Excelsior Campaign Demonstrations Today

• Today is what is probably the most important day in the history of the Excelsior Campaign, as supporters throughout the country are expected to hold demonstrations in front of local UPN affiliates and even Paramount Studios itself, requesting that Paramount create a Captain Sulu series.

  The main drive will presumably be in front of Paramount Studios in LA itself, where at 1:00pm fans, under the command of the fan group U.S.S. Gene Roddenberry, will be assembling. However, other demonstrations are planned in many other areas throughout the United States, as well as in Ontario, Canada. Here are the instructions as provided by Excelsior on their site:

  Show your love of Star Trek and your dedication to keeping the philosophy and legacy alive! Be a part of Star Trek history in the making and attend a rally in your local area. If a rally in your area is not listed, arrange one, or do one on your own. This is a major media event and should be seen on local and national news. So show the public, fellow fans, and Paramount that we want EXCELSIOR!

  Today will likely be the real test for the viability of the Excelsior Campaign. After the somewhat disappointing response to the Captain Sulu Novel Challenge, the amount of people that turn up for the demonstrations will be a good measure of how widely supported the campaign really is.

• Meanwhile, George Takei (Hikaru Sulu) is still very busy promoting the campaign, though he still isn't officially involved with it. Doug Wilson wrote in to report about an appearance by Takei on a local station in Delaware Valley:

  It was a local show, called "Philly After Midnight", which airs on the local ABC affilate. It reaches most of New Jersey, all of Delaware, and the south eastern portion of PA, so, a lot of people. George spoke via-satelite from L.A. to the host of the show, and three representatives of Starfleet International (Larry Nigit, Chris Clufas, and Tony Raley), which now apparently support the Excelsior Campaign. "This is what the fans want!" said Nigit. Takie spoke of how the three spinoffs have been to dark, and straying from Gene's original vision. The conversation also made mention of William Shatner's dumb luck with Priceline.

• The rally today is also still getting attention from the mainstream press, for instance in this article on Yahoo, which also mentions the rumoured 'Birth of the Federation' premise. Thanks go out to Ediel for this!

• Finally, it appears the Excelsior Campaign has put out an official press release regarding the Captain Sulu Novel Challenge:

  POCKET BOOKS EDITOR ISSUES UNIQUE CHALLENGE

  On March 28, 2000, Pocket Books Executive Editor John Ordover challenged the vocal Captain Sulu fans to send him 1000 letters postmarked by May 1 asking for a new novel.

  For fans of the premise, it's a unique opportunity to make their voice heard. Usually such campaigns are initiated by the fans, not any commercial interests. If successful, it will have definite and immediate results. Ordover said he's already creating a premise -- tentatively titled The Cry of the One Thousand -- inspired by this campaign.

  "The story begins with a death threat against the lives of 1000 clerics on a distant planet who are about to complete a sacred hand-written scroll--the completion of which will elevate them--and lower their enemies--in the eyes of the populous."

  The letters can be brief, but must be individual -- no petitions, no form letters. http://www.psiphi.org/cgi/upc-db/whatsnew.html has the daily total of letters. Send them here.

  Captain Sulu
  c/o John Ordover, Executive Editor, Pocket Books
  1230 Avenue of the Americas
  New York, NY 10020

  Thanks go out to Shaun Aki for this!

• If anyone reading this will actually be participating in the demonstrations today, I would of course love to receive a report!

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