Within the world of fiction, there will always be characters that we love and characters that we hate. That does not mean, however, that the fans have the right to trash either the writer(s) or the actor who created/played the person whom we fiercely dislike.
In Star Wars: Episode 1 The Phantom Menace, the addition of Jar Jar Binks (played by Ahmed Best) to the Star Wars universe created a controversy that is still alive today. The new podcast, The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks examines the creation of Jar Jar, the unexpected response by fans, and the shaping of the early internet age.
I enjoyed the first few episodes. The insight from both Best and the animators was fascinating.
As both a writer and a long-time SW fan, I was and am still disappointed that Lucas took the easy way out and used ethnic stereotypes for the alien characters. After the first trilogy, I expected more from him. That being said, Best did not deserve the heat he took and the effect it had on his mental health. He was just doing his job as a performer.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely.
New episodes of The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks are released every Wednesday.
Writergurlny 