I'm using my Josh icon because I use my House icons far far more frequently (as it's still on).

[sab]

In the latest Fandom Steel Cage Match round: http://winter-baby.livejournal.com/266835.html I'm forced to choose between Josh Lyman and Greg House.

JOSH LYMAN AND GREG HOUSE! Followers of Eating Hard Candy Alone and the career of one Sab will see just how painful and impossible this choice is! They are both alteregos of mine! They are both brilliant men full of angst and self loathing! They are both supported by their young turk buttoned up partners! I wrote a five-story collection character study of Josh Lyman! I am in the middle of a hurt/comfort self-hating suicide-attempt rationalizing embarrassingly emo fic about House because I need to exorcise my complicated feelings and affinity for him!

SO, please help? Please? Fandom Steel Cage Match = SRS BIZNESS.


[Poll #1362230]

ETA: Less abstaining! More helping! ETA 2: ET TU, LUNA? *shakes fist*

ETA 3: There are some VERY good arguments being made in the comments. On both sides. I now want to host a town hall style debate. Oh, wait. I guess I AM hosting a town hall style debate. How about that?


And as I told the cruel and unusual winter_baby, I might have to write an XO now, costarring Sam and Wilson who team up to try and protect Josh and House from themselves!

Anyway, I only have till one tomorrow afternoon NY time. Again, SRS BIZNESS, people. And while I'm at it, go continue to vote for the Tenth Doctor over that horrible Alec from DA? And come struggle with the rest of us on Liz Lemon vs. Sheldon Cooper. I voted for Liz but that is ONLY because I know more about Tina Fey than I do about Jim Parsons. I will repeat, though, that if you don't sing along loud to the Big Bang Theory theme and let it fill you with WE BUILT A WALL WE BUILT THE PYRAMIDS! then you are dead inside. Dead. Inside.

Comments

[allthingsholy.livejournal.com]

I can't decide this one for you, though I personally went with Gregory House, even though Josh Lyman will always own a fairly large portion of my soul. I faced a similar dilemma for Liz Lemon vs. Sheldon Cooper, because they're both so sadsack and pathetic a lot of the time and I didn't want to end their dreams. So I refused to vote, and thus understand how this is hard for you. OH, LIFE'S FULL OF TOUGH CHOICES.

Though in the end it's all futile because Barney Stinson is going to rock this thing. Just sayin'.

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

At least we can all get together behind Barney. He's the great equalizer, is what. It's what happens when a person is the DEFINITION OF AWESOME.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_abulafia/]

This question is really harder than it has any right to be.

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

I'm SAYING.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_abulafia/]

Ultimately I changed to House on the basis of the following equation.

Hugh Laurie > every other actor. Has Bradley Whitford written a hilarious novel? Has Bradley Whitford written and starred in my favorite sketch comedy series? Is Bradley Whitford friends with Stephen Fry?

OK.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_abulafia/]

OK, so it's not a real equation, but that's the point!

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY EXACTLY! That is one hundred percent my trouble. Can Bradley Whitford play professional piano? Did he row crew at Cambridge? Is he almost painfully fluent in a foreign accent?

Also I loved The Gun Seller! And those big blue googly Fry and Laurie eyes!

Dammit! Dammit. /struggles

[http://users.livejournal.com/_abulafia/]

I think no to all of those questions and yes to the question of, is Hugh LaurieHouse more awesome than Bradley WhitfordJosh. (No disrespect to Bradley Whitford! I mean, here is the breakdown. Hugh Laurie > Bradley Whitford > ME.)

As far as accent fluency is concerned, I recently watched a younger Hugh Laurie try to do an American accent and it was pretty trippy, like House meets Bertie Wooster.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

JOSH JOSH JOSH.

JOSH.

BECAUSE

JOSH.

Look, I love House, but...JOSH. He's representing TWW!

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

This is a good argument. /considers.

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

We don't forget ppl we love because they die, right? TWW may be an ex-show, but IT NEEDS THE LOVE.

They shoulda had a category for fictional presidents.

[aud-woman-in.livejournal.com]

This was a seriously cruel match-up. And as fresh and shiny and silvery as my new obsession with House is, I had to go with Josh, because Josh is GOLD. And also, I knew House was gonna take that round anyway.

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the thing, those us older-school fans have a better chance of loving Josh, and those young punks are going to stack the deck for House; VERY good point. Where almost as a FAN I'm obligated to represent for WW. Hmmm! /ponders

[pene.livejournal.com]

here's why I selected House.

1) his initials are the same as mine
2) both Lyman and House have similar positive qualities (brilliance, commitment, craziness) but I think their actual negative qualities (as opposed to their faux negative but actually you're supposed to think they're cuter because or them qualities) are different. they can both be pretentious and patronising but House is more direct about it and accepts it in himself while I think Lyman still thinks he's doing right by others.
3) the drugs
4) the love interests: I think Sam and Donna are not as interesting as Cuddy and Wilson.

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

I totally totally agree about their legitimate negative qualities (and I am ALWAYS making that argument about faux negative qualities that are actually just cute sympathetic quirks). The drugs are of course key to me, and the wild self-loathing (House maintains it better than Josh) AND the point that Josh is still basically a good guy while House is really not such a good guy and sort of a villain. And you are SO RIGHT, Sam and Donna ARE SO MUCH less interesting than Cuddy and Wilson, I had not thought of that.

This is a good argument too, Georgina H. /percolates

[fourteenlines.livejournal.com]

#4 is, I think, the real reason why I have to go with House.

Plus, House is extraordinary, not just as a person but as a character. There are plenty of characters like Josh. (There's one in every Sorkin show, as a matter of fact.) And don't get me wrong - Josh is awesome. I love Josh. But he's the type of character that you can love unabashedly, because even the faults are supposed to be charming. House is the type of character whose faults are not meant to be charming in the least, and yet I cannot help but love House, almost in spite of myself. And certainly in spite of him. Josh not-so-secretly wants everyone love him. House acts like he could care less whether anyone would cross the street to save his life, and yet super-secretly, deep down, he totally does care about the good opinions of a few.

I...I think I just convinced myself that House is more complicated than Josh.

[pene.livejournal.com]

well #4 AND #1 I assume.

[fourteenlines.livejournal.com]

*g* Goes without saying.

It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[macadamanaity.livejournal.com]

I love Sheldon, but Liz Lemon is my religion, so I have to go with her.

I am deeply upset at Jack Harkness losing to Ned the Pie Maker on Pushing Daisies. Because this is SOOPER SRS BIZNESS, apparently.

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

That is just SO WRONG. I mean, imagine Jack and Ned literally IN a steel cage together! Jack would win so easily. ALTHOUGH! Jack's dead, so I wonder what would happen if Ned touched him? Yeah, okay, that's kind of an awesome crossover.

But I obviously voted for Jack. And Liz Lemon. And Ten over that smarmy, horrible Alec from DA.

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[macadamanaity.livejournal.com]

imagine Jack and Ned literally IN a steel cage together

Mmmm... okay.

:-)

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

I voted for MASON over Ned in the last round, I think! I mean, I know I voted for Mason. And that was Bryan Fuller people and much MORE fair a match. If Ned actually does beat out Jack it's an embarrassment to fandom, I tell you.

But did you vote for House, or Josh?

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[macadamanaity.livejournal.com]

House, but only because I never really got into West Wing much beyond 'hooray Allison Janney!' because once the Bush years started it was way too depressing to think of a Dem being in office.

I voted for Mason too, but it was really a vote for Joy Lass.

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

I love Cynthia Stevenson SO MUCH.

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[macadamanaity.livejournal.com]

She was the only marginally good part of that really unfortunate Dead Like Me movie. Her awesomeness is staggering.

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[iamsab.livejournal.com]

That movie was so unfortunate. Though I liked grown-up Reggie too.

My favorite Cynthia Stevenson role is her role in The Player, I think. Her awesomeness INDEED.

Re: It all started with the big bang. (BANG!)

[macadamanaity.livejournal.com]

Ooo, also her role as the homophobic child services lady in The L Word.

[elliejane.livejournal.com]

Just to say, "I do sing along!"

Well. I can only make out the words "we built the pyramids", so both me and my box set owning friend (box set was a birthday gift from me!) kind of la la la and hum loudly and sway.

Hmm. Must use internets to look up the words.

[noelleleithe.livejournal.com]

Josh is the long-time boy-next-door love. House is the new exciting guy with the motorcycle.

House may be more fun right now, but in the long run, Josh wins. :)