Hosting a Q&A panel with Vic Mignogna

[MarCas92]

Yes I know he's a divisive figure, putting that aside though, this is my first time hosting a big panel of this type. Any tips would be appreciated. What DB questions would you like to see asked? Here are some that I have so far:


2019 was an eventful year for you (to say the least) what are you're overall thoughts going into 2020? Any goals you hope to accomplish?

When you were for the role of Broly, did you know you were going to be in 3 films and various games or was the audition just for that 1st movie?

When playing Broly did you look to Bin Shimada's performance for inspiration? We're you trying to imitate it, do your own thing or something in between?

I'm also doing a fan QandA at the end: Here are the rules I have so far:

1. No autograph, photo, handshake or date requests.
2. No line requests.
3. No personal stories and try to keep questions short. Your question should start with "Who, what, when where or why".

If you have any suggestions or questions you think I should ask, post them below. Also, IDC if your #IStandWithVic or #KickVic...

[Robo4900]

Yes I know he's a divisive figure, putting that aside though, this is my first time hosting a big panel of this type. Any tips would be appreciated.

Be very careful.

Regardless of what your views are on him, just the association of agreeing to host a panel with him will lay A LOT of judgement on you. Presumably you've thought this through very carefully already and have decided you're fine with this, but be sure you're okay with how people will treat you with the knowledge that you hosted a panel for this guy in 2020.
He's not just divisive, he was fired from all his regular voice work because of how widely people believe he's guilty, and anyone who makes even the vaguest suggestion that he may be guilty is a potential target for hatemobs. If you side with him, you're going to have everyone who believes in the #MeToo movement judging you, and if you side against him, you're going to have everyone who stands against the #MeToo movement slinging shit at you.

So... Be very careful. Just the very act of agreeing to host the panel is going to imply a very firm stance on this issue, whether you intend that or not. And the stance this implies is that you support someone who is generally accepted to have sexually harassed A LOT of people, over a VERY long span of time, and has used his acting chops to try to deceive people into believing he's innocent. Doesn't matter what you believe about his innocence or guilt, what you're doing will give you a very clear stance on this issue in the eyes of a lot of people. You'd be giving him a platform, and taking part in his current public persona, at a time when he's currently (unsuccessfully) suing his accusers, at least partially using money raised by his fans for this purpose.

Personally, I wouldn't touch anything to do with Vic Mignogna with a 50ft pole, especially if I did any work in any kind of vaguely public-facing field.

[Kunzait_83]

Any tips would be appreciated.

Only one tip I can think of:

Just don't even do this at all. Its not remotely worth it. For all the myriad of reasons Robo listed earlier and then some.

[XanatosVanBadass]

Meh, do what you want. Just prepare for the MASSIVE backlash and drama you will (understandably) get. The only issue I have is too many anime fans side with Vic. It’s so goddamn cringy.

[Metalwario64]

This reminds me of the time Derek Padula wanted to interview Gerard Jones who was imprisoned for child pornography, which is of course, worse than what Vic did, but why do people keep wanting to interview people who have done shitty things?

Is it coincidence, or is there something poisoning the well of the Dragon Ball fanbase?

[JulieYBM]

This reminds me of the time Derek Padula wanted to interview Gerard Jones who was imprisoned for child pornography, which is of course, worse than what Vic did, but why do people keep wanting to interview people who have done shitty things?

Is it coincidence, or is there something poisoning the well of the Dragon Ball fanbase?

Considering how this is only Dragon Ball and not something Actually Important there cannot even be any claim of this being a decision driven by journalistic integrity. They're a Z-list actor and a Z-list comics editor and author, not Bernie Madoff or another high-profile public figure.

[Fionordequester]

If it helps, I don't believe Derek ever actually went through with it. At least, I've never seen such an interview on his website.

[MozillaVulpix]

Is this for a convention that already agreed to host him? If the panel is going to happen anyway, I guess rather someone who knows what's going on to moderate it rather than some rabid Vic fan. I'd suggest...not bringing up the controversy? Like, maybe don't even warn people to not bring up the controversy? Enabling abusers sucks, but if he's going to get a panel regardless, getting heckled isn't the best look for the event in general even if the guy deserves it. Basically act like he's just a guy who did the voice of Broly before leaving Funimation.

Obvious tip is to get someone to check the person's questions for approval before you go to them for audience discussion. Hopefully people aren't dedicated enough to prepare an innocent question only to actually bring up how Monica Rial is a liar or something stupid. And if that happens, move on, don't give Vic a chance to respond to platform himself.

[Robo4900]

This reminds me of the time Derek Padula wanted to interview Gerard Jones who was imprisoned for child pornography, which is of course, worse than what Vic did, but why do people keep wanting to interview people who have done shitty things?

Is it coincidence, or is there something poisoning the well of the Dragon Ball fanbase?

Considering how this is only Dragon Ball and not something Actually Important there cannot even be any claim of this being a decision driven by journalistic integrity. They're a Z-list actor and a Z-list comics editor and author, not Bernie Madoff or another high-profile public figure.

Well, remember this too:

While the wisdom of interviewing such people can be debated (I'd argue they're both awful, and neither should be given a platform), at least Derek Padula was looking to find out information about a translation, information which would otherwise never be known. Understanding translation decisions does at least have some level of scholarly value, even for something as insignificant as a popular manga/anime franchise. Padula was planning to just ask for the answers to some adaptational questions from the guy. And of course, that Viz translator guy really wasn't known to anyone at all; he doesn't have any fans who are harassing people online. I'm glad this hasn't ended up happening, but one can stretch the imagination to see why he at least considered it.

Whereas this is a public panel where the guy will be given a platform to talk, to answer questions... It's a fan interaction done for fun. There's no scholarly argument to be made, nothing that this nobody actor will be able to uniquely provide. And there's the fact he does have a siginficant fan following who have harassed -- and still continue to harass -- his accusers and anyone who sides with those accusers.

Neither of the disgraced men in question should be given a platform of any kind, but I think it's important to not conflate a scholar's desire to understand something that only a reprihensible man can explain, and the OP here's desire to take a job as the moderator of a panel that'll give a reprihensible man a platform to entertain the fans who still stand by him.
The former made a bad call in his quest for knowledge, which he realised and stopped before acting on it, and the latter is just looking to advance his career by propping up this guy, and has outright stated he doesn't care that the man in question is "a divisive figure", that he doesn't care "if you['re] #IStandWithVic or #KickVic"

So, I wouldn't compare the two cases, except for the fact that both were really bad ideas.

I'd suggest...not bringing up the controversy? Like, maybe don't even warn people to not bring up the controversy? Enabling abusers sucks, but if he's going to get a panel regardless, getting heckled isn't the best look for the event in general even if the guy deserves it. Basically act like he's just a guy who did the voice of Broly before leaving Funimation.
Obvious tip is to get someone to check the person's questions for approval before you go to them for audience discussion. Hopefully people aren't dedicated enough to prepare an innocent question only to actually bring up how Monica Rial is a liar or something stupid. And if that happens, move on, don't give Vic a chance to respond to platform himself.

Given one of the questions listed in the OP is "2019 was an eventful year for you (to say the least) what are you're overall thoughts going into 2020? Any goals you hope to accomplish?", it's clear there's no intention of deliberately avoiding the contorversy here.

Personally, I find it quite clear that OP is fully aware of the controversy, but either is deliberately obfuscating his position so as to not get torn a new one by the generally anti-Vic Kanzenshuu community, or he's just hoping to stir up controversy here. Either way, this is the last post I intend to make in this thread. I suggest others follow my example; even discussing Vic is giving him a platform in a way (the guys on his side are reactionaries, so keeping him in discussion, in the consciousness, keeping the controversy going, is the goal), so I'd rather steer clear.

[MarCas92]

If it helps, I don't believe Derek ever actually went through with it. At least, I've never seen such an interview on his website.

I thought he did. I could've sworn I read it. But I couldn't find it on his website. Mandella effect!?!?!?

Is this for a convention that already agreed to host him? If the panel is going to happen anyway, I guess rather someone who knows what's going on to moderate it rather than some rabid Vic fan. I'd suggest...not bringing up the controversy? Like, maybe don't even warn people to not bring up the controversy? Enabling abusers sucks, but if he's going to get a panel regardless, getting heckled isn't the best look for the event in general even if the guy deserves it. Basically act like he's just a guy who did the voice of Broly before leaving Funimation.

Obvious tip is to get someone to check the person's questions for approval before you go to them for audience discussion. Hopefully people aren't dedicated enough to prepare an innocent question only to actually bring up how Monica Rial is a liar or something stupid. And if that happens, move on, don't give Vic a chance to respond to platform himself.

Yes. I was only invited to host the panel after the fact. Being a DB stan I jumped at the opportunity. Not a Vic Stan, not a KickVic guy either. Indifferent to the whole situation. 99% of the time it's easy for me to separate the art from the artist. If he did what he did, I condemn it 100%. If he didn't then I feel bad he had to go through all this. Do I think he did it? Oh, yeah. But I personally don't think that's important when consuming media, unless it directly or indirectly ties in to the text. I love FMA and I love Vic's performance in it. Am I never gonna watch a Johnny Depp movie or Harvey Weinstein film? Of course not. But I think the controversy HAS to be addressed in some form or another. It's the proverbial elephant in the room. I would hate going into any panel that had a huge shadow looming it over it the entire time. I would say, ask about it upfront, keep it short and move on. Questions will DEFINITELY BE SCREENED by me beforehand so I definitely wouldn't allow anything stupid like you alluded too.

Personally, I find it quite clear that OP is fully aware of the controversy, but either is deliberately obfuscating his position so as to not get torn a new one by the generally anti-Vic Kanzenshuu community, or he's just hoping to stir up controversy here. Either way, this is the last post I intend to make in this thread. I suggest others follow my example; even discussing Vic is giving him a platform in a way (the guys on his side are reactionaries, so keeping him in discussion, in the consciousness, keeping the controversy going, is the goal), so I'd rather steer clear.

I can respect that position.

[Captain Awesome]

I look forward to your boring panel with cloying softball questions.

[KBABZ]

I look forward to your boring panel with cloying softball questions.

What you'd rather he try to throw Vic in the slammer with his question selection and make EVERYONE in the room feel terrible?

[VegettoEX]

I think we’d rather holy shit what even is this person for real this was perfectly answered in two posts how is this still even remotely a question?

On the scale of terrible ideas showcasing an extreme lack of any amount of awareness or judgement, this is up there.

The correct answer should have been “haha what wait for real uhh a resounding no?????”

[GokuDaimao]

I look forward to your boring panel with cloying softball questions.

Let's be real though. Say he asked those tough questions that you want asked. Unless he fesses up and says what you want to hear, you're still going to call it boring and pointless.

[JulieYBM]

I look forward to your boring panel with cloying softball questions.

Let's be real though. Say he asked those tough questions that you want asked. Unless he fesses up and says what you want to hear, you're still going to call it boring and pointless.

Making a piece of shit feel uncomfortable in polite society is never boring.

[GokuDaimao]

I look forward to your boring panel with cloying softball questions.

Let's be real though. Say he asked those tough questions that you want asked. Unless he fesses up and says what you want to hear, you're still going to call it boring and pointless.

Making a piece of shit feel uncomfortable in polite society is never boring.

Yeah, this isn't the first place I'd post this interview, MarCas.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

I think we’d rather holy shit what even is this person for real this was perfectly answered in two posts how is this still even remotely a question?

On the scale of terrible ideas showcasing an extreme lack of any amount of awareness or judgement, this is up there.

The correct answer should have been “haha what wait for real uhh a resounding no?????”

I'd say the same also, and when i saw this thread pop up it was like "What the??? there's no way anyone would seriously go for this." especially given the controversy that happened over his behavior. If the Vic thread is any indication, his past misdeeds and everything over however many years have already been revealed at length so it really boggles my mind that the OP would even want to host him for an interview/Q&A/whatever with all that has happened since the whole thing first broke about a year ago now.

[JulieYBM]

Letting a known sexual assaulter into a safe-space for fans is pretty fucked up, so fuck everyone involved with this convention.

[Kinokima]

You aren’t just consuming media. You are helping to host him
at a con where most of his bad behavior was present in the past.

Anyone with an ounce of integrity would not host this panel. And shame on the con for hosting him.

[Ajay]

Pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Enjoyed him immensely in Naruto Shippuuden when I watched through the other month, and have enjoyed his work in the past. Fine and dandy, and not a reflection on my thoughts on them as a person or their actions.

Hosting said person following everything's that happened, and especially at the same type of event these issues stem from is being entirely complicit, and not cool.