A few days ago, I wrote that My 40 Year Love Affair With Star Trek… Is Over. The final straw, as you may remember, was CBS and Paramount issuing rather draconian Star Trek fan film guidelines, which saw several of the fan films I really like shut down and possibly fan audio series, like Henglaar, M.D. that I voice act as Ken Kato in, wound up as well.
I am still out of love with Star Trek. I still am angry and sad about their draconian fan film guidelines, among other things. Their approach towards the fans is as if we can be pushed around, not consulted, and we’ll continue to throw money hand over fist at Star Trek with any product (good or bad) they put out there. And I have a choice on what I do with my money, and by not spending it with CBS or Paramount, whether by not subscribing to CBS All Access to watch the new Star Trek show in 2017 or by not snuggling up to a huge tub of popcorn and watching Star Trek Beyond in the movie theatre, I’m objecting with my wallet.
In the 28 June 2016 broadcast of the official Star Trek podcast Engage, The Powers That Be (TPTB) addressed their new Star Trek fan film guidelines by interviewing John Van Citters, CBS Vice President of Product Development. They did this to probably put more definition and certainty about these guidelines to the fandom.
In this interview, Van Citters stated, “No…audio dramas definitely do not qualify under this…these are fan film guidelines.”
So Ken Kato and Henglaar, M.D. live on.
In my last Star Trek-related post, I stated how disappointed I was that Ken Kato might be gone, and that he was one of the only things Star Trek I was willing to continue on with was voice acting as Ken.
I can’t relay in words how happy I am that I may be able to continue my journey as Ken Kato through Henglaar, M.D. And I hope you come along and enjoy the journey with me.
Beam Me Up, Scotty 