Joss discusses The Body, and the kiss, with TV Guide

[darvangi]

Read the whole wonderful interview with Joss "hottie" Whedon here: http://www.tvguide.com/newsgossip/insider/

This is the section just on the kiss:

Why wasn't Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Tara's (Amber Benson) overdue smooch promoted ad nauseum like last season's same-gender buss (or should we say bust?) on Dawson's Creek?
"They are basically living together so they're probably already kissing. [Therefore,] to make a big deal of the kiss would have been totally wrong," says Whedon, who adds that he waited for just the right moment to script the liplock. "It belongs somewhere where you least expect it, where it is completely organic and you breeze by it." Well, WB execs did anything but. In fact, the suits asked Whedon to cut the kiss — a request he flatly refused. "The WB sort of balked, but they got over it really quickly," he says. "I was like, 'The kiss is in, or I'm walkin'.' But not in the sense of, 'Let's get into a fight,' [but] actually to avert one... Just to say there is no middle ground here. This belongs in the show... There was one discussion and there was only one." A WB rep responds: "We had questions [about the kiss], but after reviewing the final cut, we chose to air it."

edited to add: you go, Joss! That's my guy, there, people - totally worthy of all the worship I heap upon him. Takin that hard line with the WB...damn, what a hero.

[This message has been edited by darvangi (edited March 08, 2001).]

[xita]

GO JOSS GO!

I am happy to hear that this season's plot is going just as Joss had planned it years ago. I knew it. I am so looking forward to the end cause I know it will be as planned. I love Joss.

The kiss, yes he had been waiting. I think we all knew that if he wanted to he could say, it's in or I am walking. I know they have objected to the story all along, they being the suits. I know Joss has had to fight for everything he got. I am glad he waited. I mean, I am not glad it took so long. I am glad it took place just the way it did. I know Joss never wanted to exploit this and he did it. He is incredible.

And practically living together? Oh yes. I mean we knew that but maybe they actually officially do it soon .

GO JOSS GO!

[april]

om my god, i love joss so much!

i mean, we knew he was pulling for w/t and being allowed to show as much as possible, but it's so great to see him making public statements about it! not to mention the fact that he told TV guide about the WB's reticence to air the kiss...

and he's so right about the need to place the kiss somewhere where it was totally organic and not a hype-able stunt or ratings ploy. the kiss *did* belong in the show, and it's *so* great that joss is willing to take such a stand for it with the WB! i love this man! ruth, i'm totally on board with you now for the "offer joss sexual favors" plan!

and lol..."They are basically living together so they're probably already kissing. " you think? nah...

man, i cannot gush enough about this man! he is a GOD!!!!!

[Hugin]

Sigh. Joss rocks unbelievably. The only problem, the only worry I have with his comments is, it would seem to indicate there hasn't really been a big change in the WB's attitude towards W/T affection.

Joss had to fight for the kiss, and he got it, and maybe this means future fights will be easier, which is cool, but fundamentally, the WB is still deeply uptight about things. That's a shame. In my most optimistic heart, I imagined that behind the kiss was some meeting or memo where the suits said "Oh, it's been a year, nothing bad has happened, you can drop the restrictions." Oh well.

-len

[tyche]

GO JOSS GO! YOU TELL 'EM!

I'm also glad that
FUTURE 'BUFFY' SPOILERS BELOW:
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he scotches the idea of Dawn bringing Joyce back from the dead. To me, that would be a totally ludicrous idea. It would be such a cop-out, because if Dawn brings her back, what's the point of killing her off in the first place? Imo, it's all the more impressive that they're not going to use the supernatural get-out clause, even though they could.
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FUTURE 'BUFFY' SPOILERS ABOVE

[darvangi]

I had that same thought about the WB, len, that they would have eased up after a year of W/T being an important part of the show and so important to Joss who has helped the WB so much. It was a little shocking to read that they were still all uptight about the TDA (televised displays of affection).

[WbBuffyfan00]

Bid WOO and HOO for Joss....he is the man!

-Amy

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"Honey, in case you didn't hear me the first six-thousand times, no more teleportation spells." -Tara to Willow (Crush)

"You want to take a picture of my butt?...ummm...OK...You've got two seconds." -Amber

[Puff]

Go Joss, he loves them! can anyone see him kill them off? Not likely!

[Mara]

GO JOSS!!!!

I love that guy.

[Warduke]

Don’t you just love Joss…”The kiss is in, or I’m walking”…WOO HOO, Joss is my hero

[Corporeal Dennis]

Well, yeah. Go Joss and all, but after reading that interview, I just have to say this:

Good GOD that man is an f-ing sadist!

And isn't that really why we love him so?
--Dennis

[hopey]

joss wedhon is amazing, he is beyond words!

about the wb ... it's amazing that they still keep this conceptions. this only reminds me of a jean claude van dame movie that in portuguese had a name like "never surrender neither going back" or something lame like this, but it's more or less like i think the buffy team should state about willow and tara.

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Tara - we can be strong.
Willow - strong like an amazon?
Tara - strong like an amazon, right.

[darvangi]

Speaking of giving all the glory to Joss for his great work with W/T, there's a little item I done made last night that I'd like to give to Joss as thanks, but I don't know how to get it to him. Should I - 1.) print it out and mail it to him or 2.) find some way to send it to him electronically? Anyway, here it is, in honor of the lesbo pulp fiction postcards thread:

"She dared enter a lesbian world"

[This message has been edited by darvangi (edited March 08, 2001).]

[Hugin]

Oh god darin that's funny. I have no useful advice on how to get it to him, but lol!

-len

[tvsurfer]

so when exactly do they do the nominating for EMMY's and when do they award them?

[hellogaynow]

"...in honor of the lesbo pulp fiction postcards thread"

So, umm, just where is the lesbo pulp fiction postcards thread? I'd love to see it.

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Willow to Tara: Oh, not me. I was just saying a pretty girl like that, there's always someone lurking around looking for some action. (I Was Made To Love You)

[darvangi]

Sorry, i should have included the URL for the postcard thread - it's right here.

[april]

god darin, that's *great*! i hereby pronounce you "Lesbian/Gay-Type Postcard Guy"! or should that be "Lesbian/Gay-Type Postcard Slut"? either works for me... hee!

[Catwoman]

Joss Whedon, you're my hero!! Woohoo, stick it to the WB!

And i think the quote should have been "They are basically living together so they're probably already screwing eachother's brains out. And loving it!!". I mean, hello!! hehe

[eekiboo]

"they're living together..." wow! now that's a statement i've also been dying to hear and straight from the Joss man himself! probably they're living in Willow's room since that's the last scene we saw them in. altho' switching rooms is cool too for a different ambiance during lovemaking. heh.heh. well, Willow's bed is bigger! and we have already seen them sleep together in Family. so they live in Willow's dorm room then! yay on Joss for saying "the kiss is in, or i'm walkin'!" peace

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"We have to face it, you can't handle Tara being my girlfriend..."

"I was trying to hide. I didn't want you to see...what I am."

[Roxton]

Joss is incredible. The WB suits should be thanking him instead of fighting over what he wants to do with the characters on the show. Hopefully now they will come to their senses, back off, and allow Joss to do what he's best at, creating wonderful TV shows.

eekiboo, I think what Joss meant was that Willow and Tara spend most of their time together (probably at Willow's). At this point they still have their own rooms, but that will change by the end of the season when they will take the plunge and officially move in together.

[This message has been edited by Roxton (edited March 08, 2001).]

[mucifer]

i dont think joss is so great threatening to quit his job over the kiss and all. no big. he just wants a really big toaster collection

[geekgod]

Joss is me hero, i want ot be like him when i grow up!

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willow: "i don't get wild, wild on me equals 'spaz'"

[xita]

Darin, that's soo good. It's hysterical. Joss must see it.

And, I think they spend lotsa time at Tara's too. I mean, the blue top could have been there. I have been thinking about this the whole day and can't figure out how they decide where to stay.

[Roxton]

That's a good question Xita. Willow's room does have the larger bed, but Tara's room has a better ambiance for casting spells. I'd say they would either alternate or rush to whoevers room happens to be closest at the end of the day.

[This message has been edited by Roxton (edited March 08, 2001).]

[Dazey]

I think the WB suits are lucky they "chose" to air The Kiss (and is it just me or did that sound a bit smug? So wanted to smack that guy) because if they'd cut it, the story would have come out, and they'd have some very angry kittens on their hands. I was getting all riled up just thinking about the protests we'd be organizing.

I cannot understand this world where horrible acts of violence are shown every day on TV and no one raises an eyebrow, yet two people tenderly expressing their love for one another are reviled just because they happen to be of the same sex. I better just stop thinking about it because it's making my stomach all acidy again.

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"Sometimes I go online, but...everyone's spelling is really bad. It's depressing."

[Catwoman]

ROTFLMAO at the postcard Darin!!! I just about fell off my seat when i saw it ahahahahahaahahahahahaha....need....oxygen...dying....slowly!