Chatting with Joel de la Fuente

(Christmas Holidays)

-- Edited by Albatross --

This is the edited log of the chat held with Joel at the chat room on his page on December 22, 1997. It was organised at short notice, but a sizable number of people turned up to chat.

Again, the conversations have been categorised into subject matter to make it easier to follow. But some might spill over into one another. And Joel has some update news about his work this time round!

The Chat

Re: Neutral Zone and travel plans

Lizzerd
so Joel - has anyone been able to talk you into attending Neutral Zone ??!! ;)
Note: It is a convention to be held in England somtime next year.
Joel
Sorry, Lizzerd, it doens't look like that will be happening this year, but I do have some other news. ... I will be in London sometime this year at the RSC.
Lizzerd
"sometime" covers 365 days!
SisChris
Hey can we get to meet you
Joel
Yes, I don't have the dates right now...

Re: What Joel is doing in London

SisChris
What you playing?
Joel
I'm doing a play with the director Peter Sellars. He's reconceiving a 400 year old chinese opera.
Lizzerd
oh, that should be a hoot!
Tatjana
WOW! From Pink Panther fame?
Joel
It's a Chinese Romeo and Juliet.
Underdog
Romeo and Juliet pops up in all sorts of cultures...
Joel
Yeah, R&J even popped up in the barbaric world of SAAB. I will let you all know more about it as the details clarify. It will be touring all of Europe. It's a reconception of a chinese opera that will tour for awhile.

Re: S:AAB and the Nutcracker

SisChris
I think the show is airing nearly everywhere in the world.
CatO
EXCEPT HERE!!!
Joel
I've been hearing the Nutcracker a lot because of the holiday. And it always reminds me of the beginning of "River of Stars!"

Re: Hostile Visit and S:AAB stuff

Lizzerd
well, Joel, the "plumber" ran last Thurs.
Joel
What's the plumber, Lizzerd?
Lizzerd
your routine
Joel
Where did it show? Truthfully, Lizz, James took the McQueen voice from ME.
Lizzerd
I believe you, Joel, reeeaally I do!
SisChris
I think the show is airing nearly everywhere in the world
SpaceFaith
as it should be! :)
CG
I have a question Joel, when you were doing the infamous tourture scenes were you "affected" ?
Joel
CG, how do you mean, affected?
CG
Well I know it was all acting but were you scared at any moment?
Joel
it was actually the most fun for me. great working with doug. mutiny was one of the easier ones to do, Dave, because we were shooting in couples. Although, CG, ocme to think of it, I was scared about where doug would put that finger...
Hobbes
O.k. cool what was the hardest?
Joel
The hardest... "Sugar Dirt." There was one day on that... we worked a 20 hour day and I sustained 2nd degree burns on my neck and hand because of an explosion around the 12th hour.
Lizzerd
Ouch!

Re: Christmas, Firebirds and Wangophilia

Albatross
Merry Christmas, Joel...we have this Official 88th Christmas Carol...the First Joel
Joel
The First Joel? Ha! That's funny, as long as you don't hear me singing that. Then it would be very un-funny.
Albatross
she's got this HUGE soft spot for Wang
Joel
DOESN'T EVERYONE? :)
Carols
If not, they should :-)
IceWulffi
YEAH Of Course!
Albatross
I'VE GOT MORE THAN A SOFT SPOT FOR McQUEEN!!!!
Walkyr
We are all Wangophiles here.
Joel
Careful, Walkyr. Wangophilia is illegal in some states.
IceWulffi
wangophiles, got to write that one down! ROFLing
Joel
So, thanks for coming eveyrone, on such short notice!

Re: Playing roles

CG
Joel , what would be your dream Movie or TV role?
Joel
CG, right now, I'm really excited to be working onstage again. It's not until March, but I love it!
Walkyr
Joel.....V here....Are you doing the Vienna premiere of Peony?
Joel
Hi V! Yes, I am. That's us!
Note:Presumably that's what the opera is going to be called...?

Re: Joel acting as a Malaysian? and getting disconnected

Joel
I just worked on a film playing a Malaysian.
CG
Which one?
<at this point, Joel got disconnected>
***
Joel
Sorry, got booted. Tatjana, it is currently called, "Force Mejeure" but the title is going to be changed.
Underdog
any news from cloke and morgan?
Joel
No news from those two, Underdog.Sorry.
<Joel gets disconnected again>
***
Note: Joel gets booted quite a bit, actually...
Joel
I just do it so everyone says hello to me again.
IceWulffi
ROFLing Joel sounds like a cry for attention to me...
Joel
Ice, a cry for attention? I'm an ACTOR

Re: JOEL PLAYING A MALAYSIAN!!

Albatross
Joel....where and when are you playing a Malaysian?
Joel
In a film called, "Force Mejeure". Actually, Sparhawk was an amazing help. I called her on the phone and she helped me with questions I had.
Goshawk88
Joel, Sparry kinda dosen't want anyone to know that you called her!
Albatross
YOU CALLED SPARRY???? OHMIGAWD
Joel
Yeah, we talked for about an hour, Alb. I swore her to secrecy.
Tatjana
Joel, what kind of a part is it?
Joel
I play a translator. Very functional. I translate for Anne Heche.
Albatross
Joel...please call me, but first tell me what time so I can get a tape recorder out :-)
Joel
Ha ha, Alba.
Goshawk88
Yeah Joel, call us and we'll do our BEST Manglish ever! :D
Joel
my character speaks like her now. brit accent and all.
Albatross
what brit accent?
Goshawk88
Yeah, what brit accent?

Re: Would I recognise Joel if he called me

Goshawk88
Bats, you can't even reconize that ER "babe"!!! Har har har! You'd probably go up to Joel and say,"Hey, you look like that babe who played Paul Wang!"
Albatross
HOI, gossy no fair. no, gossy, i'd do my own McQ impersonation. Joel, Julianna Marguiles was in town and I went up to her and said "You look like that ER babe on TV" and she just smiles.
Joel
She was in Penang?
Albatross
joel : last year to film "Paradise Road" she stopped for a breather in my school

Re: Joel speaks Malay?

Tatjana
Joel, an accent? And you translate into what language for Anne?
Joel
I translate Malay into English.
Albatross
malay? hell, that's gonna be fun, watching Joel speak malay!
Goshawk88
Joel, are you going to do Malay?!!
Joel
You don't hear me speak Malay, I only translate. Maafkan saya.
Translation: "Maafkan saya" = "Please forgive me" or "Sorry".
Goshawk88
Ahhhh! Kamu dimaafkan
Translation: "You are forgiven".
Albatross
tak ada apa nak maafkan sayangku...
Translation: "There is nothing to forgive, my dear".
Goshawk88
Sayang!!
Tatjana
S'all Greek to me. :)

Re: When is "Force Majuere"

Tatjana
Is Force Majure going to be showing here next year?
Joel
Don't know, Aim. I'm guessing late Summer, fall.

Re: James Morrison

Albatross
hey, Joel....if James ever has a part as a Malaysian tell him to call me
Goshawk88
A blue eyed Malaysian?
Joel
yeah, James often turns down malaysian parts. He's mistaken for Malaysian all the time...

Re: More offers to help Joel

Goshawk88
Joel, I'm Chinese so if you need any tips in Catonese or Mandarin......
Joel
I'm writing that down, Goshawk.
Walkyr
What fabulous resources this group has!
Joel
So I consulted the 88th.
Albatross
Joel, I'm a native speaker of Malay
Goshawk88
Duh Bats, everyone knows Malay in MALAYsia!
Albatross
yeah, but I have the accent
Goshawk88
Okay, and I have a Chinese accent
Joel
You two Firebirds are cracking me up!

Re: Wang helped a street performer

Kyril
JOEL: did you hear that one of the street performers got off the streets because of Wang? I went to Santa Monica saturday, and was wearing my s:aab shirt. This street performer saw it and came up to me saying that your character came from low income and inspired him to get his act together. He said he got into a shelter, and got a day job and now works the 3rd street mall for a few shops. it really made my night!!!
Joel
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. What a tremendous story, Kyril. Thanks for telling me that.
Carols
Joel never underestimate the possible influence of a part :-)
Joel
Seriously, Carols.
Kyril
He said to ask for Bobbie if you ever hit the 3rd street mall. He'll play you a mean blues song.
Joel
Bobbie? I'll do that.
Walkyr
Wang is also quite popular with the Filipino group here on Bainbridge... he was mentioned at the dedication of the new Filipino Commnity center that opened here.

Re: Starship Troopers

Albatross
Joel...you've been a Marine before, d'you think you'd have made a good Juan Rico?
Joel
I may have before he became a blond haired blue eyed dude. I can't do blonde.

Re:Spanky

Kyril
Yes, we all miss Paula so very much
WAPBodie
Amy, you're more than welcome... I wish I could have done more
Tatjana
Karen, you did more than anyone. YOu're a very special friend to her. THank you. Thank you THank you.
Joel
Let's give a moment of silence for Spanky. You guys were all so great to her from what I understand.
hcowan9999
Spanky was a very special person.

Re: Visit?

Albatross
Joel...now's a good time to come to Malaysia, the exchange rate favours you
Joel
No time, Alb. No time.

Re: Joel's Tagalog

Albatross
joel...if you teach me tagalog, I'll teach you malay, indonesian and dialect chinese (cantonese) ...howzat for a package deal
Joel
I wish I could speak tagalog well enough to speak it, let alone teach it!

Re: Accidents on the S:AAB set

Albatross
didn't Rod sprain his elbow/knee once? with James' golf club?
CG
Well JM was in two accidents suposedly. And I think there was another.
Joel
We had burns, sprains, broken ribs (James), you name it
Albatross
James broke his rib??? oh, poor soul
Joel
Yeah, in R&R. Just after he blew his knee out in "Pearly." James broke his rib watching Lanei and I smooch. He didn't want it to happen. He saw us kissing, impaled himself on his gun and broke his rib. Well, that's one version of that story anyway... :)
Albatross
poor james
Joel
yeah, James had a really rough few days there. It was dangerous on location in the battle scenes. seriously.
WAPBodie
Joel, I remember the ep when he had to bend down beside Phousse's sick bed after James blew his knee... I ouched through the whole thing for him...

Re: Season's Greetings and Goodbyes

Joel
Well, I should probably get going (now that I'm back).
Albatross
awwww.....don't leave us. Wang left, now yOU?
Walkyr
Fink......we were just getting warmed up.
Joel
Don't worry, we'll do this again sometime soon1. Thanks to you all for showing up! have a great holiday.
Albatross
if you want some home cooked turkey, come to Penang
Joel
Thanks, Alb. And Goshawk, thanks for making it from across the ocean.
Albatross
Joel....selamat tinggal sayang
Goshawk88
Sayang?!!!! Gaaaaaa...

And that is an excerpt of went on in the chatroom. It has been quite severely edited to allow the main messages to get through. It is, however, by no means all of what really went on. Thanks to Albatross for the initial editing, thus saving us the agony of peering at jumbled logs. <grin>

~~Sparhawk~~