Category talk:Special guests

Definition

So I was going through this list and doing some changes when I noticed that the newly created "Unattractive giant monster" article was also labelled as a special guest, which stopped cold my editing. I thought the definition of "special guest" only applied to real life people or, if the nonexistence of an actor's article precludes it, their Futurama equivalent. Seems strange to label a character as a special guest. Thoughts? -- DeepSpaceHomer 19:41, 9 May 2011 (CEST)

I agree but you would need to ask Sanfazer. He's the one who created the page. Maybe put something on his talk page? There may be some other definition that we may not be aware of. Teyrn of Highever 02:21, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

Sanfazer's logic may have been: because the voice actor, Patton Oswalt, is a guest, this makes the character he voices a guest character. Not by virtue of him voicing a fictional version of himself but rather because he isn't a member of the cast. Even if I am wrong with my assumption, the introduction of what appears to be a second type of special guest could require a change in the definition of what a special guest is. At the very least we will have to rewrite the introduction to this category. Teyrn of Highever 04:15, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

Hate to add to this when the original issue hasn't been resolved but this seemed like the best place to put it. I'm unsure about the designation for Crystal Chesney-Thompson's head. Considering that she doesn't have a speaking role, should she even be listed as a guest? And if she is a guest, then Katey Sagal's head and Patric M. Verrone's head should be listed as well. Whatever decision made should be reflected in DeepSpaceHomer's edits. Teyrn of Highever 02:25, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

Or am I missing something obvious? Teyrn of Highever 02:28, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

Yeah, this whole thing seems a little convoluted to me. I'll put a message on Sanfazer's page. -- DeepSpaceHomer 02:32, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

As an added incentive, I will personally undo every wrongful edit I made if something is found to be so. I will also recite the entire score to H.M.S. Pinafore, but to myself and not out loud. -- DeepSpaceHomer 02:55, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

Don't be a coward, man! It's all or nothing! Teyrn of Highever 03:03, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

I apologize for nothing! -- DeepSpaceHomer 03:41, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

As I always interpreted this category, it should hold guest voice actors who have appeared just once or twice (Penn & Teller, Al Gore, Matt Groening, Pamela Anderson, et cetera), but not the characters themselves and not recurring actors (like Dave Herman). Aki 10:34, 10 May 2011 (CEST)

That's pretty much what Homer was doing to these pages, changing the special guests from the character to the voice actor. But using that definition is what makes Sanfazer's edits so confusing. He is the one who edited Patton Oswalt's page to say special guest, which seems follow the definition you are giving, Aki. But he is also the one who created the Unattractive giant monster page, which is also listed as a special guest. Teyrn of Highever 12:04, 10 May 2011 (CEST)