Even the Gilmore Girls don't like D&D....

[7thlvlDM]

Re: You think you guys had it rough!

I'm NOT trying to start a holy war with these comments, but this is how things played out when I was a kid, and religion was the main part of it, so I have to mention it to tell the tale. I didn't play D&D again until college, 7 years later.

This reminds me of how I started playing. I was 12 and had just gotten into fantasy, knights, wizards, castles, dragons, etc. If I recall correctly, it was about the same time that I read The Hobbit in school. When I saw the D&D red box set of the late 80's, I knew I had to buy it. I had no idea that the game had such a bad reputation. As I am coming out of the store, a bag boy pushing shopping carts for the nearby Albertsons sees it, and looks at me uncomfortably as he says, "Jesus loves you." I hadn't had it in my hands for more than 5 minutes! Back then I was completely ignorant, though, I wasn't sure whether to say thanks, or what.

 

[omedon]

I also rememember the D&D episode on the Christina Applegate show Jesse.

She goes to the game and doesn't quite understand the appeal. She is told that you really start to have fun when your character reaches 1st level. Jesse brightens up at this news and asks "how long does that take". One of the players answers "About a year". Jesse frowns at this and decides she has had enough of this game. She tried it but it just didn't suit her.

Another joke involved them refusing to let her use the phone because there were no phones 500 years ago. She could however use the enchanted leaf that let you speak over great distances.

It was alright. It made fun of DnD in a good way, kind of like the Dead Alewives.

I wish I had seen that Frank Azaria show though. It sounded funny and I don't think it will be back next year.

 

[Mr. Grimm]

This thing is really kinda getting to me. Maybe what's needed IS some type of petition attached to a well-written letter with signatures and not user names. Is it so impossible to do something like that here? In a week we could respond to something like the Gilmore Girls, send it to the network, advertisers and even an entertainment paper. Things like this, with enough support, do have an impact. And if done with each negative spot...? Is this really impossible for a group of us several thousand strong? And for once I wouldn't mind doing something other than whine about it to people who feel the same way.

 

[Terwox]

I couldn't play when I was a kid either, because of the dang Jack Chick propaganda. That changed when I got older, and explained why that propaganda was there and what roleplaying was actually about to my parents. Now, I happily play sometimes with my brother, who is as old as I was when I wasn't allowed to. Not bitter at all, just happy that my parents could be swayed by an examination of what was actually going on, instead of just buying into what Chick and others said. I'm lucky I guess.

 

[Klaus]

I really hated that "Jesse" episode, with the players bowing and hailing the DM like he was the Messiah or something...

Good writing that pokes fun on DnD comes from the Dexter's Laboratory episode where DeeDee becomes the DM and has a Dragon-Piñata in it and all that, and Dexter is a burrower...

I must make reference to one of the earlier Robin mini-series, where Tim Drake (Robin III) actually appears playing Mazes and Monsters or somesuch, and actually uses what he learned during the game to solve a crime in Gotham! (Gotta love Chuck Dixon's writing).

 

[Moe Ronalds]

Originally Posted by Pielorinho I played D&D all through high school. But I also dressed in black, started a pagan club at the school, wrote pinko articles for the school paper, carried a carved walking staff (they put the kibosh on that, at least) and generally made a scene out of myself. [/B][/Q]

They probably went easier on you because the whole "Satan-worship" thing is less shocking in someone older, but in a Juinor-highschooler, like me, It's a surprise. And they may have been a bit worried because I have a funny name, my parents were in a Korean cult, and I befriended a kid who's gotten called to the office for sexual harrassment who's also the vie principal's sworn enemy, well, they dont take too well to that down here... I don't know why....

PS: Isn't Satan-worship a sort of religion? Supposedly you can't get in trouble for your religion over here...

 

[Pielorinho]

They probably went easier on you because the whole "Satan-worship" thing is less shocking in someone older, but in a Juinor-highschooler, like me, It's a surprise. [/B]

Well, my main point is that I found it easier in high school to be feared than to be mocked. As an adult, I'd rather not be feared OR mocked -- but when I was sixteen, it was kind of a power trip. Especially when people were afraid of me for ridiculous reasons.

Here's my childhood D&D story, since we're sharing .

When I was in the seventh grade, my parents decided D&D was hurting my school grades (they may have been right -- or gee, maybe it was because our home was tense as a guitar string around that time). Plus they thought it was going to make me grow up into a psycho serial killer -- or worse, join the army. So they forbade me to play.

I invented a library study group at school, told them I was going to that. They found out, and took away all my books.

After a couple of months, I wrote a letter to TSR. "Dear TSR," I said. "My parents think that D&D is bad for my schoolwork and Satanic and stuff. Do you have any research showing that it isn't?"

I know that knocking TSR is pretty de rigueur, and I agree that a lot of what they did is crap. But boy, on this case, they sure came through. A few weeks later, I got a packet from them with articles by Joyce Brothers, essays by theologians, research from peer-reviewed journals, and more, showing the positive moral and intellectual influence that role-playing games could have.

I showed these to my parents. They didn't necessarily agree with all the articles, they said, but they were so impressed by my initiative that they'd let me start playing again, as long as I did it responsibly. "Stay here," my dad said, "and I'll go get the books."

"Don't bother," I answered, and went upstairs and retrieved them from the place where they'd been hidden.

It's always good to get in the last jab with your parents .

Daniel

 

[Psionicist]

Most people are a little afraid of me so when I say I play Dungeons & Dragons it's totally okay. Mohahahahahaha

 

[dagger]

Im impressed.....

After a couple of months, I wrote a letter to TSR. "Dear TSR," I said. "My parents think that D&D is bad for my schoolwork and Satanic and stuff. Do you have any research showing that it isn't?"

I know that knocking TSR is pretty de rigueur, and I agree that a lot of what they did is crap. But boy, on this case, they sure came through. A few weeks later, I got a packet from them with articles by Joyce Brothers, essays by theologians, research from peer-reviewed journals, and more, showing the positive moral and intellectual influence that role-playing games could have.

I showed these to my parents. They didn't necessarily agree with all the articles, they said, but they were so impressed by my initiative that they'd let me start playing again, as long as I did it responsibly. "Stay here," my dad said, "and I'll go get the books."

Daniel

 

[Neqroteqh]

PS: Isn't Satan-worship a sort of religion? Supposedly you can't get in trouble for your religion over here...

The only satanic church recognized by the government at the present time is the Temple of Set, and they're pretty exclusive about who they initiate into their ranks (in fact, their membership is completely closed at the moment). I'm a former member... in fact, I'm probably living proof that RPG's can lead one to the devil.

I blame Nietzsche, LaVey, and Gygax.