Russ Haslage Field: EXCELSIOR Supporter, and Webmaster Website: http://excelsior.iftcommand.com Email: Ops@iftcommand.com

The Battlestar Galactica Fan Club Co-President Shawn O'Donnell "BGR" (bgresurrection_1999@yahoo.com)recently spoke with Russ Haslage who's heading up the current EXCELSIOR campaign and asked a few questions. his enthusiasm for the EXCELSIOR matches our own for Battlestar Galactica! Thanks Russ.

RH: My first recollection was during the 60's. I had no real interest in it then, but my brother would watch it a lot. I was more interested in playing baseball. I really wanted to be a ballplayer. My interest sparked suddenly and tremendously a week or so after Star Trek: The Motion Picture came out. I was newly married then and talked my wife into going to see it with me. My only reason was nostalgia. I sat through it transfixed. I then went to see it every Wednesday afternoon (matinee price was $1.50) for 13 weeks in a row. I fell in love with the human qualities and the philosophy of Star Trek at that time. I also enjoyed its realism. Many fans will tell you that it was too boring. Ask anyone in the service and they'll tell you that its not always exciting.

RH: Mostly to the philosophy of helping others and to the bright outlook for the future. That is why ratings have dropped steadily and slowly since Gene Roddenberry died. Since his death, Trek has taken a darker turn and that has hurt it. It has survived this long solely on the dedication of the fans.

RH: Gosh...16 years now. After the first movie, I was hooked on Trek, but didn't do anything about it until after ST:II. After being first in line on opening night, I set out to find a fan club. I didn't find any that were focused on what I found fascinating about Star Trek. I figured there had to be more fans like me out there, so I started building. I contacted Gene Roddenberry for help and the result is IFT (International Federation of Trekkers).

RH: The EXCELSIOR Campaign is quite simple, really. It is a campaign to prove to Paramount that they can make a ton of money in producing EXCELSIOR. In addition to them making money, it also gives new life to Star Trek, a symbol of modern culture that is slowly dying. Fans feel that the philosophy and dream of Star Trek should not be permitted to die, so we are out to convince Paramount that they can again make it their #1 commodity by returning to its roots and making the production qualities, philosophy and dream of Gene Roddenberry the guiding force. It involves a number of events to show this to Paramount. Our first few weeks were in building, spreading the word and attracting fans to the cause. Then we offered Paramount a wake-up call with over 2300 letters sent to them supporting the production of EXCELSIOR. We're now gearing up for the biggest convention of the year, right in Paramount's back yard. In April, thousands of fans will assemble in front of Paramount to stage a peaceful demonstration to show support for EXCELSIOR. In short, we're saying, "We have a lot of money for you, Paramount. Give us what we want and you can have it."

RH: We've had some great results. The media has been great, the fans have been extraordinary, and everything seems to be going our way. The campaign doesn't have a big budget. The first bunch of expenses were all paid by IFT. The sale of shirts and acceptance of donations has helped with some expenses, but we've got nothing close to an advertising budget short of a couple of thousand flyers. In order to utilize the love and dedication of the fans, we decided to do the promotion on a two-fold level. EXCELSIOR HQ sends press releases to the major national and world media. In turn, the local fans can download, print and mail the press releases to their local media. Of course, we have a great asset in the Internet newsgroups, search engines and online news as well. The fans have worked to tell the world, and they continue doing so. The credit goes to each fan involved in the campaign for spreading the word and getting more and more fans to join our crew.

RH: I think we can save Star Trek. Rick Berman himself has said that Star Trek is close to death and only a good series can save it. We fans know what that series is. Since taking over the Trek franchise, Berman has seen ratings slowly fall and now VOYAGER is being pulled off the air in some markets for things like "Full House" that gives them more revenues on the local level. This campaign can save Star Trek for the next few years and for many years to come, as we prove to Paramount that what made Star Trek great and successful and monetarily rewarding for them was the legacy of Gene Roddenberry. Gene created Star Trek. Through EXCELSIOR, we can give it new life.

RH: No. Right now, the powers that be at Paramount rely on Rick Berman to give them answers and solutions to any Trek problems. One thing is certain, and that is that Rick doesn't want to do anything that has been done by Roddenberry. The reason for that is simple. If he should produce EXCELSIOR, he would be up for scrutiny of his work against Roddenberry's and he doesn't want to be told his work is less than Roddenberry's. Under Roddenberry, Trek made a ton of dough for Paramount. Berman hasn't fared as well. So, Berman's steering clear of EXCELSIOR is a predictable move.

RH: VOYAGER is a cute show. Its not deep Star Trek, but it is cute. It has a following, but its ratings are slim, thus the cancellation on many local markets by the local affiliates. Too many holodeck fantasies and WWF episodes have made it the laughing stock of science fiction, where Star Trek used to be considered the epitome. VOYAGER has an audience and we in EXCELSIOR respect that. There's room for a VOYAGER type of show if they can create a successful one. But, in order to save Trek, as Berman himself has said (in addition to a large amount of the media), a blockbuster series must be produced. That is EXCELSIOR.

RH: I like Battlestar and if their campaign succeeds, I'll watch. BG didn't make quite the splash as did Trek in its glory days. The philosophy and the bright look at the future is what made Trek great. Returning to that is the way to save it. Look at what has been done on DS9 and VOYAGER when a ratings boost is needed: They do a "Tribbles" and an "EXCELSIOR" flashback. It happens because they know the ratings and returns from resurrecting that era. So, they also know it is a winning thing to do.

RH: Yes. In my work with Gene in building IFT (I came to think of him as a father figure), and my volunteer work with Creation, I have met most of the original cast and much of the Next Gen cast. I was usually the liaison and escorted them to the stage, back to their hotel rooms, to dinner, and so on. It was at dinner one weekend in Buffalo that George told me of his idea for EXCELSIOR. That was in 1991, and now its time has come. George also tells a mean story about his favorite sushi restaurant in Japan. I had trouble finishing my chicken sandwich. Nichelle Nichols and I spent almost an entire night talking during a blizzard in Erie, Pennsylvania one weekend. She's on California time and I'm on Cleveland time, so while she's going strong, its 4 am for me. She couldn't understand why I was so tired. She's wonderful!

After years of talking with Gene on the telephone and via letters, I finally got to meet him at the very first Creation Los Angeles show...the 25th Anniversary Show. It was after his stroke. I was setting up the IFT table at the Shrine Auditorium and Adam asked me to follow him; that he needed some help. So, I followed along and we started heading for the backstage area. He asked me to go get a box that was "back over there", so I headed over to get whatever he sent me for. As I turned past the curtain, I found that the package was Gene. He sat there in his wheelchair (which I knew he hated; he told me enough times on the phone) and my chin hit the floor. He slowly stood up and offered me his hand in a gesture I'll remember forever. We spent some time talking. It was like seeing my dad after so many years apart.

RH:I hope that we can see Star Trek in the light it was meant: one addressing the problems of our society in a way to teach and entertain and to show how things can be if we all work together and help one another. EXCELSIOR is just the beginning, and once the qualities of a successful and popular Trek are restored, the mythos can explore many things, including a return to the 24th century and beyond. For now, let's focus on nursing this beloved franchise back to health via a proven commodity.

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