#AND DESI WRITERS IN GENERAL

[daydreaming-en-pointe]

So I recently had a not-so-nice anon in my inbox asking why I write for desi readers when ‘barely anybody who is actually desi’ reads my works. I chose not to respond to their original ask because it has a few racist stereotypes, not to mention blatant insults.

First off, I’m sure that’s not true. I refuse to believe that on this enormous site with well over a million people there is not one desi who watched ATSV and fell in love with its characters, and wanted to see more of themselves in readers. I refuse to believe that because I know for a fact it’s not true; I’m moots with a few desi writers and let me tell you even if they don’t necessarily write fics targeted towards explicitly Indian readers, their works are still fantastic and yes, they read my desi fics. (vee silvia shoutout to u guys ily ❤️) And I’m sure that there are others, too. Maybe they don’t read my writing but I’m sure they’ve searched for a fic that has a protagonist that they can relate to, at least once.

That first part may not have made any sense but anyway — secondly, it is not my duty to have to write for everyone else. I can very well choose to write about my own culture and my own experiences if I want to. I write desi readers because in a way, ATSV helped me love my culture and my background. And now, I want to introduce other people to my experiences, and to my culture, because I think it’s beautiful. I personally LOVE reading fics with Latina (or any ethnicity at all) readers that highlight parts of their culture. I love reading about cultures that I previously wouldn’t know much about.

Anyway, to summarise this: fuck you anon I’m just gonna write more desi-centred fics 😊

[ik-kudi-da-khwab]

I hate that this generation takes the words ''I love you'' too casually and randomly. Say it only when you mean it. Say it only when u would travel seas for the person u say it to, leave the moh of others for them and give your life up for them.

If u say ''I love you'' to every other random person it wouldn't be special for the ones who u actually love. Im sure u like the person you tell ily to but only say it when you mean it cause those three words can mean your everything. So just don't throw 'I love you' around like its ''I adore you'' those are not the same things !!

[desifleabag]

Hello beautiful people out here!

I am Deepali. I am from Pune, Maharashtra. I am 21 years old (shaadi ki umar)

Desi fleabag? Because I relate the most with that specific character. Horny, messy, vulnerable, and crazy all the time but also considerate, expressive, and kind. I am a desi version of her.

🎀What I like? I like to dance, sing, journal, write poems and stories, and doom scroll all the time

📍Professional side of me

I did my bachelor's in philosophy. I have been working in an organization for quite a long time. I am a content writer. I am a writer/poet. I am an open mic performer. I have performed at esteemed platforms like tapeatale, poemsindia, kommune, and many more. I am a psychology and sociology student too. I am a co-facilitator and youth lead in different schools through my organization. I have worked on poetry anthology books.

The most important part of my life is being a poet or a writer. It's been a decade since I started writing, and professionally, it's been two years. My poetry and stories revolve around different and unique topics like mental health, family dynamics, feminism, societal norms and culture, romance, life intricacies, friendship, etc. I love being a poet and telling people stories about me and the world because I believe poetry is everywhere. I have a blog called Sip and Sofa Stories where I share the most wholesome blogs and fun-to-read stories.

Not much of a reader, but I like reading poetry by Sylvia Plath and more female writers.

💌 Movies and songs? I am a die-hard fan of Bollywood. I listen to 2000s Bollywood and retro songs. No one can challenge me the way I vibe on these songs and dance. My childhood is memorable because of Sunidhi Chauhan, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, RD Burman, Asha Bhosle, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Arijit Singh, and many more artists. I also listen to Kpop, pop, indie type of music on days when I am dissociating at the fullest. Hold my clutcher, I am a Swiftie and Lana Del Rey fan too, bitch.

I love Bollywood movies, and I am yet to discover more Western movies. I have a bunch of comfort movies like Ye Jawani Hai Dewaani, Piku, Om Shaanti Om, etc.

🪕 My aesthetic type? A combination of Geet and Piku and a little bit of Poo vibe sometimes. But I love desi clothes. Kurti, jhumkas, bindi, bangles, oh god I love being a woman.

Interesting facts about me :

🌸I have three tattoos on my body (Crescent moon, "you're on your own kid" title, "grateful"). I love getting tattoos!!

🥃Loneliness who? I go to bars, cafes, and parks alone because why not. I fear no god.

💛I never was in a relationship, just some hardcore crushes who crushed my soul.

❤️‍🩹I have been in therapy for almost three years and on and off on meds. GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) gang assemble!

😶‍🌫️I love and hate spending time on LinkedIn. Girl boss era.

💬I write poetry about my crushes and defame my ex-friends. They know it very well! Lol.

I am a hopeless romantic and a professional delusional person. I will cook the best scenarios in my head and write about them. I romanticize life on another level though there are 156 rupees in my bank account by going to aesthetic cafes.

:¨ ·.· ¨:

`· . ୨୧⭒๋࣭ ⭑ 𝛢𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝘰'𝑠 𝑔𝘰𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝘵ℎ��� 𝑏𝑟𝘰𝑤𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠,𝑊ℎ𝘰'𝑠 𝑔𝘰𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑝𝑒 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝘵ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝘵𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠? ⊹ ‧₊˚

🖇To connect with me

𖹭 kavitavali.deepali to read my poems and stories on instagram

𖹭 sip and sofa stories blog. I write monthly blogs

Thankyou for reading my long ass introduction! Flying kiss tumhai💋

[mamayan]

Shiggy’s #1 stan

Genya’s Mistress

Pathetic men appreciator ♡

Requests closed, I’m teaching myself Chemistry this term.

23 ★ Married ★ Writer ★ Village Fool

Switch Multi Fandom Dark Blog!

I do x reader requests only, but I will occasionally write for my favorite ships. Thirsts welcome ♡

Be polite or I won’t be ★

Post dividers are created by @cafekitsune & @benkeibear Check their blogs out!

500+ Followers Event Masterlist!

Secret Santa 2023 Event: Yandere Dabi x Fem! Darling (NSFW)

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Writing blogs I recommend ♡

@desi-the-blue-eyed-kakushi @peachdues @crimsonkenjii-writes @meowzfordayz @flametrashira @ectologia @whatthefucksatan @sunandflame @krystalwithakay @mostlyheinous @yanderenightmare @ikatella @bat-eclecticwolfbouquet-love @depravitycentral @hunajan @giyuuzas @esotericorbs @mysicklove @ghost-1-y @starrierknight

[ramblingsfromthytruly]

hiii ⸜( ˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

name: mithi - not really, just family nickname

she/her

16 years old

ethnically & ancestrally indian (live in karnataka)

technically american (born in michigan)

lesbian

questioning demi/gray-aromantic

11th grader in cbse science stream (subjects: physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, english)

intj

mostly post & reblog stuff related to marauders, lgbtq+, literature, feminism, girlhood, desi culture, mental health & other general stuff & a couple other fandoms (pls stick by if i seem ur cup of tea)

dni: sexists, homophobes, racists, transphobes, ableists, anti-choice-ers, anti-palestine supporters, any bigots really

rules: don't be any of the above mentioned, don't be creepy, don't send sexual stuff for the love of god i'm a minor!

fun fact!: i was born exactly at 11:11 p.m.

studyblr sideblog: @academicgremlinhehe to keep my procrastination in check

mental health/vent/ranting sideblog: @thyhonesteheorte cuz i'm too scared to be especially depressing on main

libra sun, gemini moon, cancer rising

mental: unstable, go through depressive phases, gritted-tooth optimist, mayhaps depressed & have ocd (but prolly just another lazy kid wrongly self-diagnosing)

physical: brown skin, black hair, v dark brown eyes, 5'6/168cm, glasses-wearing girlie

feel free to check me out on :

blog - like an actual site, not this beauty chaos

ao3 - solely marauders content

that odd melancholy feeling - current ongoing marylily fic on ao3

wattpad - same content as ao3

that odd melancholy feeling - on wattpad

life goals :

become an academic weapon once again - summoning pre 9th grade me

plan a - iiser bs-ms course with major in biology & minor in humanities; plan b - bsc psychology/biotechnology + masters neuropsychology/neuroscience/astronomy/evolutionary biology abroad

phd astrobiology/neuroscience/neuropsychology/evolutionary biology abroad

multiple degrees?? yes pls to being disgustingly over-educated

work in research + part time writer

independence

travel the world

peace

tagging system! :

#mithi's own - all original posts

#she communicates oh my! - answering asks, communicating with other users, tag games

#poetic lil mithi - original poetry

#mithi's marauders - all posts relating to my marauders fanfiction

#wishful necromancy - all posts relating to the marauders fandom hehe get it?

#slightly less beloveds - posts about fandoms apart from the marauders

#musings from thy truly - journal extracts, vents, stuff that should be in my journal but i was too lazy to write with my hand, shit posts, life updates, literally anything that isn't studying or poetry or fandom-related

#mithistudies - studyblr posts made until 10th october 2024

current read! : jane eyre, a curse for true love

current watch! : dickinson, lord of the rings: rings of power

current obsessions! : hurt/comfort wolfstar fics, cheese, dreaming of an academic comeback, blasting dramatic music

hobbies! : sketching, chess, photography, writing (poetry, lyrics, fanfic, novel, etc), recording vlogs, crafts, listening to music, reading, watching movies & shows, piano, and many many more!!

music! : gracie abrams, lorde, olivia rodrigo, chappell roan, cavetown, clairo, hozier, phoebe bridgers, mckenna grace, conan gray, chloe ament, mitski, tv girl, beach bunny, girl in red, lana del rey, wallows, alex g, florence + the machine, boygenius, and many many more!!

books! : solitaire, heartstopper, pjo, hoo, toa, soc, p&p, wuthering heights, jane eyre, great gatsby, sherlock holmes, agggtm, and many many more!!

shows! : heartstopper, atypical, lotr: rings of power, pjo, young royals, dickinson, sherlock, s&b, and many many more!!

movies! : lady bird, p&p (2005), the perks of being a wallflower, dating amber, little women (2019), lotr & hobbit trilogies, thg, dead poets society, and many many more!!

followers: 287

last updated: 19th november 2024

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Aita for never making white ttrpg characters?

Title is a little weird, but I play a lot of ttrpgs with friends. I (M19) am white, so is all but one girl in our ttrpg group (F23), she’s Puerto Rican.

Anyways, all the games we play are rpgs based in the real world, whether they be urban fantasy or horror, they’re never in fantasy worlds. I like to explore different cultures, researching them and designing accurate characters for these games. I made a Bangladeshi girl for a MASKS: New Generations game who wanted to be the first desi superhero in America and was attending a superhero boarding school in upstate New York, I made half Iraqi/half Black boy in a homebrew power by the apocalypse game who was raised by his Chinese step-mother and was adopted into a giant extended family that took place in Brooklyn NYC, I made a black camp counselor for a Sleepaway oneshot, and I made a Mexican/Cajun boy for a Monsterhearts game taking place in south Louisiana.

For every character, I took my time and did days of research into backgrounds, cultures, and potential sensitivity issues. The last thing I want is to misrepresent a culture. The Puerto Rican girl in our group, let’s call her “Mary”, has never had a problem with my characters, but I’ve gotten comments from other players that it’s weird that I never play any white characters. I’ve made a white character twice; one for a Ten Candles game who was a 50 year old vet (and I miss him everyday, easily one of my favorite one-off characters because of his intense hatred of the Dallas Cowboys), and one for a homebrew 80’s slasher game who somehow because the first jock to be a final girl (He was too pure for this world, can’t wait to play his reincarnation in an ALENS game)

Our forever GM hasn’t ever had an issue with my characters, she even brings a giant variety of NPCs from all over to her games and makes the whole experience so much fun. The few times she’s made characters, they’ve always had great chemistry with mine and I’ve always had a good time

But, even with Mary’s and the GM’s approval, I still feel off about the comments of the other players. I love my characters, and the research I do for them helps me as a writer as that’s my profession atm. It seems like every time I propose a new character who isn’t white, I get asked “so what part of the world are they from now?” or “aren’t you German? Are you scared of doing a German character?” or other questions like that

I don’t play ttrpgs to insert myself into different fantasies, I play ttrpgs to explore new characters and new settings through different experiences. I don’t want to be labeled racist, but I understand if I’m coming off that way. If I’m voted the asshole, I’ll reflect and learn why. Commenters, deffo tell me how I can be better.

Anyways, AITA?

TL:DR, I’m white, I make primarily POC characters in ttrpgs, my group is annoyed and makes passive aggressive comments each time I do so. Aita for not making more white characters?

🔮

to find this later ^^^

What are these acronyms?

[lees-chaotic-brain]

any Gojo fic recommendations that have a different plot and concept than the general ones available ?

i'm not exactly positive what the general plots and concepts are, but here are a few of my personal writers and fics.

@ponderingmoonlight

If you're looking for diverse reader representation, or fics in a variety of genres, this is the way to go. On top of that, her plots are all wildly different and entertaining, so I'm sure you'll find something to your liking :)

@sitarawrites

Badass desi reader. That's it. That's all I'm going to say.

@irisintheafterglow

Her Gojo fics are always on point, so I highly recommend checking them out!

@romantichomicide95

Bee's fics are great if you're looking for fluff or smut!

Snapshots by @stsgluver-archive

This was so good, the idea was amazing and I loved watching the first years react to the videos

Intrinsic Warmth by @thatdesklamp

You can blame @mitsies for this one. Go read it. Read it now. It's on AO3.

[someonewhogotanaccount]

It's intro post time!

Hi! I'm KitCat!

~The end~

Okay okay maybe you need a little bit more.

As I already said, I'm KitCat, master procatsinator and moving catastrophe, nice to meet you. (Though, everybody calls me KitKat, Kit or Chocosy, which is perfectly fine as well as any other name you want to give me ;)

I'm a minor, so all the creeps please leave now. My motto in life is "live and let live", so if you're here to hurt somebody, please leave too. Thank you :).

The typical things (that I actually forgot when I first posted this): I'm a straight white European Christian girl (teenager) and therefore probably the person with the most boring background, according to Tumblr ;).

I have two "adopted daughters": 1. My Killercat and tuna-demanding master Pauline 2. ";)", the bracket face (she can adapt any form of bracket face if she wants to, but the winking one is her favourite)

Some random facts about me: - my favourite colour is something between purple and dark blue - I have no clue how to write the word color/colour - I'm a German and from Germany (obviously) - I have no clue about the 'typical German culture', since my family was in Poland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Russia for around three hundred years and only came back to Germany 30 years ago or so - I love brackets and bracket faces - I have no clue about aesthetics - I consider myself a writer - I have no clue how to continue my stories - I love cats (who would have guessed that) - I have no clue how to make an intro post - I have a stupid sense humour - I have no clue in general but I'm trying :)

You can consider me as: Your silly Tumblr neighborhood KitCat and founder of the hug-ducks ;).

Do I take Tumblr serious? No. I'm that one friend that will be hyperactive the one day and then just dissappear for the next three weeks without a word. But if you ever need me, my inbox is always open. Vent as much as you want to, I'll try to comfort you.

Random stuff: I often misunderstand stuff, so if I'm acting weird, there is a 1/3 chance that I misunderstood you, a 1/3 chance I wanted to make a silly joke and you misunderstood me, and a 1/3 chance that I'm just weird ;). I'm a "Very vibey" (@mushroomcarrotstick) person, btw. @hijabi-desi-bookworm told me once I was "literally one of the best and ~vibest~ people" she knows. Do with that whatever you want, but my name is KitCat Chaos Vibey Clueless Badass Silly for a reason. Oh and if ANYBODY tells you that I'm cute, they are liars. All lies. I'm a pure badass and never ever search after the leta vs. kitkat war. It's better to let the past behind us and move on.

Sooooo, what else can I write here? Hmmm.... AH! MY MOOTS! I FORGOT MY MOOTS!!!

How do I do this now... you know what? I'll just make a list of the moots and then put the link here.

What else? Fandoms, maybe? (current obsession right on the top) - Worm (Parahumans) - Renegades - Claim the Stars (still waiting for the second book) - pjo, hoo, toa - The Inheritance Games (currently reading the second book) - tpq - kotlc - Warrior Cats (don't make fun of me. These books are my childhood and I will read them until I die) - Shadow League (never read the fourth book as it wasn't translated)

Also I enjoy listening music by Imagine Dragons :).

Yeah well, that's it, I suppose. I have an ao3 account as well, but that's only Renegades fanfiction so far. If you want the link just ask or smth.

Since everybody does this, I'll drop an "aesthetic picture" that should give the same vibes as my blog:

(source for the chaotic arson cat ;)

[catpriciousmarjara]

Pavitr Prabhakar: The Design

Pavitr Prabhakar my beloved!

I love him. I absolutely love Pavitr and everything about him. And the best thing about him, other than his everything, is his design. So let's get to it!

PART 1: THE MASK

He was so cool and such a total sunshine but the most striking aspect was the immaculate design. Huge upgrade on his old model which was pretty much just a normal spider-suit with a white dhoti, which, not gonna lie, was just disappointing and underwhelming. But they went off on Pavitr's design in the movie and everyone's talking about it so let's also talk about it.

First of all,

LOOK AT MY BOY!!!

Just look at that design! So cool! So awesome! And so so Desi!!!

Its these desi aspects that I want to shed light on cos I know there are non-Indian fans who didn't catch a lot of the nuances cos they're not familiar enough with Indian culture and even Indian fans who didn't know about some details cos they aren't from the areas the inspiration for these elements were drawn from.

Mainly I hope to help artists and writers with this, so they have more information to create with, as well as the casual fans so they have more info and can immerse themselves better as well as appreciate just how much effort went into making this spectacular movie.

This might be a long post with me just rambling away so braze yourself people.

So lets get into it.

{WARNING: Infodump incoming}

First, lets start with the Mask

So here we have two different angles of his mask. The most prominent features of his mask are his eyes. There is a multi-layer outline for them in black, blue, red, and white, which of course are the classic spiderman colours but never quite used like this. Usually there is only a single outline in shades of, or adjacent colours of black, red, or white.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a 100% sure of this being actually the inspo behind the eyes. I'm pretty sure though, like 80%. So this has not been confirmed.)

The design for his eyes reminded me of one specific thing:

Koodiyattam, which is a 2000 year old ancient temple artform from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Koodiyattam is not just the only surviving Sanskrit theatre in the world, but it also includes elements of koothu, from the Sangam era, the golden age of Tamizh culture, and thus was declared by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Below is a picture of a Koodiyattam performer.

Instantly you'll realize that this is a costume drama, with extensive makeup, and complicated dress, especially with regards to the headgear, and is overall similar to the Beijing opera, not in terms of make or design or performance, but rather in elaborateness of ensemble. Japanese art forms like Noh or Kabuki could also come to mind along with certain Balinese dances.

Here is another photo which will give you a better look.

Notice the layered eye makeup in black, red, and white.

Here we have a closeup of a different performer where you can see it even more clearly.

The first time I saw Pavitr's eyes on screen, this is what immediately came to my mind as someone interested in traditional theaters of all kinds. Notice that Koodiyattam extensively uses reds and blacks, along with whites, which is also the colour palette that most spiderpeople choose, which is a cool coincidence. Blue is not that heavily used unlike the others however, but you can see it more in some costumes but generally not in makeup.

If we're talking less of what it reminded me of and more in terms of what the actual inspiration for the eye design probably was, it was most likely Kathakali, Koodiyattam's much younger, more well known, and very popular relative.

As you can see, Kathakali took its cues for costuming from Koodiyattam. (Actually it took its costuming cues from earlier art forms called Krishnattam, and Ramanattam, but they took it from Koodiyattam so it works.)

Again you can see the layered eye makeup, most prominently in black. (Cool fact, the costume and makeup changes according to the characters being portrayed on stage.)

Below is a picture of a Kathakali character with more elaborate eye makeup.

(I know a lot of you might think its the same makeup as Koodiyattam but I promise you its not. Inspired yes, same no.)

Because of the elaborate makeup and costume, expression can be a challenge so the art forms make maximum use of exaggerated body movements, hand signs, dance, lyrics etc. But the crowning element of acting in Koodiyattam and Kathakali are the eye techniques and how much simple eye movements can convey to the audience, which if you think about it, is also the case for spider-people. They're the most expressive superheroes in any medium, but they're fully covered so a lot of their expressiveness, both in comics and animation is conveyed through the shape of the eyes, body language, and speech. Another cool coincidence.

Below is a link to a short video which gives an brief overview of Kathakali and the importance of eyes in its performance.

This second link is a closeup of the eye movements of a female Kathakali character (women characters are called 'Minukku'). It shows how these highly trained artists can even move their eyes according to music. I have been told this can be uncomfortable to watch for some people so here's a warning for those who find eyeballs discomfiting.

And finally this one right here is a link to a short video on Koodiyattam.

{All three of these links are mainly aimed at people who find this sort of stuff interesting and want to check them out so if you're not, you can scroll past it, no big deal!}

(Oh man this is getting way too long and more like me gushing about traditional theatre than spiderman. Sorry about that.)

Now lets get back to our boy Pavitr. The second most noticeable feature of his mask is the curved, white line underneath his eyes, which gives off the impression of tusks. The first two pictures on this post already show the lines quite clearly but I'll attach one more angle.

Something that immediately came to mind when I saw them was Theyyam but I wasn't sure until I saw this post.

This was the same account that talked about how Pavitr's movements are inspired from Kalaripayattu so I was inclined to trust this. And after this one of the animators did confirm this so I was right on the money.

What exactly is Theyyam?

It is an ancient Hindu folk ritual practiced in northern Kerala, predominantly in the North Malabar region. Its origins can be traced back to the neolithic and chalcolithic eras. And unlike Koodiyattam and Kathakali which are associated with temples and the Koothambalam(temple theatre where temple artforms are performed), Theyyam is performed in the open air in Kaavu, the sacred groves of Kerala. The Theyyam performers become channels and vessels for the gods. Connect this to the 'Great Weaver'/ 'Master Weaver' who gave Pavitr his powers.

(Btw, these sacred groves are also ecological treasure troves and one of the ancient ways of nature preservation and they're really cool so check them out if you can.)

Below are two images of different Theyyams.

[Puliyoor Kali Theyyam]

[Porrkali Theyyam]

See that on the cheeks? It resembles Pavitr's design closely right? While Pavitr's are drawn on his mask, these are singular metallic pieces, bound or clutched in the mouth to evoke the imagery and impression of tusks.

Theyyam is not alone in this particular imagery. A variety of folk arts use this, especially animism and folk rituals to show animal physical characteristics, as well as supernatural powers and elements.

For example, below is an image of Thirayttam, a ritual folk practice from the South Malabar region of Kerala. You can see the tusks here too. (Its not that clear, sorry about that.)

{Reminder: A lot of people think of Theyyam and Thirayattam as the same thing. While there are many similarities, with both being from the Malabar region, they are different practices. Theyyam is also called Tiṟa, and this is the main cause of the confusion but its not Thirayattam.}

Another example is Kalamezhuthu pattu, another religious folk art from Kerala. Mainly associated with the worship of the goddess Badhrakali, it is a sacred floor art done with powder and the result is called a Kalam. Below is a picture of a Kalam.

See those tusks? Yeah.

So they represent divinity, animal characteristics, inhuman powers etc.

[Interesting Info: Drawing Kalams are an integral part of Mudiyettu, a traditional ritual theatre and folk dance drama from Central Kerala. It is inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. So do check it out if you're interested.]

{Oh my god I'm going off topic again. Come back bitch.}

To conclude, those lines are inspired by Theyyam markings, and stand for tusks and fangs, and as a spiderperson, who has the powers of a spider, gifted by some spiritual channel, its really apt that he was given such a design.

Next, lets talk about the lower half of Pavitr's mask.

See those delicate red webs underneath the eyes?

This also reminded me of Theyyam. Its overshadowed by the more vibrant aspects of the costume, but a Theyyam's face has these intricate red patterns as well.

(Look at those eyes, reminds you of Pavitr's eye design right?)

And as you can see in this next image, after the headgear is put on, the designs mainly concentrate on the lower half of the face, much like Pavitr's mask.

I admit I might be stretching this as web designs on the mask is a spiderman thing in general but I think I'm the pretty much on the dot on this one, and most likely its a combination of both.

[A 100% sure about that tusk thing though :)]

Also sometimes Theyyams would have these metallic eye coverings.

[Muchilot Baghavati Theyyam]

A closer look.

This is just my opinion but those silver eye masks kind of reminded me of the classic Spiderman eyes. Single colour, pupil-less, black outline, no idea how they see out of it etc. This one in particular reminded me of the classic spiderman especially with the eyes outlined in black like that.

Overall, the tusks, plus the thin web design on the mask, and the eyes, the spiderman red colour palette, they all evoked the image of Theyyam for me when I first saw Pavitr on screen.

{There is a very similar art form to Theyyam called Bhootakola in the coastal region of Karnataka, another southern Indian state. Those curious about Theyyam can check out the Kannada movie Kantara which deals with Bhootakola and you'll get an idea about Theyyam as well. The movie is awesome by the way. Watch it if you can.)

(This is getting way too long and image heavy. And I'm also going off tangent too much. Gotta wrap this up!)

Finally lets talk the last aspect of Pavitr's mask. This might actually be the feature that most of the non-Indian audience identified as Indian without anyone pointing it out.

I'm talking about the white, diamond shaped marking on Pavitr's forehead.

This decorative marking, bindi/pottu/tilaku, might actually be the most recognizable aspect of Indian culture across the world.

If you scroll back to all the previous images I provided, you can see some variation of this in all of them, either drawn on, or as an ornament. While there are some cultural differences in how they're worn, like women in southern India wearing them in all stage of life while their northern counterparts wear them only after marriage(I could be wrong about this, as I've seen children wearing them often, and things could've changed in modern times so please do correct me if I'm wrong), its one of the most common motifs you'll see across the country.

It can be a simple, round mark.

It can be ornamented.

It can be a different shape altogether.

(From the musical sequence 'Pinga' in the Hindi film Bajirao Mastani)

A different colour.

You get the idea.

Men can wear it as well. though styles and decoration maybe different.

(From the Tamizh film Ponniyin Selvan 1)

A more modern version.

Geography wise, the bindi/pottu/tilak is predominantly seen in India, but its also found in other countries of the Indian subcontinent and neighbouring nations, as well as South-East Asia(as they were both part of the ancient Indosphere and had a past of Hindu Kingdoms. See: Srivijaya(Sriwijaya) empire, Indonesia).

Similar forehead markings were even common in China in the past. Those who have seen wuxia and xianxia dramas and movies definitely have seen them before and know what I'm talking about. (Huadian 花鈿)

Religion wise, its predominantly a Hindu motif, but its also part of Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, as well as several other indigenous religions.

{I've actually seen several Indian Christians and Muslims wear it as well, because its their culture, even if its not their religion.}

EDIT: Gaaaaah! I forgot to include this even though I'd intended to from the beginning.

This is not about the mask but some of the prototype designs for Pavitr so I thought I'll just talk about them a bit here.

Again I can't believe all the effort that went into making this movie. Just look at those designs. Absolutely stellar and inspired. The colour palette itself is amazing.

Honestly everyone else just has no excuse anymore.

[I'll focus on the theatre aspect like I've been doing and talk about the architecture bit sometime else.]

This one is obviously the Theyyam inspired one.

(Look at the eyes of 4 and 3, you can see they're inspired by the silver eye-mask I mentioned before. Also the headband is silver and looks similar to the bands securing a theyyam's headgear in place.)

A lot more Theyyam elements than what made it to the final cut. Especially the jewellery and the sharp-eyed among you must've already noticed the similarity between the necklaces of the design and the necklaces of the theyyams whose images I provided. The bangles and the anklets are also very distinctively Theyyam and they're called Katakam and Chutakam respectively but the final design seems to have made the bangles gold and more bracelet-like, and the anklets more like ankle-cuffs.

(I so badly wish the necklace stayed in but yeah that could've hindered movement.)

Now lets come to the Yakshagana inspired one.

(Notice how the shape of the eyes have changed? And the colour palette took a turn? A lot more gold coming in.)

Yakshagana is a form of traditional theatre originating in modern day Karnataka state of India, and currently practiced in both Karnataka and Kerala. It is primarily an art form from the coastal Karnataka region and the neighbouring Kasargod district of Kerala.

Below is a link to more information on Yakshagana so you can take a look at the costuming and see the influences in the above prototype more clearly.

(I'm not gonna go into detail about all the design choices in the Yakshagana prototype, maybe in another post.)

Now lets come to the final prototype.

(Again the colour palette has shifted, a lot more greens and blues. I do believe that 8 is koothu and not Yakshagana even though it was included in the image above. I say that because of all the white in the design which is very distinctive of a kind of koothu as far as I'm aware.)

I actually already mentioned koothu once before in this post when I was talking about Koodiyattam in the very beginning. So lets go back to it.

Koothu is a folk theatre art that originated in early Tamizh country(Tamizhakam), and broadly speaking, its of two types, Terrukuttu, and Kattaikkuttu. It reached its peak in the golden age of Tamizh culture, the Sangam era and it mainly depicts scene from the epics. Currently types of Koothu are practiced in modern day Tamil Nadu and Kerala(Kerala was once part of ancient Tamizhakam).

Below is a link that will give you more info and an image of the costume with makeup similar to 6.

And this one is a link to a particular kind of koothu in Kerala known as Chakyar Koothu cos all the white on the make of prototype version 8 reminded me of it. (Also Chakyar Koothu is a form of social satire and criticism, it was basically ancient Stand-up comedy and the Chakyar is supposed to be really witty, which fits Spiderman to a T I gotta say.)

Again I'm not gonna go into further details and nuances of the design as this is a prototype design, maybe some other time. But I have to say that this colour palette does make Pavitr a lot more spideresque or evoke a more primal spider energy cos how it connects the viewer to jungle like and more animalistic environments more than the other designs.

And that's it for the mask and the prototypes everybody! Yay!

Holy shit that was long!

I'm gonna stop here for now cos this is already way too much. Can't believe I thought I'd be able to look through the entirety of Pavitr's design in one post. What was I on?

Seriously what kind of drug?

Anyway I'll be making a part 2 for this, looking through Pavitr's clothes and and movements and all. I say Part 2 but considering what happened with the mask I'm pretty sure it might go up to Part 3 or 4. Here's to hoping I learn some moderation by then lol.

(All the images are from google images and I have taken and have credit for exactly none of them. The verbiage is mine completely though.)

[scarlet--wiccan]

Not completely sure how to word this and sorry about it being so long, but do you think a good way of making it make sense that Billy & Tommy are not white but were born to and raised in white families with no concerns about adoption or affairs or anything that both of their families assumed that what’d happened was something like what’d happened with Liam in Shameless US? If you’ve never watched that show, basically Liam was born to Frank and Monica, two white parents, while looking fully black and being played by a fully black actor, and basically they explained how this was possible in-universe by saying that Frank had one black grandfather, and somehow because of that, Liam turned out to look fully black, so basically my idea is that Billy’s & Tommy’s parents each had like one Desi or Romani close ancestor, and they just assumed that they turned out to be brown because of them.

I want to clear up a couple things here-- first of all, Romani people are not desi. The diaspora originated in what is now India and Pakistan, but we are not interchangeable with modern-day Indian or Pakistani natives. Second, that Shameless storyline is weird as hell to me, on several levels, and I would advise you to never compare it to real-- or fictional, for that matter-- mixed-race people or families. I come from a mixed background, and I will admit, genetics are crazy, and you'd be surprised the way features can skip a generation. But casually and retroactively making an entire family of white characters, played by white actors, part Black for laughs is not what I'd call authentic representation.

I actually answered a very similar question a while back, and you can read that here. I recognize that acknowledging Billy and Tommy's heritage and/or depicting them as people of color creates a weird discrepancy, and there's no perfect solution to that. I think if Wanda had been drawn or more commonly recognized as a woman of color back when Young Avengers was written, we probably wouldn't have this problem-- most writers, I hope, would not choose to magically turn characters of color, even babies, into white people.

I do actually think that giving the Kaplan and Shepherd families mixed Romani and Jewish heritage is the easiest solution, but not if you're going to frame it the way Shameless did. I also think it's actually important that Billy and Tommy were not fully aware of this heritage growing up, or that they each arrive at different parts of their identities differently, because that is a real experience within diaspora. Having that experience represented within this family adds to the diversity of the story.

As far as character design goes-- if you assume that their parents are white-presenting, it might be more realistic for the twins to be somewhat lighter or more ambiguous in appearance than Wanda, just to diminish the obvious questions. But these are also magical cartoon characters, and Wanda's canon design is not that dark in the first place. It should be pretty easy to suspend disbelief, especially when we don't see the Kaplans more than once a decade. I've been using edits and recolors to make my point about representation for years, but at the end of the day, I think the look is a lot less important than understanding Roma identity and the historical context these characters exist in.

Additionally, I think that Billy and Tommy's unique situation makes the most sense if you view it as a metaphor for transracial adoption. It doesn't answer the practical questions about their birth or looks, but it is a real experience that maps very closely onto these characters and their identities. For Romani people, in particular, this is a very sensitive part of our history that ties into where the Maximoffs come from and what they've been through. Exploring that experience, even through allegory, adds a lot of depth to the representation these characters provide.

[innocentlymacabre]

NOW THEY CALL ME THE PLAGUE ⤳ writeblr garden's pumpkin pitch event

As the fright death sweeps the land, leaving a trail of lifeless sacrifices, a Dream desperately claws their way back to the Dreaming, having spent eternity trapped in the conscious realm. Rattled by the victims being left permanently contorted in fear, Trance is on the hunt for an escape more feverously than ever. They stumble across a ship otherwise concealed from prying eyes that sails across the tumultuous currents of Nightmares, and along with Eda, sets sail on adventures of multiple lifetimes, unwittingly getting themselves irreversibly entwined with fates and forces far beyond their comprehension. Now They Call me the Plague is gothic historical fiction set against the backdrop of the golden age of piracy. All that remains to be seen is how many more will fall at the altar of an unforgiving death.

COMPARISONS: Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Sandman wrapped up in Our Flag Means Death

TROPES/THEMES: Lots of tasty found family: literal ride or dies multiple times over, animal best friends, choosing them over the world over and over again, unwavering and unquestioning faith.

We also take a turn for the more serious and explore the intricate relationships we tend to develop with trauma and its pervasive, lasting effects.

Now They Call Me the Plague sits comfortably in a queernormative world, as with most of my stories. All characters are bi/pan/polysexual by default, with the only exception being Dee, who's aroace. Trance uses he/they and Dee uses she/they too.

Trance is also very clearly neurodivergent-coded.

WARNINGS: substance (ab)use, alcohol, sexual activity (implied), swearing (moderate to heavy), mental health issues, death None of these warnings are applicable to the excerpt below.

LINKS: WIP tag (x) | Ko-fi 💜☕ (x) | Writer newsletter (x)

EXCERPT: They say time slows down when you’re in the eye of the storm. When you’re seconds away from making a decision that could change your entire life in one fell swoop, the world starts to move more slowly around you, and you begin to see every tiny detail with previously unimagined clarity. Or maybe you start to move faster, whizzing around at speeds high enough to give you the time to stop and overturn each stone – either way, the world presents itself to you in the most convenient way it can; a quiet act of compassion, allowing you the luxury of altering the course of your life with conviction.

Shrouded in the darkness of the near-blackened room, I realise that might have been true at some point. It would stand to reason that it would have. Neither are presently true. When you’ve wade through the currents of time for as long as I have, time always drags around you, and you always drag through time. You’re always moving slower than everyone else, as if reality itself recognises that you’ve been around for far longer than you ought to have.

general taglist (ask to be added/removed!): @caspersgraveyard @zephsthings @mrunmione @vishuv @cloudofbutterflies @ozziesdisco @jacquesfindswritingandadvice @whimsy-of-the-stars @at-thezenith @desi-yearning @orgasming-caterpillar @rodentwrites @imnotcalledbutsummoned @athenswrites

[good-beanswrites]

Hello!! I really love your writing! I like the way you write interactions between characters and how well you maintain their personalities! Sometimes, after I read these, I need to take a few moments to realize that they are not actually canon. (For me, they still are <3).

If it's not a bother, I would like to request Compliment + Yuno and any other character that you think will fit well!

Because of Yuno's past work, I always thought that the compliments her clients would give didn't truly mean much to her. At first, maybe these words gave her some warmth, but with time, she realized that these words were nothing more than superficial. And I think it would be nice to see Yuno actually being happy with the sincerity of a compliment addressed to her!

Thank you!! 

Hi hello?? This is like the greatest compliment a writer could dream of thank you??? I have been very normal about this ;__;✨ And thank you for the request, I absolutely love that concept -- it's perfect for Yuno! I think between being so used to shallow/physical compliments combined with the fact that she has a lot of self-love already, a new type of compliment could really affect her. I debated on a few characters, but ended up setting this late T1 with Kotoko

Yuno was always complimented on her smile. It was beautiful, she was told. It was pure. Sweet. Innocent. Her lipstick looked nice. Her lips in general looked nice. She was just so… nice. Yuno was glad to have such a bright smile; it hid how much she was wanted to pick up the cards from her solitaire game and throw them as hard as she could at Shidou's face.

“Don’t worry, when you get to be my age, you’ll understand,” he was saying. “But I do love your optimism…”

She stretched that smile as far as it would reach. Shidou kept talking as he stood to leave, and she answered as politely and simply as possible. Once out of sight, she allowed herself a single, dramatic eyeroll. Everyone older than her thought they knew more than her. Men always thought they knew more than her. 

But she wasn’t about to let it ruin the rest of her day. She turned her attention back to the cards, already working to forget the whole conversation. She’d nearly lost herself in new thoughts when a voice startled her at the end of the table.

“You’re strong, Yuno.”

She looked up to find Kotoko staring. She smirked at the comment -- she knew she had nothing on someone like her. The woman exuded strength, and had made more than one comment about the other prisoners’ physical fitness. Yuno flexed her right arm. “I didn’t do very well in the tournament, but thanks, I guess!”

Confusion flashed over her face. “No, not the arm wrestling thing we did the other day.”

“Oh, when we all jumped rope after dinner last week?”

“No, no. I mean… as a person.” Kotoko scooted closer. She always had a calculating look on her face, studying everyone around her. Yuno had expected to feel uncomfortable under such a gaze, (many of the other prisoners had voiced the sentiment,) but there was something almost pleasant about the way Kotoko stared. Yuno couldn’t put her finger on it.

She waved her hand dismissively. She knew the best way to accept praise was to play it down, just a bit. “Eh, sometimes it's gotta be like that, you know? I just do what I can to make it through the day, I wouldn't call that strong or anything…”

“Well I would.” Her gaze was level. “I think the way you handle everyone, never compromising on your own values, is very impressive. I’ve seen the way the others talk to you here. I can only imagine, with the line of work you’re in, what utter scumbags you’ve had to deal with on a daily basis. And yet,” she tipped her head, and Yuno suddenly understood. Kotoko looked at people as if she actually saw them. “You’ve never once raised your voice. Or scowled. Or even cried. Being sent to a place like this, after what you’ve done, it’d be enough to infuriate anyone.”

She surveyed the room, adding, “I'm still figuring this place out, but I can tell it's designed to break us. Which is why we need to stay strong. I just wanted to tell you, from one woman to another -- I'm glad to have someone like you fighting with me.”

Yuno’s smile had faded to surprise. At that moment, she did something that she hadn’t in an awfully long time. 

She blushed at the compliment. 

Maybe it was the way Kotoko said it. She wasn't the type of person to say anything she didn't mean. Maybe it was the fact that it was something new, not another comment about her lips or her laugh or her body. Or maybe it was because Yuno was tempted to believe it.

She’d heard so many voices lately, whispering how weak and helpless she must be to end up in this whole mess. The other prisoners, too, treated her according to her small build and unbroken nails. She suddenly realized how close she’d come to falling into the same mindset.

Getting a hold of herself, she made her voice light. “Well, I'd say the same to you, but I think you already know that, heh. But… thanks for saying all that.”

“Of course.” Kotoko’s smile was neither sweet nor innocent, but it was certainly honest. “I mean it.”

Yuno nodded. “I know.”

[itsillyakuryakin]

HOLA, AMIGOS!

My name is Erik but you can also refer to me as Ra or Ares if you like. Pronouns are He/Him, and I'm Desi.

Homophobes, transphobes, racists, terfs, pervs, please take your hate away somewhere far far away from my blog. Minors, please stay away or I will have you blocked.

I'm 19 and this is my personal blog, so it's going to be full of the stuff I enjoy generally apart from sports.

If you're interested in seeing sports related content, raikkoberg is where you'd like to be : ) Its mostly F1-centric- mostly Carlos centric- with flecks of cricket and MotoGP, as well as other motorsport related series at times. Feel free to tag me anytime!

I am on AO3 too, and I write sometimes. So please, bear with me if I start being annoying or just ghost Tumblr sometimes because of writer's block or life.

Currently, my obsessions are 911 Lone Star, 911, Tarlos, BuckTommy.

Other shows that I've watched and like are: Supernatural, Suits, Sherlock BBC, Arcane, Hazbin Hotel, Lucifer, Drive To Survive, White Collar, Avengers Assemble, Moon Knight.

Movies are also something that I enjoy a lot. Basically I'm an unhinged cinephile and will yap with no breaks if you give me a chance.

I am also a Marvel fan, with a preference usually for X-Men and Avengers.

The blog is relatively new so I will slowly but surely add all the links to my fics, edits and poster works soon.

I would be happy to make new friends but if you lack the decency to understand this tiny fact that other people are allowed to have opinions just like you are for as long as they're not harming anyone in any way- don't interact with me. Opinions aren't facts and I will not be tolerating any sort of hate, bullying, or discrimination. Be respectful and you'll enjoy your time here.

My discord handle is smoothsainzofcrimes if you wish to communicate with me anywhere else.

That's all.

Have an amazing day! And it's a fantastic thing to be kind to others, but being a little kind to yourself is just as fantastic.

[sunshinemarauders]

Racist Experiences in the Marauders Fandom

These anonymous submissions come from a survey I published several weeks ago where I asked for fans in the Marauders fandom to share their experiences with me. I was overwhelmed with the results, and this is, in their own words, some of the submissions I was sent.

There has been lost of push back against fans using POC fan casts for various characters

weird reactions to desi james or east asian sirius!!

I have seen people get upset when characters are fancast as non-white actors (like dev Patel for James)

Clash of opinions about fanon Hermione being black

I have seen lots of racism towards people's newer fancasts, as all the OGs (ben barnes, andrew garfield, aaron taylor-johnson, etc.) are white and some people are trying to change that!

I saw a fanart one time, where james had a darker skin (he was latino) and someone commented that it doesn't suit him

I draw Sirius black as Asian and I’ve gotten quite a few racist comments about this and I’ve seen a lot of racism about desi James. Also when BIPOC people cosplay characters that people think are “white”

People tend to cast characters as white, and sometimes I see people getting mad someone is fancasting a non-canonically black character as black or as a person of colour (I've seen some good black Remus, non-white Lily, non-white Peter fancasts, and yet, there is still peope being sooo mad about it like??). Sadly, I think a lot of people can tell about the fact that fancasts are often discussed and hated for no reason when they're not white or whatever, when it's basically just a fancast, that goes against the "canon" a bigot (JKR) made up.

the first that’s coming to mind is people fighting against the interpretation/portrayal of characters as poc (most often james bs i think he’s most popularly hced as desi but also others) either that or just straight up gatekeeping

Only the general feeling that the white characters are more interesting and loved than any of the characters of color. Racebending seems token, like nobody wants to be exclusionary but also don't have the comfort or confidence to make that diversity ring true in terms of cultural resonance. By cultural resonance I don't only mean make them ethnic but to portray and discuss or casually mention the postcolonial personhood or third culture kid experience as applies.

A comment on my fic about making it a “racial jungle”, saying that it wasn’t accurate for the time period even though representation of races otherwise had no significance in the fic

theres is a lot people that will fight tooth and nail for exclusively white maruaders (in terms of fancasts) and they slander other people in the fandom for using more diverse fancasts such as desi james or black evan

I've seen it in passing, especially towards POC writers/people who HC characters who were not diverse in canon.

People not wanting desi Potters in art or otherwise

One Harry Potter fan got mad at me for drawing James (and Harry) dark skinned

GOD THE FRIKIN FANCASTS. They really don't matter that much and everyone makes it such a big deal. To me at least- representation only really matters if its real. If there's fat Peter, darkskin Dorcas, desi James, or Japanese Sirius/Regulus in a fanfic, that is the representation of that. It doesn't need to be reflected in a fancast used in an edit. Personal opinion but annoying as fuck I just wish everyone would enjoy the fact that someone spent time pouring over numerous tiny clips from many different TV shows and movies just for fun, and other people getting mad that they didn't use a person that literally doesn't exist angers me to no end.

mostly just a complete ignorance of POC identities. sometimes poc characters are ignored in favour of white characters. but also, even when POC are centered, i often see like a lot of fetishization and stereotyping and it's just... not good...

there’s a lot of jewish people in the fandom that have pointed out antisemitism within the fandom a few times. i am not jewish, and i cannot speak on the issue, but that’s something i’ve heard a lot. i’ve also seen the whitewashing of fancasts for characters like mary and dorcas who are widely accepted to be women of color, so that feels weird to me, but i think? that’s everything i’ve noticed or heard.

i've seen racism thrown to black creators, poc fancasts, and at myself for being arab and head-cannoning the black brother as arab.

There was a black dude cosplaying remus and their were people saying remus wasnt a N-word but it was a white person saying it

I have seen some fans respond in a racist way to Black fans who have called out the racism in the way in which Black characters are written and portrayed in the fandom.

[darlin-djarin]

Plenty of a rebels fans who loved sabine, especially woc, are unhappy about how she's written in "ahsoka". also yes, for her to be at this age and for white writer dave to think "hey this asian woman needs to behave like a brat teenager and regress as a person" just so ahsoka can train someone is ridiculous. it's insulting to who sabine really is, to asian characters and to viewers who expected better.

for all we know, this series is a separate canon because sabine and hera are unrecognizable and might as well be new characters. and if that's your cup of tea then so be it, enjoy what you like. some of us have better things to do than sit through awful writing or hype up a show starring a transphobe who assaulted someone .

okay well anon. i was going to agree with you, absolutely, and i still do, but you genuinely did not need to get that hostile at the end. i do agree that filoni doesn't know how to handle woc characters like sabine. i did not realize filoni seemed to "regress" her, but this did open my eyes quite a bit. i assume you've read my other post analyzing sabine's and ahsoka's behavior, which is why you sent this. in the end i'll just say that some people are happy with sabine's behavior because they relate to it and some are not happy because of how this east asian(-desi) character is treated by the writers. i'm (west) asian and i hate to see asian (and any poc characters in general) get reduced to scraps just to pass along the plot. it genuinely is frustrating, so i understand your feelings towards the show isn't positive at all.

as for the second bit. i do not promote the ahsoka show. if anything im more critical of it, i just try to post the very few positive things because i try to keep my blog positive if i can. i call out racism and whitewashing and criticize filoni's and lucasfilms' actions all the fucking time. if i'm being honest, i only watching ahsoka to see ezra again. other than that, i don't really give a fuck. this is a mando blog, i don't plan on dwelling on the ahsoka show for long. as for rosario dawson, i know literally nothing about her. idk anything about any transphobia, so if someone would like to explain the situation to me, i'd appreciate it.

anon honestly i'm always open to discussion and different people's opinions but if you're gonna come here to just be fucking hostile to me over things i might not know or understand or have taken into consideration yet, then please just fuck off. i literally said on my other post i'm always open to hearing people's interpretations as long as they're respectful. why can't you just grant me a basic decency

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY AT THE JUNCTION

"Petticoat Junction" and The Lucycoms

Although thematically the shows created by Lucille Ball were worlds apart from the quaint antics in Hooterville's Shady Rest Hotel, there were artistic and creative commonalities that are worth discussing.

"Petticoat Junction" ran from 1963 to 1970, while "The Lucy Show" ran from 1962 to 1968, both on CBS TV. "Petticoat Junction" was filmed at General Service Studios, where "I Love Lucy" began filming until it moved to larger quarters.

Like Kate Bradley, Lucy Carmichael and Lucy Carter are widows raising teenage girls while trying also to earn a living, a popular trope of the 1960s and '70s.

To vary storylines, "I Love Lucy" added a dog and a baby, as did "Petticoat Junction." Animal trainer Frank Inn worked on both shows, as well as on "Here's Lucy."

Both shows went from black and white to color in October 1965. Although "The Lucy Show" had filmed its second season in color, CBS declined to air it in color.

SHARING THE TYPEWRITER

Writer Seaman Jacobs penned six episodes of "Petticoat Junction" in 1963-64 and three of "The Lucy Show" in 1967. Fred S. Fox co-wrote one of those episodes with Jacobs. Fox also wrote one 1965 episode of "Petticoat Junction." Fox's co-writer for that episode was Irving 'Iz' Elinson, who wrote a dozen episodes of "The Lucy Show."

SHARED CASTING

Their "Petticoat Junction" characters are in parentheses, followed by their Lucycom / Desilu credits.

Bea Benadaret (Kate Bradley) first starred with Lucille Ball on her radio series "My Favorite Husband" (1948-1951), primarily as best friend Iris Atterbury. Benadaret was Ball's first choice to play Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy," but she was already contracted to play Blanche Morton on "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show", another best friend character. Ball still managed to cast her as a one-off character, Miss Lewis, an elderly spinster, on season 1 of "I Love Lucy."

Edgar Buchanan (Uncle Joe Carson) appeared with Lucille Ball on a 1971 "Merv Griffin Show" saluting director George Marshall, for whom both worked. For Desilu, Buchanan appeared on a 1958 episode of "The Adventures of Jim Bowie" and a 1959 episode of their helicopter series "Whirlybirds".

Frank Cady (Sam Drucker) appeared for Desilu in "December Bride" (1956), "Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse" (1959), "Guestward Ho!" (1961), "The Untouchables" (1962), "The Danny Thomas Show" (1960), "Glynis" (1963), and a 1963 unsold pilot titled "Swingin' Together."

Charles Lane (Homer Bedloe) appeared in 7 films with Lucille Ball between 1933 and 1949. He was also heard on her radio show "My Favorite Husband". On "I Love Lucy," he played 4 characters and 2 more on "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour." He was cast as banker Barnsdahl on "The Lucy Show," but was released after 4 episodes so that Ball could hire Gale Gordon. He went from Desilu to Hooterville.

Byron Foulger (Banker Guerney / Wendell Gibbs) first appeared with Lucille Ball in the Westinghouse industrial film Ellis in Freedomland (1952). On "I Love Lucy" he played the spokesman of The Friends of the Friendless in “Lucy’s Last Birthday” (ILL S2;E25) in 1953. in 1965′s “My Fair Lucy” (TLS S3;E20) he played henpecked husband Fred Dunbar.  Two years later, Foulger was back on “The Lucy Show” to play Mr. Trindle, owner of a jewelry store supposedly robbed by Lucy in “Lucy Meets the Law” (TLS S5;E19), his last appearance opposite Lucille Ball.  For Desilu, he was seen in "December Bride" (1957 & 1958) and "The Untouchables" (1959).

Elvia Allman (Selma Plout / Gladys Stroud / Cora Watson) was heard with Lucille Ball on "My Favorite Husband" before playing the strident Candy Factory Forewoman on "I Love Lucy." Allman returned to the show as one of Minnie Finch’s neighbors in “Fan Magazine Interview” (ILL S3;E17) in 1954 and prim magazine reporter Nancy Graham in “The Homecoming” (ILL S5;E6) in 1955. She made two appearances on “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour“ - first as Ida Thompson, Westfield’s PTA director, then as Milton Berle's private secretary. Allman would also be seen on two episodes of “The Lucy Show" as a customer in a department store and the manager of an employment agency. Allman’s final screen appearance with Lucille Ball reunited her with Bob Hope: “Bringing Back Vaudeville” in 1971. For Desilu, Allman was seen on "December Bride" (1954-59), and "The Ann Sothern Show" (1958).

Kay E. Kuter (Newt Kiley) made an appearance in the 1970 TV movie Swing Out, Sweet Land with Jack Benny and Lucille Ball.  He was seen on "Here's Lucy" as a singing Canadian Mountie in 1971. For Desilu he was seen on "The Adventures of Jim Bowie" (1957 & 1958).

Jack Bannon (Roger Budd / 9 Others) was the real-life son of Bea Benadaret. He was briefly seen on "Here's Lucy" in 1971.

Eddie Albert (Oliver Wendell Douglas) first co-starred with Lucille Ball in The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). Albert played himself on a 1973 episode of “Here’s Lucy” titled “Lucy Gives Eddie Albert the Old Song and Dance” (HL S6;E6). He also appeared with Ball on an episode of "The Carol Burnett Show" (1968). For Desilu, he appeared on "The Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse" (1958) and "The Greatest Show on Earth" (1963).

Eva Gabor (Lisa Douglas) played romance novelist Eva Von Graunitz in “Lucy and Eva Gabor” (S1;E7) in 1968 as well as herself in a 1972 epsidoes set in a hospital room.

Hank Patterson (Fred Ziffel) appeared in an episode of the Desilu western "The Sheriff of Cochise" in 1957, "The Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse" (1958), "Guestward Ho!" (1961), and "The Untouchables" (1960-1962).

Barbara Pepper (Doris - aka Ruthie - Ziffel) was a Goldwyn Girl with Lucille Ball making 6 films together and becoming good friends. On the list of possible actors to play Ethel Mertz, she was in 10 episodes of "I Love Lucy" as various characters.

Roy Roberts (Norman Curtis / Game Warden Hughes) was first seen with Lucille Ball was in an uncredited role in Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949). Roberts joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” at the start of season five, but not as the role he would become known for, bank president Mr. Cheever in 14 episodes, but as the Admiral in “Lucy and the Submarine” (TLS S5;E2) in September in 1966. Roberts returned to Lucille Ball Productions for 5 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” For Desilu he appeared in a 1955 episode of "December Bride."

Paul Wilbur (Bert Smedley) played Mr. Wilbur, owner of the ice cream parlor, in "Lucy is a Soda Jerk" (1962). For Desilu, he was seen on a 1963 episode of "The Greatest Show on Earth."

Parley Baer (Judge Madison / Judge Turner / 3 Others) did four episodes of the radio version of "Green Acres" “Grandby’s Green Acres” starring Bea Benadaret, a summer fill-in for Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband.” Baer appeared in 2 episodes of "I Love Lucy," and 5 of "The Lucy Show." On “Here’s Lucy” he played Dr. Cunningham, Harry Carter’s psychiatrist. For Desilu he was seen in "Whirlybirds," "December Bride," and "Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse."

Olan Soule (Stanley Benson / 3 Others) played Little Ricky's doctor Dr. Gettelman on "I Love Lucy". For Desilu, he appeared on several episodes of "The Untouchables," "The Ann Sothern Show," and "December Bride."

Sarah Selby (Mrs. Frisby / Mrs. Grundy / 3 Others) was heard as Liz's mother on Lucy's radio show "My Favorite Husband." She played bachelorette Dorothy Cook on "I Love Lucy."

Barry Kelley (Sheriff Crandall / Hurley Feasel) played the Mayor of Bancroft on "The Lucy Show". For Desilu he appeared on "The Untouchables," "Whirlybirds," and "Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse."

Jonathan Hole (Hank Thackery / Mr. Bunce / Mr. Earnshaw) was in 3 episodes of "The Lucy Show" and 2 of "Here's Lucy." For Desilu he was seen in "The Adventures of Jim Bowie."

William O'Connell (Martin Evans / Mr. Agnew) was seen as a Beverly Hills hotel manager on "The Lucy Show" in 1967.

Herbie Faye (Jack Stewart / Doodles / 2 Others) was in a 1968 episode of “The Lucy Show.”  and 4 episodes of “Here’s Lucy”. Ball did a 1959 cameo on "Sergeant Bilko" on which he played Fender for 139 episodes. He also did an episode of "Mothers-in-Law" for Desi Arnaz.

Shirley Mitchell (Mae Belle Jennings) became friends with Lucille Ball in the late 1940s when she was featured in 4 episodes of “My Favorite Husband.” Mitchell reunited with Lucille Ball on “I Love Lucy” playing Marion Strong, member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League.

Jean Vander Pyl (Agnes Frisby / Gladys Miller / Alice Tuttle) was heard with Bea Benadaret on Lucille Ball's radio show "My Favorite Husband." Benadaret and Vander Pyl voiced Wilma and Betty on "The Flintstones."

Peter Leeds (Syd Sparks / Gus Clegg) was heard on “My Favorite Husband." On "I Love Lucy" he was the reporter questioning the Maharincess of Franistan in “The Publicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31). He starred with Lucy in the films The Long, Long Trailer (1953) and The Facts of Life (1960). Leeds also appeared in “Lucy and Bob Hope” (ILL S6;E1) as well as an episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1971.

Hugh Beaumont (Donald Elliott / Ronnie Beackman) is best known as Ward Cleaver in "Leave it to Beaver," but also appeared uncredited in Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) starring Lucille Ball. For Desilu, he was seen in "Whirlybirds".

Hal Smith (Ben Miller / 2 Others) is probably best remembered as Otis Campbell, the town drunk, on “The Andy Griffith Show” (filmed at Desilu). He appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1963 film Critic’s Choice. He was seen on 3 episodes of "The Lucy Show" and 1 episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1972.

Maxine Semon (Mabel Snark / Lena Fenwick) played a nurse on “I Love Lucy” in “Nursery School” (ILL S5;E9) then a Yankee Stadium spectator in "Lucy and Bob Hope" (1955). She was a Las Vegas chambermaid on "The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour".

Benny Rubin (Chief Fleeteagle / 2 Others) played the Beverly Hills tour bus driver on "I Love Lucy." He was seen on 2 episodes of "The Lucy Show." For Desi Arnaz he was seen on "The Carol Channing Show." For Desilu, he was in "December Bride."

Lurene Tuttle (Adelaide Keane / Henrietta Greene / Mary Alice Perkins) played the outgoing president of The Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “The Club Election” (ILL S2;E19) in 1953.  

Burt Mustin (Grandpa Jenson) did 3 episodes of "The Lucy Show" and played a juror with Joan Rivers on "Here's Lucy."  Mustin played Uncle Jeff in Mame (1974).

Gail Bonney (Mrs. Tomley / Mrs. Robinson / 1 Other) was seen in 2 1950 films featuring Lucille Ball.  She played mother of twins Mrs. Hudson in “The Amateur Hour,” (ILL S1;E14). She also did 1 episode of "The Lucy Show" and 1 episode of "Here's Lucy."  

Eve McVeagh (Miss Hammond) played Bert, Lucy Ricardo’s hairdresser, in “The Black Wig” (ILL S3;E26).  She also made an appearance as a store clerk on "Here's Lucy."

OTHERS FROM LUCYLAND WHO VISITED THE JUNCTION:

Rolfe Sedan, Frank Aletter, Milton Frome, Herb Vigran, Amzie Strickland, Ray Kellogg, Bob Jellison, Frank Wilcox, Eddie Quillan, Robert Carson, J. Pat O'Malley, Florence Lake, Ernest Truex, Dorothy Konrad, George O'Hanlon, Jack Collins, Ross Elliott, Iris Adrian, William Lanteau, Joi Lansing, Bernie Kopell, Lyle Talbot, Stanley Addams, Doris Packer, Don Brodie, Frank Nelson, Rich Little, Joan Blondell, Nancy Kulp, Sid Melton, Keith Andes, Hayden Rorke, Dick Patterson, Irwin Charrone, Rudy Vallee, Lloyd Corrigan, Jackie Joseph, and Barbara Morrison.

HOOTERVILLE & THE LUCVERSE

There were several Lucycoms that took place aboard trains, but the most notable is "The Great Train Robbery" (1955). Lucy and Desi took a publicity photo in front of the infamous emergency break wearing crumpled conductors caps. On this trip, Frank Nelson played the conductor pushed to his limit by Lucy Ricardo, a role he reprised when Lucy Carmichael took the train to Washington DC in 1963.

Coincidentally, Nelson appeared on "Petticoat Junction" in 1967, but not as a conductor, as the manager of the Flamingo Room in Springdale. He has the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring characters (Freddy Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey) on "I Love Lucy."

In "Joe Saves the Post Office" (1969), Joe, Janet and Bobbie Jo travel to Washington DC to talk to their Congressman. They end up meeting the President. At the time, the office was occupied by Richard M. Nixon, who is represented only by an extended hand for Joe to shake and he does not speak nor is he mentioned by name. In 1963's "Lucy Visits the White House", Lucy, Viv, and their scout troupe travel to Washington DC to present the President with a sugar cube White House. In this case, the episode mentions the President's name: John F. Kennedy. He has a few off screen lines at the end of the episode, voiced by Elliott Reid. In retrospect, both these episodes conjur unhappy memories. Kennedy was asassinated and Nixon resigned in scandal.

Hooteville's train depot can best be compared to the whistle stop of Greenview in "Lucy Visits the White House" (1963). Greenview was a remote stop located somewhere between Danfield and DC.

Bancroft, California, the small town featured in "Main Street USA" and "Lucy Puts Main Street on the Map" (1967) was a town somewhat bigger than Hooterville, but smaller than Pixley. Lucy and Mr. Mooney arrived there by train to save their main street from becoming a superhighway.

Bancroft had a general store run by Doc Putnam. It featured a large red coffee grinder, just like Sam Drucker's general store in Hooterville.

The Mayor Bancroft was played by Barry Kelley, who appeared on "Petticoat Junction" as Sheriff Crandall. Bancroft citizens included Burt Mustin, who played Grandpa Jenson in three 1968 episodes of "Petticoat Junction" and Hal Smith, who played Mr. Richardson / Ben Miller / Jug Gunderson on "Junction."

During the series' last season, the character of Jerry Roberts was introduced as a possible boyfriend for Billie Jo - until she finds out he's already married. In real life, actors Greg Mullavey and Meredith McRae were man and wife. On "Here's Lucy," Lucie Arnaz's husband Phil Vandervoort was also part of the cast. Sadly, both marriages were short-lived.

A railroad handcar was prominently featured in "Lucy Hunts Uranium" (1958) featuring Fred MacMurray. In Hooterville, it was generally manned by Homer Bedloe (Charles Lane), who was also featured as a Claims Officer in "Lucy Hunts Uranium." Also in the hour-long "Lucy-Desi" episode Bob Jellison plays a Las Vegas bellboy. In Hooterville, Jellison played a salesman in 1968 and Ben Miller in 1970, the 4th and final actor to play that role. That episode also featured Lucyverse performers Sarah Selby and Parley Baer. It was directed by Elliott Lewis, producer of "The Lucy Show" and Desi Arnaz's "Mothers-in-Law" as well as husband of Lucy sidekick Mary Jane Lewis.

In 1969's "One of Our Chickens Are Missing" (S7; E4) of the final season, Hooterville is plagued by chicken thieves in the former of a biker gang. Harry Dean Stanton plays Ringo, who is 'saving up for a pillow'. Lucy and Viv also encounter biker gangs in a 1967 episode of "The Lucy Show" set on the notorious Sunset Strip.

In 1969's "The Camping Trip" (S7;E5), the entire family packs up and goes camping in the woods. They go fishing and Uncle Joe comes face to face with a bear, "The Camping Trip" was also the title of a 1953 episode of "I Love Lucy" where Lucy and Ricky also go fishing. In "The Lucy Show's" "Lucy Becomes a Father" (1964) Lucy Carmichael also comes face to face with a bear.

"Goodbye, Mr. Chimp" (S7;E12) introduces a chimpanzee to the Shady Rest. Uncle Joe buys the chimp as a gift for his infant niece. Two years earlier on "The Lucy Show," Lucy Carmichael also featured a chimp - actually three - in "Lucy The Babysitter". The popularity of chimpanzees on sitcoms can be attributed to The Marquis Chimps, the (non-human) stars of the sitcom “The Hathaways” (1961-62) in which a suburban couple kept three performing chimps as their children.

The iconic Shady Rest Hotel is reminiscent of The Eagle Hotel, where Lucy and Ricky stayed in "The Marriage License" (1952). Running the Eagle Hotel are Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby (played by Irving Bacon and Elizabeth Patterson), who are reminiscent of Uncle Joe and Kate Bradley, who run the Shady Rest. In season one, Uncle Joe schemes to market the Shady Rest as a 'honeymoon hotel.'

Richard Arlen and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, the stars of the 1929 silent film Wings, the first film to win an Academy Award, were guest stars as themselves on both "Petticoat Junction" (1968) and "The Lucy Show" (1967). Both appearances revolved around their appearance in the film.

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced in 1923 by the nephew of suffragette Susan B. Anthony. Thirty years later "I Love Lucy" tackled female equality, culminating in the boys insisting the girls pay their own dinner checks. In 1967 The National Organization for Women (NOW), pledged to fight tirelessly for the ratification of the ERA. On February 7, 1970, "Petticoat Junction" finally got around to the subject by inventing WITCH (Women In True Cultural Heritage) and having Billy Jo storm a barber shop in tailored suit. That same month, twenty NOW leaders disrupted hearings of the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments, demanding the ERA be heard by the full Congress.

"Petticoat Junction" and "The Lucy Show" were both part of a DVD set titled The Best of Family TV.