Strange Convention Moments

[RobertScorpio]

I have been to my fair share of Star Trek convention. I mainly went to them back in the early 90s. I had two, well actually three, strange things happen.

The first? William Shatner. I went to a convention where he was the only speaker. As I recall it was at the hotel at LAX. This was my first convention, or I guess, first time seeing a Trek actor speak in person.

So Shatner comes up and does this wonderful presentation. The guy was funny, funny, funny. And well polished. Any way, the stage was set below a GIANT Chandelier. Well, this convention took place five days after the Northridge Quake in LA. And while Shatner was doing his gig, we had a pretty good sized after shock. And we all just froze. And then the Chandelier began to shake and Shatner looked up, yelled "holy shit!" and ran off the stage. You couldn't blame the guy, that thing was huge.

He came back later and said who would have believe captain Kirk would be scared of an aftershock...

Strangely enough the same thing happened one week later at the convention I went to in Passendena. Nana Visitor was on stage with Armin Shimmerman when another aftershock hit. And as I recall, the rafters at the place were kind of rickety looking. They both ducked their heads and ran off stage.

The third strange event? I don't mean to offend anyone if I am talking about you. But Nimoy was on stage, and this was at the same convention where Shimmerman/Vistor had ran from the quake. But it was later on. Any way, Nimoy was the final speaker and he was talking about, and showing footage, of how they did the whales. Then he took questions from the crowd. And then some strange looking fellow in Vulcan ears, and with a Vulcan looking robe, approached the stage with a black cat on his shoulder. He started asking his question and Nimoy couldn't understand what he was saying because the mic wasn't working.

And you could tell Nimoy thought this guy looked a little strange, he did. So Nimoy said something like "I can't hear you" and this dude then yells out "Can you stroke my cat!"

Well, it may have been meant for fun, but no one laughed. Security guards came and ushered the dude away. Very strange....


So...do you have any strange convention memories???

Rob

 

[erastus25]

I have been to my fair share of Star Trek convention. I mainly went to them back in the early 90s. I had two, well actually three, strange things happen.

The first? William Shatner. I went to a convention where he was the only speaker. As I recall it was at the hotel at LAX. This was my first convention, or I guess, first time seeing a Trek actor speak in person.

So Shatner comes up and does this wonderful presentation. The guy was funny, funny, funny. And well polished. Any way, the stage was set below a GIANT Chandelier. Well, this convention took place five days after the Northridge Quake in LA. And while Shatner was doing his gig, we had a pretty good sized after shock. And we all just froze. And then the Chandelier began to shake and Shatner looked up, yelled "holy shit!" and ran off the stage. You couldn't blame the guy, that thing was huge.

He came back later and said who would have believe captain Kirk would be scared of an aftershock...

Strangely enough the same thing happened one week later at the convention I went to in Passendena. Nana Visitor was on stage with Armin Shimmerman when another aftershock hit. And as I recall, the rafters at the place were kind of rickety looking. They both ducked their heads and ran off stage.

The third strange event? I don't mean to offend anyone if I am talking about you. But Nimoy was on stage, and this was at the same convention where Shimmerman/Vistor had ran from the quake. But it was later on. Any way, Nimoy was the final speaker and he was talking about, and showing footage, of how they did the whales. Then he took questions from the crowd. And then some strange looking fellow in Vulcan ears, and with a Vulcan looking robe, approached the stage with a black cat on his shoulder. He started asking his question and Nimoy couldn't understand what he was saying because the mic wasn't working.

And you could tell Nimoy thought this guy looked a little strange, he did. So Nimoy said something like "I can't hear you" and this dude then yells out "Can you stroke my cat!"

Well, it may have been meant for fun, but no one laughed. Security guards came and ushered the dude away. Very strange....


So...do you have any strange convention memories???

Rob

Can you stroke my cat??? For real? That is really strange. People like that make me worry that we're going to have more unfortunate John Lennon-style deaths. Or maybe the guy simply wanted to recreate Catspaw?

 

[RobertScorpio]

Yes, erastus, it was strange. The auditorium was segmented. One half was for those who were decked out in Trek clothing. The other half was for civilians like me. But yeah, I was thinking John Lennon at the time as well. And those security guards were right there the whole time. Good for them!

Rob

 

[MattJC]

Just seeing a couple who bring their dogs dressed in Starfleet uniforms at the Vegas cons I been to is strange enough for me.

 

[SeerSGB]

Cue geeky convention story:

Mids 90s (forget exactly when, it was just one of the last cons I ever went too). It was Robin Curtis and James Dohann appearing. I was hanging around wating for the Q&A to start up, and me and a couple of other people are looking over an model of the Excelsior some guy had built, and generally just bullshitting about life. Well someone asks me who I thought was hotter as Savvik, Kristie Alley or Robin Curtis. And, not even thinking, I said "Robin Curtis". Next thing I hear is a woman saying "Awww, that's really sweet, thanks for saying that." Turn around and I"m staring face to face with Robin Curtis, to damned embarrassed to say anything other than "Your welcome".

 

[shatastrophic]

Not so much strange that a fan did this but Siddig's reaction. A few years back i attended one here in Denver with Jeri Ryan and Alex Siddig. In front of me in the line for an autograph was a fan that did some type of quasi Picaso like portrait of of Dr Bashir. You could tell she put some time into it, when she presnted it to him to sign he had a look on his face like "Oh my God!?! These people are crazy!". He proceeded very professionally and after pausing and giving the look. He smiled and said it was very nice and that he was flattered. I knew he thought it was weird but his response to her made me like him a little more. I personally thought the pic was good. This isn't so much weird but i thought it was funny and made me like Jeri Ryan too. We were once again in line for autographs and when i got up to her she was just so nice and really beautiful in real life i was kinda just like WOW. Anyhow she asked what i would like on the autograph and i said can you put on there to my main man in denver, she smiled and did it. I wanted to kick myself, but then the next guy in line asked if he could have the same thing on his and she said "nope your to late" she looked back at me as i was walking away and said "greg im still waiting for that picture you promised me." Then we took a pic. She was completely joking around and just trying to keep everyone in line happy and laughing but i brag about it still today. They were both very nice to all the fans.

 

[TGTheodore]

I don't to go cons very often, maybe just 5 or 6 since the late 70's, but I just can't sit through the Q&A. I know there are many levels of Trek fans out there, but I just cringe at some of the questions asked.

And how incredibly gracious the guests are. They have to take it, but I have to leave.

Besides odd questions, it's really awkward whenever there's a sound problem, and guests either can't hear, or don't hear correctly.

--Ted

 

[Valin]

I've told this one before, but it was a funny moment (at least for me). It was before Star Trek VI came out; Walter Koenig was the main guest. My fiance at the time and I were in line for Koenig's autograph. It took forever for us to get up to the signing table. When we finally got up to him, my fiance had her head on my shoulder because she was tired. Koenig looks at her and says, "Honey, if you think you're tired you should try living my schedule." She turned beat red.

 

[Red Ranger]

Aren't most convention moments, by definition, strange? -- RR

 

[Forbin]

NY, 1976. A woman in the audience asked Shatner if he would kiss her. He declined and said (pointing to random people) "I mean, to be fair, if I kiss you, I'll have to her, and her, and him...."



Mark Lenard's Q&A period was highlighted by a woman who was obviously urged to speak by her small son. her question was, "Um. How is Mrs. Sarek?" Mark did one of those pauses that could only mean he was thinking "They let these people procreate?" But being a gentleman, he said, in Sarek's voice, "Fine, madame, thank you." and moved on.

 

[Forbin]

I should direct my friend Frank to this thread, he's the one who worked Shore Leave for several years.

Although, come to think of it, most of his stories involved female Trekkies in his hotel room after the day's events.

Never mind.

 

[Tosk]

The only two I can think of aren't much really, but...

Robert Picardo was in Melbourne, and his talk had gone swimmingly. He was funny and receptive and had the crowd feelin' that "don't want it to end" kind of atmosphere. They gave the call that the next question would be the last, and the man who got up said to him in an much-too-loud voice (I don't think he understood microphones) "How long have you...ummm, how long have you been Dr. Bashir?" I felt kind of bad for him, having the entire audience let out an exasperated sigh as one.

The other one isn't really strange, but we drove from Melbourne to Sydney to go see Gates and Walter in 1994. We were looking around the shops in the hours leading up to the talks, and this little old man* walked up behind us to look in the same window. I caught the reflection and without thinking turned and said, "Holy shit, you're Walter Koenig!" Thankfully, he laughed amiably and ended up talking to us for a few minutes.



*I don't mean it unkindly, he was just shorter and older looking than I had expected.

 

[exodus]

I went to one Con. way back in the late 80's earily 90's.
This dude sitting behind my friends & I during the lunch break opens up a can of beets and proceeds to eat them straight from the can. The smell of fresh beets was so overpowering, everybody within a six to eight seat radius just got up and moved.


However, the worst part of any Sci-fi/Comic Con. is how people can get up first thing in the morning and walk amoung a crowd smelling to high heaven of body funk. Wash your funky asses people, damn!

 

[Mysterion]

I stepped on Mark Lenard once.

A Creation Con in Tacoma, Washington in the late 1980's/early 90's.

Well, on his foot at least. Was in a very crowded dealer's room, and while trying to back away from a display of merchandise, I realize I've stepped on someone's foot. I turned around to apologize and was face-to -face with Mr. Lenard (although in my head I''m thinking: "Spock'sDad!"). I quickly apologized, and he very graciously accepted. The man had a wonderful voice, even in person. Could have had a career in radio if he wanted one, I think.

 

[Cyke101]

Not a convention, but my old college once hired George Takei to speak for Asian American month. His topics would be the climate facing Asian Americans today, what it was like being both gay AND Asian, the advancements of Asian exposure in Western media, and bridging races together in politics and entertainment.

All very relevant and fascinating topics, for sure. So imagine my surprise when I decide to survey the entire room to see the oddest (but a very fond) gathering of activists, intellectuals, jocks, and Trekkies all listening, enthralled basically, but Takei's hour-long talk.

And the Q&A session after that? I'd rather not get into it

 

[Darth_Pinche]

Went to a convention in mid 80's. Just as the build up to Next Generation when they announced the new captian was "Jean Luc Picard" and the entire room, me included sighed "WTF? what kind a lame name is that? Picard to Enterprise, gimmie a break!" Wow, we were so wrong.
At same convention, David Prowse (Darth Vader) was sitting alone in a dealer room corner, sad as just a few years before there would have been a line around the block.

 

[Redfern]

Well, when I was 10, maybe 11, I nearly incited a riot at a Birmingham auto show with the guest of honor being Leonard Nimoy.



Actually, for comic effect, I make it sound worse than it really was. It was either 1973 or '74 in Birmingham, Alabama. The Trek oriented conventions were just starting, so performers like Nimoy, and I assume Shatner, still graced their presence at more generalized gatherings, like, well, automotive presentations. My friend Kyle and I were wound tighter than stopwatches, waiting in anticipation for "Mr. Spock" to appear on stage. Well, for whatever reason, Mr. Nimoy was fashionably late. But do you think a couple of kids ages 9 and 10 would be willing to accept an explanation of delays? Shoot, no! We only concerned ourselves with the fact that the first officer of the Enterprise had not yet appeared.

So, bobbing upon my heals, both in boredom and a growing urge to use the facilities, I started to mumble, "I want Nimoy. I want Nimoy." Well, Kyle heard me, understood my desire and joined in my irritated mantra, "We want Nimoy. we want Nimoy!" You can see where this is going, can't you? Others immediately next to us hear our whining and became a small chorus. "We want Nimoy! We want Nimoy!" Ever see a wave propagate within a pond? The effect was uncannily like that. The next "ring" of people chimed in, then the next, and the next. Within minutes, just about everyone in the crowd were calling for Nimoy's arrival, "We want Nimoy! We want Nimoy!" Minutes passed and the volume grew, "We Want Nimoy! We Want Nimoy!" Several more minutes, "WE WANT NIMOY! WE WANT NIMOY!"

It's fortunate Leonard climbed on stage when he did. Had much more time passed, I honestly wonder if the fans might have rushed the stage?

Now the punchline... After nearly causing a riot, I got his autograph and then promptly lost the Mogg d*amned thing before we even left the car show!

D'OH!!!

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[RyanKCR]

I wouldn't call this strange but I would call it embarassing for me. I was at the con in NJ a few weeks ago and I didn't have any money to get any autographs (did get a nice pic with the Admrial) but Spiner was listening to his voice mail and was trying to figure something out. Pause---I work for T-Mobile as a BlackBerry and PDA tech support, I used to work in general care but my call center went all tech support. Anyway someone near him asked if anyone knows anything about BlackBerries. I was nearby and said I support them. He asked a general care question that I didn't know. I should have known because it was about voicemail. He wanted to skip through the messages and save them. I only know had to delete them. Normally I could look it up on my computer and have the answer in seconds but I was going blind. I don't save my own, I just delete. I asked who his carrier was because I definately would not know other carriers. He had T-Mobile. I froze and couldn't remember. AAARRRRGGGGHHH!!!! A dealer there knew the answer and Spiner said that he should work for T-Mobile. Needless to say I walked away red-faced.

I now know how to save them. I'll never forget it......

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

'I was at the infamous convention where a really stupid lady asked Dorn what it felt like to be beamed. He still talks about that one!

 

[Valin]

That reminds me of a convention I went to, it was during TNG's first season, this one woman asked Marina Sirtis if Mr. Roddenbery wouldn't mind making Riker the Captain and Picard the ship's doctor.

Marina Sirtis froze for a moment (conventions were still new to her) and said, "Um; I think not."