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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WayneLigon" data-source="post: 2439973" data-attributes="member: 3649">I'd like to see the exact post from the 'woman at WOTC' before I'd really beleive that post, actually. If so, I'd be interested to know if Rowling was talking about computer 'RPGs' since she may very well not be aware there is any other kind. The other reason from that thread, that Rowling doesn't want other people writing about her characters, is much more beleivable.  I'd say in some places the stigma might eventually vanish if local news and other media didn't keep it alive. Take the commercial where the geek is giving the supermodel a copy of the PHB. Nice and funny, esp to see the PHB on national TV, but look at the commercial again: the guy portrayed is still a geek and the viewer is not supposed to take it seriously that he's actually dating this women, etc. The commercial is using (a technical term I don't remember the name for, but it involves using radically juxtaposed images for comedic effect).  The same thing with the commercial where the woman says 'Why, yes, I'd love to come see your comic collection'. Positive portrayals in the media are very few and far between and even when they are, there's usually nothing that identifies them - the scene in ET, for example - I'll be willing to bet you money that the vast majority of the mainstream people that saw that movie had no idea what the kids were talking about in that, what, 1-2 second mention. There was positive (or, at least, non-negative) portrayal but without it being identified as D&D (or any tabletop RPG), it's useless. Contrast that to the number of times Lifetime reruns Mazes and Monsters, or that other 'true crime' movie about the evils of gaming. Do we have anyone from law enforcement (esp. municipal) on the boards? I know that in the 80's, Puling made presentations to various city police departments about the dangers of D&D. I have no idea if she was taken seriously. I know that in the late 80's and early 90's cult experts also did this (and in almost every book on cults I've seen, D&D is mentioned in some way, either as a danger sign or as a side effect). I have no idea if they were taken seriously or not.</blockquote>

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