Remember that time Michael Jackson wanted to be Doctor Who? No, it really happened, as we explore in this podcast.
We start off with a chat about the appearance of the replica of the original TARDIS console from Mark Gatiss’ An Adventure in Space and Time at the Paris Comic Con (it will later be seen at the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff) before chatting about the frankly insane “news” that Michael Jackson and Bill Cosby were names suggested for a US production of Doctor Who in the 1980s.
But the highlight this week is probably a chat with Richard Kirby, author of the rather wonderful Desperately Seeking Susan Foreman, an account, complete with brief reviews of stories, of one man’s quest to find autographs from all of the Doctor’ female companions (and not, as we mention before the interview, every single companion). Richard is fascinating to speak to, and it’s always great to feature a guest. I wonder WHO we might have next time…?
But for now, it’s on with the show, so let the house band play you in!
Shownotes
Useful links for this week’s podKast:
- New Book Reveals Narrowly Averted Michael Jackson Doctor Who Movie Casting
- Desperately Seeking Susan Foreman
Incidentally, if you are listening on Apple Podcasts, please take the time to leave a rating and review and help us to bring in new listeners to the podKast!
*puts on a name tag says “Hi, My name is Listener #2” 😉
I don’t have any time-traveling-mind-reading insight on what the movie studio in the 80s were thinking, but knowing how Hollywood operates I can bet they were just looking at it as a brand they could exploit and make money off of. They very likely had no real clue about what the shows was really about, and what the character was really about. You guys are probably right that they saw it as some eccentric British thing, so to them eccentric translated to people like Michael Jackson or Bill Cosby.
I have to say my first thought for a rock star Doctor was also David Bowie, just because of seeing him in Labyrinth. I think I would also suggest John Lennon. He’d be sort of like Tom Baker, never doing what you’d expect a normal person to do.
I just recently bought all the current audio books in the Destiny of the Doctor series, and the first I listened to was the Fourth Doctor story, “Babblesphere”, read by Lalla Ward, who’s voice I really enjoy. There’s my recommendation.
Hi Team Kaz,
My vote for rockstar would be Morrissey! Most episodes the doctor would lounging around reading, cancel appearances at the Gallifrey High-council Colosseum, and the companions would do most of the work. Stay tuned for the series finale where he meets Oscar Wilde (played by Fry, of course). Keep up the enjoyably good work.
FC224
Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips would make a superb Tom Baker-like Doctor (check out the video for their “Mr Ambulance Driver” track!). And of course he’s already spent Christmas on Mars…