• Technology works, and we shout out to the live audience who joined us on Twitch
• Our cat is recuperating from surgery, and we’re recuperating from the Hugos. Makes him rather grumpy…
• Guess what made Pip and Tee grumpy
• It’s not the gloves from Ritual Motion

2:31 Let’s talk about the Hugo Awards

• The latest Worldcon was held in Pip’s hometown of Wellington, New Zealand, but the pandemic made it have to become virtual
• The Hugo are fan voted, and are not strangers to controversy
• Pip and Tee discuss that ‘golden age’ of science fiction
• George RR Martin was asked to be toastmaster
• Tee has been the MC at Pip’s brother’s wedding.
• The role requires you talk about the people who the event is for.
• The Hugo Awards were about the nominees, but GRRM didn’t get that memo
• He then proceeded to pine for the good ole days of John W Campbell, Heinlein, Asimov et al

• All of GRRM’s parts were pre-recorded
• Tee asks Pip how she feels as a New Zealander and a writer

• ConZealand was planned for many, many years
• Pip was angry, disappointed and mortified… New Zealand is better than this
• Even assuming GRRM was not sent pronunciation, that doesn’t let him off the hook
• Pip and Tee remain unsurprised at how his recordings went down

• The Hugo Awards have become more diverse but it has a history of being exclusionary
• Lots of inside jokes, name dropping… all of these things make sure there is an ‘us’ and ‘them’
• Making community means being welcoming
• Harking back to an age GRRM has nostalgia about, brings a lot of baggage
• Pip talks about the nature of fandom in New Zealand

• Fandom needs to think about how they empower people by ignoring their behavior
• The award winners were a diverse, world-wide group of people, but GRRM barely mentioned them
• The always popular apology-non-apology
• Pip dives into how women (especially of an older generation) are taught not to make a fuss in order to be part of the boy’s club

• New Zealand’s specific national psyche may have fed into this.
• Pip wonders what happened? Did they watch it? Were they afraid of GRRM?
• Tee reminds every writer, that this is a professional setting.
• Pip confirms New Zealand is massively passive aggressive
• There is a way to own it though
• But not just GRRM and the con organizers should own it.
• We need to be better… as fans and writers.
• The Hugo Awards are meant to celebrate about what is best during the last year
• Young authors need to feel that they can be in the space of the Hugos. This is a place for them.
• Hopefully good changes will come out of this.

If you have an event in 2021 and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us… 703.791.1701
[email protected]
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Show art by Candy Cane Studios
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leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
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Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.