^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
The Degrassi Digest # 61  March 26,1999
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v

Soon to come!
Degrassi FAQ!
http://www.degrassi.ca/FAQ/

Submissions are welcome.  
Send them to webmaster@degrassi.org
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
I N S I D E:

Subject: Did Joey disrespect Caitlin – clarification
Subject: Re: Degrassi Digest #59
Subject: Bonjour!
Subject: Dawson's Creek
Subject: RICK
Subject: SCHOOLS  OUT  
Subject: ONLINE  SHOPPER  CONFUSED  -  LAST  DIGEST
Subject: SUPPORT &  MISC.
Subject: Is Joey a User?
Subject:  spotting of Stephanie Kaye
Subject: ready or not
Subject: Caitlin's "Affair"
Subject: MARKS  POINT  ON  SCHOOLS  OUT
Subject: Unfair distribution of character development
Subject: From PBS
Subject: Have you noticed that 1980s pop culture is making a comeback?
Subject: what is "fake" anyway???
Subject: Degrassi quote
Subject: Andrew Sutcliffe
Subject: Andrew Sutcliffe has way too much time on his hands
Subject: Hello from Chile
Subject: Vivian the translator to the rescue
Subject: 3 kids from DeGrassi Street made it big time
Subject: G'day
Subject: HELP ME!!!
Subject: Degrassi World #41—Caitlin in the Big Apple-written by Mark Polger
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
From: "johnny" 
To: <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: Did Joey disrespect Caitlin - clarification
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 19:10:14 -0700

<<Degrassi Digest #60>>
I read most of ANDREW SUTCLIFFE's comments about the Joey-Caitlin-Tessa
situation up to the point about how the reviewer would have handled the
situation.  Many good points were made and they were well supported.

I also read later on about Mark's commentary on another of Andrew
Sutcliffe's posting where he said, "I disrespect Joey for what he did to
Caitlin.  Unfortunately, what he did was nothing new."

So, I'm wondering what do most of us see?  Did Joey disrespect Caitlin? 
How?  I see the disrespect coming from Joey having sex with Caitlin because
he knew how much that aspect of their "relationship" was.  Paridoxically,
his "fling" with Tessa could be seen (I see it) as ok, because she is the
one that made the advances and this is when Joey and Caitlin were possibly
not together.  Yeah, I couldn't escape the qualifier "possibly."

If Joey could have been up front with Caitlin and said that he did go out
with Tessa before he and Tessa really got physical, then maybe this would
have made Caitlin make a decision.  Disrespecting Caitlin for dating Tessa,
no.  Disrespecting Caitlin for not telling her that he was physically
involved with Tessa when Caitlin finally wanted to commit, yes.

The grand paridox of having one's gateaux and eating it too.

Johnny Pino
*Mark* I think he used her, because he was upset that she was never around
for him and his needs.  He was also anxious for the relationship to
progress, and she felt the pressure..she was not ready…He wanted the
relationship to move faster, so he went elsewhere…Even is she sort of
cheated on him with Claude, what he did was wrong.  Cheating with a someone
with a kiss is not as serious as what Joey did (he ahd sex with Tessa and
pretended to like her, HE WENT OUT WITH 2 GIRLS AT THE SAME TIME FOR MOST
OF THE SUMMER 
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 21:35:58 -0800
From: steven X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.04 [en] (Win95; I)
To: Degrassi Digest <webmaster@degrassi.org>
Subject: Re: Degrassi Digest #59
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by nms.optonline.net id
VAA10698

Whats up?  I just wanted to say that I think the Degrassi digest is a cool
idea, I
have only received it for a few months, and I look forward to it!  From a "US"
point of view, Degrassi tackled issues that nobody in the "States" would
touch at
the time. The stories are still very current and I do not feel that the
show had
dated it's self.  It was the best show of it's time and I still enjoy it as
much
now as I did when I was in High School. I only wish it still aired here, If
you
know of any stations that broadcast it here in the US please let me know.  The
best part of the show is that it was so "Canadian" and didn't try to cover
it's
identity. I have always appreciated the honesty portrayed on Degrassi, it
was much
more real, and much less censored, than any American Show could be!  Keep
up the
good work.    Thanks..Steve.



^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 21:42:54 -0600
From: Macarena Martfeld ]
Organization: @Home Network
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.5 [en]C-AtHome0404  (Win95; U)
X-Accept-Language: en
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Bonjour!

Hello!
	This is Macarena . I was just surfing and I was wondering where exactly is
it that you can post
pictures of yourself.  I couldn't find it anywhere.  I also wanted to say
that you are truly amazing for all the work you do on this website.  I hope
you find my posts as interesting as your own.
	Ciao,   Macarena

*Mark* Fans can post pictures of themselves by sending me bio photos and an
information sheet about themselves.  Send to webmaster@archives.degrassi.ca
They will go on http://archives.degrassi.ca
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 22:55:53 -0500 (EST)
From: "Jeffrey D. Shoffner"
 To: Degrassi Digest <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: Dawson’s Creek

This is  in reply to the comment about Dawson's Creek.  I have to agree
100%, what is the deal with the vocabulary on this show?  Yeah, it's a
little bit out there that Pacy slept with his teacher.  I'll admit though,
that some of these problems do occur with teenagers, but the dialogue
kills me!  I don't know of anyone who uses the vobcabulary these
characters do.  It is an atrocity to compare Degrassi with Dawson's Creek.
It is unethical, the two cannot be compared in any shape or form.
Degrasssi was a classic, and still lives on.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy
watching Dawson's Creek, I'm from North Carolina and it's filmed here, in
Wilmington.  I'll admit though, the main reason I watch is to see familiar
landmarks on television, because the quality of the show isn't all that.
The cast is excellent in Dawson's Creek, but they are playing the wrong
types of characters, they're far too mature in composure and appearance.
Long live Degrassi though!

*Mark* My friend on this list WENDY, told me that on Dawson’s Creek, the
vocabulary of the characters is not indicative of 16 year old…She told me
that it is not a believable show…yet it is entertaining.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: "ANDREW SUTCLIFFE" 
To: "Degrassi  Digest" <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: RICK
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 20:40:17 +1100
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4

Does  anyone  know  whether  Rick  was  an  extra  in  Degrassi  High  and
Schools Out  ? 
  
I  recall  seeing  a  tall  thin  fellow  who  looked  a  bit  like  him
in  a  lot  of  background  shots  and  I  bet  it  was  him.   Perhaps
Barry Yau  or  someone  who  worked  on  the  show  can  answer  this
question.
  
I  thought  it  was  a  damm  shame  he  left  the  show  because  he  was
an  interesting  character  myself  being  a  bit  like  him  when  I  was
13  -  doing  cool  things  like  smoking  (  gee  they  had  some  great
pure  tobacco  cigarettes  in  those  days  which  you  can't  get  now  )
and  playing  around  with  my  bike.  He  could  have  joined  the  Zit
Remedy  as  drummer  because  he  fit  the  part  perfectly  with  those
sleeveless  t-shirts  he  use  to  wear  and  could  have  taken  his
aggression  out  on  the  drums.  I'm  sure  everyone  could  imagine  him
there  sitting  behind  Wheels , Joey  and  Snake  on  stage  playing  the
drums  with  that  serious  look  on  his  face.  Like  Wheels's  dad  did
in  the  band.  Being  a  rock'n  roller.
  
Mark  -  did  you  ever  ask  or  find  out  why  they  dropped  him  out
of  the  show  ?  I'm  sure  many  people  would  like  to  know  that
question.

*Mark* I do not remember seeing Craig Driscoll in the credits.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: "ANDREW SUTCLIFFE" 
To: "Degrassi  Digest" <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: SCHOOLS  OUT  
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 00:19:07 +1100
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4


There's  a  couple  of  other  points  I  missed  about  Schools  Out  and
that  is:-   just  after  Tessa  asked  Joey  out  when  Caitlin  came
along  to  make  up  and  she  said  "......back  to  normal ? "  (  and
Joey  hedged  a  bit  ).  If  I  had  been  Joey  I  would  have  taken
that  to  mean  more  of  the  same  -  ups  and  downs  with  Caitlin  -
and  no  wonder  he  decided  to  go  out  with  Tessa.  That  was  the
"normal"  state  of  affairs  with  Caitlin.
  
If  anyone  saw  the  look  on  Caitlin's  face  when  Joey  said  it  was
"also  an  engagement  ring"  -  almost  horrorified  I  thought  -  it
would  have  turned  me  right  off  too.  I  can  understand  why  Joey
left  the  party  so  fast.
  
Also  having  just  agreed  to  go  out  with  Tessa  (  because  he
didn't  know  where  he  stood  with  Caitlin  )  does  anyone  think  it
would  be  right  to  backout  of  that  date  with  Tessa  especially  as
she  was  looking  forward  to  it  ?  I  don't  think  it  would  have
been  and  that  is  precisely  why  he  didn't  either  -  he  was
honoring  his  promise  and  expected  it  to  be  a  one-off  event.  So
I  think  that  was  correct  behaviour  given  the  circumstances
prevailing  at  the  time  he  made  it.
  
Essentially  Caitlin  was  the  problem  -  she  was  unavailable  -  and
still  going  away  to  university  at  the  end  of  summer  and  how
does  anyone  expect  to  keep  a  relationship  going  when  people  are
far  apart  -  that  fact  would  have  to  have  been  in  Joey's  mind.
Therefore  I  think  he  was  entitled  to  see  Tessa  because  I  don't
subscribe  to  this  view  that  unmarried  people  are  tied  to  anyone
unless  both  give  a  firm  committment  -  and  you  didn't  see  that
from  Caitlin.   She  said  she  wasn't  ready  for  a  committment  -  and
 a  committment  was  what  Joey  was  wanting.   Does  anyone  blame  Joey
 for  putting  her  to  one  side  ?
  
I  myself  wouldn't  have  put  up  with  Caitlin's  uncommitted
inconsistencies  (  and  besides  I  wouldn't  have  picked  her  anyway
because  I  thought  the  only  girls  at  the  school  worth  taking  out
were  Melanie,  Kathleen,  Maya, Trish,  and  maybe  Amy,  Alison,  Abby  &
 Heather  -  not  to  say  the  others  are  bad  but  those  would  be  on
 my  wavelength  ).  She  would  have  got  dumped  a  long  time  ago  -
I  wouldn't  have  had  her  back  after  the  way  she  dumped  him  for
Clode  because  that  demonstrated  incompatability.
  
But  everyone  be  aware  my  criticisms  of  Caitlin  etc...  are  really
criticisms  of  what  the  scriptwriters  had  them  do.  Their
characterisations  and  plots  are  the  focus  of  my  analyses.  So  I'm
really  getting  stuck  into  the  writers  in  these  posts  of  mine  -
not  our  wonderful  Degrassi  cast  members.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: "ANDREW SUTCLIFFE" 
To: "Degrassi  Digest" <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: ONLINE  SHOPPER  CONFUSED  -  LAST  DIGEST
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 02:47:24 +1100
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4

That  CONFUSED  online  grocery  shopper  in  last  digest   #60 -  do  you
 think  they  were  looking  for  the  world  famous  Degrassi  Grocery
store  used  in  the  show  ? 

*Mark* I wonder if Degrassi Grocery has a website…It is not a very large
grocery, it is really small and cute inside…
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: "ANDREW SUTCLIFFE" 
To: "Degrassi  Digest" <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: SUPPORT &  MISC.
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 02:57:31 +1100
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4

I  want  to  thank  and  say  I'm  indebted  to  C.MacGREGOR  for  his
support  of  my  posts  in  Digest  #59. I'd  have  a  beer  with  you
anyday  -  Molsons,  Budweizer  or  Fosters  -  take  you  pick  buddy  -
perhaps  we  also  ought  to  invite  Michelle's  father  round  too.
  
I  know  there  are  a  lot  of  guys  out  there  who  silently  are
agreeing  with  what  I  been  saying,  and  am  pleased  to  tell  you
several  ladies  on  the  digest  list  have  agreed  with  my  posts  too
in  private  communications  -  but  they  said  they  don't  dare  say  so
 publically  because  its  not  politically  correct.  All  I'm  really
doing  is  some  objective  analyses  of  the  show  from  a  guys
viewpoint  -  things  which  I  haven't  seen  said  and  I  think  do
need  saying  because  like  it  or  not  there  were  some  radical
feminists  writing  some  of  the  Degrassi  scripts.
  
Many  of  you  will  not  have  seen  the  show  in  recent  times  and  if
 so  its  only  when  you  really  go  over  and  replay  specific
episodes  several  times  do  you  pick  things  out  -  every  time  I
play  them  I  find  something  new.  Like  the  bikini  girl  one  -  I
was  watching  it  again  and  few  weeks  ago  (  partly  because  I  like
 to  see  Alison  and  Amy  with  as  little  on  as  possible  as  do
most  guys  -  and  because  both  of  them  are  nice  too  )  and  I  sat
 there  sipping  a  bottle  of  RC  Cola  and  all  of  a  sudden  I  said
to  myself  why  the  hell  is  Joey  shooting  it  amongst  the  garbage
and  in  the  dumpster ?  He  wouldn't  do  that  in  his  right  mind.  It
 hit  me.  Then  I  realized  our  feminists  friends  were  trying  to
send  a  subtle  message.  And  that  episode  was  written  by  -  guess
who  Susin Nielson  -   feminist. And  to  be  fair  to  Lucy  ( Anaias )
if  you  look  carefully  she  was  finding  it  hard  to  keep  a
straight  face  at  certain  points  when  telling  Joey  she  wasn't
filming  a  sexist  video. Joey  couldn't  keep  a  straight  face  either.  
  
I've  probably  played  each  Degrassi  episode  20  times  in  the  last
7  years  -  largely  because  the  free-to-air  tv  here  in  Australia
has  become  so  bad  there  is  little  decent  to  watch.  I  also  play
Press  Gang  and  Northwood  as  well.  They  are  more  fun  to  watch
than  other  shows. 
  
If  anyone  wishes  to  add  things  to  THINGS  RICK  COULD  HAVE  DONE
IN  THE  SHOW  I  would  ask  people  to  do  their  lists  and  send  them
 in  because  I  only  covered  some  of  the  possibilities. I'd  love  to
 see  them. 
  
I  did  SNAKE GETS  A  DATE  Degrassi  Fan  fiction  digest  #58  purely
for  fun  because  I  thought  it  was  high  time  poor  Alison  nailed
Snake.  She  tried  so  hard. I  really  did  feel  sorry  for  her  in
the  show.  You  never  saw  her  with  anyone  other  than  Nick  which
was  sad.  She  was  so  beautiful  &  desirable  -  the  sex  princess  of
 the  show  I  once  said  -  I  would  have  thought  they'd  have  set
her  up  with  someone  -  Amy  too.  But  I  also  thought  it  would  end
 up  a  disaster  because  the  two  (  her  and  Snake  )  weren't  really
 a  match.  I  have  sent  off  a  copy  of  it  to  her  at  Epitome
Pictures  and  will  post  you  her  comments  if  she  bothers  to  reply.


^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
X-Originating-IP: [216.13.20.48]
From: "Kailee Hleuka"
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Is Joey a User?
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 10:51:36 PST

In my opinion Joey didn't use Tessa, and even if he did, I'm sure he 
didn't intend to hurt anyone.  I admit, He was probably feeling regected 
and lonely and when Tessa came along, offering a date- anyone in that 
position would have went for it.  Maybe he had no feelings what so ever 
for Tessa, but it wasn't wrong for accepting an offer. It's more Tessa's 
fault than anyone.  She knew that Joey had jost gotten regectd from 
Caitlin and nobody is ready to jump into a new relationship so fast 
after a long term thing.  Then she offered him sex, come on Joey was not 
going to turn that down! Maybe he should have used better judgement, but 
Tessa knew what she was getting herself into.


*Mark* I think he is a user…
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

X-Originating-IP: [142.165.55.165]
From: "Green Eyes" 
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject:  spotting of Stephanie Kaye
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 11:59:14 PST

I think I spotted good ol' "Stephanie Kaye" on TV here in Canada.  There 
is a commercial for eToys where a bunch of moms and their kids are 
decked out in army camoflage while shopping for toys.  She is the one 
who gets squirted in the face with the water gun.  Look closely...maybe 
you will agree.  

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 22:18:53 -0600 (CST)
From: sheryl 
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: ready or not

i've been watching ready or not quite a bit lately and i have to say that
i don't think it's very comparable to degrassi. sure they're both canadian
and they both have the same goal of portraying the teen years
realistically but i just don't seen how people can compare it to degrassi.
don't get mad at me everyone but i have to say that i think ready or not 
is more realistic than degrassi. i don't remember many of those completely
silly junior high crushes happening in degrassi like they do in ready or
not. the people of degrassi are all basically friends except of course in
junior high where the older class doesn't like the younger class and vice
versa. in ready or not busy and amanda had to deal with the 'cool' people
of the school. they searched to try to find their own identity while
dealing with growing up. their lives just seem more realistic to me than
the ones at degrassi.

i could go on forever about how i think ready or not compares to degrassi
but i think  i'll just leave it at that.


Sheryl

*Mark* Ready or Not is mainly about the two girls, their lives growing
up..etc…like a little piece of Degrassi.  (Takes place in Toronto, right?)
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: Greg
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Caitlin's "Affair"
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 06:33:34 PST

I disagree with Mark’s reply to Andrew Sutcliffe about the whole 
Caitlin-Joey thing. You said that she told Joey as soon as she knew she 
cared about Claude. But that's not true. Remember? Maya was disappointed 
with her because Caitlin was stringing Joey along "in case things don't 
work out with Claude". I believe those were her exact words.

I look at it this way: they're both cheaters, so they deserve each 
other! --Greg

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

From: "ANDREW SUTCLIFFE" 
To: "Degrassi  Digest" <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: Mark’s  POINT  ON  SCHOOLS  OUT
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1999 15:48:51 +1100
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4

Mark  made  a  very  good  point  about  Schools  Out  and  Joeys
behaviour  contrasted  with  Caitlin  last  digest..
  
He  said  Caitlin  broke  off  with  Joey  when  she  knew  Clode  was  the
 one  for  her  whereas  Joey  kept  seeing  both  of  them.  That  is
true  but  that  was  only  after  pressure  from  Maya.  She  was  still
seeing  Clode  before  she  broke  off  with  Joey  but  thats  no
different  to  Joey  seeing  Tessa  -  he  simply  took  a  lot  longer  (
see  reasons  cited  below  )  and  still  hadn't  decided  which  one  he
wanted  when  Tessa  dumped  him..  Caitlin  eventually  did  the  right
thing  and  broke  it  off  with  Joey.
  
The  difference  is  that  Joey  took  up  with  Tessa  because  Caitlin
wouldn't  give  him  a  committment  -  she  rejected  the  engagement  the
 ring  -  and  he  didn't  know  where  he  stood  with  her.  Caitlin  in
contrast  did  know  where  she  stood  be  Joey  -  knew  he  liked  her
100%  yet  still  saw  and  left  him  for  Clode. So  there's  a  big
difference  there.  Its  not  as  if  Joey  was  wavering.   Joey  didn't
do  anything  to  deserve  being  dumped  but  Caitlin  did  I  think.  
  
And  thats  my  main  point -   indecisive  little  Caitlin  got  what  she
 deserved  because  she  was  leading  Joey  on  -  wouldn't  give  a
committment  -  was  going  away  to  university  etc... -  so  Joey  was
justified  seeing  Tessa.
His  mistake  was  he  didn't  cut  clean  but  the  reason  he  didn't
was  because  he  didn't  realize  Tessa  wanted  a  permanent
relationship  and  because  he  didn't  know  where  he  stood  with
Caitlin  until  the  very  last  night  -  remember  until  that  night
she  was  still  going  to  leave  him  and  go  away  to  university  -
so  he  was  playing  two  hands  at  once  which  I  think  was  the
smart  play. I  suspect  until  that  last  night  he  figured  Caitlin
would  be  lost  when  she  went  and  Tessa  would  take  her  place.
  
Caitlin  had  Joey  effectively  at  arms  length  all  summer  -  no
committment  -  unavailable  -  almost  a  part  time  girlfriend  -  and
it  is  therefore  understandable  why  he  did  what  he  did.
  
The  real  problem  that  Joey  faced  is  that  he  really  didn't  know
where  he  stood  with  either  of  them  until  the  very  end. He  knew
that  Tessa  knew  things  might  not  be  over  with  Caitlin.  He  also
knew  Caitlin  knew  they  would  be  split  up  when  she  left  for
university  and  that  Caitlin  didn't  want  a  committment. 
  
So  it  really  boils  down  to  Caitlin  dumping  Joey  was  a  cut  and
dried  situation,  whereas  Joey  Caitlin  and  Tessa  was  an  unclear
situation  for  him.  Thats  why  he  couldn't  cut  clean  with  one  of
them. And  thats  why  weighing  all  these  things  up  I  think  Joey
wasn't  as  guilty  of  misconduct  as  is  made  out.  He  couldn't
decide  which  one  until  the  end  but  it  was  too  late.
  
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
X-Originating-IP: [209.156.96.174]
From: "Donnie Jackson" 
 To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Unfair distribution of character development
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 22:00:23 PST

I think that Degrassi placed too much time on the popular characters 
like Joey, Spike, Lucy, Wheels, and Caitlin.  But not enough attention 
on the less noticable characters like Kathleen, BLT, Alexa, Melanie, 
Simon, and Yick. Nancy, Scooter, Alex, and Trish especially deserved air 
time because they were the original "Kids of Degrassi Street". What ever 
happened to seniority?     

*Mark* I think it was because PWT thought that they were strong
actors….This is why they did not make many extras become the main
characters…Some did, like Michelle, Alexa, Simon, BLT, Tessa, etc…

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

To: post@degrassi.org
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 22:10:21 -0800
From: "Piper Summers" 
Cc: 
X-Sent-Mail: off
Reply-To: 
X-Mailer: MailCity Service
Subject: From PBS
X-Sender-Ip: 208.135.174.102

Hi fellow Degrassi followers, I'm a longtime reader, my first post..
I recently wrote to PBS online and they responded to me about a week later.
This is what they said *sorry, it's kinda long*:
>Thank you for writing to PBS. We appreciate receiving your e-mail, and
apologize for the delay in this response.
>PBS distributed both DEGRASSI JUNIOR HIGH (1987-1988) and DEGRASSI
HIGH(1989-1992).  The dramatic series >followed a cast of characters
through junior high and high school, focusing on topics of significance to
young people.  The series were produced by Playing >With Time and WGBH with
Taylor Productions, Inc.
>The following video collection is available from Facets Video by calling
800/331-6197:
>Degrassi Jr. High/High--Health Education Curriculum
>This frank but funny 70-part dramatic series reveals the joys,crises and
perplexities of the adolescent years and is targeted at middle through high
school students, their teachers, and their parents. 
>Set in a city neighborhood with families from mixed ethnic and economic
backgrounds,this award-winning drama series is designed to reflect
teenagers' own >lives through stories portraying the emotionally >charged
problems and tough decisions that conffront the Degrassi kids. Six-tape
series includes
Relationships, Date Abuse, Teen Pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, Alcoholism, and Sexual
Orientation. Also includesbackground information, lesson handouts and
>reading and resource lists.
More videos are supposed to be available from Direct >Cinema at:
>Direct Cinema Ltd.
>PO Box 10003
Santa Monica, CA  
>90410
Tel: 800/525-0000
>Because each station schedules its programming >independently, please
contact your local PBS member >station at: <www.pbs.org/stations/> for
>information on possible rebroadcasts.

I wrote my local PBS station & it was a dead end, they said no basically,
they wouldn't be showing it anymore..:(
Anyway, sorry again for the long post :) Good wishes to all of you,
Piper

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: "NATALIE J EARL" 
 To: <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: Have you noticed that 1980s pop culture is making a comeback?
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 22:37:36 -0000
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155


It seems like all the current music videos, fashions, movies, and pop
culture icons are heavily influenced by the 1980s. All these bands are
doing covers of 1980s songs (i.e. Walkin' On Sunshine, Come on Eileen,
Cruel Summer, etc.) Even Target is selling jelly bean sandals, crimping
irons and jelly bracelets. Then you got your 80's throwback movies like 200
Cigarettes, The Wedding Singer, Romy and Michelle. It's kinda cool, but
kinda sad that my generation is sooooo dated now. Anyway, something good
came out of all this 1980s nostalgia. I am able to find lots of tacky 1980s
fashions that I wore so shamelessly in 5th through 9th grade. Just today I
found two pairs of spider web nylons at Wet Seal that look exactly like the
ones Spike wore on "Crossed Wires" (on the clearance rack for $1). Then I
found some animal print scarves just like the ones Lucy wore. Now I am on
the look-out for the black clip-on suspenders that Liz and Claude wore.
However, I have to draw the line at acid washed jeans, bubble skirts, leg
warmers, and feather hair.

*Mark* Those were the days…I remember being in elementary school and
beginning of high school and seeing it all around me.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: AMFM88
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 15:25:47 EST
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: what is "fake" anyway???
X-Mailer: AOL 4.0.i for Windows 95 sub 43

trying to get a show to not appear "fake" means what???
is it unprofessional?  because i remember a while ago someone talking about
the little mistakes in degrassi, etc, and i dont think that problems that come
with lack of funding should make a show more "real".  when i decide to like a
show or not, i look at the characters and how they relate, if there is any
emotional depth to the dialogue etc.
i dont go around saying how pretty and nice looking they are, or if it is all
nicely lit because it was filmed in some studio somewhere.
i dont know about all this talk about how degrassi was sooo real.  i think it
did a good job of portraying 80s teens' lives, but if it were to be really
"real", it would have been much more boring.

and to dispute the things that make dawson SOOOO unlike degrassi:
the teacher thing is so over.  and i agree that was probably a stupid idea
(sorry to all those who think that this thing happens ALL the time), but
degrassi had some plot downfalls too.  and about having crushes on your
teachers, hell that happens all the time,  just look at lucy and the twins for
that english teacher!!
i think your comment about how the guy that joey like is gay... well SO WHAT?
i think that was just a bad point on your part.  and yeah they talk maturely,
and yes, they are probably not in grade ten (which i accept) but there are
some anomalies in degrassi too. like how no on really had money,  ok lucy was
middle class, but everyone else seemed to have problems.  i think that there
is a flaw.

ready or not was anti canadian.  that is my opinion.  and yeah they may have
used a few real locations, but you can see that much in any made for tv movie
filmed in toronto.  and come on, who in toronto, let alone ontario, let alone
canada says sixth grade???  that there turned me off!

i think true realism is the emotions between the characters, is it believable?
i think i see the same thing between caitlin and lucy as between that joey
chick and jen.  

and its not that i loooooove dawsons creek, but i really hated ready or not,
and that is why i contrasted them.  degrassi is always in my heart....

does anyone know if the girl who played kathleen went to western???
(university of western ontario?)  its just i saw her with a western sweatshirt
in a mall a while ago...

annie
*Mark* Rebecca Haines told me she went to McGill University in Montreal for
her B.A. in Sociology, then to York University in Toronto for her Masters.
University of Western Ontario is in London, Ontario (2 hours from Toronto)
I may be going there for my Masters Degree in September 1999 *
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 16:32:10 -0500
From: Gord Nash 
 X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01C-SYMPA  (Win95; U)
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Degrassi quote

In the episode "It Creeps" Shane also calls Spike "A, a, big dumb jerk"

Submitted by Gordon Nash Jr!
*Mark* Thanks for the quote!
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 12:34:56 -0500
From: Andrea & Cindy 
 Organization: IOF>>International Organization of Fun
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.06 [en] (Win95; I)
To: webmaster@degrassi.org
Subject: Andrew Sutcliffe

I am a university student who has been recently concerned with the lack
of critical thinking happening in my university.  It seems as though
people are only concerned about marks, and not questioning the things
they are learning.  Whether or not it is Andrew's point to think
critically or not, I think that he promotes this critical thinking I am
talking about.  I may indeed just be reading too much into things.  But,
the points he brings up allows one to actually think about the events
and their consequences on the show.  Most of the time we accept things
at their face value and never bother to think twice about what we saw.
Andrew brings points and arguments to mind that I may not have thought
of before.  I don't think Degrassi was just a grand old show to watch, I
think it was also to educate kids about issues that many of us ( living
in our tiny little boxes) would never have had to deal with.  So
anyways, my point is, although I don't have the time to always read Mr.
Sutcliffes gigantor posts, I do respect him for putting a little thought
into things.
I think that the best quote ever on Degrassi is this "You are all a
bunch of sheep!"  Said by Claude. Meaning (as far as I can see) that
everyone is a conformist, like sheep, thinking and acting the same way,
not willing to accept something a little different than the "norm".  I
think that if we question things, as Andrew has done, and accept them or
do not accept them as they are, we will become more informed, educated
and interesting people.  We too often accept what we originally see as
the truth, and leave it at that.

Andrea

^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
X-Originating-IP: [209.112.55.150]
From: "Wendy Furtenbacher" 
 To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Andrew Sutcliffe has way too much time on his hands
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 14:08:10 PST

I think Andrew Suttcliffe has waaaaaaaaaayy too much time on his hands, 
and I think just likes to see who he can offend every week.  I've not 
been offended by his opinions, as I don't care to read such long posts.  
Point being, if you don't like his opinions, don't be an audience for 
them.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
From: "piie" 
 To: <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: Stefan Brogren
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 18:39:40 -0400
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1155

Hello degrassi
my name is G. E. J.  I write from Chile south america
and my inglish is BAD....
if exist somebody that speak spanish ,please read this....
HELP!!!
yo soy estudiante universitaria tengo  21 años,estudio ingenieria en
informatica( computacion)
Desde que estoy pequeña he visto su serie y es muy buena ,pues me he
identificado con mas de un
episodio, ya que la vida adolescente no es facil, se podri decir que creci
al mismo tiempo que ustedes.

he de confesar que soy una FANS DE STEFAN BROGREN !!( Ilike his eyes)
y me gustaria escribirle , ya sea por mail o por correo normal ,lo unico
que quiero es alguna
respuesta de ël, y si no quieren o si no pueden les pido por
favor(PLEASE!!)
que no boten este papel y se lo entreguen . loagradecería mucho.

STEFAN BROGREN
your eyes are my heaven,your heands are my hearth , de verdad me gusta tu
papel en degressi.
a lo mejor es tonto par ti esto, pero soy una fans tuya   y creo que eso
merece respeto
mido 1.70 centimetros ,mi cabello es rojizo , y mi pile es blanca like
yours
if you can write me  te lo agradeceria mucho, verry mush

bueno creo que eso es todo
tank  you so much
PLEASE ANSWER ME !! respond   !!

G. E. J.

*Mark* Vivian, help me translate

Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 22:35:13 -0500 (EST)
From: Vivian Bejerman 
To: Degrassi Digest <mark@degrassi.org>
Subject: Vivian the translator to the rescue

Hi 
this is a 21 yr old girl who loves stefan bogren.  she described herself
physically, as well as saying that she studies computer engineering in
Chile.  She would like you to somehow forward this e-mail to him, and to
for sure not throw it out.
(no comment)
Vivian the translator
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

From: "Donnie Jackson" 
To: post@degrassi.org
Subject: Three kids from DeGrassi Street made it to the big time
Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 23:00:30 PST

Very few people know this but Rachel Blanchard of Carrie 2: The Rage and 
UPN's Clueless played Melanie on The Kids of Degrassi Street.  Christian 
Campbell, who played Todd on Degrassi High starred in Aaron Spelling's 
Malibu Shores and in the indie film Hairshirt. Anais Granofsky who 
played Lucy on Degrass High is a featured character on Le Femme Nikita.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 15:27:50 +1000
From: Yvette Poshoglian 
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.01 [en] (Win95; I)
To: Degrassi Digest <post@degrassi.org>
Subject: G'day

Dear Folks, 
I was just re-reading Melanie by Susin Nielsen the other day. The ingenuous
Melanie seems to be an oft-overlooked character in the digest! Just thought
I'd relay something sweet and perfectly Melanie, from the book. Melanie
writes in her journal: 

I read all the teen novels and magazines, and they all say junior high is
when life really begins. Parties, boys, dating, kissing, getting a hickey.
It's all out there waiting for me, Melanie Brody, hot-blooded and
passionate teen (well, almost teen). So watch out Degrassi Junior High,
cause here I come. 

And didn't she just! A lot of us girls related to Melanie!!! 
Cheers, Yvette 
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
 From: Michael Seyler
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 14:58:39 -0500 (EST)
To: mark@degrassi.org
Subject: HELP ME!!!

i have personally never seen the show degrassi jr. high, but one of my
favorite bands, skankin pickle did a song called "i'm in love with a
girl named spike" i have no idea what she looks like, and i would like
to see a picture of her, but i'm haing a hard time finding one. could
you please tell me where to find one or if one of the pics on your site
is of her, could you tell me which one it is. thank you for your time.  

cAio.
EVERYBODY knows that a burrow owl lives in a hole in the ground! why the
hell do you think they call it a "burrow owl" anyway?!?!?!

*Mark* check out http://www.degrassi-junior-high.org/Shrine/
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^
Degrassi World #41—Caitlin in the Big Apple!
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^

Caitlin wakes up in the morning, she feels shy and lonely in the big city
of New York.  She starts her first job at CBC as American Correspondent.
Her job is to report on behalf of the Canadian audience on American issues.
She just left last week in a hurry to try to find an apartment in New York.
 She was not used to the sky high rents, compared to her home in east end
Toronto, the little district called The Beaches.  She remembers paying as
little of $450.00 for a one bedroom in this hip area of the city, but now
her rent has sky-rocketted to $2000.00 dollars American for a small one
bedroom overlooking central park and museum mile on 5th Avenue.  She
remember her days at Carleton with Lucy, she was studying Journalism, and
Lucty was studying film.  She can remember coming home to Toronto on some
weekends, but now it was different.  Caitlin could not afford going home
all the time.  Her apartment was expensive, and luckily, she was sharing it
with a flight attendent named Sandy, who also had a similar job travelling
back and forth, working for CBC, but at the same time, living in New York.
She was lucky to have found a journalism job on television, because
television is the media job that pays the highest for journalists.  She
dreaded working on a newspaper for the rest of her life, as she would have
bad memories of her experience working for Nancy at the Degrassi Digest in
high school.  Her worst memory was when Nancy followed her to Carleton
University, to pursue her studies on medicine, and she also became school
president and newspaper editor.  She also became Prime Minister of Canada,
and although Caitlin admired her for being educated and scholarly, she
always was jealous of her.  She had everything, and Caitlin felt alone,
without anyone here.  Her friends were all in Toronto and none of them had
ever thought of making a life in the United States.  
Caitlin climbed into the shower and thought about her day ahead.  What will
she wear?  Will she have her office?  Will she get an e-mail address so she
can contact all her friends.  She only comes to Montreal once per month for
one week, so that makes the other roomate able to crash at her apartment
for the week.  Sandy was a flight attendent who was based in New York, but
she also lived in Japan, and Australia.  Caitlin did not know her very
well, but she saw an ad in the New York Times and she had to take the
apartment.  She worked at the CBC office at West 57th and 5th Avenue in
Manhatten.  It was only a short walk from her house, and she enjoyed
walking each morning through Central Park.  She often times walked and
bought hot nuts at the vendor and gave them to the squirrels while she
walked.  She made a couple of squirrel friends, but as the next week
approached, she thought she was quote pathetic making squirrels as friends.
 Every day at work was the same kind of routine.  She met her boss Hugh,
asked him what to report on, and she always was on the phone with the
Toronto office, asking them what to report on.  Her hours were steady, and
luckily she worked from 6am-9pm, three days per week, instead of working
from 12pm-2am, three days a week.  She would be scared to death walking
through Central Park at night.  She was happy that she had Thurs and
Fridays off,   so she can relax and see the city that she was living in.
She woke up today thinking it was time to visit the Empire State Building.
The building was 75 floors, and wit was $20.00 American to enter to the
tower.  She did not care, she had to think of herself as a tourist, so she
can get used to living in this strange city that never sleeps.  She went to
34th street and 5th avenue and walked inside the building.  The long
hallway depicted old photos of the building, like a walk through history.
She then went to a row of elevators and paid the fee, and went up to the
50th floor, she changed elevators again and went to the observation desk.
She enjoyed the observation deck, looking at her city, the city where she
felt like a visitor, yet she was hopeful that she would be more
comfortable.  She took a deep breath, and left the observation deck.  Her
cell phone rang at that moment, going down the elevator, and everyone
looked her way.  She answered the phone.  It was her boss in Toronto,
asking her to go to the station as soon as possible, as there was an
emergency.  She had to cover the 5 year anniversary of the millenium
disaster when Times Square blew up on Jan 1st, 2000.  She did not know why
it was such an emergency, but she knew that in her early days being a
Journalist, she knew that she had to cover unimportant stories.  It was
2005, and she did not think it was important for CBC to cover a 5 year
anniversary of Times Square to be blown up.  It was re-built and no one
ever brought it up again.  She did not think it was such a big deal.  She
went to work on the story.  She thought it would be fun to go to the main
building of the New York public library archives to do research.  She went
to 5th Avenue and 42nd street to do research in the archives.  She went to
the front desk and asked where the archives was.  The receptionist told her
to go to the basement, and please give her purse, and briefcase.  Caitlin
went to the archives and found the information she needed for her story.
After her research and spending $10.00 in photocopies, she filled out a
form to get reimbursed and then went on the tour to the New York Public
Library.  She toured the beautiful building,  knowing that there were 88
other New York Public Library locations to visit.  She felt even more
scared, knowing that this city is so big.  "I’ve got plans", declared
Caitlin to herself.  She knew that on her days off she would explore the
five boroughs, go to the Statue of Liberty, go through the sixty odd blocks
of Central Park, visit all the museums, and eventually get to see all those
libraries.  "I may as well make the best of this city.  Maybe I will meet a
friend on my journey." 
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
The Joey/Caitlin breakup continues—DD#61
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v