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felonius_monk (felonius_monk) wrote in qaf_coffeeclub,
@ 2009-06-21 13:34:00

101 REASONS WHY I LOVE MICHAEL

OK, maybe not that many, but still. A whole buncha reasons, only a few of which are included here.

This is a coffee club and we’re all just kvetching, so I’ll dispense with formalities such as citing chapter, verse, season, and episode of QAF because we ALL know this stuff.

· When Justin showed up at Woody’s the first time, everyone else abandoned him but Michael. Michael took responsibility for Justin’s safety. He took him to The Liberty Diner and tried to tell Justin the score about Brian. (My Beloved) Justin was, quite simply, a fucking brat towards Michael.

· When Brian was going to move to NYC, Michael sincerely acknowledged Justin’s love for Brian and wisely told him that’s why they needed to let Brian go.

· Michael found his inner Superhero and stood up to everyone about his relationship with Ben. He found the courage to fully love an HIV+ lover and say “fuck you” to all the doubters.

· In a dark rage of courage, Michael confronted Ben about Ben’s steroid use. He wasn’t scared, he was just sick and tired and PISSED.

· Michael accepted Hunter because Ben cared about Hunter so much. It was Michael who laid down the law and convinced Hunter to come back to his and Ben’s apartment.

· Michael approached Justin to illustrate Rage.

· When the time came for someone to go to California to promote Rage The Movie, Michael gladly promoted Justin to be the one.

· Michael not only gave Justin Hunter’s mattress, he helped him carry it up many flights of stairs.

· Justin fled to Michael’s house after the syphilis incident. Michael stood up to a drunken, insanely enraged and jealous, out of control Brian—for himself and Justin.

Did Michael fuck up big time during the series? Hell, YES he did.

Did Michael fuck up big time more than Justin and Brian during the series? Hell, NO he did not.

(Post a new comment)

	jule1122 2009-06-21 01:09 pm UTC (link)
	I think the first moment I really loved Michael was in 314 when he said "No" to returning Hunter even temporarily. I also adore the moment in 122 when he asks Justin to look after Debbie and gives him instructions on how to do so. (Reply to this) (Thread)

felonius_monk
2009-06-22 12:17 pm UTC (link)

More classic Michael moments! *hugs them*

I loved Michael from the first five minutes of Ep. 1 of QAF, when he was established as The Narrator (The Historian? The Collective Conscience?).

I wrote a ficcie I think you will enjoy. Would love your feedback.

COCKFIGHT (Michael confronts Ben about his steroid usage)
http://asylums.insanejournal.com/_love_qaf_fic/64960.html#cutid1

(Reply to this) (Parent)

opal11
2009-06-21 02:54 pm UTC (link)

ok i agree with you on most of your points... but i have a huge issue when after brian got cancer, justin wanted to tell brian he knew, michael said they had to honor his wishes, but its not that he just tells brian that he knows he has cancer, but by crying to brian michael makes it about him.

"Michael stood up to a drunken, insanely enraged and jealous, out of control Brian—for himself and Justin".. when brian came busting into michaels house, michael should have realized that brian really did love justin, (maybe not justins way) but that brian would not have done this for anyone else..

(Reply to this) (Thread)

felonius_monk
2009-06-22 12:51 pm UTC (link)

I totally respect how you feel about the whole "finding out Brian has cancer" situation. My heart felt that all three of them were wrong in one way or another. Each of them had their own agenda.

when brian came busting into michaels house, michael should have realized that brian really did love justin

I felt that Michael (like Deb) knew from the very start that Brian loved Justin. Michael struggled with it, resented it, was jealous of it, came to terms with it. By the time Brian invaded his and Ben's home, Michael was willing to risk losing Brian's friendship to tell The Truth--that Justin had never truly been happy. (Not Brian’s fault, actually. Justin had choices.)

Honestly, I felt immense pride for Michael. And disgust that Justin hid on the landing listening to Michael risk his friendship with Brian and that Brian was so fucked up on drugs and alcohol that he couldn’t face the truth.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	fun_demented 2009-06-22 02:26 pm UTC (link)
	Honestly, I felt immense pride for Michael. And disgust that Justin hid on the landing listening to Michael risk his friendship with Brian and that Brian was so fucked up on drugs and alcohol that he couldn’t face the truth. What was happening downstairs was about Michael and Brian's friendship. It was between them and it was their business. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

felonius_monk
2009-06-23 02:11 am UTC (link)

What was happening downstairs was about Michael and Brian's friendship. It was between them and it was their business.

But Ben and Justin had been deeply effected by The Brian and Mikey Show for years. I wonder what Ben was thinking upstairs and unseen, listening to Brian and Michael’s showdown.

Oh, holy shit. Now, I’m gonna have to write a ficcie about that! I’m on a Michael/Ben binge!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

vl_redreign
2009-06-21 02:57 pm UTC (link)

I started writing this meme about how I hate "Mikey", but love Michael. You've listed many of the reasons why.

One that took me awhile to come around to was the fuck-up in 408. Justin goes to Michael about Brian's cancer, Michael wisely tells him not to say anything. Then, of course, he falls apart on Brian, and outs Justin. He didn't mean to, and it wasn't malicious. It was Michael being Michael, being honest and unfiltered. When Justin tells him that Brian threw him out, Michael goes to Brian and reams him out.

Another scene that I loved was a very quiet one between Michael and Justin. At the lumberjack party, Michael pulls Justin aside and asks him to look after Debbie, take out the trash, listen to her natter on, because sometimes she just needs someone to listen. Justin agrees readily, like a little brother does when he's put in the position of taking over.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

felonius_monk
2009-06-22 12:59 pm UTC (link)

Just as Ep. 1 began with Michael’s voiceover narration, the final Ep. 513 began with Michael’s voiceover narration.

Two completely different voices and background music. The first: humorous, thumpa thumpa, and tinged with doubt about himself. The last: humorous, solemn, mature, and tinged with doubt about Brian and Justin. Each of those voiceovers reflecting all Michael and The Gang were experiencing at the time.

I wrote a ficcie I think you will enjoy. Would love your feedback.

COCKFIGHT (Michael confronts Ben about steroid usage)
http://asylums.insanejournal.com/_love_qaf_fic/64960.html#cutid1

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	fun_demented 2009-06-21 04:46 pm UTC (link)
	I liked Michael from the first episode. This is lovely. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	felonius_monk 2009-06-22 01:02 pm UTC (link)
	I LOVED Michael from the first episode. I wrote a ficcie I think you will enjoy. Would love your feedback. COCKFIGHT (Michael confronts Ben about steroid usage) http://asylums.insanejournal.com/_love_qaf_fic/64960.html#cutid1 (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

fun_demented
2009-06-22 02:33 pm UTC (link)

Thank you for the link. I don't want you to think I read it and didn't like it enough to leave feedback. Honestly, I am not really interested in reading fics that focus on relationships that aren't Justin/Brian or friendship. I am not that big of a fic reader in the first place. In fandom I'm more about drabbles/meta/icons/playing with you guys. Sometimes I crave fic, but it's always because I want some of Brian and Justin or some friendship type things.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	felonius_monk 2009-06-23 01:48 am UTC (link)
	drabbles/meta/icons/playing There's so much to do in Fandom! I've been reading fic for a few years, but only joined IJ in May. My head is still spinning! Oh, how I love Teh Friendship. It's what QAF is all about for me. Would love your recs for Friendship fic. (Reply to this) (Parent)

ahaw9913
2009-06-21 08:52 pm UTC (link)

I love Michael too, for many of the reason you have stated, plus many more. There are two instances that always grab my heart in a special way during the series:

When Justin makes his way to Woody's looking for Brian, after he is released from the hospital, after the bashing. When Justin gets overwhelmed by the guys trying to talk to him and buries himself in a corner, the careful, the forceful strident way Michael uses to get to Justin and the gentle way Michael approaches him and tries to comfort him just chokes me up.

I am in total awe of Michael taking off and running with Hunter in 314. He is the least one you expect to do something like this and yet it is his superhero alter-ego that jumps into play here. He is a pit bull when his pup is threatened and I can totally understand and appreciate this.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

felonius_monk
2009-06-22 01:16 pm UTC (link)

When Justin makes his way to Woody's looking for Brian, after he is released from the hospital, after the bashing. When Justin gets overwhelmed by the guys trying to talk to him and buries himself in a corner, the careful, the forceful strident way Michael uses to get to Justin and the gentle way Michael approaches him and tries to comfort him just chokes me up.

YES. Brian didn't have the courage or strength, but Michael did. I always thought Michael had the heart and soul of his mom, Deb. If not for Michael, I don't think Justin and Brian would have made it through that night.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	secretsolitaire 2009-06-21 08:59 pm UTC (link)
	It's great to see some Michael appreciation. I agree with all your points! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	felonius_monk 2009-06-22 01:20 pm UTC (link)
	hugs you Michael is as complex as, well You Know Who. I wrote a ficcie I think you will enjoy. Would love your feedback. COCKFIGHT (Michael confronts Ben about steroid usage) http://asylums.insanejournal.com/_love_qaf_fic/64960.html#cutid1 (Reply to this) (Parent)

	maxymama 2009-06-21 11:56 pm UTC (link)
	Here are a couple of more- He let Emmett move in when his apartment burned down. He sat with Brian for 3 days after Justin was bashed. He took a leap by opening his own comic store. (Reply to this) (Thread)

felonius_monk
2009-06-22 01:27 pm UTC (link)

He took a leap by opening his own comic store.

Just the fact that Michael valued his dream more than Brian's gift to him was monumental. I believe that's when Michael "stepped out of the ordinary" and started to become his own man.

I wrote a ficcie I think you will enjoy. Would love your feedback.

COCKFIGHT (Michael confronts Ben about steroid usage)
http://asylums.insanejournal.com/_love_qaf_fic/64960.html#cutid1

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	fun_demented 2009-06-22 02:30 pm UTC (link)
	I believe that's when Michael "stepped out of the ordinary" and started to become his own man. Completely agree. Just the fact that Michael valued his dream more than Brian's gift to him was monumental. I never thought about. Very interesting! Great insight. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	felonius_monk 2009-06-23 02:01 am UTC (link)
	sigh One of The Greatest Hits of Brian and Michael's Friendship. Brian walks in on Michael auctioning off his gift on Ebay. Does Brian get mad? Heck, no! He jumps on the computer and helps Michael's dream come true. And Deb (their mom) is there with them, sharing the moment. I cherish Teh Love between those three. Debbie squeezes them together (Reply to this) (Parent)