BE COUNTED - George Takei and Brad Altman

[tempested_bird]

Have I ever mentioned that George Takei is my hero? A charming video with husband Brad Altman regarding the 2010 US Census. This one comes via sunfell and I HAD to share it.

Oh, my!


George: I'm George Takei. And I'm still wearing my Starfleet uniform.
Brad: And I'm Brad Altman. And this is a foil cap on my head!
George: And we're married. (laughs) My husband can be so silly at times.
Brad: This is the first time in history the Census is counting marriages like ours!
George: It doesn't matter whether you have a legal marriage license or not. It only matters if you consider yourself married. That's what the Census is asking for. For people to identify how they view themselves.
Brad: So fill out the Census, and let's show America how many of us are joined in beautiful, loving marriages!
George: This is what you do: fill out the information for Person One. On the next page, mark how Person Two is related to Person One. If you consider yourself married, mark the first box. If you don't, mark the second to the last box or unmarried partner.
Brad: Now you may ask - why am I wearing this hat?
George: Or why I'm still wearing this Starfleet uniform? It's to get you to actually listen to this important message that affects how our community and marriages such as ours are viewed by this nation. Be counted. Fill out your Census.
Brad: (Vulcan gesture) Live long and prosper!
George: (makes Vulcan gesture and starts giggling)

Comments

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that was great!

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

My favourite part was when Brad Altman started the "Live Long And Prosper" gesture and they both collapsed into giggles. They're so refreshingly dorky.

[crowgrl13.livejournal.com]

I freaking ADORE George Takei!
I used to date a guy that listened to Howard Stern on Sirius radio. The only reason I could stomach it was because it seemed like George Takei was always on. He is made of the cool and awesome.

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

That he is. That he is. He's a fabulous spokesperson for both gay rights and Asian-Americans in the media.

[kittyblackrose.livejournal.com]

LOVES IT.

[the42towels.livejournal.com]

I have no idea what they're saying, but anything with George Takei is awesome and so so full of <3 <3

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

George and Brad are talking about how homosexual couples who identify as married or long-term partners can and should enter that into the census regardless of whether or not you have a marriage license. Since the Census is about how you identify yourself, it's a great opportunity for homosexual couples to put themselves into the US's official tally.

I'll write a transcript of the video for you at some point today when my head hurts less and send it to you because it's hilarious.

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

I added a transcription of the video onto the entry for you.

[the42towels.livejournal.com]

oh WOW. That was so thoughtful of you to do that, thank you!

And now that I know what they're saying, I <3 it so much more.
I lol'ed at Brad announcing he was wearing a foil hat.

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

Really, it was my pleasure. And also it has a nice benefit of giving people more access to important information.

This may sound strange, but I actually enjoy doing transcription. When I was in college, one of the major research methods I studied was Language as Social Interaction, and part of that was that we had to do very meticulous transcription of interaction and conversation, including markers for vowel lengthening, tonal shifts, inflection shifts, pauses, and all that other super detailed stuff that only scholars and academics care about.

I actually came to enjoy it because of the painstaking attention to detail and the really concentrated observation it required.

I read your long entry about deaf culture and your position on it. I am still processing it, so I haven't yet had a chance to respond.

[the42towels.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it wasn't any trouble, I appreciated it.

No it doesn't sound strange, it actually sounds interesting, particularly the inflections in the voices, did you also have to pay attention to body language if you were transcribing a video, or was it all only audio?

Oh god! That poorly written contradictory rant? I think it made me sound crazy, but still, I look forward to reading your take on deaf culture.

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

L.S.I.'s first and foremost concern is talk and how talk is used (and subsequent shifts in tone, inflection, elongation of sound, variances in volume and how those things factor into what is being said and how it is interpreted by the people participating in the conversation), but it also does factor in the effect of gestures and body language, especially if it has a specific impact on what is being said. It was analyzing video, yes.

Back in the day, this particular research method started as recording audio only, and as it has involved, it also includes video. It really depends on what a person is looking at (ie: recording phone conversations, etc.)

[ocha-no-hanashi.livejournal.com]

That was #$%^ing awesome.

I certainly paid attention if only because of the Starfleet uniform.

[tempested-bird.livejournal.com]

It was the foil cap that got me.

Well, that and at this point in my life, I'll listen to anything George Takei has to say.

But he sure knows what works to grab the attention.