*BIG MOVIE SPOILERS*

NY POST....By TODD VENEZIA ------------------------------------ FANS of the cult cartoon hit "Daria" are in for a shock when MTV premiers a TV movie version of the Beavis-and-Butthead spinoff that includes some lesbian hi-jinx.

The new feature, "Daria: Is It Fall Yet?" - which debuts Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. - tangles Daria's wise-cracking painter pal Jane Lane in a close-encounter with a bi-sexual bunkmate at an artist's summer camp.

The show's sarcastic sidekick initially rebuffs the advances of bare-bellied temptress Alison - voiced by raven-haired indie rock singer Bif Naked - but later appears to question her decision.

The encounter is a rare risqu� escapade for a show that has stayed away from overt sexuality as its brooding, outcast heroine faces less lurid teen issues such as hypocrisy, greed, rejection and boredom.

Thus, on Sunday creator Glenn Eichler takes Daria a small step toward MTV's more explicit teen drama, "Undressed" - which features steamy scenes of lesbian romance - and the WB network's teen hit, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which has had a lesbian plot line involving two of the show's central figures.

The movie also follows the summer adventures of the toon's other characters and features cameo voiceovers by Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl and MTV vee-jay Carson Daly.

It also includes further exploration of the formerly dateless Daria's budding new romance with Tom - a rich kid from across town who shares her sardonic outlook, but who just happens to be Jane's former boyfriend.

The show deftly explores the ramifications of this teen love triangle - right down to such adult questions as how you explain it when you suddenly show up at a party with your best friend's guy.

Unfortunately, a passel of silly jokes and unfunny gags serves to undermine the show's more complex situations and will likely turn away non fans.

But this has been true for the show since it premiered in 1997: It's the kind of cartoon that either you get - or you don't.

In the end, though, it's enough to keep fans more enthusiastic for the show than dour Daria herself would be.

David Oliver "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." Bill Cosby

Bwahahahah. I was right! I had only meant it as a joke after "Dye, Dye My Darling", but I was right. Damn, I'm good.

David Oliver said:

<quoting Todd Venezia the NY Post>

Todd obviously hasn't been watching the show _carefully_.

Frankly, I don't find anything particularly amazing or radical in having Jane be the object of a bisexual's desire, or Jane being uncertain about how to respond ... especially in her current emotional situation. But then again I don't find bisexuality or lesbianism particularly "shocking."

OTOH, a lot of people would, particularly coming from an animated television program. I really, really hope there's not a big blow-up about this, but then this is a preidential election year and people seem to really have their heads up their asses due to the lack of real issues this time around.

("moral majority! 1234!!...")

-nick reffuse

**can you find dilinger at the smithsonian or not?**

(cut the "crap" to email)

Hard to take the NY POST seriously when in the picture with the review a sobbing Quinn is identified in the caption as Jane.

Nick Reffuse said:

I agree with you about that. My perspective's different for two reasons:

• I don't think homosexuality / bisexuality is "evil", and

• I don't see _Daria_ as a "kiddie show" simply because it's a cartoon.

Oh, there are real issues. Nobody cares about them, though.

[email] (nick reffuse) writes:

Yeah, but the article said, 'FANS of the cult cartoon hit "Daria" are in for a shock when MTV premiers a TV...' Fans of the '700 Club' might be shocked, but I doubt any Daria fans will be shocked or even surprised. After all, the question of Daria's and Jane's sexual preferences is a FAQ, isn't it?

Maybe this is a way to boost the chances of MTV extending the show's run. After all, the programmers at MTV seem to think all their other shows need a good dose of gay and lesbian behavior, so this could just make them big fans of the show -- if it's handled tastelessly enough! :-)

Aaron

I see. So I guess it's time (sigh) to bring on the strip dice. ;..(

-nick reffuse

**can you find dilinger at the smithsonian or not?**

(cut the "crap" to email)

Aaron said:

Jane in particular moves in circles where open homosexuality and bisexuality are quite common, so I don't see why the encounter as being forced or out of character.

I really doubt that it'll be handled tastelessly.

"Jordan S. Bassior" wrote in message news:[email]...

bisexuality

of

Really? Which circles are these? The students of Lawndale High, the Morgendorffer family or Mystik Spiral? :-)

I assume you mean the art world and such...but we really haven't seen Jane in the art world yet, have we?

Agreed. Where this article REALLY went off-track was by comparing "Daria" to "Undressed." Just for that alone the writer ought to be slapped around.

Jeg7777 said:

Actually, I meant the "alternative world" ... Dega Street and the like; the places her brother hangs out and she tags along. Remember, she's probably been hanging out there since before she knew Daria.

In article , "Jeg7777" wrote:

"Daria" to

around.

With a rocksalt-studded bullwhip or a red-hot barbed-wire flail, at least.

In article ,

Forget it. If he thinks Daria is in any way comparable to Undressed, he'd probably like something like that way too much.

A.J.

In article ,

Actually, I would hope that the fact that it's animated would make it easier to swallow, in the same way like shows such as My So Called Life were cancelled as a show like Daria has survived, even though the basics are the same for both shows. The fact that Daria was animated is what some people believe made it easier to bring up the issues that MSCL did. I would hope this is the case for the handling of this development, which I am shocked that the show would take on such a subject, yet pleased at the same time, this is a very touchy subject to many, if handled well could be very great for the show, which it should be, the writers have handled serious topics before, and kept them from going overboard with drama, and kept some of the laughs, I believe they can do it again with the movie.

A.J.

In article , [email] (Jordan S. Bassior) wrote:

However...the teenybopper fans are probably going to absolutely HATE this plot turn. "Jane's not a Lez!!! EEEEEEWWW!!!" Just wait until after the movie airs, and check the MTV Daria message board. It will happen. I guarantee it.

--.\\<-H--

Michelle Klein-Hass said:

True. Despite the fact that the synopsis we heard simply confirms this opinion of her character.

"Jordan S. Bassior" wrote:

neither do most people with a damn brain in their skulls. but the Moral Majority and the Starbucks-Liberal Goon Squad (the same ones behind the V-chip and those "parental advisory" stickers on albums) will be up in arms about it if they see it, because neither of these groups has ever seemed to be able to understand that ANIMATED does not always equal FOR SMALL CHILDREN. they'll be going on about how MTV is trying to turn children gay (the MM's stance) or that omnipresent undefined "we" need to "protect" "our children" from "pornography" (SLGS stance). remember the Degeneres Debacle a couple years ago?

let the fireworks begin.

In article ,

premiers a TV

lesbian

p.m. -

encounter with a

bellied

Naked - but

Hmmm. There's another thread going in this newgroup that flat-out states that "Jane's a lez". What's described above sounds rather more subtle than that.

I hope this show doesn't become, like so many others, a parade of commentary on hot political/social issues - gun control, abortion, hate crimes, etc. The few times anything like this has appeared in "Daria" it's been kept in the background - like Jodie's encounter with a (possible) racist in "Partner's Complaint".

away from

teen issues

MTV's

of lesbian

which has

characters and

vee-jay

budding

sardonic

triangle - right

show up at

What's so hard about this? Just say "Jane and Tom broke up" and refuse to elaborate. Despite her inexperience in romantic matters, Daria can figure this out in about .0001 seconds.

undermine the

the kind

Sounds like good news to me. The social/political issues in the background and the usual dose of sarcasm/irony/dry wit that we all "get" (and Todd Venezia doesn't) in the forefront.

the show

please

<< The movie also follows the summer adventures of the toon's other characters and features cameo voiceovers by Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl and MTV vee-jay Carson Daly. >>

what characters did they lend their voices to?

-catherine

Carson: David (shocking!) Dave Grohl: artsy-fartsy guy at the art colony who slept with most of his students.

Johanna "I'm so ugly but that's okay cuz so are you"~Kurt Cobain "Fred Durst can surf a piece of plywood up my a$"~Trent Reznor

In article ,

vee-jay

In some other threads some people were hoping David might become a continuing character. But I suppose a guest voice implies a one-time appearance?

his

In article , M Man wrote:

Guest stars sometimes become regualars, or at least continuing guest stars. Maybe he should look into it for when he wears out his welcome on MTV :)

<< Dave Grohl: artsy-fartsy guy at the art colony who slept with most of his students. >>

I really should have guessed that...his name was Daniel.

~Aabi fan of the Foo Fighters...Stacked Actors is a great song... Now you too can smell like a B-movie star!

In article , [email] (Suzie Q. Doe) writes:

I would *have* to share a first name with someone like that. Guess I know how Lady Interference feels about the Aguilar/Aguilara (sp?) thing now. :p

-IdentityCrisis

Once again, WAY late with this, but...heh.

IdentityCrisis1 wrote:

Heh heh heh. Finally, someone understands. Although I'm waiting for someone with the last name of something like "Spearing" (is that even a real last name?) to complain about the OTHER high profile blonde bimbo diva wannabe idiot's last name similarity conumdrum (sp?).

Oh yeah, and it's "Aguilera"... *shivers*

LI (although at least *I* look like a Hispanic last name would fit ME)