Really Dumb Convention Questions!!

[number6]

I'm just winding down from Day 1 of VegasCon and I am really disappointed by the questions asked by the fans to the Trek actors.
Some come armed with an adgenda to promote themselves, some are kids who are clearly being told what to say by their parents and one guy even dragged his three dogs to the auditorium dressed in full Starfleet regalia just to show Denise Crosby that he had one named after her character! Some questions approached SNL Comedy sketch level of stupidity. E.G. "(To John DeLancie) so in that episode where you had to leave the Enterprise in that shuttlecraft and that other Q comes along and sticks his head through the wall of the shuttlecraft....um...how'd they do that?"

People! It's great you can afford that special golden circle seating and can make it to the front of the Q&A line, but could you PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD think about what you want to say???

I put it to you folks for discussion.

What is a good question to ask an actor at a con?

What is the worst/stupidest question you've ever heard?

I'm hearing a lot of both over the next three days and will comment as the convention continues.

Be seeing you.

 

[Gepard]

I can never think of good questions to ask when it counts. Sadly, my one convention appearance consisted of asking LeVar Burton what the numbers on the warp scale meant. Of course, I was six at the time, so...

 

[number6]

But you have a reasonable excuse: You were 6. Most of these people are grown adults!!!

 

[Gepard]

Thing is, I haven't gotten any better at thinking what questions to ask; it's only that now I know enough to keep my mouth shut.

 

[D Man]

But you have a reasonable excuse: You were 6. Most of these people are grown adults!!!

My first and only con (so far, of course ) was when I was six...I went with my dad, and I was tired and bored by the end and we went home before seeing Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis. At the time, I wasn't interested for some reason, but in retrospect it would've been great to see them.

 

[JiNX-01]

What is the worst/stupidest question you've ever heard?

Asked of Connor: What's it like to see Jolene naked? (asked at 3 forums -- one of which was held at Goddard Space Center -- during the 2006 Shore Leave convention weekend. )

 

[number6]

I usually feel bad for the kids who are almost always dragged there by their parents and dressed up. They are usually better behaved than their parents, most of whom should have never been allowed to procreate in the first place. I'm currently sitting in a restaurant behind a living example of such.

 

[D Man]

I remember wanting to get a TNG communicator, but the only ones they had were those comically enormous ones that took double-A batteries. That might have been the first instance of cynicism in my Trekkie career.

 

[Gepard]

Asked of Connor: What's it like to see Jolene naked? (asked at 3 forums -- one of which was held at Goddard Space Center -- during the 2006 Shore Leave convention weekend. )

And what was the answer?

 

[RoJoHen]

Really Dumb Convention Questions

No, they are not really Klingons.

 

[drasche]

I've never been at a convention. I suppose I'd ask about their job, about the sets, about their experience, on Trek and non-Trek series and movies.

 

[Rÿcher]

"there's no such thing as a dumb question." That doesn't hold true at conventions but by and large, people do keep the dumb fanboy questions to a minimum.

Examples of some dumb questions:

"will you date/have dinner with/marry me?" or anything leading to a relationship or encounter.

"remember that episode where you got that thing to do that thing? Yeah, um, how many times did you have to prime the field modulation thingy?"

"Don't you remember me? Pasadena, 1982. I was the one in the sombrero"

"can I have some of your hair?"

"want to hear this song I wrote you?"

I guess you could ask something that you really want to know about the show or about the actor his/herself like where were you born, how would you suggest someone audition for a role...?

 

[K'Ehleyr]

How about to Spook - 'Why have you got pointy ears?'
You did say stupid and I wish I was six so I could ask it!

 

[Brian]

As an offshoot of the dumb questions, one of my peeves is rude questions...

To Patrick Stewart: "Who do you like better, Gates McFadden or Diana Muldaur?"

Patrick: "That's an impertinent question and I'm not going to answer it. I realize you are asking it with a smile on your face. Nevertheless, it's impertinent. Next question?"

--------

To Leonard Nimoy: "Can you tell me why TeknoComix would place an ad in the paper for employment, then when you get there they won't even talk to you, and... " (drowned out by boos from the audience)

Leonard: "What? Where? Who?"

Douche: "On I-Drive, the TeknoComix store..." (more boos) (And as if any non-Orlandoan would know what "I-Drive" is. Even if he'd said "International Drive" Leonard wouldn't have had a clue what he was talking about.)

Leonard: "Oh yes, I had a comic once, called Primortals..."

As if Leonard, by having a comic under the TeknoComix label, would have any say whether a local shop would hire some comic book freak. What a loser.

 

[Michael]

Really dumb convention questions?

How about 'Are you going to include sombreros in Star Trek XI'?

 

[Forbin]

Dumbest question I heard was to Mark Lenard at a '76 NY com:
"How's mrs. Sarek?"
He had the grace to only stare in disbelief for an instant before he said "Fine, thank, you, madame," and move on.

Best Shat comeback was at the same con. A girl asked if she could come up and kiss him. He declined and said "If I kiss you, I'll have to kiss her and her and him..."


I never ask questions in the assemblies - too nervous. But at the autograph events, I find the actors seem to appreciate talking about non-Trek topics. I had a nice talk with Suzi Plakson about her sitcom "Love and War." If I get a chance to see her again I'll bring up Monica DeVertibrae.

 

[Lonemagpie]

What is the worst/stupidest question you've ever heard?

Not from a Trek con, but a Dr Who one - someone dressed as the 4th Doctor asked Louise Jameson (Leela in season 14/15) whether the Doctor actually bought her (Leela, not Lou) the orange he promised her at the end of The Talons Of Weng Chiang.

I couldn't put up with that, but to give her her due, she just said words to the effect of "The Doctor's a man of his word so I imagine he did."

Second-hand, I've heard Peter Davison (The 5th Doctor) say that he was once asked "When you were Jon Pertwee..." (the 3rd Doctor)

Though to be fair, there are some actors who do enjoy sort of flirting with being in character at these things

 

[CaptainHawk1]

(Bear with me as I'm posting using my blackberry and it it doesn't like paragraphs on this site for some reason.)

Whew... When I read the title of this thread, I was worried that my dopey question to de Lancie yesterday was going to be mentioned.

Everyone was lining up on the left side of the stage and NOBODY was on the right so I swung on over and much to my surprise, I was the first person called upon and I was so taken back by the fact that I was called upon so abruptly, I really didn't have a chance to prepare properly.

My question, "What did Q see in humanity?" sounded like "What did Q seek in humanity and it came off sounding very fanboyish. That was really not the intent. I was trying to really get an idea as to his opinion on why the Q was interested in humanity and involving itself in humanity. It came out all wrong.

For the record, the Gold seats don't get you to the front of the line quicker. It's first come, first served. Also those people with the stupid dogs are borderline crazy and I see them every year and I don't suggest getting into a conversation with them... ever. For some reason they think that everyone gives a shit about them and their dopey dogs and the only people that care are the newbies who have never been to a convention before and the Press who use them as posterchildren to perpetuate the steroetypical image of the obsessed Star Trek fan.

The fact is that 10% of the fans ruin it for the other 90% and that's why I swore off conventions after 2006. The only reason I'm at this one is because my father-in-law was kind enough to surprise me with a Gold Package for Christmas last year.

What I would like to see, however, is those of us who aren't completely socially retarded start standing up to these idiots because they're not harmless. These morons are agressive and they get pissy with you because they think that they're only true fans of Trek and this convention is all about them. I'm going to enjoy this convention this year and I'm not letting these idiots ruin me.

BY THE WAY, WHERE THE HELL ARE ALL OF THE SOMBREROS??? I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE!!!

-Shawn

 

[number6]

(Bear with me as I'm posting using my blackberry and it it doesn't like paragraphs on this site for some reason.)

Whew... When I read the title of this thread, I was worried that my dopey question to de Lancie yesterday was going to be mentioned.

Everyone was lining up on the left side of the stage and NOBODY was on the right so I swung on over and much to my surprise, I was the first person called upon and I was so taken back by the fact that I was called upon so abruptly, I really didn't have a chance to prepare properly.

My question, "What did Q see in humanity?" sounded like "What did Q seek in humanity and it came off sounding very fanboyish. That was really not the intent. I was trying to really get an idea as to his opinion on why the Q was interested in humanity and involving itself in humanity. It came out all wrong.

For the record, the Gold seats don't get you to the front of the line quicker. It's first come, first served. Also those people with the stupid dogs are borderline crazy and I see them every year and I don't suggest getting into a conversation with them... ever. For some reason they think that everyone gives a shit about them and their dopey dogs and the only people that care are the newbies who have never been to a convention before and the Press who use them as posterchildren to perpetuate the steroetypical image of the obsessed Star Trek fan.

The fact is that 10% of the fans ruin it for the other 90% and that's why I swore off conventions after 2006. The only reason I'm at this one is because my father-in-law was kind enough to surprise me with a Gold Package for Christmas last year.

What I would like to see, however, is those of us who aren't completely socially retarded start standing up to these idiots because they're not harmless. These morons are agressive and they get pissy with you because they think that they're only true fans of Trek and this convention is all about them. I'm going to enjoy this convention this year and I'm not letting these idiots ruin me.

BY THE WAY, WHERE THE HELL ARE ALL OF THE SOMBREROS??? I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE!!!

-Shawn

My girlfriend has a sombrero pin on her Enterprise cap. We brought a small one but I, too, am appalled at the lack of sombreros here.

FWIW, I did like your question. It spoke directly to the character of Q.
The Q&A mics may be first come, but the are at the front of the stage. And since all the intelligent people are in the cheap seats in the back of the room... Well you do the math!!

 

[SFRabid]

... I never ask questions in the assemblies - too nervous. ...

Same here, but there are a few questions I would like to ask.


Have you ever suffered from stage fright and do you have any suggestions for someone that does?

Do you take the time to see the sights when you travel for acting jobs or conventions?

Do your kids tell their friends that mom/dad was in Star Trek or do they avoid the subject?

What would you consider a dream role?

Do you have any creative outlets other than acting?