JOE SHAW
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| Blake from "Nothing Nice to Say" |
Scrawny male nerd in glasses who's into punk, but also likes new wave and alternative. Huge Devo fan. Even likes their boring later stuff nobody likes. His older brother introduced punk and alternative-y stuff to Joe and Snotty.
Grew up in New London. College dropout after a year and a half.
Also big science fiction fan. Loves Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who (which was classic Who then). Has posters like New Hope, Fantastic Planet, and Alien, as well as Devo, Clash, and B-52's.
Was lower middle class. Has a love/hate relationship with Shit on Wheels, his clunker of a red 1963 Corvette convertible whose top doesn't come down.
Birthdate 7-29-61. Class of 79.
- Character is loosely based on me, Nothing Nice to Say's Blake, Freaks and Geeks' Sam Weir, Only Sane Man Trope,, the straight man role, and myself.
- Fave acts: Devo, Clash, B-52's, Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Violent Femmes, REM, Stiff Little Fingers, XTC, Wall of Voodoo, Elvis Costello, early Ultravox, Social Distortion, Misfits, Damned, Sonic Youth, Stranglers, Television, Replacements, Husker Du, The Cramps, X, early Police, Bad Religion, Sonics, Kinks, Who, Rolling Stones, still enjoys hard rock he listened to before punk, secret Neil Diamond fan
- Fave movie genres: Science fiction, horror, action movies, "midnight movies" (movies shown at midnight in 70s and 80s - most are now considered cult classics), mysteries, foreign movies.
- Personal story arc: Still somewhat insecure from nerdy childhood, especially with women. Learns to appreciate himself and that he does have something to offer to women.
SNOTTY/SNOT JONES
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| "Johnny Rotten" Lydon in the 70s |
Real name Joseph. Jewish. Was nicknamed Snotnose as a kid, cus his nose was always running and to separate him from his best friend.
Huge punk fan with mohawk. In good shape, but not like a bodybuilder. Kinda obnoxious and "punkier than thou". Was a pop music fan before discovering punk. Claim to fame and street cred is saw Sex Pistols play in Dallas. Was with Joe. Doesn't care for Joe's music taste, but they've been friends since elementary.
Was a nobody as a kid. Upper middle class upbringing, but definitely not rich. Somewhat religious upbringing, but hard core atheist now.
Tried to kill himself at 15 because of his dad's effort to make him succeed in life. Joe found him and saved him. Family never sent him to therapy and kept it hush-hush.
Discovered punk rock shortly after that and it basically saved his life.
Birthdate 1-31-61 (same date, but not same year as Johnny Rotten). Class of 79.
- Loosely based on Nothing Nice to Say's Fletcher, Johnny Rotten in the 70s, my two childhood best friends, and the Rule Abiding Rebel trope.
- Running gag?: When Snotty says they're probably a blah-blah-blah to some stranger, they respond: I am a Democrat/liberal/atheist! I'm just not an asshole!
- Fave acts: Clash, Ramones, Iggy Pop, Black Flag, Stiff Little Fingers, Buzzcocks, Minor Threat, Dickies, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Descendents, Vandals, Misfits, Husker Du, Vibrators, Suicidal Tendencies, The Cramps, Damned, also still listens to the rock and hard rock he listened to before he discovered punk.
- Fave movie genres: Action movies, cop movies, monster movies and horror, science fiction, "midnight movies".
- Personal story arc: Thinks he's a big, huge radical anarchist, but learns he has more in common with his suburban family than he realizes. Can be narrow minded as them and is also stuck in his ways. Can be stuck up as them. Also like his parents, he wants a happy, stable relationship and a family. Also, starts to realize his household is a family to him. Asks Sandra to move in with him on New Year's?
HANNA MCCOY
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| Grace Jones 1985 |
Black lesbian partner of Zuzu. They share their room.
White dad, head bartender at her work, raised her with her mom. Not know bio dad.
Thin. Has big bright red spikyish hair. Also really into punk, but not as obnoxious about it as Snotty.
University dropout after two and a half years. Joe and her met because they ended up taking two of the same classes on politics and philosophy.
Also appreciates other types of music, including hip hop and reggae.
From "east side" of town. Not starving or dirt poor, but definitely from a poor family.
Very political and very into LGBT, feminist, and minority scenes.
Occasionally pulls out clarinet she learned in high school marching band and teaches herself some of her favorite songs.
Huge Josie and the Pussycats fan. Has 1970 album, the 1983 "Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space" video cassette, and a bunch of the comic book digests.
Also had read science fiction books that are more about society and politics like 1984, Dune, and Ursula K Let Guin's works.
Birthdate 9-26-60. Class of 78.
- Loosely based on my daughter Gillian, my friend Rebecca, Nina Simone, and Rachel Feldmann from Lipstick Homicide.
- Fave acts: X-Ray Spex, Slits, Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, X, Runaways, Plasmatics, The Adverts, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, The Cramps, Sonic Youth, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Kate Bush, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Shaggs, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Janis Ian, Miriam Makeba, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn (Although she would never admit to the last two! But the household knows.), would love Bikini Kill.
- Fave movie genres: thrillers/suspense and horror, action movies, monster movies, documentaries, political movies, blaxploitation and black cinema in general, LGBT/ queer cinema, also likes science fiction movies, but more the ones that deal with society and politics.
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Personal story arc: Learns to open up more to her partner and be more giving. Also realizes there's more to her than politics and feminism. And that she sometimes uses those to hide behind.
ZUZU PEDDLE
Real name is Susan, but her dad is a big "It's a Wonderful Life" fan, so she ended up being called Zuzu.
Lesbian girlfriend of Hanna. They share their room. Bisexual.
Overweight. Proto goth chick. Dresses like Siouxsie Sioux and a dark Stevie Nicks. Somewhat insecure. Long, thin brown hair is dyed black.
Philosophical, and extremely pessimistic and has a very negative view of the world. But despite that, she is actually fairly cheery and sweet.
Little new agey and into psychic-type shit.
Comes from poor family in a smaller rural town of a couple thousand. They don't know she's a lesbian and into spirituality.
Also into science fiction books and movies, because of her mom, but neither is nerdy about it like Joe.
Birthday 4-7-62. Class of 80.
- Loosely based on "Freaks and Geeks"' Millie Kentner, Evey from "V for Vendetta", Daria Morgendorffer from the "Daria" cartoon, Anna Kone from "Pen15", my friend Debora, and Iowa City musician Kane Edwards.
- Fave acts: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Patti Smith, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Velvet Underground, Misfits, Patti Smith, early Human League, Cure, David Bowie, Magazine, Depeche Mode, The Cramps, Cocteau Twins, OMD, Visage, later Ultravox, Gary Numan, Jean-Michel Jarre, also into blues, Stax soul music, electronic music, and melancholic classical music, would love Sisters of Mercy.
- Fave movie genres: Horror, gothic, Victorian dramas, foreign movies, documentaries, and science fiction and monster movies, because she used to watch them with her mom and dad.
- Personal story arc: Opens up more and comes out of her cave, physical and personal. Also realizes she can't use Hanna for all her personal and social needs. Also tries to figure out who the blues musician ghost is and why he's still around.
SANDRA CHO
Snotty's girlfriend. Doesn't live there, but spends a lot of time there. Sure Snotty is the one for her, but not really in a schmaltzy romantic way, but just more matter-of-factly. It's clear and obvious to her they make a good couple. But can wait until Snotty figures it out.
4 years younger than Snotty. Works for mother at video rental. Helps out all around since her father died.
Lives at home. Mom took dad's death hard, so helped out a lot at home. Mother better now.
Tough. Smartass too. Can give as good as she gets.
Very strong relationship with Snotty. They flirted when she was younger, or rather she was constantly flirting with him, and started dating when she graduated from high school. Mainly because she kept harassing him and asking him when he was going to take her out.
Into
psychobilly. Has that punk plus rockabilly look. Also into other punk, rockabilly, and older rock music. Big movie fan.
Born in 65. Class of 83.
- Loosely based on comedian Margaret Cho, writer Sandra Tsing Loh, and my daughter, Gillian.
- Fave acts: The Cramps, The Stray Cats, Screamin Jay Hawkins, Wanda Jackson, Collins Kids, Bo Diddley, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Shakin' Stevens, Meteors, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash
- Fave movie genres: Monster movies, horror and thriller/suspense, martial arts, "midnight movies", Korean and Asian cinema, art flicks.
- Personal story arc: ? Not sure she needs one. If she has one, it's convincing Snotty that they should move in together.
DEVO
Joe's scrappy terrier/poodle mixed dog. Very happy and friendly, but in a low key sort of way. Can get excited though. Very friendly if it knows the person.
Snotty acts like he doesn't like him, but he does. Devo loves everyone at the house.
Constantly tries to make friends with the cat, but she won't have it.
Neil Diamond fan.
Was a puppy of the punk house dog that Joe took in. Kept following him when he visited the punk house.
- Loosely based on my dog and a couple of other dogs I've known.
- Personal story arc: Becomes friends with Erica, the cat.
TCHULHU
Hanna and Zuzu's cat, but more Zuzu's.
Black with white paws and white around the nose.
Really sweet with them, rubbing them all the time and meowing for attention, but aloof with everyone else and doesn't want them touching her, especially Snotty. Gives the dog the cold shoulder too, but actually kind of likes him.
Likes the blues and electronic music.
- Was cat Zuzu was watching for a friend of a friend, but was never taken back.
Loosely based on different cats I've had.
- Personal story arc: Not sure I want to give her one. Just leave her a mysterious cat.
HIFFY
Their stereo system that they all treat like a living person. Name comes from hi-fi.
SHIT ON WHEELS
Joe's car that he has a hate/relationship with. Chugs along. Radio stuck on country station. Rattles like it's going to fall apart if you go over 50. But hasn't needed any major repairs, so he keeps using it, though still obviously on its last breath.
He rotates between coaxing it and yelling at it when it acts up. And even though he badmouths it all the time, gets defensible when anyone else attacks it.
- Fave act: Country station KASO on 1240AM. Car always seems to run better when the radio is on. If they play it too quietly, it seems to start working worse.
- Story arc: Haven't decided if it survives the year or not, but probably not.
BABY
1979 Buick Century Station Wagon Snotty inherited from his family. His father named it "Baby".
Labels: Baby, backgrounds of characters, character arcs, characters, Devo, Erica, Hanna McCoy, Hiffy, Joe Show, main characters, movies characters like, music, music characters like, Snotty Jones, tastes, Zuzu Peddle
