Convention Circuit - Least Favorite Person Associated With Trek?
- Thread starter Jeff Tube
- Start date
Not exactly STAR TREK, but I enjoyed meeting Ben Browder several years ago. You could tell he was a genuine science fiction fan who was well-read in the literature; he spoke enthusiastically about Larry Niven, Vernor Vinge, etc.
I later sent him a care package of Tor books and he replied with a nice thank-you letter.
I later sent him a care package of Tor books and he replied with a nice thank-you letter.
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I met Nichelle Nichols in 1990 at a reception in honor of the 15th anniversary of the Apollo/Soyuz mission. There were a bunch of astronauts there, and Nichelle. They were all polite, but you could feel the arrogance. Nichelle was like an old friend. She chatted a long time. Then a couple of years later I saw her at a convention. She was very distant, and "guarded" by her enterauge. Not out and out rude, but distant.
I've never really had a totally bad experience with any.
I will put my $0.02 in. Cut Walter Keonig some slack. He's had a terrible year. He's back at conventions, but everything must be hard for him these days.
I've never really had a totally bad experience with any.
I will put my $0.02 in. Cut Walter Keonig some slack. He's had a terrible year. He's back at conventions, but everything must be hard for him these days.
Yeah, definitely...I cannot imagine what it would be like to be in his position and to lose a child in that way.
100 percent agree. Avery Brooks was great when we met him at FanExpo in Toronto--very friendly and personable.
Of the Trek actors I've met, I have to echo many posters here and say Shatner was the worst, but his ego is so friggin big I'm surprised con organizers can get him inside whatever convention centre he happens to be at.
In order from best to worst out of the Trek actors I've met:
Avery Brooks
Jonathan Frakes
Robert Picardo
John deLancie
Michael Dorn
Brent Spiner
William Shatner
Off topic, the coolest genre actor I've ever met was Michael Hogan (Colonel Tigh on nBSG). Awesome, awesome guy who loved posing for photo after photo (FREE photos, not the posed ones they charge for) and signing stuff (again with no charge) for my friends and I. Oh and then he got drunk with us at the bar.
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The punching in the face part.
Yes.
Waitin' in line for Brent Spiner's signature at a scifi con back in October '04, the guy in line ahead of me is tellin' Spiner that he was really sorry to see Data killed off in Nemesis, because that was his favorite character. Spiner does this guffaw, bark of a laugh & tells the guy that Data was just a fictional character, not a real person.
And that's the sort of thing I've heard over & over again from folks who have met him.
I say no one is waitin' to get an 8x10 of his guest spot of Criminal Intent or Joey signed. Its Data fans he's goin' to meet, and if he has a car payment to make or whatever, than he should suck it up & try to be a little nicer for a day or two to the folks that come out to meet the guy who played a fan favorite character.
He was one of mine, too, 'til I met him. It took me awhile to get back to likin' Data, too.
Wil Wheaton is awesome, sauced. Seriously, if he comes to your area, for a scifi con, screenin' or book readin', go see him. Ya won't be disappointed & may even come back with a higher opinion of Wesley Crusher.
I've only met two Trek actors, Ethan Phillips and Brent Spiner. I met them a week ago. The Brent Spiner story Odo Ital tells happened to me as well. I asked how he felt about Data getting killed off, he very patronizingly said, "You do know this is a fictional character?" He'd already said that in response to a question someone else had asked in the same session.
Phillips was nice, a bit distracted but went out of his way to talk to my son during the signings which was really good of him considering we were just about the last ones to get the photo signed. I appreciated him making a point to talk to the kid.
Phillips was nice, a bit distracted but went out of his way to talk to my son during the signings which was really good of him considering we were just about the last ones to get the photo signed. I appreciated him making a point to talk to the kid.
Several people were ahead of me. And after I left, I was standing in another autograph line near the room he was in and lots of people were asking us how to find him. Trust me, he was not neglected by any means.Could that be the reason for his attitude, that there wasn't anyone else there? Maybe he was suffering from neglect.
I'll add a couple more who were fantastic: Arlene Martell, Natalia Nogulich, Don Marshall, Gary Lockwood, Armin Shimerman. All of them were wonderful. Kind people. Extra kind to my kids who have accompanied me.
A couple of non-trek actors who were spectacular were Herb Jefferson Jr. and Richard Hatch from the original Battlestar Galactica. The friendliest, most approachable gentlemen I've ever encountered.
There are a lot of other outstanding folks I've encountered, Trek and otherwise. I've found it really the rare exception who isn't at least cordial. Even the couple of times I met Brent Spiner, he was nice enough. At least, he wasn't mean.
A couple of non-trek actors who were spectacular were Herb Jefferson Jr. and Richard Hatch from the original Battlestar Galactica. The friendliest, most approachable gentlemen I've ever encountered.
There are a lot of other outstanding folks I've encountered, Trek and otherwise. I've found it really the rare exception who isn't at least cordial. Even the couple of times I met Brent Spiner, he was nice enough. At least, he wasn't mean.
I have to say, I'm disappointed, but not surprised. He seems to be a sardonic, sarcastic, snarky kind of guy. But he seems to get a nice sense of humor if put in the right mood.
I think he reacts so coldly to the people who ask him about Data's death because he's likely explained the reasons a hundred times and asked about the same thing by nearly all the fans that have met him -- if that were me I'd start getting irritated too!
Anyway, this thread is incredibly useful, as I've never been to a convention as of yet. I'll still look forward to it, I think.
^^^^^Please, don't get the wrong idea. The vast, VAST majority of all the guests I've met at conventions have been really nice people. That includes the attendees, as well. Most are sincere and appreciative. I've been able to engage in some really nice, stimulating conversations and built some great memories.
Don't let the negative stories turn you off from going to conventions.
Don't let the negative stories turn you off from going to conventions.
I covered this year's Vegas convention for a local weekly and spent a lot of time watching how fans and stars interacted. This is probably going to be a longish post, so bear with me.
In the vendor's room, I spent a lot of time with Max Grodenchik--I wish I could have gotten more of it in the article, because he was really great. I ended up talking to him a lot about Vegas' economic condition, which is part of what I do for a living. He was incredibly witty, and had a really good memory, recalling the names of people who'd seen him at cons in Germany, New Jersey, and elsewhere. Really interesting guy to talk to, even though I haven't seen that much DS9. A little while later Grace Lee Whitney came to get set up (I was sitting in her seat, apparently), and was very gracious about the whole thing.
I was walking by Gary Lockwood's booth, with my wife who was carrying our 2 year-old daughter. I said hi and he said, "Hey, how come you're making her do all the work?" So I gave him a demo: I took her in my arms and she immediately started doing the "I want Mommy" squirm until I handed her back over. We shared a laugh. I asked him a lot about how he likes doing cons, and he said how great it was, and that it paid pretty well. He talked about how much of a pain the contacts in WNMHGB were, and talked about getting drunk and playing poker the night of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Cool guy.
Had a nice talk with James Kerwin about the nature of Internet critics. Got a great quote from Chase Masterson about the Intergalactic Bartender, a Vegas-based company I was interested in highlighting in the piece.
Sat in on the Takei/Koenig photo opp for about 20 minutes, so I got to see how they interacted with a range of people. Koenig was a bit muted, as you can understand, but seemed genuinely to meet the fans. Takei was the star...I put a line in the article about how his warm baritone carried to the door, and made you realize that this is it, your chance to meet Lt. Sulu. They were both incredible with the fans, and I'm amazed at how they could be simultaneously personable and efficient about moving the line along.
I spent a lot of time chatting with the guys who played the Xindi Council. I shared a funny story with Scott MacDonald and Randy Oglesby about how my 2-year old would hide behind the couch when Dolim was on, but seemed to like Degra. They were both really helpful, and really inspirational to me, too. Here were two fine actors who, when they started, never thought they would be "working Vegas," and they were making the best of it. I found a real metaphor for the city there.
Generally, everyone was great. Funny note--I almost got run over by Jonathan Frakes as he was headed out with his luggage, and thought about running after him to tell him that he wouldn't be able to leave until he won enough at craps to buy the place, but he looked like he was in a hurry. And I'm sure he's heard that one before.
Now that I've got a flickr account I'm probably going to post the photos my wife took. Very interesting stuff.
In the vendor's room, I spent a lot of time with Max Grodenchik--I wish I could have gotten more of it in the article, because he was really great. I ended up talking to him a lot about Vegas' economic condition, which is part of what I do for a living. He was incredibly witty, and had a really good memory, recalling the names of people who'd seen him at cons in Germany, New Jersey, and elsewhere. Really interesting guy to talk to, even though I haven't seen that much DS9. A little while later Grace Lee Whitney came to get set up (I was sitting in her seat, apparently), and was very gracious about the whole thing.
I was walking by Gary Lockwood's booth, with my wife who was carrying our 2 year-old daughter. I said hi and he said, "Hey, how come you're making her do all the work?" So I gave him a demo: I took her in my arms and she immediately started doing the "I want Mommy" squirm until I handed her back over. We shared a laugh. I asked him a lot about how he likes doing cons, and he said how great it was, and that it paid pretty well. He talked about how much of a pain the contacts in WNMHGB were, and talked about getting drunk and playing poker the night of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Cool guy.
Had a nice talk with James Kerwin about the nature of Internet critics. Got a great quote from Chase Masterson about the Intergalactic Bartender, a Vegas-based company I was interested in highlighting in the piece.
Sat in on the Takei/Koenig photo opp for about 20 minutes, so I got to see how they interacted with a range of people. Koenig was a bit muted, as you can understand, but seemed genuinely to meet the fans. Takei was the star...I put a line in the article about how his warm baritone carried to the door, and made you realize that this is it, your chance to meet Lt. Sulu. They were both incredible with the fans, and I'm amazed at how they could be simultaneously personable and efficient about moving the line along.
I spent a lot of time chatting with the guys who played the Xindi Council. I shared a funny story with Scott MacDonald and Randy Oglesby about how my 2-year old would hide behind the couch when Dolim was on, but seemed to like Degra. They were both really helpful, and really inspirational to me, too. Here were two fine actors who, when they started, never thought they would be "working Vegas," and they were making the best of it. I found a real metaphor for the city there.
Generally, everyone was great. Funny note--I almost got run over by Jonathan Frakes as he was headed out with his luggage, and thought about running after him to tell him that he wouldn't be able to leave until he won enough at craps to buy the place, but he looked like he was in a hurry. And I'm sure he's heard that one before.
Now that I've got a flickr account I'm probably going to post the photos my wife took. Very interesting stuff.
I fully agree--you do tend to run into the odd guest who may be having a crappy day and therefore isn't quite as sociable as they probably should be, but by and large the actor guests are great.
I've also made a lot of great friendships from meeting people at cons--I have a whole crew of 'geek' friends who I've met solely through attending conventions, which is nice because a lot of my other friends don't really get my love of science fiction.
One thing to be aware of is the type of con you'll be attending--some are small, some are massive and some are well-run while others can be plagued with lack of organization and long lines. I tend to like fan-run not-for-profit cons better than the huge corporate for-profit ones, the latter can sometimes be far more interested in getting your money in their pockets than if you're actually enjoying yourself.
In the end I still love attending them, I'm going to three this year in Toronto, and if time and money permits I may make DragonCon in Atlanta the fourth one.
Come on, I put a load after that about never having punched anyone in the face and being about five inches shorter than Beltran. I was pretty sure that people would understand that I wasnt serious, but I apologise if you did.
To get back to the topic, Ive always wondered how much time you actually get to say anything to the actors at these conventions. Don't you only really get a few seconds when they're signing stuff for you?
It depends. At the large corporate-type conventions generally yes, you may only get a minute or two (or less) to chat with an actor. However even at those cons at certain times the lineup for an actor can be really small and you could get a chance to talk to them for a while. To some extent the length of a lineup for an actor can be connected to how long you can talk with them, and then there are some actors that will talk to you for a while regardless of how long the line is--I remember a huge line for Mary McDonnell from BSG yet she still took the time to talk to everyone for a while.
At the smaller cons the actors will sometimes hang out with fans and if there's a bar or something in the hotel you could end up having drinks with them. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, Michael Hogan of BSG hung out with us and we got our drunk on. Kai Owen (Rhys) from Torchwood was just hanging out at the bar at one con I attended, he came over and actually initiated conversation with us as opposed to the other way around. The next day we had drinks with him before his Q and A session, he remembered us from the night before and invited us over--granted he doesn't have the 'star power' of a Shatner or Nimoy but he was a really funny and warm individual.
Some cons also have 'exclusive' meet and greet events where a limited number of people can mingle with the actors, but those type of events you have to pay extra for.
It was 2001/2002 when I met him, twice, but Sid (Alexander Siddig -- everyone calls him Sid, which is his real first name after all) was quite pleasant and friendly. Nothing over the top, nothing to disappoint. Very middle of the road. He falls into the big group most of them do, of nice and cordial. This was a decade ago now, though. I've heard he's grown a bit weary of the Star Trek connection since then. He's spoken on record that it's been a damper for getting other parts, but he does not go into the "I regret doing Trek" area. He just is honest that it can be a blessing and a curse.
He has some great stories. I can't do them justice, but I'll try so that, if you ever meet him, you could ask him to tell them himself...
Story of him and Colm Meaney getting together for a drink in a pub in Ireland. Sid goes to get the drinks, and the barkeep looks him up and down and says, "We don't server your kind here," which shocks Sid. He goes back to the table and reports this to Colm, suggesting he get the drinks, as he thinks the barkeep is upset with his Arab heritage. Colm starts laughing his ass off though, and finally says, "It's not that! It's cause you're british!"
He also told a rather... questionable story? Also deals with the issue of race, but, it could be seen as insensitive to some. It's not meant as such. But anyway, looking like he does, he obviously gets looks when he's on a plane, especially in first class. Doesn't matter how he sounds, or that he's an actor. After 911, people see a middle-eastern-looking fellow on a plane, instinct is instinct, right? Well I don't know if he *did* this or just *thought* about doing this, but the action in question was to pretend to be sleeping as the plane landed, only to 'wake up' startled and disappointed and remark to the fact they'd landed as if he'd had other intentions. I imagine that anecdote might ruffle a feather or two, but it's just a venting joke from the point of someone whose judged based solely on appearances sometime. Everyone laughed when he told it, lol.
Andy Robinson is a gem, IME. He loves Garak, and it's great if you can see him and Sid together. He's warm and friendly. Doesn't come off as a potential assassin like Garak at all, lol.
Addressing the Robert Beltran topic briefly...
Beltran is a dick. That's just who he is. He's been acting like a pompous dick since before Voyager ended, and he's kept right on doing so for a decade now. He won't go bending your ear with complaints unless you really engage him, but if you do, expect to get his honest disgruntled opinions on Voyager and Chakotay. He just wasn't left with a good taste in his mouth from it. Simple as that. The rest of the Voyager cast know this, even joke about how "grumpy" he is. *Shrug* What are you gonna do? It's his opinion, his experiences.
Marina Sirtis, she is fun, but her sense of humor can be a little snarky. It can strike you as bitchy unless you realize, it's just her individuality asserting. She loves Trek and her fans.
Tim Russ, I love. He does (or did, back then 10 years ago) this Star Trek spoof skit. I'm not a stage person, but I volunteered and was picked, went up on stage with him and a few other fans. Did my lines, had fun. Did a decent job, too, surprisingly, lol. As far as I know, I'm the only fan who ever got to keep their script of his skit. I learned this later from his sister, Angela, who I talked with on e-mail. I'm sworn to keep it secret, even though there is likely video of the skit being performed out on YouTube, lol. He also did me a favor, which I'm quite grateful for. He recognized me in the autograph line for being in the skit, repeated his thanks, and signed an extra item for me -- a second Voyager cast photo. He then smacked Garrett Wang on the shoulder and had him sign it for me, too, without me even needing to ask.
Which is why I have a season 3 cast photo with Kes signed by the whole cast save Kes, and a season 6 with Seven signed complete.
Denise Crosby is very loving of her fans. She flirted with me once. Hehe. I was 16 at the time, but I'm really tall, so I easily passed for 18! I was surprised at how attractive she was (decade ago) seeing as that she was easily twice my age and such, lol. She really likes when fans do something a little different. I had an 8x10 of her and Data printed up and signed, and she was enthusiastic about that. I'm also well known in my circle of friends for coming up with GREAT inscription quotes, and for her, I took her final line from TNG: "No Good-byes, just good memories" and she really loved signing that, that I'd thought of such.
I really want to meet Nana Visitor again. My health won't really let me, though. I've done this epic photoshop manipulation of her as Captain Kira and had it printed into an 8x10 and want to have it signed, and give her a double I made just for her. She *LOVED* wearing the SF Uniform in the end of DS9, about cried when they took it back from her. She talks about Kira as if she's a real person that exists somewhere, which I love. Oh, and she's got the baseball! Hehe. Sisko's baseball.
http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=Captain+Kira+Nerys#/d128cjh << Captain Kira.
He has some great stories. I can't do them justice, but I'll try so that, if you ever meet him, you could ask him to tell them himself...
Story of him and Colm Meaney getting together for a drink in a pub in Ireland. Sid goes to get the drinks, and the barkeep looks him up and down and says, "We don't server your kind here," which shocks Sid. He goes back to the table and reports this to Colm, suggesting he get the drinks, as he thinks the barkeep is upset with his Arab heritage. Colm starts laughing his ass off though, and finally says, "It's not that! It's cause you're british!"
He also told a rather... questionable story? Also deals with the issue of race, but, it could be seen as insensitive to some. It's not meant as such. But anyway, looking like he does, he obviously gets looks when he's on a plane, especially in first class. Doesn't matter how he sounds, or that he's an actor. After 911, people see a middle-eastern-looking fellow on a plane, instinct is instinct, right? Well I don't know if he *did* this or just *thought* about doing this, but the action in question was to pretend to be sleeping as the plane landed, only to 'wake up' startled and disappointed and remark to the fact they'd landed as if he'd had other intentions.
I imagine that anecdote might ruffle a feather or two, but it's just a venting joke from the point of someone whose judged based solely on appearances sometime. Everyone laughed when he told it, lol.Andy Robinson is a gem, IME. He loves Garak, and it's great if you can see him and Sid together. He's warm and friendly. Doesn't come off as a potential assassin like Garak at all, lol.
Addressing the Robert Beltran topic briefly...
Beltran is a dick. That's just who he is. He's been acting like a pompous dick since before Voyager ended, and he's kept right on doing so for a decade now. He won't go bending your ear with complaints unless you really engage him, but if you do, expect to get his honest disgruntled opinions on Voyager and Chakotay. He just wasn't left with a good taste in his mouth from it. Simple as that. The rest of the Voyager cast know this, even joke about how "grumpy" he is. *Shrug* What are you gonna do? It's his opinion, his experiences.
Marina Sirtis, she is fun, but her sense of humor can be a little snarky. It can strike you as bitchy unless you realize, it's just her individuality asserting. She loves Trek and her fans.
Tim Russ, I love. He does (or did, back then 10 years ago) this Star Trek spoof skit. I'm not a stage person, but I volunteered and was picked, went up on stage with him and a few other fans. Did my lines, had fun. Did a decent job, too, surprisingly, lol. As far as I know, I'm the only fan who ever got to keep their script of his skit. I learned this later from his sister, Angela, who I talked with on e-mail. I'm sworn to keep it secret, even though there is likely video of the skit being performed out on YouTube, lol. He also did me a favor, which I'm quite grateful for. He recognized me in the autograph line for being in the skit, repeated his thanks, and signed an extra item for me -- a second Voyager cast photo. He then smacked Garrett Wang on the shoulder and had him sign it for me, too, without me even needing to ask.
Which is why I have a season 3 cast photo with Kes signed by the whole cast save Kes, and a season 6 with Seven signed complete. Denise Crosby is very loving of her fans. She flirted with me once. Hehe. I was 16 at the time, but I'm really tall, so I easily passed for 18! I was surprised at how attractive she was (decade ago) seeing as that she was easily twice my age and such, lol. She really likes when fans do something a little different. I had an 8x10 of her and Data printed up and signed, and she was enthusiastic about that. I'm also well known in my circle of friends for coming up with GREAT inscription quotes, and for her, I took her final line from TNG: "No Good-byes, just good memories" and she really loved signing that, that I'd thought of such.
I really want to meet Nana Visitor again. My health won't really let me, though. I've done this epic photoshop manipulation of her as Captain Kira and had it printed into an 8x10 and want to have it signed, and give her a double I made just for her. She *LOVED* wearing the SF Uniform in the end of DS9, about cried when they took it back from her. She talks about Kira as if she's a real person that exists somewhere, which I love. Oh, and she's got the baseball! Hehe. Sisko's baseball.
http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=§ion=&q=Captain+Kira+Nerys#/d128cjh << Captain Kira.
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