Monkeys Make It All Better

[jackwabbit]

Well, today's the day. The day Sci-Fi becomes SyFy.  As if we care anymore.

I'd manged to forget about this idiot move until a few days ago, when Wil Wheaton tweeted this:

I hate to be the one telling those who don't know, but here it is: SciFi is changing its name to SyFy. Because they hate Science Fiction.

Then I saw a commercial and I re-read the article explaining it because the link was sent to me.  It offended me as much as it did the first time, with things like this: “The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular,” said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network.  And this: “We spent a lot of time in the ’90s trying to distance the network from science fiction, which is largely why it’s called Sci Fi,” Mr. Brooks said.

I got annoyed at this again, despite the fact that it has no bearing on my actual life whatsoever.

Then the TweetStorm hit.

There was much before and after this, but suffice to say that @thinkgeek made it all okay when they tweeted this: Today in Geek History: Sci-Fi Channel becomes Syfy. ThinkGeek follows suit with ThynkGyk. But not really 'cause that'd be sylly.  Thank you, ThynkGyk! I knew I loved that monkey for a reason!

Comments

[shadow2serenity.livejournal.com]

Wait, so the Sci-Fi Channel is a spin-off of USA or something to that effect? I never knew that. No wonder they're being a bunch of assholes. If they wanted to improve their image and thus their ratings, all they had to do was stop making such Godawful original movies (to wit: 'Mammoth' and 'Sands of Oblivion', neither of which could be resuscitated even by a BDH or two in the cast).

There's nothing wrong with being a geek. Look at Joss Whedon. Look at Nathan Fillion. Hell, look at Adam Baldwin - the epitome of Stealth Geek if there ever was one. Someday an enterprising television exec and loyal Star Wars/Firefly/Doctor Who/etc etc etc fan is going to create the Geek Channel, where the spirit of sci-fi, comic, and fantasy geekiness shall be cast in living stone and stand as a monument to the done-the-impossible power of that subcultural phenomenon: GEEKS. Then we'll all leave the StyFly backbirths scratching their heads wondering, How'd they do that?

Know how FOX renewed Dollhouse in a fit of self-kicking for cancelling Firefly? One of these days we'll make SlyFry do the same for dissing its audience so.

[poisonyoulove.livejournal.com]

Plus, they can't copyright "sci fi" and they want to sell merch.

Except no self-respecting person would pay money for something with "SyFy" written on it!

[lothithil.livejournal.com]

Who in the hell are they trying to target by changing their name? Are they concerned about missing out on the housewife- and- bassfisherman demographic?

What a croc of poo. *eyeroll*

[phyrelight.livejournal.com]

Okay, I don't normally say stuff like this, but in this instance it is very applicable. SciFi SyFy is really kicking themselves in the balls over this. They're turning away the audience that built the genre this station was originally named after. >:{

[mishbloom.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I had to actually stop and think for a minute when I read that.

Females DON'T watch Scifi??? Really?

Well, that's good. Less competition for our favorite men. *evilgrin*