DragonCon 2006

Kellygirl's Pop Culture Palace

DragonCon 2006 - Sunday

| | | | | | | | | | |

KellyGirl's Report

This is our busiest day. We’re up early to grab breakfast and get in line for the Buffy cast panel in the hopes that we won’t have to wait outside. We are very excited to not only be inside but to have a table to sit on, that is until the security guy comes along and makes the line go outside by the pool. D’oh! It’s okay because it’s still fairly early, we’re in the shade, and we have some very nice people in line ahead of us to chat with. We wind up with awesome seats. Clare Kramer is extremely pretty and Nicholas Brendon is still too much of a jokester.

Then we hustle on over to Tom Hern’s Q&A. Kudos to him for having the most well-planned and organized panel. He showed his show reel, there were questions, he played a song, and then showed the short film he’d made with James Napier. And after much speculation between Dreago and me, I did ask about how different his voice sounds now as compared to when he was on the show. He said he’s done tons of work with a vocal coach to combat a tendency to be somewhat nasal.

Next it’s on to another non-fandom related panel on hypnosis for healing. Wow! It’s really interesting and the woman who gives the talk has the sweetest, most wonderful vibe about her. Afterward Dreago is very hyped up about becoming certified as a hypnotherapist.

Sadly we’re going to miss Laura Wilson’s Q&A but the 4218 girls are having a special dinner. Shannon, Sam, Dreago, and I end up sitting in the corner where we can see everything that’s going on and we have a fun time chatting and enjoying the theatricality that is Benihana, not to mention the really yummy food. And all night Caleb is the total gentleman holding the door open for everyone. We make it back to the hotel in time to catch the end of the Last Picture Show performance during which apparently my posture distracts Sam and Shannon.

So here’s where things get weird. Terrestrial Media is having a VIP party tonight. Because of Caleb, Shannon and Sam have tickets and in fact they have one extra. Now, if I were to go, I would just have fun and that would be the end of it. Dreago is a better schmoozer and has more of an interest in making a statement. So I tell her to go assuming that everyone will be back around midnight or shortly thereafter and then we can go on and do what we’d planned to in the first place. So, it’s partially my fault – I could’ve gone to the Carnivale panel or the Adult Swim panel but I didn’t. I rested a while then got all gussied up and went to sit and watch the drum circle while waiting for everyone. I thought everyone would be back in a couple hours but it was more than 4 hours and honestly, I’m feeling a little ditched. And when Dreago finally did show up she was dressed for bellydancing rather than the party we were originally going to. Meanwhile I’m in a short skirt, fishnets, and platform boots so I couldn’t really bellydance. Eventually I just gave up and went back to the room. Are you seeing the pattern here?

Dreago's Report

DragonCon 2006 Sunday: The Fan Dance

A large part of the DragonCon experience is meeting the fans. For some of us, Con maybe the first time we leave the house. For others, Con is the first time we put a real life face to the online voice in our heads.

This meeting of minds can be exciting or perplexing. I'm sure everyone has met an online friend in real life and been shocked when they were prettier/uglier/smellier/smarter/nicer/meaner than how they presented themselves via the blinking cursor. Every once and a while you meet someone who matches their online persona perfectly. But the brass ring of fan encounters is when you meet a stranger, another fan, and you hit it off. I was lucky enough to do this with my fellow fans msmisery, calzephyr, and OrangeSam/princessbride24. Hopefully, the fan-friends you meet can continue interacting with you online, the place where most of our fannish obsessions were born.

As rocknrollgidget and I stood in the line for the Buffy Cast panel, we had the pleasure of meeting a group of Buffy folk that liked all the things we liked, made fun of all the things we liked to make fun of, and liked our Andy Hallet gossip. countessmary and her clique were super fun and entertaining as we waited in the heat and cigarette smoke for entrance to the panel. We suspect she and her krewe may be more fabulous than us. We hope not. But either way, friend us! *makes "call us!" gesture* Anyway, we regaled her with our love of Tribe and invited her to some of the events.

The next tribe event was Tom Hern's panel. It was one of the best Tribe panels offered although I hear Matt Robinson lead a really good acting workshop. Tom's Q&A was fast paced, multi-media and mostly cringe-free. Sure, I learned more about Tom's "piddly biceps" more than I cared to be informed, but unlike the first musical performance that I attended in 2003, there was less crying, swearing and blasphemy this time around. I left that to all the fuddy-duddies who were tut-tutting the central conceit of Tom's short film (prisoners who escape from prison by hiding keys in their rectums).

Aaaaaand there is just no way to segue from assholes to dinner in an elegant way, is there? The next event we attended was the Girls of 4218 thank you dinner. The Girls of 4218 sponsored the DragonCon 2006 appearance of Caleb Ross. Kellygirl and I were some of the fans approached to donate money to the Girls' cause. We went to dinner and had a lovely time chatting with the Girls. You have to wonder about what the experience was like for Caleb Ross. Was he our collective date? Or the suckling pig at the Luau? If so, then there was plenty of pork to go around because who should be eating at Benihana that evening? Aaron Douglas and Tahmoh Penikett! Don't worry, we just did a casual walk-by to get a good look. We don't hide behind shower curtains or anything, no stalking for us!

It was at this dinner when CalZeph revealed that she had an extra ticket to the Terrestrial Media VIP dinner. Contrary to what Kell implies, I offered her the ticket first because she had missed out on evening fun. And when I was all set to go , I did plan to have a good time. Because drinking Champagne on another person's dime is always an amusing way to make a statement.

And what statement did I intend to make? You can't keep a Fabulous Girl down! Snub us, ban us, run from us…we'll always get the scoop and we'll always dish the dirt. However, in hindsight, Kellygirl should have gone because a) she is more discrete and b)turns out it was Kell who earned the wrath of TM first, not me! Can you believe it! I know, I'm bowled over. When has my mouth not gotten me into trouble?

Seriously, I do try to restrain myself sometimes. That evening, after we got back from Benihana, the girls and I go to a performance by The Last Picture Show. I walk in during the middle of a song named "Crash." The same song I disliked last year and the year before that. And then they expounded on their musical philosophy which relies heavily on "heart" and not so much on education, discipline, or technique. When I went to the VIP dinner, I was anxious to avoid sitting next to an LPS member so I wouldn't have to give my opinion. No such luck.

I know our Con reports are filled with tidbits, snark and gossip, but usually I'm pretty discrete. Tell me something in confidence and I'll take it to the grave. The problem is, if I don't know it is supposed to be a secret, especially since everyone else already knows this secret, I can't very well be expected to keep it, can I? So imagine my chagrin when I realized that a Cast member was not being sarcastic when he fed me a line about Saturday night's drama. And then he begged me to be honest with him. Now, who am I to say no to a pretty boy?

I don't have the constitution for that type of constancy. That's left up to another cast member's object of affection. Poor girl, followed by a love sick puppy while she vainly tries to attract another's attention. Isn't that always the way? Sadly, it has come to my attention that said girl, instead of earning our amusement and compassion, has earned fandom scorn, simply for being pretty and attracting the eye of a cast member. For shame, people! For shame! Don't hate the playa', hate the game!

Fandom in-fighting, especially around matters such as Cast attention, really puts a damper on the night. Add alcohol and soon dirty looks dissolve into tears. Ever anxious to get my pirate on at the Pirate Party, I try to cajole my partners in crime to move on to the puffy shirted, corseted fete. As the hours tick by, I realize that this won't be happening as our group is mad at each other. I play the mediator and eventually we end up at the hotel again, late, sans pirates.

Turns out the Pirate Party got closed down before we got there. Too many salty dogs in the crow's nest and the Fire Marshall made everyone walk the plank. Kellygirl was disapointed and annoyed with me. The other girls were busy making up. And I got to spend a lot of money on a costume (halter top corset, mini peasant dress, boots and a big feathered hat) that I never got to wear.

The rest of the night did not get better. Sure, I met a girl at Drum Circle who could African Dance and I learned some moves from her. But as usual, no dance party can be complete until some guy gets fresh, I say "cool it", and then I get bruised. Last year, I got Storm Trooper armor to the face. This year the guy swears he "accidentally" kicks me in the knee. And then he follows me around and won't leave me alone.

Clearly, my milkshake is bringing all the wrong boys to the yard, so I skedaddle. In the process, I lose my beautiful handmade wreath. Some guys at the elevator refer to me as "that girl in the purple thing" and act offended when I turn down their offer and say "the only date I have tonight is with my bed." It's just not a good scene. Instead of the usual mating dance, people are beginning to get aggressive and demanding. Girls get more desperate and outrageous. Boys get drunker and belligerent. There is no more fun in the flirtation and that is just not fabulous. But we'll save the tales of attention-whoring for Monday night's debacle.