Convention Circuit - Least Favorite Person Associated With Trek?

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by Jeff Tube, Jan 30, 2011.

  1. Sagart

    Sagart Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2001
    Location:
    Northern Ireland
    Kate Mulgrew has a tendency to get on her political/moral/philosophical soapbox during her talks. I once heard Dominic Keating saying, while Kate was on stage and he was to the side of it, signing autographs, "For fucks sake, Kate, tell a joke!"
     
  2. Captain Kathryn

    Captain Kathryn Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2013
    Location:
    Captain Kathryn
    She is very....classical? She is the kind of person who loves Shakespeare and reading and talking about her life...her kids...etc. She's pretty open and opinionated. I don't know how else to explain her personality. You are right though..."funny" is not the first thing I think of when I see her or think of her, but she can be...it's just more subtle.

    I think she is capable of being very funny when she wants to be. It was not showcased much on Voyager to its full potential. Even still...I just love her voice...it's so distinct and not many people have voices like that anymore. I feel the same way about Jessica Lange...I think both ladies have great voices.

    I thought Kate was pretty funny here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Ur1E6YDz0
     
  3. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2007
    Location:
    inside teacake
    When I saw Kate it was a comedy act, VERY FUNNY, people were dying laughing. Maybe she's ramped up the comedy as she's gotten older? She still made political and religious comments but they were very funny. She tells dramatic, often self deprecating stories.
     
  4. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2001
    Location:
    Undisclosed Fortified Compound
    I will add that my experience with Kate Mulgrew was great as well. She is a very commanding presence. Very funny and energetic. I did a photo op with her years ago, and she was really nice.
     
  5. CoveTom

    CoveTom Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2003
    Location:
    CoveTom
    Okay, I'm respecting your wishes that we not debate the politics of what Dirk Benedict said. However, since this is a thread about bad con experiences, I do want to ask... was it the fact that he used his platform to speak about politics and religion that irritated you? Or was it the fact that he advocated positions you disagree with quite vehemently and personally? If, for example, he had gone on a tear about why we should be permitting gay marriage and how not doing so is denying people their fundamental human rights, would you have found his use of the platform as a soapbox so off-putting?

    Sincerely curious.
     
  6. Delta Vega

    Delta Vega Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    Location:
    The Great Barrier
  7. Delta Vega

    Delta Vega Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    Location:
    The Great Barrier
    I would feel much much better meeting my favourite "airhead"

    Thanks ;)
     
  8. WillsBabe

    WillsBabe Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2002
  9. Captain Kathryn

    Captain Kathryn Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2013
    Location:
    Captain Kathryn
    Yeah, I have only gotten to experience her on YouTube so far haha. But I am going to the Las Vegas convention which she will be speaking at. From what I've seen on YouTube, she is very funny especially when she is doing a show on her own. I love her voice... too bad I am from New Jersey... I will never sound like her haha. :scream:
     
  10. Opus

    Opus Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2003
    Location:
    Bloom County
    ^I'm bummed. Ms. Mulgrew was scheduled to be at the creation con in Boston this June, but she's no longer on the website's line-up. I wouldn't mind meeting her either.
     
  11. teacake

    teacake Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2007
    Location:
    inside teacake
    Kate Mulgrew seems to LOVE speaking and interacting with fans at cons. There were a few actors I've seen who were having a great time and for whom conventions were seemingly a lot of fun.
     
  12. Captain Kathryn

    Captain Kathryn Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2013
    Location:
    Captain Kathryn
    I agree she seems to be one the good ones, who is very appreciative and respectful towards fans from what I've heard her say and fans say.

    OphaClyde, So far for cons, she's only so far scheduled for Las Vegas right now. But if you like her and live in the NYC vicinity, she's doing a play in May/June at the Vineyard Theater.
     
  13. JWD75

    JWD75 Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2010
    Location:
    jovian system
    I would have to say Brent Spiner. He tried really hard to be a smart ass, but all he ever manages to be is just an ass.
     
  14. Delta Vega

    Delta Vega Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2011
    Location:
    The Great Barrier
  15. Solariabsg25

    Solariabsg25 Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2007
    Location:
    Bristol, UK
    I've met quite a few Trek actors at cos over the years, and not had a bad experience.

    While my ex-wife and two eldest kids were watching Jon Pertwee give a talk in Bristol, my daughter nudged me and whispered "It's Q!" I went to correct her, only to realise she was indicating John DeLancie who was sat just behind us, drinking coffee and watching Pertwee's talk. He winked at her when he noticed her looking.

    Walter Koenig toyed with me at Cardiff. I was running late, had no breakfast, and hurriedly grabbed a pie before entering one of the halls. Just as I grabbed a huge bite, I realised he was on stage, and they were announcing competition winners, and it was me! I had to go up on the stage, pie in hand, trying to chew, and the grin on his face was priceless, as he started asking me questions!

    Nana Visitor, Ethan Phillips and Robert Picardo were all great.

    Best non-Trek experience was London MCM Expo last year, got a pic from CCH Pounder, and when I asked her to sign it to "Gaz", she wanted to know what it was short for, and where I got the name.
     
  16. Brian

    Brian Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2001
    Location:
    Brian
    No, as I said in the original post,

    It's the fact that he used the platform of a sci-fi convention to continually make a political point, forgetting why he's actually there.
     
  17. 1001001

    1001001 Serial Canon Violator Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2001
    Location:
    Undisclosed Fortified Compound
    As has been pointed out by others, sometimes the actors have to put up with fans that have no boundaries, or ask really dumb questions. Your post made me think of an example.

    When we saw Spiner in San Francisco, he was great. We got to spend some personal time with him, and was just a normal guy.

    When he got up on stage, he was funny, and engaged. All was going well.

    Then, Q&A time (which always makes me cringe at these things). A guy walks up to the microphone and asks Spiner "Are you gay?" The audience immediately began booing. Spiner said "that's none of your business." The guy at the mic made some saracstic remark about the audience, and Spiner replied "yeah, you're really winning them over now."

    They engaged in a little more back and forth before Spiner moved on. I just thought "what kind of jerk would ask a question like that?" I thought Spiner handled it fairly well, and it didn't seem to affect him afterward, but still...
     
  18. Captain Kathryn

    Captain Kathryn Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2013
    Location:
    Captain Kathryn
    Yeah...that was not very nice of the audience member.

    I would crack up if someone asked George Takei if he was gay haha. He would say "Why yes I am and proud of it!" XD
     
  19. Newspaper Taxi

    Newspaper Taxi Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2004
    Location:
    Newspaper Taxi
    I've got to see meet Koening twice, and Takei and Uhuru once. I saw them at all different TrekFests in Iowa, which is a pretty low-key event.

    I was really impressed by Koening. He seemed the most grounded in reality of the celebrities that I've met, and the least like fame had changed him. Very warm and friendly; quite laidback. This was before his recent personal loss, though. The first time I saw him I told him I thought it was cool that he was willing to do fan-films, like the Continuing Voyages, and he seemed pleased.

    George Takei seems to be the kind of person who loves meeting new people above all else. He would get excited talking to people signing autographs, and his handler would have to remind him that the line was long. You could see the disappointment in his eyes -- he really would've kept talking with all of the random fans if he could've.

    I don't know if Uhuru was having a bad day when I saw her, but she seemed more interested in herself than Star Trek or the fans. At the speaking event she went on a ten/fifteen minute spree talking about herself, and Koening eventually interrupted her, saying this isn't what the fans came here to see and hear. Which left things kind of awkward -- who wants to see their favorite stars argue with each others? She also wasn't in the autograph mood that day; didn't say a word to me.
     
  20. Frontier

    Frontier Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 17, 2002
    Location:
    Fifth Circle of Hell, IE: Pennsylvania
    You've summed up Nichelle quite well here, IMHO. This is the same thing you hear from 80% of people who've met her. The only exceptions are the few who catch her in an off-day, and by off I mean a day when she isn't being herself.

    She wanted to leave TOS early on, and she's turned the famed encounter she had with MLK into an urban legend, and... well, she's always been a bit full of herself. I mean, her autobio is titled "BEYOND Uhura" - and while Leonard may have had some issues in the old days ("I Am Not Spock") he came to terms and corrected them ("I Am Spock").

    She's notorious for being stand-offish, catty, distant, aloof, self-involved... you name it.

    I met a guy, he had a cast photo signed by everyone - including Gene. It happened to be the cast photo where part of Nichelle's face was obscured. Well, the guy finally meets her and is in line and gets up to the table to have her sign it and she flat out refuses. :wtf: The guy begged and pleaded, and even offered to write a $500 dollar check to the charity of her choice, but she would not budge. And it's like... seriously? Your ego is so fragile that you won't put it aside even to give a charity $500 in exchange for signing your name? Really?

    Some people have argued she was justified refusing to sign such... but honestly, it's just silly. No one was asking her to sign something truly offensive or what not.

    When I met her, I was 14. Got to meet the "fab 4" of Chekov, Sulu, Scotty and Uhura together. Well the first three are warm and charming, pose for pictures (this was before they charged for such, thank you convention promoter rackets!) and Jimmy Doohan even signed an extra item for me. Nichelle? Oh you could get a photo, but you had to stay in front of her table - not go around and stand near her like with the others. And she wouldn't look up, you could just take it while she kept signing. She was the most cattle-call like for signing, most aloof and distant, nothing like the others.