up, long legs, fabulous outfit. Apparently she prefers to spank people who have been “bad, bad boys.” But she’ll give in to a little spankage herself when the mood strikes. To sum up… Jacqueline is “more woman than a woman.”
Does that answer your question?
Your point being? Thanks for condensing that so succinctly, HS – as I said, ICRT sucks, IMO, but Rick Monday seems to be making an effort, as is Jeff, it would appear.
Or am I supposed to be one of those who takes a stance and sticks to it throughout whatever happens, blind to the possibility that things can change? Sorry, you’ve got the wrong bloke if that’s the case.
[quote=“sandman”]Your point being? Thanks for condensing that so succinctly, HS – as I said, ICRT sucks, IMO, but Rick Monday seems to be making an effort, as is Jeff, it would appear.
Or am I supposed to be one of those who takes a stance and sticks to it throughout whatever happens, blind to the possibility that things can change? Sorry, you’ve got the wrong bloke if that’s the case.[/quote]
No Sandman, I was just kidding around. I just recalled you slamming ICRT and then saw your post today. I guess I read Gerbil’s posts too much.
I think Rick is doing his best to create some sort of international radio; while Jeff uses his show to promote himself.
Sandman, we know that you wear a skirt but you’re not 13 man and you’re certainly not a woman from what I see. I’m therefore surprised to see you taken in by this guy.
[quote=“Alleycat”]I think Rick is doing his best to create some sort of international radio; while Jeff uses his show to promote himself.
Sandman, we know that you wear a skirt but you’re not 13 man and you’re certainly not a woman from what I see. I’m therefore surprised to see you taken in by this guy.[/quote]
I’m just happy to see Jeff respond here and to do it in such a civilized way. I’m happy to see him post his rationale here and to gain a little insight into how things work over at ICRT. I may not agree with him, I may not like his show (although who knows, maybe if his target demographic was 45-year-old sad bastards I’d become his number one fan) but I appreciate his contributing to Forumosa and the good grace with which he made his contributions. I’ll tell you this: I’d be a lot less gracious if I had to respond to people complaining how I wear my fucking hair.
And of course he’s trying to promote himself – he’s an entertainer and writer for chrissakes! Its how he makes his living. What’s he supposed to do?
“Hey everybody, I have a radio show, but please don’t tune in – its a load of shite, really. Not worth your while. I also wrote a few crappy books, but don’t waste your time reading them.”
Just for the record, then, my official stance on ICRT as of the present time: A load of shite, but Rick Monday is making some welcome changes on his show, and Sunday night between 9 and midnight is rocking. I’d be a little worried if I started liking Jeff’s show, but then, he’s not aiming it at me (or is he? That would truly make the mind boggle! :shock: )
Welcome on board, Jeff.
I have to admit that, the first couple of times or so that I saw you on TV, I wasn’t terribly well impressed (largely because of that awful curtain hairstyle), and for some time afterwards was wont to make disparaging remarks when your name came up in conversation with my Chinese friends.
However, I revised my opinion considerably when I saw you taking part in a TV debate about the relative merits of Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin. I liked the way you argued it from the foreigner’s perspective and passionately rebutted the nonsense being spouted by the pro-independence zealots. Full marks to you for the way you aggravated that Chen Chien-ming (
Yes I suppose you are right in that he has been civilized. Still that does not excuse his blatant use of a radio station–a station intended for the international community–to promote himself as some sort of pop icon among the local teenset.
All I see is someone taking advantage of a radio station with an identity crisis. Sure his ratings are high, but where’s the subtstance? If he had a job on some local station doing what he does, few would have anything to say. But seeing that he’s show is on an international community radio station, isn’t that just the least bit spurious?
[quote=“Omniloquacious”]However, I revised my opinion considerably when I saw you taking part in a TV debate about the relative merits of Hanyu Pinyin and Tongyong Pinyin. I liked the way you argued it from the foreigner’s perspective and passionately rebutted the nonsense being spouted by the pro-independence zealots. Full marks to you for the way you aggravated that Chen Chien-ming (
[quote=“jefflocker”]I can say that I’m extremely vocal about foreigners rights in Taiwan, and I’m pretty much the only foreigner on those talk shows (political and otherwise) reminding the other guests and viewers that much of what they say is racist and offensive and unacceptable
[/quote]
I’ll give credit where credit is due. I saw you on a talk show about a year ago, when the topic for discussion was “Foreign wolves and Taiwanese women.” The two Taiwanese male hosts were ripping us foreign fellows up and down, and you and the two female hosts were calling them on their blatantly racist remarks, quite diplomatically as I remember. Thanks for that.
I have in fact read your first two books. One of my girlfriends owned the first one, which I read one night at her place, and I read the other one while waiting for someone in a bookstore. I wrote that your English books are not educationally valuable but a fun read. I mean, a kid who reads a book written amost entirely in Mandarin that details a few fun facts about American slang or culture is reading just for fun, not because it is going to help him learn anything valuable. Maybe you had no intention of claiming that, I realize, but I stand by that statement.
Welcome to the party.
The End of the World You Got Mail Been There Done That Third Millennium Die Hard Expat The Glass is Half Full Half Empty 24/7 Online Chatroom Internet Party
yes, party hardy!
And Jeffu has really energized things here again, and that’s cool. Keep coming back , Jeff. And forgive me for my past transgressions, I hardly knew what I was saying. I like you, I’ve always liked you. It’s myself I don’t like so much these days.
Confessionnal.
Valiant effort Jeff.
Amazing restraint in the face of what can be a terribly unnecessary bitch fest.
I’d just add that I’ve seen Jeff take up the role of foreign advocate on a few shows, on the panel of shi jie da bu tong, that frightful Jacky Show and others I’ve since forgotten. It really must be quite tedious constantly fielding the same questions.
Damn, the way things are going I might even check out ICRT!
HG
[quote=“Alleycat”] Still that does not excuse his blatant use of a radio station–a station intended for the international community–to promote himself as some sort of pop icon among the local teenset.
All I see is someone taking advantage of a radio station with an identity crisis. Sure his ratings are high, but where’s the subtstance? If he had a job on some local station doing what he does, few would have anything to say. But seeing that he’s show is on an international community radio station, isn’t that just the least bit spurious?[/quote]
Who the said ICRT was “intended” for anyone, much less the foreign community? Isn’t it a privately owned station? They can name it and intend it for anyone they want.
“Taking advantage of a radio staton with an identity crisis?” There are huge corporations that do nothing but invest in businesses with identity problems (and also turn them into successful businesses) or I suppose in your world, that would be called “taking advantage.”