Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who
- Publication: Green Bay Press-Gazette
- Date: 1987-06-21
- Author: Warren Gerds
- Page: 3
- Language: English
Here's hot news for Whovians: A Doctor Who is coming to Green Bay next month.
For the uninitiated, Whovians are fans of Doctor Who, a British science-fiction show seen at noon Sundays on Channel 38.
Doctor Who has viewers in 60 countries, so the appearance by a title character is a big deal for area Whovians.
I said "a" Doctor Who because there have been seven. For fans, that's part of the beauty of the 24-year-old series.
"He's kind of an alien, and he's kind of like a chameleon," says Lee Ann "Bergy" Brueggemann, a Whovian from Appleton. "When it gets to a point where he's going to die, he changes bodies."
In other words, another actor takes over and Doctor Who and the series live on.
"That's probably the mainstay, the life force," Brueggemann says. "The ability to change every once in a while gives the writers a whole new outlook."
Sylvester McCoy is the latest Doctor, but he is yet to be seen on the episodes shown in the United States. His visit will serve as a coming attraction.
As you would expect, Whovians are a different breed. They don't run in large numbers. Ratings for their show are small, even by public TV standards. But, boy, do they kick in with handsome sums at fund-raising time.
"We're really committed to the character and the show," Brueggemann says.
Wisconsin Public Television Network thinks they're so important that it's sponsoring The Doctor Who Celebration and Tour stop July 11 at Green Bay West High School.
McCoy will make two appearances — talking about the show, answering questions and signing autographs. Also on the program are screenings of four documentaries. Outside will be a 48-foot trailer displaying such things as monsters and villains from the series and the Doctor's time-traveling craft.
These activities will run from 1-9 p.m. Tickets are $7.50, available at WPNE-TV, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, Wis. 54301-6199.
Also, area Whovians are organizing a cricket match that will start around 9:30 a.m. in Fisk Park. Cricket is Doctor Who's favorite sport, naturally.
Bus trips are bring arranged in Eau Claire, Stevens Point, Wausau and La Crosse, so there could be quite a gathering of Whovians.
Helping run the event will be the Northeastern Wisconsin Friends of Doctor Who. Brueggemann is the editor of the club's newsletter, which is mailed monthly to between 200 to 300 people. Its address is 1015 Eldorado St., Appleton, Wis. 54911.
Club members also have get-togethers. Sometimes they play cricket, and around Halloween they have a masquerade party.
"We dress up like the different characters or the different monsters," Brueggemann says. "Sometimes you get some really interesting things because trying to replicate the Doctor Who monsters is kind of a feat. It's kind of fun to see what people come up with."
What's the attraction in the Doctor Who series?
For Brueggemann, science fiction is one important part.
"Also, I'm probably what you would call an Anglophile. I love British things, and Doctor Who is truly British. You could never produce Doctor Who in America or any other place.
"And it's got a humor to it, almost a Monty Pythonish humor at times. Mixed with the science fiction, that really gets it for me.
"Also, there's a lot of connections with history, even though the Doctor seems to go back and change history. But there are iota of historical stories, so some people get into it because of that."
She forgot to mention the old standby of being camp.
Caption: Sylvester McCoy He's latest Dr. Who
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Gerds, Warren (1987-06-21). Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who. Green Bay Press-Gazette p. 3.
- MLA 7th ed.: Gerds, Warren. "Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who." Green Bay Press-Gazette [add city] 1987-06-21, 3. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Gerds, Warren. "Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who." Green Bay Press-Gazette, edition, sec., 1987-06-21
- Turabian: Gerds, Warren. "Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who." Green Bay Press-Gazette, 1987-06-21, section, 3 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Who%27s_coming%3F_Why,_it%27s_Dr._Who | work=Green Bay Press-Gazette | pages=3 | date=1987-06-21 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 November 2024 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Who's coming? Why, it's Dr. Who | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Who%27s_coming%3F_Why,_it%27s_Dr._Who | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 November 2024}}</ref>
