HP's Follow-up Interview Series: Post-Brook

[H.P. Lance 138]

Welcome to the homeworld of second round interviews! Please read the information below before going on to the interviews.

 

Links to specific interviews:

 

Flipturn

Prismatic

~Lawful Jordo~

Lord Bababa

Batbrony

Aaramus

Crispy

Kolth << This one's brilliant. Honest.

 

 

Before I say anything else, most of you have probably already seen Brook's interview series already. If you haven't, what in Celestia's name are you doing? Get your flank over there right now and nab a spot on that waiting list.

 

After seeing the recent surge in interview opportunities, it occurred to me that most interviews with members on this site are becoming somewhat linear and predictable. Most of the time the questions are somewhere along the lines of "When did you first become a brony?" and "What is the best part about MLP Forums?" A generic sort of pattern is emerging.

 

I shared these concerns with Brook, who agreed with me; he said himself that doing interviews was starting to feel like he was just asking for "résumés".

 

So I proposed a Follow-up Interview Series, in which members who have already been interviewed by Brook would be called back for a second round by me. The difference? This time, my questions build on the answers given in the first interview. After finishing with Brook then we know a selection of facts, certain opinions and other essential fundamentals about that member. Then I read the interview and carefully tailor more personal and specific questions based on what the member told Brook.

 

Brook promptly agreed to this concept. Therefore, if you have been interviewed by Brook, you can expect to hear from me sometime in the near future.

 

I hope that this project will provide even more insight into our members' lives both inside and outside of Ponydom, discovering what really floats their boat and learning about their thought processes.

 

Take a look at our humble members' interviews via the links in the spoiler at the top!  

 

You cannot request an interview here. You must be interviewed by Brook first, whose request thread resides here. After you have been interviewed once, you don't need to do anything else: I will get in touch with you.

 

I will ask that if you have already been interviewed by Brook then please post below telling me this is the case, lest I accidentally miss you out when going through Brook's list. Thank you.

Edited February 19, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[H.P. Lance 138]

Well, we have the brilliant member Flipturn back for a second round! I fired some more questions his way and he responded just as eloquently as last time.

 

If you haven't seen Flipturn's first interview with Brook, I'd strongly recommend checking it out before reading this one. 

 

Enjoy!

 

1) You're known as a Pinkie Pie fanatic, and you told Brook that you turn to her bouncy character for inspiration in your own life. But do you ever experience Pinkamena days, and did Party of One have a particularly profound impact on you?

 

That's a brilliant question - and the answer is yes, sometimes bundles of optimism won't always prevent a terrible day from happening. Ever since I've discovered and devoted myself to Pinkie Pie, they have been considerably less in occurrence, and actually even less so when I watched Party Of One.

 

Party Of One is proof that even those who swim in happiness and enthusiasm will work themselves into a state, and seeing Pinkie break down twisted my heart into impossible knots of emotion; because it's the last thing you'd have expected from her nothing-but-smiles self, and as a matter of fact from My Little Pony as a show. But the fact that she returned to her bright old self after being apparently beyond any help has always told me "Feeling down? All hope isn't lost, buddy." The impact was definitely full-on. That particular ethic introduced by Party Of One is probably the most important lesson of all, for me - that there will always be bad days, but who's to say they don't come from wrong impressions unless you see it for yourself?

 

On a note not related to Pinkamena days, I love how Party Of One completely destroyed the stereotype of Pinkie Pie being nothing more than one-dimensional comic relief, and that there was much more to her than parties and singing. Certainly cemented her status as my favourite pony.

 

2) Your interview with Brook left us in no doubt that this community is like a second home to you. What is the single, most important, mutual factor/emotion that drives bronies to rally in such hospitable strength, and to what extent do you try to incorporate this factor into your own interactions with bronies?

 

For me, I always viewed Bronies as a whole to be the collective realisation that there's no reason not to apply pure, well-meaning morals to real life situations. It's part opportunism as well - My Little Pony, being a young girls' show, is obviously going to garner attention if you have grown men appreciating it as opposed to the morals coming from self-created philosophies of which 98% gather about ten people then falter within two days. I'm impossibly glad that the chance to make an impact has been seized so well.

 

On very many other communities, you'll get a lot of cynicism or the need to be "in" to make your mark. With Bronies, it's completely different - no matter who you are, people will recognise you for what you do well, and what makes you well as a person, and shake you warmly by the hand hoof. This is the most important factor of the fandom for me - the knowledge that in the end, nothing beats total happiness and acceptance. Not only can I fully and voluntarily incorporate optimism and acceptance of others into my interactions with Bronies, but also to general life situations. It makes me step back, take a look at everything we've done, and think "We really are something, aren't we." It also makes me just endlessly thankful to Bronies, this community especially, and the show that Hasbro has given us.

 

3) Corey Powell is whipping up a storm after a powerfully touching debut episode and a solid follow-up. You're loving season 3 so far - do you think Powell could remain consistent enough to surpass even Larson's block of hugely satisfying episodes, and are either of Powell's episodes now a favourite of yours? 

 

With my eyes on the word "could" it's a definite yes - Corey Powell evidently has some brilliant talent. Sleepless in Ponyville was smack on the nose to get her name heard despite being newly hired; every character in that episode was written beautifully. I think Corey Powell's main strength is how she picks up and cements ideas that had always been partly present. For instance, in Sleepless, three things we had been yearning for were a Scootaloo episode, more Luna, and more Scootalove - she came in and immediately ticked all three. Bam, brilliant stuff. It lived up to the standard of S3, with a great moral and concept along with a classic cartoon's atmosphere.

 

Of the two episodes Corey's given us, however, none of them are my favourite. They are wonderful episodes, there's no doubt in my mind, but not being too wild about Scootalove or a great Spike episode means my appreciation for them can never be as fervent as those who've waited their entire Brony life for it.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to more episodes from her

 

4) Imagine you're living the dream in Equestria with Pinkie Pie, but after just a week you suddenly find that if you don't go home immediately, the portal to poor old planet earth will close permanently. Pinkie is obviously your best friend by now; you can stay in Equestria forever, or go back to your old life. What do you do, and why?

 

Talk about tough... talk about an extremely tough question!

It can go beyond text alone at this point just how much Pinkie Pie means to me. Eighty per cent of the day, she's in my thoughts. If I could truly express exactly how much I love her, I'd probably dislodge Earth from its rotational axis.

 

That being said, here on Earth I have a family that I've known for as long as I can remember, and to forever leave them for the love of my life would be a new level of difficult. Even though being in Equestria and being with Pinkie Pie would be the most blissful fantasy, I would still feel as if I betrayed the people that raised me into who I am - and no matter what, I'd be thinking about how they'd never see me again. I wouldn't be able to enjoy life in Equestria nearly as much as the idea of Equestria offers such wild ideals.

 

If I could leave an exact copy of me behind to live my life for me, I would stay in Equestria with my darling Pinkie without a doubt in my mind. I wouldn't just be over the moon, I'd be over the restaurant at the end of the galaxy. Imagine waking up every single coming day to nothing but fun and the full-on spirit of Pinkie, knowing that there'd be no guilt left back in the real world... and now that I snap back from that Edenic image, I will now go and create a virtual reality Equestria.

 

5) You're British, just like me (RoidRage: "YEAHHH!"). What is the absolute best thing about living on our little island, and do you think British bronies tend to have a greater or lesser discretion in revealing that they are a brony relative to the rest of the world?

 

Well, I was born and raised in the UK, so I've learned it to be my home - I love how in comparison to other nations we're pretty tightly-packed, able to share a laugh or a frustration collectively when something appears in the media. Even more so online, because you get much more US people than UK. I can compare that sort of wide-area community with us Bronies as a community, in fact.

British Bronies obviously face an immediate issue in that conventions aren't everywhere in the country like the US, and it's generally something you wouldn't hear about. 90% of people at school hadn't even heard of the word "Brony". So revealing your dedication to the fandom is very risky to a country unfamiliar with it, but then again there's the inclination to make the benefits and qualities of the fandom more known to people. Actually, with the idea that Bronies are rarer here than in other countries, it's when you DO find a fellow Brony that the occasion is all the sweeter, like two complete strangers washing up on the same desert island.

 

And as conventions are practically becoming whackamoles over in the US, the occasions don't become as special. With the UK though, conventions don't go as far as B.U.C.K or the Nottingham convention, so when British Bronies do have the chance to go to those, it's impossibly more spirited because you know you're not alone on the little British Isles.

 

6) Derpy is to muffins as Flipturn is to...?

 

But Tango Cherry, of course.

 

Well, that's that. Flipturn is as dedicated and pleasant a brony you could ever wish to meet. Go friend him or something. Now.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[An Old Head 4,816]

Thanks for the interview Hidden, really enjoyed a crack at some of these questions - definitely got me stepping back and looking at some of the finer details of Bronydom.

 

Looking forward to more follow-ups like these

[Brook 663]

Wow, that was amazing, my level of appreciation for Flipturn just sky-rocketed, did a 270, went to Mars, landed, started a community, and donated all it's tax money to Flipturn. Amazing.

[H.P. Lance 138]

Today I interviewed a member who is a recent addition to our forum: Prismatic. It was refreshing to get viewpoints from somepony who hasn't been around for absolutely years.

 

Oh, and if you haven't seen Prismatic's first interview with Brook, then I'd highly recommend checking it out before reading this one. 

 

My questions in bold, Prismatic's answers in italics. Enjoy!

 

1) You discovered the show near the end of season 1, and promptly watched every other episode available at that time. How disappointed were you when you had to wait for more, and what attitude do you employ nowadays during the long wait between seasons?

 

I was honestly not bothered by the wait between seasons 1 and 2. I've got plenty of things to do and mess around with (MMOs, video games, computer repairs and all that stuff) to the point where I don't have a fixation on waiting for the new season or new episodes. Hilarious as it looks, I only moderated another brony community from S2E24 to 6 days after S3E2, so I could probably vouch that I was extremely busy at that time and new episodes were the last thing on my mind.

 

For between Season 3 and Season 4, I'll probably just do other things; I always have my work cut out for me somewhere.

 

2) You have been to a brony convention before. Did your initial expectations of other bronys' appearances and personalities match the reality when you arrived? What surprised you the most?

 

What surprised me the most at the convention itself was someone cosplaying as Miles Prower. I found that hilarious. The other thing I remember well (I think the photographer has it on his dA and website) is that an elderly gentlemen cosplayed as Starswirl the Bearded very well. Overall the personalities and other things matched what I had anticipated for that convention, notably because Brony Fan Fair was as it was labeled; a strictly fan based convention (i.e. no VAs or supporting show staff).

 

I think what probably left a rather odd aftertaste from the convention is that I tend to think of the community as three totally different worlds: Internet (different websites have different folks; I've not seen a single pony here I recognize elsewhere), local bronies and conventions.

 

3) You told Brook that Trixie is a favourite pony of yours - to what extent do you think she was justified in turning her loneliness into anger to terrorise Ponyville in Magic Duel? Can you sympathise/empathise with her at all?

 

Yes, she was very justified. There are many sites I've played on where a user was exiled for something they did, although maybe not maliciously, to the point where they're stranded from those who they hung around with.

 

I'm not the kind to get angry when I'm lonely but I'm sure there are many others that'll rage over a period of time. As for her appearance in Magic Duel, I somewhat felt what she was going through but I thought that her anger against Twilight specifically didn't match her Season 1 character; hence the Alicorn Amulet being used to show that Trixie was rather desparate to show off, becoming corrupted.

 

4) You also told Brook that there are "no such things as good or bad ideas...just horrible execution." Pony-related or not, what's the best thing you've ever personally executed? Are you generally proud of your achievements?

 

Now you're making it sound like I'm a coldblooder terminator.

 

I never had any real big roles in various sites, except just one in the brony fandom, so my response is rather limited. I think the one thing that I felt went 'well' was when I stayed up from midnight to about 10:00 AM trying to deal with a rather big issue going on at the time, in which I assumed users would expect me to break down over time. I also did a lot of odd work like scanning images and eventually rewriting rules and other things on the backend.

 

5) You seem to be enjoying the forum, despite not having been around for long. Is it important for you to establish yourself as a member, or are you happy to sit back and enjoy other members' ideas and creative works?

 

Eh...I like to be known but not popular. I know there are about many different levels of entrenchment and I do feel the want to be out there, but at the same time I have about five members from another brony website continually monitoring my activity on their site.

 

Let's just say though that it's probably better to remain in the shadows for a bit longer; I don't really come up with good ideas (it's a running joke that I'm not charismatic).

 

6) Three words or less: Spike At Your Service was...?

 

Exceptionally awkward.

 

Well, there you have it. I'd like to enforce again that it was very interesting to get opinions and some personal insight from a relatively new member.

 

Until next time, everyone!

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[Prismatic 49]

I suppose the irony that comes to mind is that it's subtly implied that many crystal ponies are either a thousand years old or are displaced a thousand years (i.e. frozen in time)  Hopefully I won't think too hard about that.

[H.P. Lance 138]

Earlier today I interviewed a staple member of our community: ~Lawful Jordo~. He's a Canadian with a big heart, and doing this follow-up interview was extremely interesting.

 

By the way, if you haven't seen his first interview with Brook, I'd highly recommend checking it out before reading this one.

 

My questions in bold, his answers in italics. Enjoy!

 

1) Your responses to Brook left us in no doubt that Dash is best pony. But can you pick out a flaw in her character, and to what extent can you personally relate to this flaw?

 

Dash is not without her flaws, and I will be the first to admit that. She can be quite arrogant and narcissistic at times, and a lot of fans hold that against her. It isn't surprising that she acts this way. She most likely needs to self-validate her own actions because of her need to feel special; it is this that drives her to compete in the first place.

 

Honestly, I think everyone can relate to this on some level, whether you would like to admit it or not. One thing that all of us want is validation.

 

Her positives far outweigh her negatives in my opinion.

 

2) Your dream is to become an animator, a desire that MLP FiM cemented. Is the end product of animation always worth the frustrations you go through in the making process, or are there sometimes low points where a project just doesn't emerge as you wanted?

 

I have to say this to anyone reading who may want to take up animation; it is a lot of work. I mean a LOT of work. Hours and hours of hard labor are put into animation, and I personally believe it is a very thankless position. You can throw upwards to twenty hours of work into about ten seconds of animation.

 

Is the end result worth it? Most of the time, yes. There is no feeling quite like bringing your imagination to life. With animation, you can make quite literally anything you can think of a reality. Just like any artistic career, it doesn't always go according to plan, but if you are a talented animator with a solid work ethic it should turn out just fine.

 

3) You have a rather dashing photo of yourself somewhere in your awesome profile. Would you feel as comfortable revealing your appearance on other, non-pony forums?

 

Oh, stop it you. :3 <3

 

To answer your question, yeah. I don't really have a problem with showing my true self on the internet. I usually have an IRL picture of myself on every forum I visit. I have always been comfortable with posting pictures of myself on the forums.

 

4) You told Brook that eventually "I will look back on my time as a brony and smile." How long do you think it will be before your interest in the show and/or fandom starts to wane? What is the biggest factor encouraging you to stay right now?

 

To be honest, I don't think there is really a way I can accurately answer that question. I have no idea how long my interest with this fandom will hold strong; all I know is that I have been in a lot of fandoms, and that this is by far the one I've become the most invested in. The biggest thing encouraging me to stay isn't so much the show itself - although the show is fantastic - but the fandom. These are some of the coolest people I know.

 

5) Did The Mysterious Mare Do Well overplay Rainbow's competitiveness, and were you initially annoyed that your favourite pony was portrayed in such a selfish light?

 

Well, not really. I wasn't too upset that she was portrayed somewhat negatively, because it teaches us a valuable lesson. There is a fine line between being competitive and being arrogant/unsportsman like. I have run into a lot of people in competitions who can come off as douchebags; competition can do that to people. Heck, I've acted a little arrogant myself on occasion.

 

Seeing Rainbow Dash like this reminds us that she is still human (well, pegasus. I meant it more figuratively). Her character indeed has flaws and she is not perfect. In the end she learns her lesson, and that is the important thing.

 

6) You're a martial artist. Could you beat Feld0 in a fight?

 

Haha, I have no idea.

 

I don't know what kind of fighting experience the Feldicorn has. Personally I am trained in Karate, Taekwondo, Kickboxing and a little bit of Krav maga.

 

Is he bringing any weapons to the fight? Where would the fight take place? Conditions are everything.

 

Also, I'd rather not talk smack about Feld0. I am still in his domain as we speak >.>

 

[i told him the fight would be in the throne room of Canterlot Castle, Feld0 would have Pinkie's party cannon and he could have a sword.]

 

Alright...I'm assuming since Feld0 is an alicorn he would be atop the throne; therefore he would have the high ground. From that position he would be far out of the reach of my sword and he would be able to utilize the party cannon to it's fullest. A direct charge would be suicide on my part; the Party cannon has a long range, plus I would be slower moving up stairs. I am not too sure how long it takes to reload the Party cannon (or if it even needs reloading in the first place), so I would need to be very cautious. If he misses me and needs to take a while to reload, It may give me an opening to rush him; although if I rush out of cover and he reloads it before I can get to him I'm toast.

 

I would need to use stealth and hit him from the sides or from behind. If I do manage to close the distance, Feld0 would not be able to compete with my sword and the party cannon effectively becomes useless. In the end I would say Feld0 wins in this scenario about 7 times out of 10. My chances of assassinating Feld0 and taking over the forums are sitting at roughly 30%.

 

7) Season 4, 26 episodes practically confirmed. ~Lawful Jordo~ says...?

 

Season 4 being confirmed period is the best news I've heard in a while. The fact that it is 26 episodes long is just another reason to get excited! I was a little worried with Season 3's length that they were planning on canceling the show, but this puts my worries to rest.

 

And there you have it. What a guy! You've got to love the exhaustive tactical thought he put into his imaginary duel with Feld0. Let's just hope Jordo doesn't suddenly get mysteriously banned...

 

Until next time, everyone!

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[Standard User 2,127]

Uh, I've already been interviewed by Brook. Here is the link because I don't feel like making you go on a wild-goose chase.

 

Also, good to see you up and about. I was wondering where you went. 

[~Chaotic Parsley~ 240]

Nice to see this follow up thread, I agree the questions Brook gave us were a tad bland but it was fun in all.

I shall relish the day when I am interviewed by you kind sir.

 

Link to Brooks interview, fair well.

[H.P. Lance 138]

Hello everyone! Yesterday Lord Bababa kindly took gave up some time to do this interview, following his first with Brook. If you haven't seen that first one yet, I'd advise taking a look before reading this one.

 

Same format as always. Enjoy! 

 

1) Your little sister becoming a fan of MLP FiM was a contributing factor in you deciding to watch the show properly. Do you relish having a family member with whom you can share episodes and fandom jokes? What does your sister think about you enjoying the show?

 

Well, despite the fact that she's been in it longer than I have, I'm kind of more into it and, to literally quote her: "Christian you are one sad, sad, sad individual." I personally think it's great because we actually quote pony things at least once a day and we both have a retarded sense of humor. We love quoting the show and the .MOV videos (among others) and it's just so fun having it fly across people's head without them realizing that we are actually quoting something extremely nerdy.

 

But yeah, she thinks I'm a freak for being so into it. My other siblings think I'm weird too, but she especially is almost disgusted at how into it I suddenly got. I find it funny.

 

2) The brony community helped you during a seriously tough time in your life. Does everyone have the potential to become a better person if they gave the show and people of the fandom a chance? What would you say to those who refuse any and all help from others?

 

Everyone has the potential to become a better person. Everyone. That being said, giving the show a chance doesn't automatically equal a better person. It might help them realize some things about themselves, but you don't know how many racist, homophobic, power hungry, selfish, or just plain cynical bronies I've met out there that the show and community hasn't affected.

 

For those who don't accept help...that's their own choice, but they are making a mistake.

 

3) You told Brook that season 3 is the best season yet. How do you feel about Discord's return? Has he truly been reformed?

 

He kind of has, but he still has his naughty side to him. He said he'd use his magic for good "for the most part" so I'm assuming if he does come back then he'll probably do something silly.

 

That being said, I really doubt he'll ever make another appearance.

 

4) You're in a room with Andrea Libman and you can get her to record one sentence, especially for you, in either Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy's voice. You can then treasure it forever. They're your two favourite ponies; what would the sentence be, and in which pony's voice would it be said?

 

If I could get her to say anything, I would probably get her to read a line from Daring Doo and the Jungle of Terror in Fluttershy's voice. My inner six year old demands it.

 

5) You particularly enjoy pony artwork. Can you give us a link to one of the best pieces of fan art you've ever seen? What is it about art that you love?

 

What I love about art is that it allows humans to be creative. Art in itself can be anything, and if you're the kind of person who looks at that famous interior semiotics video on youtube and says it's not art then you're a damned philistine. Art doesn't have to be beautiful, or for that matter doesn't even have to be unique. Art is just essentially art. Just because it's art doesn't mean you have to respect it; in fact you can hate it if you want to. The definition of art is as follows: 

Quote

The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture,...: "the art of the Renaissance"

 

What I find amazing about pony art is just how crazy things can get while still relating back to the show. I'm sure a lot of people have read Fallout Equestria, and the whole thing is just incredible and it relates to the show in such a nifty way. There's also all of the pony fan music that exists, one of my favorites being Tombstone's remix of Discord, which is for the most part top notch. Then you have the visual art and games and yadda yadda yadda, which kind of exist for any fandom but from what I've seen so far with these is they usually have bigger teams working on them than any other fangame.

 

Anyhoo, that being said my personal favorite piece of pony art is this song right here:

 

 

Why is it my favorite? I'm not sure. Maybe it's because I really dig how it sounds, maybe it's because I'm also an anime geek, maybe it's because I'm also a huge gamer. Probably the biggest thing, though, is just how much this song kind of makes me want to kick ass at everything I do.

 

6) I read the entire Skype conversation between you and Brook, which includes the phrases "gay sex", "I watch you while you sleep" and "CHANG OUT BITCHES" 

On a scale of Fluttershy to Trixie, how sorry do you feel for me?

 

I don't really know. In a way I want to rate you as a moldy burrito stuffed with PCP, but then I'm not really sure. Lemme interview you for a second to find out here, why is it that someone once told me that he or she really wanted to punch you in the face at your wedding really badly?

 

This promptly turned into Lord Bababa suddenly interviewing me. Strange things were said. Let's leave it at that. 

 

Until next time, everyone!

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[Brook 663]

Eeyup, that's Lord Bababa for you. Also, I deny any and all sexual tension between me and him. Aside from the obvious fact he loves my firm behind.

[H.P. Lance 138]

Earlier today I got hold of Batbrony for his follow-up interview. Go check him out, he's a great guy! Oh, and also check out his first interview with Brook if you haven't already.

 

Enjoy!

 

1) Like many bronies, your introduction to the show was one where you found yourself unable to stop watching after seeing the first few episodes. Can you pinpoint the reasons behind your initial interest in the show, or is your infatuation still a mystery to your own mind?

 

As I said with Brook, I think it's largely that I was kinda bored and lonely in D.C. at the time, being one of three students from my school out there, so I was just looking for something new to get into. The next step was coming across Solrac's hilarious dub-overs of songs from the show, along with some other pony vids, and as I watched them, I couldn't help but notice that the animation was pretty darn good - beautiful even - as well as the voice acting, whenever actual clips from the show played in these vids.

 

Since I'm always on the hunt for great new entertainment to get into, those factors, combined with the little I'd begun to hear about bronydom and their glowing reviews of the show, finally convinced me to check it out. The rest is history!

 

2) Derpy Hooves is your favourite pony outside of the Mane 6. What would you say to those who demand Derpy either be "fixed" or removed from the show entirely? Is this a subject you feel strongly about?

 

I do strongly feel about this subject indeed, and I've thought quite a bit about it. To those who want her entirely removed from the show, I can destroy their argument for her removal in about ten seconds by listing at least a dozen characters (all male) from previous shows who've been far more mentally incompetent than Derpy. The entire controversy from the beginning was overreacting political correctness at its worst.

 

However, concerning "fixing" Derpy, I'm actually a little more lenient. While as a matter of principle I don't really agree with it, as I think it's unnecessary, I mostly just want Derpy to stay in the show, and it's greatly saddened me how little she's shown up in Season 3. I have high hopes that she might both show up in the season finale, and significantly more in Season 4, now that the entire controversy has died down, but we'll just have to wait and see. More than anything, I don't want my favorite derpy-eyed pony who played such a key role in the first two seasons in building bridges between bronies and Studio B to just be left out in the cold. I don't need her to speak, I don't even need her eyes to be derpy; I just want her to come back and show up in some fun cameos like she used to. Miss ya Derpy!

 

3) You love the passion our fandom has. What do you think about the recent copyright controversies concerning the shutdown of Fighting is Magic, among other fan works?

 

 Well first of all, I love the fan works all around; it's one of the foundations of bronydom itself and helps keep it going strong. Some of them are simply among the finest fan work I've ever seen for any fandom, and they only continue to get better and better.

 

As for "Fighting is Magic", I'm sad that it got shutdown. However, unlike a lot of other bronies, I refuse to lose my head over this. Hasbro was perfectly in every right to shut them down; they didn't have the proper permits, and were heavily advertising the game before it was even released, so it was pretty clear that they were looking to make some money off of it in some way, shape, or form despite not having any licenses from Hasbro. At that point, it's not just a fan project anymore, it's an entrepreneurial activity, and a case of piracy at that, so again, Hasbro was completely in the right.

 

In the aftermath of this whole situation, I'm not worried in the slightest that Hasbro is going to crack down on fan projects. They've always encouraged these kinds of activities, and even if they're stepping up their game a little bit, that's probably more a natural result of the awesome amount of fan projects out there, some of which are guaranteed to break even Hasbro's standards, and thus warrant being shutdown, rather than Hasbro deliberately targeting brony fan work. Pretty much every entertainment company out there has done so much more to remove copyright material from the Internet than Hasbro ever has with bronies, so when I see some bronies in this aftermath going so far as to suggest that Hasbro would be the first company ever to remove fan fictions and fan art, I honestly can't help but laugh, it's just that ridiculous of a concept. Just keep calm and brony on everypony!

 

4) Season 4, 26 episodes. Does this make you bounce around like a sugar-high Pinkie Pie, or are you concerned the quality of the show might wane? Why do you think Hasbro and Studio B have increased the number of episodes again?

 

 

More like this...

 

 

So yeah, I'm totally not worried about the quality of the show; I really do think there are a number of explanations for the 13-episode season, all of which might've contributed to the 13 episodes instead of 26 this season.

 

(1) Lauren Faust left the show last season.

(2) A significant number of new members joined the Studio B staff.

(3) "The Last Round Up" controversy, which came right around the time that Studio B would've been just getting started on working on Season 3.

(4) The 65 episode rule, started by Disney, which states that no show may go beyond 2 or 3 seasons, which can be averaged to about 65 episodes. While it's pretty much official policy for Disney, it's more of an unspoken, unofficial rule for other studios as far as I know.

 

These all probably contributed in their own way to the resulting 13 episode season. Lauren Faust's departure and the arrival of many new staff probably meant that there was a lot of reorganizing going on at Studio B right around when they wanted to get going on Season 3. "The Last Round Up" controversy probably further delayed production, as Studio B would've had to reassess what role Derpy could play in episodes for Season 3. Finally, I do believe that at the beginning of production for Season 3, Hasbro wasn't 100% certain that it would continue production of the show, and probably wanted to wait and see what the fanbase's reaction to the new season would be, and if they still had potential for even more fiscal success with a 4th season.

 

All of these in their own way probably resulted in Studio B and Hasbro deciding that Season 3 should be a 13 episode season. Now that they're more certain of MLP's continued staying power, I'm guessing that that's why Hasbro gave the green light and funding for a 26 episode season. It could also, possibly (even though I hope not) be that Season 4 is planned on being the last season of MLP (heaven forbid), although I really hope not, and it really is too early to say. We'll just have to listen to what the producers have to say as production gets underway and Season 4's release date approaches.

 

5) Imagine this: a mob of axe-wielding nutters are hunting Derpy, and you see she's in trouble. Would you, a man with only a sword and his sense of justice to hand, take on the mob alone so Derpy could escape?

 

Derpy in trouble? Angry mob?!?! Hmmm...

 

 

 

Of course, I would try to reason with the mob first, as the great statesman (and one of my favorite historical figures) Abraham Lincoln would've tried, but if that didn't work...watch out haters, Batbrony's coming at ya!!!!!!!!

 

6) Another riddle coming your way: what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

 

I hurt people, of course!

 

Mostly certifiably insane clowns clad in purple suits and awful make-up who have a terrible sense of humor, can't make up their minds on what their backstory really is, have an unhealthy penchant for blowing up pretty much whatever they can and just spread chaos in general. But, in my defense, they're not that funny.

 

And that, fillies and gentlecolts, is Batbrony. As you've probably concluded yourself, he is a very intelligent, elaborate and fun brony. It was a pleasure interviewing him.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[Batbrony 16,055]

Once again, thank you so much Hiddenpairer for the follow-up interview!  It was a lot of fun, and a pleasure meeting you!  Hope the rest of your follow-up interviews go well! 

[H.P. Lance 138]

My fellow Brit Aaramus is my interviewee today. He's got a good head on his shoulders, so you should probably listen to what he has to say.

 

And, as always, check out his first interview with Brook; most of my questions relate to those answers. 

 

Here goes!

 

1) You joined the fandom in summer last year and naturally caught up on the first two seasons. Did you watch them all quickly or pace yourself to prolong the experience? Why?

 

I, like a lot of people who were about the start watching the show, was quite skeptical because the previous generations of MLP weren't exactly brilliant, and somewhere in the back of my mind I fully expected it to be a very girly and childish cartoon. However, as I said in the previous interview, I had seen some of the fan made stuff and enjoyed that greatly, so I definitely had optimism for it.

 

So I did what I do with all shows that I'm late getting into: I watched each episode on a daily basis so I could fully appreciate each one without rushing through it. I think if I had just done a massive sit through of maybe 10 episodes I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much.

 

I think doing it that way made me understand better why it was so popular because I had time to take it all in and appreciate the fantastic writing and animating. Overall, I think spreading it out over what was probably around a month and a bit just made it a better viewing experience for me.

 

2) You're British, just like me. Do you think we tend to have a greater or lesser discretion in revealing that we're bronies to our friends, relative to the rest of the world? To what extent do you personally mind others knowing that you enjoy the show?

 

That's quite a tough question. I think, due to the fact British bronies are certainly a minority within the community, it can be a little bit more difficult to reveal to others that we enjoy the show and are active within the fandom. You have to bear in mind that it's not an British show and The Hub isn't exactly advertised over here. I don't even see MLP product adverts on TV! Us Brits are fairly stubborn when it comes to what we like or don't like, you see it all the time everywhere.

 

That said, I think it's very much down to the individual whether they take discretion over what they tell others. I don't hide anything but at the same time I don't go around telling people what I like and don't like. If it comes up in a conversation then I'll happily discuss it in a decent and adult manner, and I will not feel embarrassed or worried that people know.

 

To me it doesn't matter whether people know that I enjoy the show or not. I have mentioned it to my friends a few times and they don't particularly mind; in fact a few of them enjoy the show as well (although they are not active on forums or anything like that). The people that have an issue with what I like or dislike will never be my friends anyway.

 

I think we shouldn't worry about what people think...it's a TV show at the end of the day, not some extremist view.

 

3) You've enjoyed season 3, particularly Magic Duel. Is Trixie a pony that bronies love to hate, or do you think a lot of people find her genuinely annoying? What's your own take on her character?

 

She has this really interesting effect on the community because she seems to be a very Marmite character that bronies either love to pieces or genuinely dislike her. It's very interesting when you think about how the other characters don't seem to have this odd 50/50 split.

 

You get some people that honestly sympathise with what happened to her in Boast Busters, despite the fact she's a very arrogant character who could not accept Twilight being better at magic than her, even though it was blindingly obvious.

 

On the other hand you get those that see her as an annoying and irritating character when really she was an interesting antagonist who presented a very real challenge to Twilight. I think we're quite split on her, but I think we do love to hate here more so.

 

Personally, I think she had two awesome episodes and she really gave Twilight something to think about. Although she sometimes doubts herself, Twilight was really put to the test during those episodes, something which only Discord really managed to do as well. She's a great antagonist and actually I'm a little disappointed she won't be returning to cause mayhem again.

 

4) You told Brook that you want to go to B.U.C.K. (unintentional rhyming wins) but you're away that weekend. Would you abandon the Reading festival if a lot of people from this site agreed to meet up and go together?

 

Ahh no! Don't put me in that situation! Why would you do that?! ><

 

I've been back and forth between those two events for the last few weeks. I went to Reading festival last year and weirdly enough it was perhaps a few days after getting back that my friend introduced me to MLP!

 

It would certainly be great to actually meet the people on here in real life as I love socials events where I can just chat about what I enjoy to the people that keep me interested in being a part of this fandom.

 

The problem I have is this: Eminem almost never visits the UK! At the moment it's between a TV show and community I've loved for several months, and a musician whose album was the first one I ever bought as a child (despite my parents' objections!). As much as MLP is awesome, it's very hard to deny myself seeing perhaps my all time favourite artist live for the first time (as I was far too young for his previous UK visits).

 

If B.U.C.K is on next year I will go to that, unless Coldplay or Muse are headlining!

 

5) You get to live with either Twilight in her library or Rarity in her boutique for two weeks. Who would you stay with and why?

 

Why do you keep making me choose between two amazing things? This is unfair!

 

I think I'd have to choose Twilight's Library. I adore reading, it's one of my favourite pastimes ever, and it would probably take me two weeks just to stop gawking at the amount of books she possesses!

 

Also, I have a lot more in common with Twily that Rarity; I would be able to have a good conversation with her and she could teach me magic (even if my pony-sona is an earth pony but whatever!). To me she's a very likable and relatable character and I would enjoy being with her for the full two weeks, whereas with Rarity I think I'd get a bit bored being in a boutique for 14 days. I could see Twilight actually being a really close friend due to her personality.

 

Even though it sounds bad, Rarity is very much comic relief to me, she provides by far the funniest moments and her personality and mannerisms make me giggle like a school child.

 

6) Unlike for many bronies, the show has not changed your outlook or your personality. But do you think the morals that the show teaches are exactly the morals that parents should be teaching their children?

 

Absolutely! When I think back to when I was growing up in the mid to late 90's, I used to love shows that were educational but entertaining at the same time. My parents got me to watch things like Tots TV, Thomas the Tank Engine, Rosie and Jim and plenty of other shows which had these little messages within them that kids subtly learn from and take in.

 

The morals that you can get from MLP are indeed what kids should be learning, and to be honest it's what a lot of 13-16 year olds are lacking these days. I find a lot of them just don't have those morals embedded into them like I do; it's a shame really.

 

What MLP does well in this regard is reinforce those morals and lessons rather than being a teaching tool. Parents need to teach their kids manners first, then when they watch the show it shows them why those lessons needed to be learned.

 

There are a few things, like sending your sister to the moon ,that perhaps shouldn't be taught to kids but those are just fictional things that are mainly for entertainment.

 

I think all of this is why I don't feel the show has changed me; I was already taught these things from an early age.

 

7) So, you told Brook that Treecko is better than Mudkip...but what is better than Treecko?

 

There are many Pokémon better than Treeko! His evolutions are one example...Sceptile is an absolute badass!

 

However, let's just go with what I think is the best Pokémon from that generation, Gardevoir. Why? You just blast the living daylights out of everything in your path! She don't make black holes for nothing!

 

On the subject of black holes, I think this interview may have blown open a few tears in the fabric of space and time. If you were swallowed by Aaramus's attractive personality, I apologise. 

 

Anyway, elaborate and thoughtful answers like these always make interviewing a pleasure.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[Aaramus 449]

Just going to reiterate what I said during the interview to you Hiddenpairer, fantastic questions and you managed to elaborate on Brook's questions brilliantly! The two interviews really work well together so thank you very much for including me!

 

 

If you were swallowed by Aaramus's attractive personality, I apologise. 

 

Haha, well it's been known to happen. 

[H.P. Lance 138]

Attention! Attention! The greatest metal brony of all time is back! That's right everyone, Crispy's here for his follow-up interview. The more of these interviews I do, the better it gets, and Crispy didn't disappoint. Enjoy!

 

Oh, and his first interview with Brook, right there. You should go gawp at it before this one.

 

1) YTP was a factor in bringing the show to your attention. Do you still enjoy watching poops, or have you grown to find them boring and unoriginal nowadays?

 

I still love YTP's, but there's not too much going on in terms of pure Pony sources these days. Once in a while KinkyOats will throw something up that's pretty rad and worth people's time, but I don't think he's ever finished a fully pony Poop.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KqI3O2NvJ_Q

 

But yes, I still love YTP's. Especially ones with good source use.

 

2) The show itself did not change your life; it was the people of the fandom who all made you into a more accepting person. Do you think this is subconsciously true for all bronies? Can the show alone really change someone's life?

 

That's all a matter of perspective, really. As I said before, there are people who say that the show saved them from suicide by showing them a brighter side of life, and there are less extreme examples, like mine, where one learns things like acceptance.

 

There are still, however, people who watch the show and are assholes, as there will be with anything. Be they homophobic, racist, otherwise bigoted, or just a pain in the dick. These people exist and watching the show doesn't seem to help them much.

 

It's more about what you as a person are willing to do for yourself in the end. If the show is a catalyst for you, fantastic, but it's obviously not working for some.

 

Really though if I see one more "lol why is Twilight a [racism 1]" post I will flip out.

 

3) Pinkie Pie is your favourite pony. To what extent was she justified in cloning herself in Too Many Pinkie Pies? What did you think of Twilight's ruthless method of disposing of them?

 

Oh man, that episode.

 

Obviously smoothed over for kids; the ethical ramifications of cloning/killing your clones caused a stir in the fandom even after the next episode aired.

 

Well, Pinkie's a pretty naive little pony. We all know she meant no harm, she just wanted to make sure all of her friends were happy. Twi's method, though vicious, was really the only way things could be made right... though I suppose using the Elements could have been a solution. The most powerful magics in Equestria could only have one true bearer, and that would have shown the false Pinkie's easily.

 

4) You were the 27th member to sign up to these here forums. Do you have fond memories of watching the site grow this large? What surprised you the most?

 

What surprised me the most? Mostly the fact that I've stuck around. I was never much of a forum person, other than the Something Awful forums, and I mostly lurk there.

 

Other than that, fond memories... hm. Well, there was the time Finest and I had a rap battle thread, that was pretty fun. There was a tinychat room that Shank, Finest, Viscra, Flare, occasionally Zoop and I had for a while, but that got keboshed pretty quickly.

 

And The Metal Thread has been a constant source of enjoyment for me, as well. It's almost grown enough to be it's own subsection.

 

5) Twilight offers you a choice: she can either cast a spell on you which will make you the greatest metalhead in known existence, or she can cast one to turn you into a pony so you become a permanent resident of Equestria. What do you decide and why?

 

I'M ALREADY THE FIRST ONE SO

 

Probably the second. Magic worlds and adventures: what's not to like about that?

 

Also, ay Pinkie what about the number...

 

 

6) Chimicherrychanga or Chimchar?

 

 

                                      CHARIZARD

 

Yup, I laughed for a long time at that answer.

 

Crispy is the God of metal. Go look at his thread. Actually no, do better, listen to everything everyone's ever posted in it. In fact, just sell your house and move in. You're gonna be there awhile...   

Edited February 14, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[H.P. Lance 138]

Hey, guys. I interviewed Kolth.

 

 

Brook was lucky enough to interview him prior to this, so go stare at its glory before reading this one. 

 

Kolth is a good friend of mine, so I demand that you take heed of his obviously superior opinions. Read his words! Read his words and be ashamed!  

 

1) At first you never thought you'd be a particularly active member of the brony community in general. What were the turning point(s) that made you become active, and how much happier are you for it?

 

Well, at the beginning of last summer I got a little story in mind involving ponies. I let it roll around in my head before realizing, "Hey, other people MUST have made fanfictions by now." So I googled MLP fanfictions and found FiMFiction.net

Holy crap.

So I read one story there (I can't even remember which one)...and another...and another...and soon I registered under the username "Kolth" to keep track of all of the stories I had to read. Unfortunately, that list is still very large.  So through the grapevine at FiMFiction I heard about EquestriaDaily. I went there...

 

Holy crap again.

 

I never thought that the community would be so...I don't know what word I'm looking for. Artistic on such a large scale. Thousands of pictures and stories and songs...it totally blew my mind. And one of the first posts I saw there was for Fallout Equestria. I spent the next three weeks, scrolling through the chapters of that great story on my tiny phone screen long into the night. Once I finished reading it, I looked at EquestriaDaily and FiMFiction and all of the other pony art and said to myself, "I need to be a part of this." And with that, I started writing again in hopes of becoming a prominent member and learning about myself and the awesome fandom I am now apart of.

How much happier am I for it? That's a silly question. I have never been this happy in my life. I have tons of friends, I have a story to write, I have a place to be myself and have fun. Thanks, Forums. You rock.

 

2) It's no secret that Rarity hasn't been in the spotlight recently, something which has disappointed you. In fact, the last time full focus was on her was in Sweet and Elite; that was 30 episodes ago. Does this shock you? Was Rarity justified in her arguably selfish behaviour in Sweet and Elite?

 

Of course it shocks me. Rarity is obviously the best character in the show, and the writers' neglect of this stunning unicorn is cause for outrage and rioting. Let's go burn down public buildings!

...No, but seriously. With only half of the episodes of a normal season, I bet the writers had to pick and choose which episodes they thought appealed to the widest audience, taught a variety of lessons, etc. Maybe a Rarity episode just wasn't on the cards, and while that does sadden me I am not terribly upset or shocked. It was a nice change of pace to get a Spike-centered and Scootaloo-centered episode, anyway.

Rarity? Selfish? Why, those two words don't even belong in the same sentence! Rarity is the perfect character; she has no flaws. They should make a spin-off show that just talks about all the ways she is amazing and perfect and obviously the best pony of them all.

...Sorry, it's my not-serious hour of the day. I think she was more than justified. If a friend of mine was afforded the opportunity to live their dream, I would let them miss out on one birthday of mine. Their presence would be missed, but it would be understandable.
 

3) Imagine this: Pinkie Pie, one of your favourite ponies, offers to either teach you her abilities to defy physics or to provide you with a lifetime supply of every type of her delicious snacks, which will never make you gain weight or rot your teeth. Which do you choose and why?

 

Defy physics. Candy and all that sweet junk just doesn't appeal to me...it actually makes me really sick. So between getting sick and breaking the laws of nature, I'll go with breaking laws.

And of course, the first thing I would do is pop out of Feld0's computer and say hello.

 

4) You think that season 3 has been a bit more "up and down" than previous seasons in terms of quality. Other than a lack of Rarity, what has disappointed you the most?

 

What has disappointed me the most is the focus on Spike and the changes to Spike's character. In the Crystal Empire, Spike becomes the hero. Then, in a short season, he gets two episodes all to himself. I don't like how the writers portrayed him, either. In the first two seasons, he was the helpful assistant with a huge crush on Rarity. In this season, he's much more of the annoying (Spike at Your Service) and self-centered (Just for Sidekicks) little brother.

I want to see an episode where Spike attempts to woo Rarity in progressively wackier ways. So...yeah, a lack of Rarity is my main gripe after Spike.

 

5) You enjoy writing, something that we have in common. What is the most challenging aspect of penning a good story, and how do you overcome it?

 

For most writers, the biggest problem I see is that they tell the story as opposed to showing it. The analogy I always give them is this: would you rather watch someone play a video game, or play it and experience the story for yourself? As a writer, it is your job to give the reader that experience, not lecture them.

 

For me, a big problem is overcomplicating things. Both in my stories and in real life, I over analyze a lot. On the Tales of Solar Winds started as a short little ten- or twenty-chapter novella. But I added one little detail, which required another minor detail, which required this and that to work and pretty soon I'm in WAY over my head.

 

But that is what makes writing fun for me; it is a challenge and allows for limitless freedom. With painting and drawing, you're stuck on a two-dimensional field. With sculpting, you're limited by the laws of nature and your own skill. But with writing, you can do anything as long as you have the words for it.

As for overcoming it...I write it out. The only way to fix a problem with your writing is to keep writing until it is fixed.

 

6) You told Brook that nowadays you're the "class clown" and follow the morals of the show. Has there been a positive, noticeable difference with regard to the way people talk to you and how much respect you're given?

 

For the most part, yes. People love to smile and it makes me happy knowing that I'm the guy making them laugh. Unfortunately, my closer friends respect me less because this has been a real change in my personality. But the rest of my friends and people I'm acquainted with love to hang out with me more often now.

For those who don't believe me: living the lessons of the show is great. The world is a cheerier place and when you are friendly to people, they are friendly back. Give it a try for a week and see the difference it makes.

 

7) So Twilicorn is here to stay. Kolth, in turn, sees this in which way?

 

There's a silver lining in every cloud. Or...y'know, however that phrase goes. [it's "Every cloud has a silver lining" Kolth... ] Things will definitely change from here on out, but I'm interested to see what the writer's do with Princess Twilight. And anyway, the show wasn't designed for our demographic, so we can't really complain that they are taking the show in a direction we don't like.

But anyway, I'm still on the fence about it, leaning towards hope that Twilicorn will be a good addition to the roster.

 

8) Why do you write? Is the story you're currently writing based upon personal experiences, or does your wild imagination just want to give the reader a fun ride?

 

Why do I write? Why do I breath? Why do I eat? Because I need to!

 

For the longest time, all of my ideas and thoughts and feelings and places that I created were stuck up in my head with no way to get out. And then I discovered the wonders of Microsoft Word, and the rest is fairly self-explanatory. I write because I want to share the places and people and things I've created with someone. I could have one reader, but if that reader put down my story and said "Wow, I really enjoyed this," then I would be ecstatic.

 

In every element, character, object, and place of all of my stories, there is a little bit of me or someone/something I am familiar with. If you embed a bit of your personal experiences into every part of your story, it is easier to write about because you KNOW what the character should be thinking and feeling because you yourself have been there. So in that regard, yes, it is based off of personal experiences.

 

But like I said before, I want to share the things I think up with others. So in that sense, I'm hoping to take the reader for a ride. A very long, drawn-out, confusing ride, but a ride nonetheless.

 

9) Are you truly made out of 50% coolness, 45% awesomeness and 5% gas? Rainbow Dash asks: "Where's your radicalness?"

 

For the most part, yes. The ratio of gas to coolness:awesomeness can fluctuate, as I am quite the airhead. And radicalness is for silly ponies who try to be a tenth as awesome as Lady Rarity. Give it up, Dash. You will never be best pone.

 

I think that Kolth's radicalness coolness has spoken for itself there. I really don't need to add anything else. With that record number of questions done, Kolth has cemented his position as best human.

 

Well, I suppose Lauren Faust is pretty cool too...

Edited February 25, 2013 by Hiddenpairer

[Standard User 2,127]

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Thanks a lot, . This was a lot of fun.

 

And I know you told me beforehand that you had a few more questions than normal for me, but I just actually realized what that meant. Yay, I feel special now.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Kolth

[H.P. Lance 138]

@@Kolth, um...you just thanked Brook. Yup, he's awesome, and granted, he started these interviews and allowed me to do this series, but was that a typo? Were you intoxicated when you posted that?

 

I almost feel offended...

[Standard User 2,127]

I would HOPE I wasn't intoxicated. xD

 

Nah, that was my bad. I had just been reading some Brook interviews as well and forgot who I was talking to. I'll fix that when I get to a computer.

 

Don't be offended! I'll buy you some puppies and a candy!