Ricky Manning
@froonium.bsky.social
TV (mostly sci-fi) writer/producer (Farscape, ST:TNG, &c.); consultant; instructor @ UCLA Extension & ifs filmschule köln. WGA+WGC. He/his. Avatar by Arne Ratermanis.
Pinned
Ricky Manning
@froonium.bsky.social
· Sep 13
At long last, video! Here's Foxy, my ratchety old (19 and a half!) cat asking for and receiving a cheek rub.
MY NAME IS JOHN CRICHTON
AN ASTRONAUT
AN ASTRONAUT
November 8, 2025 at 11:44 PM
MY NAME IS JOHN CRICHTON
AN ASTRONAUT
AN ASTRONAUT
39 Years Ago Today: An episode of FAME I co-wrote with Hans Beimler -- our second produced TV script! -- got a "Close Up" in TV GUIDE magazine. Not bad for a little show running near-invisibly in syndication (and a troubled script that went to "Third Blue" [i.e., multiple rewrites/revisions)... 🧵
![TV GUIDE [logo]
America s Television Magazine
Vol. 34 No. 45 / November 8, 1986 / Issue #1754
* * *
BROADCAST
Syndicated Fame
Sun., ABC Disney Movie
Sun.,NBC Valerie
Mon.,PBS Story of English
Wed.,PBS Live from Lincoln Center
Thurs.,PBS Mystery!
Fri., NBC A-Team
* * *
This week: seven regular series try something out of the ordinary. Each in its own way succeeds.
* * *
Apart from PBS, Fame serves up an all-singing, all-dancing, hey-kids-Iet's-put-on-a-show show. The show they put on is rather reminiscent of ''42nd Street''--and really very well done. . . .
* * *
(5) FAME-- Drama; 60 min.
"All Talking, All Singing, All Dancing.'' See the Close-up on A-70.
* * *
close
up
FAME
3:30 PM (WGN)
8 PM (5)
9:30 PM (WGN)
[Photo (captioned "Gene Anthony Ray and Elisa Heinsohn"): A young Black man and young white woman in fancy 1930s outfits strike a dance pose.]
GOLDDIGGERS OF 1986
It's time to "put on a show'' as the "Fame'' regulars portray characters in a 1930s Busby Berkeley musical with Jesse (Jesse Borrego) as the harried director; Ian (Michael Cerveris) as the struggling songwriter; and Jillian (Elisa Heinsohn) as the naive chorine thrust into the spotlight when the Ieading Iady gets Iaryngitis on opening night. Miltie: Robert Romanus. Leroy: Gene Anthony Ray. Reggie: Carrie Hamilton. Lou: Dick Miller. Nicole: Nia Peeples. Danny: Carlo Imperator. Christopher: Billy Hufsey. Lydia: Debbie Allen. (60 min.)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ot3nzcyg5dqlrs27gvdqhouv/bafkreihah3fubqcysxtwtj7va7ke7it5kxzuml5a5i2iqznzadkzzfibcy@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
39 Years Ago Today: An episode of FAME I co-wrote with Hans Beimler -- our second produced TV script! -- got a "Close Up" in TV GUIDE magazine. Not bad for a little show running near-invisibly in syndication (and a troubled script that went to "Third Blue" [i.e., multiple rewrites/revisions)... 🧵
Reposted by Ricky Manning
This perfectly encapsulates how I feel living in the US. The republican party is an insane death cult, the democratic party is 3 corporations in a trench coat, and the "socialists" are just the completely normal left-wing capitalists you'd find in any of 2 dozen European nations.
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’
Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:18 AM
This perfectly encapsulates how I feel living in the US. The republican party is an insane death cult, the democratic party is 3 corporations in a trench coat, and the "socialists" are just the completely normal left-wing capitalists you'd find in any of 2 dozen European nations.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
It was a rejection of the entire administration and Dems should see this as a signal to become an actual opposition party. On everything. You don't stop the shutdown. You don't approve another appointee. You do nothing at all. The voters saved you, not the other way around. LEARN TO LEAD.
On a call with reporters, DNC chair Ken Martin responds to JD Vance claiming Dems only won big last night because races were in blue states.
"Well that's bullshit. We won in red counties, blue counties, purple counties," Martin says. And it was all "a rejection of Trump."
"Well that's bullshit. We won in red counties, blue counties, purple counties," Martin says. And it was all "a rejection of Trump."
November 5, 2025 at 8:42 PM
It was a rejection of the entire administration and Dems should see this as a signal to become an actual opposition party. On everything. You don't stop the shutdown. You don't approve another appointee. You do nothing at all. The voters saved you, not the other way around. LEARN TO LEAD.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
anyway I love trans people and I love this decisive, unambiguous win for the “shut the fuck up about trans people, you freaks” caucus
November 5, 2025 at 11:33 PM
anyway I love trans people and I love this decisive, unambiguous win for the “shut the fuck up about trans people, you freaks” caucus
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Don't cross a picket line.
BREAKING: After months of stonewalling by Starbucks, unionized baristas just voted 92% to authorize a ULP strike unless Starbucks finalizes fair contracts & stops union busting.
If forced, our baristas will strike in dozens of cities on November 13 – the company's busiest sales day of the year.
If forced, our baristas will strike in dozens of cities on November 13 – the company's busiest sales day of the year.
Starbucks unionized workers say they'll strike on Nov. 13 if coffee giant doesn't finalize contract
Union members say they are ready to strike on the chain's Red Cup Day if Starbucks doesn't finalize a contract with their union by then.
www.cbsnews.com
November 5, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Don't cross a picket line.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Pilot had a massive ad spread in a jp newspaper with "make AI jealous" and "write what AI can't touch" written on it
Anyway I think everyone should own a Pilot kakuno pen
Anyway I think everyone should own a Pilot kakuno pen
November 5, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Pilot had a massive ad spread in a jp newspaper with "make AI jealous" and "write what AI can't touch" written on it
Anyway I think everyone should own a Pilot kakuno pen
Anyway I think everyone should own a Pilot kakuno pen
Today, we are all bitch. Our job is bitch.
ooooh honey I'm that same bitch
I’m just enough of a bitch to enjoy this too much
November 5, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Today, we are all bitch. Our job is bitch.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Mamdani going so hard for trans right and winning is some juicy proof that every dem that abandoned us didn’t do it for politically advantageous reasons. They did it because they’re transphobes and they will lose for it
November 5, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Mamdani going so hard for trans right and winning is some juicy proof that every dem that abandoned us didn’t do it for politically advantageous reasons. They did it because they’re transphobes and they will lose for it
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Our message to Andrew Cuomo was loud & clear in June.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
November 5, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Our message to Andrew Cuomo was loud & clear in June.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
It’s louder & clearer tonight.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
I want you to think about the worst person you know and how miserable they are
and use that as motivation to keep going
we are going to win
and use that as motivation to keep going
we are going to win
November 5, 2025 at 5:02 AM
I want you to think about the worst person you know and how miserable they are
and use that as motivation to keep going
we are going to win
and use that as motivation to keep going
we are going to win
Reposted by Ricky Manning
If we learn nothing else tonight, please PLEASE let's learn that the American people were NOT won over by an absolute firehose of the most vile dehumanization of trans people. Please @democrats.org, for the love of God and all that's holy, let's FINALLY start refusing to throw ANYone under ANY bus.
November 5, 2025 at 4:15 AM
If we learn nothing else tonight, please PLEASE let's learn that the American people were NOT won over by an absolute firehose of the most vile dehumanization of trans people. Please @democrats.org, for the love of God and all that's holy, let's FINALLY start refusing to throw ANYone under ANY bus.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Brad Lander is at the victory party and, folks, he has the custom one-of-one “GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE” shirt.
November 5, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Brad Lander is at the victory party and, folks, he has the custom one-of-one “GOOD FUCKING RIDDANCE” shirt.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
The worst people you know are upset and I think that’s wonderful
November 5, 2025 at 4:25 AM
The worst people you know are upset and I think that’s wonderful
Reposted by Ricky Manning
this is a reminder that we dont have to settle for newsom in 2028
November 5, 2025 at 2:44 AM
this is a reminder that we dont have to settle for newsom in 2028
Reposted by Ricky Manning
hire all the fired political teen vogue writers and make a new magazine call teen rogue.
we’ll all subscribe en masse
we’ll all subscribe en masse
November 4, 2025 at 2:32 AM
hire all the fired political teen vogue writers and make a new magazine call teen rogue.
we’ll all subscribe en masse
we’ll all subscribe en masse
Well, my "Person of Interest" / "Farscape" crossover fanfic novel (currently at 400,000 words; I think it's going to need a little editing) where Sameen and Aeryn team up is entitled "The Shaw-Sun Redemption."
November 4, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Well, my "Person of Interest" / "Farscape" crossover fanfic novel (currently at 400,000 words; I think it's going to need a little editing) where Sameen and Aeryn team up is entitled "The Shaw-Sun Redemption."
Truly. All the science fiction I have writ has been entirely 100% based and substantiated piffle.
But seriously, one more time for the cheap seats: ”science fiction” does not mean “baseless piffle”. That‘s just a bit rude to all the writers who run with and enliven complex ideas for wider audiences, and work hard to say something meaningful in a fictional space defined by ideas.
November 2, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Truly. All the science fiction I have writ has been entirely 100% based and substantiated piffle.
Don't miss the alt text.
This is just a first draft, you understand. I like to get all the punctuation out of the way early.
November 2, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Don't miss the alt text.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Huge thank you to the comedians, musicians, artists and writers who are just as mad and bewildered as the rest of us but are still doing their best to make life worth living for everyone.
October 30, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Huge thank you to the comedians, musicians, artists and writers who are just as mad and bewildered as the rest of us but are still doing their best to make life worth living for everyone.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
This. Also, I will not be watching your film or TV show about how people in Hollywood are awful to each other. That is my “I gave at the office” deal for the foreseeable future.
Unless I absolutely must for professional reasons, I will not be watching your nuclear war movie. I will not be watching your incredibly bleak and depressing murder show. I will not be watching your artistic despair. It’s nothing personal, I just don’t order water when I’m already bailing my boat.
October 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This. Also, I will not be watching your film or TV show about how people in Hollywood are awful to each other. That is my “I gave at the office” deal for the foreseeable future.
Reposted by Ricky Manning
WGA Members and Aspiring Writers:
Please beware of a link circulating for a “WGA TV Career Launch ScriptFest.” This is NOT affiliated with the WGA and could be a scam. Do not give them your money.
Please beware of a link circulating for a “WGA TV Career Launch ScriptFest.” This is NOT affiliated with the WGA and could be a scam. Do not give them your money.
October 29, 2025 at 1:48 AM
WGA Members and Aspiring Writers:
Please beware of a link circulating for a “WGA TV Career Launch ScriptFest.” This is NOT affiliated with the WGA and could be a scam. Do not give them your money.
Please beware of a link circulating for a “WGA TV Career Launch ScriptFest.” This is NOT affiliated with the WGA and could be a scam. Do not give them your money.
IT'S FUNDED, YAY! But there's still time to get in on the fun! Go indulge yourself and/or gift a friend with "The Great Halloween Puzzle & Podcast" by @craigengler.bsky.social on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/448...
The Great Halloween Puzzle & Podcast
A Halloween mystery puzzle that changes as you build it, with a podcast that gives you clues and tells you the history of Halloween.
www.kickstarter.com
October 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
IT'S FUNDED, YAY! But there's still time to get in on the fun! Go indulge yourself and/or gift a friend with "The Great Halloween Puzzle & Podcast" by @craigengler.bsky.social on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/448...
Reposted by Ricky Manning
Dear Democratic Apparatchiks,
I will never in a million fucking years vote for this man for President. Trans rights are human rights. Do with that what you will.
I will never in a million fucking years vote for this man for President. Trans rights are human rights. Do with that what you will.
gavin newsom says he wants to pass legislation banning trans people from playing sports in california
October 28, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Dear Democratic Apparatchiks,
I will never in a million fucking years vote for this man for President. Trans rights are human rights. Do with that what you will.
I will never in a million fucking years vote for this man for President. Trans rights are human rights. Do with that what you will.