Meet Mr Inquisitor
Created | Updated Jul 9, 2003
Meet Mr Inquisitor
Hello again everyone, and welcome to another edition of Meet Mr Inquisitor the (in theory) regular slot where an h2g2 researcher gets the chance to expose their inner soul and essential self for the rest of us to gawp at.
In the chair this week is the lovely Darth Zaphod. DZ, as she is better known, hails from Good Ol' Uncle US of Stateside and will be familiar to regular partakers of the Post as the perpetrator of In Other Words, while her chosen name is a bit of a giveaway as to which books and films rock her boat the best. I kicked off by quizzing her on this very issue...
That's a rather distinctive username you have there. Do you think that some people deliberately choose names that could be a bit misleading about their gender or personality?
Some people? No clue. I really try not to pay attention to which way a persons' name on Hootoo sways me gender wise, because I know how
increasingly annoying it is for everyone's presumption to be that I'm male!
I'm not! Let's get that straight now! Tee hee. I chose Darth because I have a long history of loving Star Wars, and Zaphod for more obvious reasons. It just sounded like a good combination. And I'm so glad I chose it - now, everyone calls me DZ. I have a nickname! For the first time in my life I have a nickname! IT'S SO COOL! I think people don't necessarily choose a name just to fool others. They more or less choose what they like.
Of course you'll have those sillies out there who want to be tricksie!
Yes, readers, I've seen the photos and can confirm that Darth is surprisingly blonde and gamine... (sigh)
Come to think of it I shouldn't really get into this area as according to some people 'Awix' sounds misleadingly feminine. Hmm. Anyway, as a long-time fan of the Holy Franchise, what do you think of the two prequel movies? Do they add lustre to the legend or are they
just horribly misconceived?
Eeesh... sore topic!
They were... well... they filled in the story like they were supposed to. And Episode II had a kick-butt fight scene with my fave character Yoda... but other than that, nothing to be praised. Too kiddish. The original trilogy was renowned for its state-of-the-art technology and the difficulty they went through to put the movies together... these just relied on computer animation to get it done. Kind of cheating, if you ask me. I think Clones was better than
Menace, because Anakin had no acting skills... but I still watch them because the story line is important! I think they could have been better.
I doubt anyone could honestly argue with that sentiment. Moving on, in their classic disco hit Stayin'Alive the Bee Gees sang 'You can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man, no time to talk'. What can people tell about you from the way you use
your walk?
Haha! Oh, funny you should ask! I'm notorious for walking like a freak. I definitely don't walk like a girl... kind of like a really slow guy. I have extremely long legs, and use them wisely. I tend to walk pretty slowly, but can keep up with most people anyway. Except when I'm angry... (Ask Skullock.)
I walk very fast, and no one can keep up: So I guess people can tell that I'm pretty lazy. I don't really have anywhere extremely important that I have to get to right away, so I take my time. That and I have an odd sort of wobble bob thing that looks like I'm walking with a wedgie. I am of course exaggerating slightly...
Well, it's still a captivating mental image. On a more serious note, as a former-colonial Yankee foreigner, do you think being a member of an international site like this one has given you any insights into the way America is perceived in the rest of the world?
Oh... well, I do have some new insights, but not so much from h2g2 as from other places. Here on Hootoo people are generally pretty accepting no matter where you're from; I personally enjoy talking to the Brits moreso than the Americans because they're way the freak over there across the ocean and much more interesting. There's a general sophistication about the British people I know that makes me enjoy talking to them. I honestly think most people don't even know where their Hootoo friends live; it took me a long time before I knew Shazz was Dutch (I had just assumed she was British), and in fact knew a few people for quite some time before I knew they were mere hours away from me. I believe Americans are perceived as the morons of the world. We have no knowledge of the world around us, and are arrogant and headstrong. Not necessarily true, but it's the stereotype among other countries. It doesn't bother me at all, if anything I agree completely, but I have gotten many more opinions from those in other countries as to what they think of America, so yes. I do have a broader knowledge of the stereotypical America thanks to my worldly amigos on h2g2.
For the sake of accuracy and showing off, I think I should say that Shazz is British but living in Holland (don't get her started on the story of how she met her partner, we'll be here all night1). I get the impression your friends are very important to you. Would it be fair to say that for you h2g2 is more a social environment than, for example, a Repository Of All Knowledge?
Ack! Sorry Shazz! But I think you know what I mean.
A social environment? Definitely. I've never put in an actual edited Guide entry, I mostly try to get my fiction in there, plus I started the Random Quotes Guild with Chauncey which is quite social. I met my current significant other completely by random on h2g2, which is also under the category 'social'. I definitely use h2g2 for more social things than information things. But I'm trying to stick to the original theme of h2g2 and am currently trying to decide what to do an edited entry on. Sometimes I feel like I'm using it for something other than what it's for, but then I remember all of the other aspects of h2g2 that aren't informational; the Thingite's Clan, STUMPED, PUDDING, even The Post isn't necessarily informational, because it consists of so much more than edited guide entries. h2g2 is a jack-of-all-trades; anyone can do pretty much whatever they want on here (within reason), thus making it appealing to many kinds of people. It's as important socially as it is informationally. Kind of talking in circles, aren't I... I should quit that. Bad Darth.
Well, if anyone has any suggestions as to what Darth Zaphod should write her first Edited Entry about, drop her a line. If all goes according to plan, this should be in the Post just after you celebrate the first anniversary of your joining h2g2. Any thoughts on that?
Yikes! Holy crap! You're right! I nearly forgot! Oh that's so amazing to me. I've never really had a hobby that I've stuck with so long... except for piano, but that's different. I find it astounding how much I've done on here in just a year. I wrote two of my short unedited entries on that first day... I've been put in CAC numerous times by jwf, I started the Random Quotes Guild as I mentioned earlier, I began writing 'In Other Words', I've met some very cool people, and I actually feel important; like I have somewhere I'm needed or at least appreciated. It's amazing. I absolutely love the fact that I've been doing it for a year. What better way to celebrate than with an interview, eh? I'll definitely be on here for more years to come. *sigh* Oh the memories...
Wow, I actually think we're having a moment here. You've probably just answered this one, Darth, but what would you say was the most important thing you've learned from h2g2?
Aaaah... good question. Probably that people aren't as different as they think they are. It's amazing how many qualities all h2g2 people share JUST because they're ON h2g2 - first of all, they've read and liked the Hitchhiker's Guide, which gives them a distinct sense of humour! We all have that one thing in common; it's beautiful. That, and that I shouldn't wait until the day they're due to write my columns because they'll suck more than they usually do. And humanity doesn't need that.
A sentiment all of us Posties can probably empathise with, there Well, so there you have it – not your stereotypical DZ blonde. Someone who likes Star Wars, someone who's often in the CAC, and someone, it seems, with a rather distinctive walk. Thanks Darth!
The Meet Mr Inquisitor chair is open to all h2g2 members, no matter how distinguished or nondescript they may be. If you'd like to put yourself through the rather wearing interview process, please drop us a line by email by way of Shazz the Editor. On the other hand, if there's someone you'd particularly like to see given the third degree (although perhaps Gas Mark 2 would be a better comparison), feel free to nominate them at the bottom of the page.
I've been Mr Inquisitor, and until next time, ta-ra.
Darth Zaphod