This reminds me of a very funny skit on MadTv where an actors dresses and sounds just like GL and deems himself a god of his own religion. I'm sure it's on Youtube somewhere. GL likes the fanbase only for the money (power) it gives him, and the canon material is only what he approves.
Yes, found it, with the usual Youtube 'This video is no longer available' banner. They should call it Notube.
There's no real law as to what counts as canon and what doesn't, but you're right the "canon" thing is an idea that lets GL retain control and explain away the inconsistencies.
Drooling Fanboy: Tell me in "Jedis on the Dark Moon" subseries, that Lieutenant , he's actually the same one in the Dark Horse "Dagobah Adventures" series?
GL: Uhhhh.... sure....
Drooling Fanboy: I knew it! I knew it! Wait till the boys hear this! (Wanders off to change his Depends)
GL: Yes! Yes! Quick! Someone call Hasbro and we'll insert a three-second close-up of whoever it is into the next special edition. Yes, this new character was pivotal all along. Yes, I remember now. And the name of this character... What was it?...
Underling: Here is your coffee, my lord.
GL: Ah thankyou. Their name. Yes. Kobayashi. Lieutenant Kobayashi. Big Fat Guy. Walked with a limp. I remember I originally had him playing in a barbershop quartet at the Mos Eisley Cantina, but I had to cut it due to running time. With the miracle of CGI, I can now fix that. Yes, at the Cantina where Han Solo and his copilot Greedo first meet Luke and Ben. I remember it like it was yesterday.
QUOTE
I'm thinking these are more canon because of the fact that Tolkein's stories were originaly based on a language system of elvish that he made up, if I've heard correctly. Tolkein had a lot put into "Fellowship" and from what I hear, the Silmarilian is a very good read, full of all kinds of background knowledge that actually corelates with what we have today.
There was a lot of background stuff, but AFAIK that was never intended to see the light of day by virtue of the fact Tolkien Jr didn't start publishing it until after Tolkien Sr died. In my mind nothing Christopher Tolkien "finds" is canon, but then I'm a judgmental bastard.
This post has been edited by Toru-chan: 30 July 2008 - 01:23 AM