Wolf Peagasus Three Part 2 - Better Get Comfy

I thought it was about time I wrote up the rest of the event....since time is whizzing and if I don't hurry up we'll have had P4 and I'll have to start all over again.....yes that does mean I have bought my ticket already....a whole year in advance......I like to plan ahead......well ahead, get all things in order etc....aka, I'm not so much with the will-power.

So, in no particular order and again just by what I can actually remember the last three guest of Wolf Pegasus Three:

Kavan Smith....yes I am a fan of Major Lorne so I was more than a little excited when I heard Kavan would be attending (who wouldn't be the man is very easy on the eyes). He was incredibly funny and seemed a natural story teller keeping the audience engaged and in gales of laughter for both talks of which the highlights were;

Growing up a prankster he and his brother would play up in front of their Grandmother at the family home. One day he and his brother were playing fighting in their bedroom and when said Grandmother came in to break it up Kavan launched his brother out of the window (they were one floor up at the time). Their friends had placed a mattress underneath the window for his brother to fall on and this was removed and ketchup squirted everywhere to look like blood. At this point Kavan said something only the lines of "We realised at that young age that old people have problems with their hearts. Cos she almost died on the spot!"....very funny, crowd in fits of giggles, especially since Kavan was doing the voice for his Gran.

At one point in the talk he was asked for a story...one obviously sprang to mind straight away and Kavan toiled with telling it to the eager crowd before saying it was too rude (obviously hadn't gaged the low mental standards of the room yet) we all begged and pleaded until Kavan said he'd tell a cleaner version of events.

He was filming in a river and was setting up for a stunt (one of the few he has done) which involved rapids....to create the effect of the white water a couple of jet boats were used (I know, it's all an illusion in film isn't it?). Kavan had to be in the thick of the action and was hoisted into the white water...apparently he ended up a little closer than he should to the jet boat engines and the jet stream ended up cleaning out an area of anatomy which usually "stuff only comes out".....crowd roared with laughter, especially when Kavan went on to say than his panic stricken look so impressed the director that he asked him to keep up the scared apperance...to which Kavan retorted "yes, I was scared.....I was having my spleen cleaned." So funny, and Kavan doubled checked himself which he realised he shared an enema story with the audience.

The other story I remember, which was triggered when people had to leave for a photoshoot causing Kavan to comment that "people will be so upset they missed this....the enema story was nothing compared to this" (hehe, what a meany), was when Kavan was in a stage play.

Basically Kavan did a scene and the lights go out....the stage was raised and when he should exit, his way would be marked by a special tape which glows in the dark...."so the lights go out and no glow tape".....a couple of thousand people in the audience and poor Kavan is stuck in the pitch black on a raised stage needing to get off before the next scene starts up. At this point Kavan mimed what happened next(whilst remaining sat in the chair I might add)....moving off the stage he runs smack bang into a pole and breaks his nose "Shiiiit".....managing to get off the stage he makes his way to the stairs which are also supposed to be glow taped....."no, glow tape.....so I hit the stairs (mimes falling down the stairs) and Shiiit....Owwwwww"......Needless to say we all reveled in the poor guys misfortunes and the way Kavan mimed out what had happened added to the hilarity.

So that's the stories I remember, I'm sure there was much more but here's the other snippets I recall:

Kavan has been through Vulcan (Canada) on a Vulcan (which is a motorcycle I believe...as opposed to a alien with arched eyebrows, which is where some of you were going with that)

His only Cocktail trick is "throw it up way high....and walk away"

According to Kavan, Canada don't have military they have a bi-plane and shoot em up guys

He was raised in an igloo on Polar Bear meat

His eyes are grey but change colour depending on his attire

Is afraid of Sharks and Splunking (?)...(summit to do with caves)

His worst review read....Kavan Smith. Gay.

He can mime piano playing better than an actual piano player, miming piano playing

He was a little worried coming back as, Lorne since he'd played the character slightly different in SG-1, and heard "fans watch that stuff kinda closely"

"Paul is gay"

Oh, also when I went to the get my autograph we had a brief discussion about the adventure activity oppotunities in New Zealand, particularly the Queenstown area in the South Island (which I went on my travels some years ago....whole other blog entry there)....And finally, when I had my picture taken I was a bundle of nerves....(I've mentioned that the man has been repeated struck upside the head with a handsome stick right?)....but had enough gumption to ask for a hug which he quite happily posed.

So, who next....Oh I think I'll go with Dean Marshall....now Dean I obviously knew as Sgt. Bates from the first season....a recurring character just like Kavan, but not seen in several seasons....and it was his very first convention (bless) so we didn't know what to expect really. I can say whole heartedly that he is a very genuine and plesant chap who, although a little nervous, entertained the crowd.....now, upon asking me what he said...I unfortunately remember very little.

I did actually ask Dean a couple of questions first "What was you most memorable or funniest moment while filming SGA?" (I know, get me...in front of about 500 people). To which he replied that working with Robert Patrick was a lot of fun.....and went on to tell a story which the man himself had told about meeting Mike Tyson...Robert had asked him for his autograph and Tyson...being a tad inebriated at the time...had taken one look at him and started saying "Terminator!" in a slightly excitable fashion before saying something along the lines of "I have $5,000, I want your autograph"

The other question I asked was "What has been you worst job, either in film or otherwise?".....I can't remember what Deans' whole reply was (and it's now also mixed with Kavan's glow-tape story) but it was a theatre produciton he had done where nothing had worked right, as in the lighting, and had been a bit of a shambles.

When asked how Bates would have run Atlantis if he'd had the chance Dean said he/Bates would have been much more cautious with the Athosians and other alien "allies".....someone here shouted that Bates may have slept around less too....(hinting to Sheppard's "Kirk" like habits)....Dean laughed and said "I can't believe you just said that".

What else did Dean do, talked alot about his family, who are from Trinidad & Tobago and mentioned that he plays steel drums (how cool is that?....next con Dean's at I shall remember to pack the steel drums just in case)....he also told a story about a photo he has of his father standing in Trafalgar Square, which he brought with him to recreate (how sweet is that) and he does a fabulous West Indies accent which turns "beer can" into "bacon"....hmmm, Bates with a West Indies accent, now that would've been funny.

Other snippets from his talks include:

According to Dean, Bates has a brother, is a LA Lakers fan and his first name could possibly be Damien

Does a great impression of Kermit the Frog singing "It's not easy being Green"

When he was 7 Dean destoryed his brothers Stretch Armstrong

Realised at an early age that Goldfish don't need heating...which didn't turn out so great for said goldfish.

Was in the Miltary

If he wasn't an actor he's be a scientist......or a stripper

Dean was actually the first person I had a photo session with....I hadn't planned on getting a picture with anyone other than Kavan and Paul, but upon hearing Dean's talks I warmed to him instantly and again asked for a hug......what can I say I love a good hug.....Dean was lovely and did a full on two armed hug during which he giggled so much my head bounced around on his chest (not that I was complaining).....speaking of the giggle, Dean really does have a great laugh and at the autographs I told him he had the dirtiest laugh I had ever heard in my life.....he promply giggled at which point i said "yep...that's the one" more laughing....Apparently at his high school he had been voted "the person with the most infectious laugh"....Dean's such a sweetie. Wonder if the PTB will include Bates in season 5, here's hoping.

Now then that pretty much wraps up the whole convention thing *mentally checks off* activities, talks and guests...yup that's the lot....oh wait...how could I possibly have forgotton...(how did Bryan put it?) "The man with the nicest legs in Scotland.....Paul McGillion"

Obviously Paul got the mostenthusiastic and raptuous applause of the entire weekend and this continued pretty much every time he put in an appearence and whenever he said the words "Scotland" and "Thank-you"....we con fans are a simple bunch and obviously easy to please.

Now, Paul has the most fabulous stories and I hope I can do them a little justice here, though I can't do the Scottish accent so you'll just have to use your imagination there...yes I know, didn't realise there would be cognative involvement in the reading of my blog there did ya.....well I'll start with the question I asked first Iguess (I know...I was on fire this year)....which went something like this:

"Last year Kate (Hewlett) mentioned she had kept some of her wardrobe from A Dog's Breakfast and I was wondering if you kept anything....and more to the point who got the blow up doll?....I understand the latter part may be a little flummoxing to those who haven't see ADB....but then again I've been on about enough in the last year so seriously watch it!

Now Paul's reaction consisted of.....suitibly surprised, amused and alarmed...he commented that "he wouldn't make a very good looking woman." and that he had kept the track suit and the Star Crossed outfit, as to the blow up doll he said that "David has it in his trailer"...I had expected such a remark and commented that "David said you would say that and that you'd be lying"....much hilarity from the audience and Paul, quick as you like, asked "Are you channelling Daivd....coz it's kinda creepy"....amongst the gales of laughter I mentioned David had said as much at the autographs last year and as I returned to my seat Paul called for "Security to escort her out"....the man is very funny indeed.

Ok, well Paul was asked to describe his fellow cast members in one word and say why which went:

Jason......Cool.....Because he is.

Rachel......Sexy....Because she is.

Tori.....Classy.....Because she is.

Joe.....Hair....Because of the gel!

David......Creepy....Because he kissed me!.....Seriously though.....funny.....Because he is.

Now, stories...one which is particularly funny is when he got the news that he had the part of Carson Beckett on Stargate: Atlantis and the conversation he had with his elderly and Scottish parents...it went something like;

Paul...."I've got a part on a TV show"

Paul's Scottish Dad...."Och...that's great"

Paul....."I'm playing a Scottish Doctor"

Paul's Dad....."A Scottish Doctor, Och, that's brilliant...What's the show?"

Paul..."It's called Stargate"

Paul's Dad...."What?"

Paul....."Stargate"

Paul's Dad....."Star Trek"

Paul....."No, dad Stargate"

Paul's Dad...."Star Trek"

Paul....."No dad, Stargate Atlantis"

Paul's Dad...."It's no' Bloody Stargate...it's Star Trek, wit'ya Scottish Doctor, I've bin watchin' it f'years"

Paul..."It's Stargate...I'm the one on it"

Paul's Dad..."Hey, dunne raise y'voice t'y' old man....(to his wife) Paul's got a part on the Star Trek"

Paul's Mum...."That's lovely....are you on Star Trek?"

Paul....."Yes, yes I am"

So funny...there was even more hilarity, as Paul has recently got a part in the new Star Trek movie (though unfortunately not as Scotty) and when he informed his parents the conversation was remarkably similar to the above, though in reverse. His parent beliving that he was brought back to play Carson Beckett in a Stargate Movie.....bless his wee confuzzled parents...something with which many of us no doubt can empathise.

Paul...who was wearing a kilt....didn't I mention the kilt? jumped up onto an examination table (which had been placed on the stage) to lie back and relax...he then realised he was wearing a kilt.....I have heard on the grapevine (aka those lucky enough to be seated in the front row) that Paul Scottish heritige was safely underwraps....there was quite a roar of laughter, wolf whistles etc from the 95% female, and at that point understandably flustered, crowd.

Right another story....and my personal favourite since the tale was instigated from my own humble township of Bognor Regis (Can tell ya, I whooped ultra loud upon hearing those two words come out of Paul's mouth)...so the story...he had been attending a convention at Butlins (oh, poor, poor Paul) and had gone to a nearby village for a pint.....the barmaid had recognised him and a gent on the next barstool overheard the conversation that Paul was on Stargate.....the rest of the conversation went as follows (oh, and imagine if you will Paul putting on a relativly passable cockney accent for the guy)

Paul..."this big guy's sitting at the bar with his buddy....I think you might call him a chav (lol), he had a white tank top on, shaved head...all his knuckles kind of scarred and basically just got in a fight...huge, muscular guy and he looks over and he goes....(slightly dodgy Britsh Chav-like accent)....are you on the Stargate mate? (Paul) and I'm like yes, I'm on Stargate....(Chav)your on Stargate?....(Paul) yes....(Chav) it's my mate, it's my mate off the Stargate right there...listen mate if anyone give you any trouble, you on the telly?...(Paul) yes....(Chav) anyone gives you a hard time, I'll smash their fuckin' head in" (gales of laughter)....Paul continues "So I'm like...thank...thank-you, you don't really need to do that...(chav guy)....no, you're my mate now...you're my best mate off the stargate...anyone gives you a hard time...smash, smash, smash...their face yeah....I'm gonna be with you all night now mate yeah....(Paul)...I'm like "Oh, my God....what am I giong to do....I'm trapped"...so he sits beside me and is like (Chav) when are you from? (Paul)....Canada....(Chav)....I'm gonna come visit you in Canada mate...you're my mate off Stargate....the guy eventually went off for a slash and Paul's friend said "what are we gonna do?"...(Paul) "well we've got no choice...we've got to out drink him.....and we did!" (huge cheers and a massive round of applause)

During the autographs I had to comment on Paul's tale from Bognor....I told him "I have a bone to pick with you" Paul looked up looking a little scared "my hometown.....Bognor Regis" he back peddled saying that he'd said nothing bad about Bognor and that the incident had happened in a nearby village.....soon realised I was jesting (and didn't this time call for security) unfortunately he couldn't remember either the name of the village or the pub in which he had met "his mate"....I also said to Paul that he told the funniest stories and gave the best hugs.....at which point he said thanks and signed my picture "many hugs"....Oh, and yes the hug was at my final photo session at which he commented on my cool Goonies T-Shirt.

What else for Paul....

He commented on the "Save Carson Beckett Campaign" which had been successful in getting the character back for an episode in the forth season (and now also 5 episodes in the 5th....*does happy dance*) and had much praise for the fans in general which was nice to hear.

His apartment is bursting with toy turtles.

He does a fabulously funny impression of Joe Flanigan

Says he makes a hideous looking woman

That kissing David was creepy....and that "he kissed me by the way"

Loves Jaffa Cakes and Nutella....particularly what one highly embarassed fan wanted to do to him with the Nutella....don't worry love I think we're all with ya there! ;-)

So, there you go, a complete and total write up of my, ever-so-slighty mad but also dreamy, weekend in London....the guests were great, the fans were great....even Bryan was great....(My dad was great also and incredibly patient)......there is but one thing left to answer......

What in the name of all that's richeous is Kavan Smith up to in this photo?

Wolf Pegasus Three, Part 1

So, now that I am all caught up with my beauty sleep I thought I might share with whoever cares just how my weekend went.....for that matter how did your weekend go...get all those odd jobs done which have been nagging since forever? visit family/in-laws/friends? did sod all and watched Dancing on Ice?....all the while I was meeting and laughing with some of the nicest and entertaining people I have ever met.



Yes people it was convention time again...has it really been a whole year?...and with the ever dependable, yet slightly befuddled, father in tow it was off to London for Wolf Pegasus Three.

This year we both had tickets under the 300 mark so I shall start with the meet and greet which was on the Friday night.....you sit at a table with around 8 or 9 other people and guests are shuffled round the room spending, in theory, 5 minutes with each table. This is when I learnt that it pays to be a bit more outspoken than I usually am, else you'd never get a word in edgewise.

I guess this would be a good time to mention who the guests actually were: Andee Frizzell, an amazingly tall woman who plays the Wraith Queen (s) on SGA and had stepped in at the last moment when Kate Hewlett had to cancel, Dean Marshall (Sgt Bates), Torri Higgison (Weir), Kavan Smith (Major Lorne), Paul Mcgillion, (Carson Beckett) and bonus guest Jonathan Woodward (mostly known for being in Buffy, Angel and Firefly).

I soon realised, during the time which our table spent waiting in between guests, that to have any quality time to talk you need to bring lots of 'party' stuff and 'hog' said guests so that the time spent with other tables is dramatically reduced.....A snippet of conversations I managed to have:

Dean Marshall will be returning as Bates and has woken up from his coma and is now NID, Andee Frizzell loves British comedy especially Little Britain and plans on looking up The Mighty Boosh, Paul Mcgillion hinted that Carson may pop up in season 5 and thanked the men at the table for showing up (95% of people at the con are female), Kavan Smith finds travelling in Europe with a five month old baby more sucky than he thought he would, Torri Higginson had fun making an episode of NCIS and Jonathan Woodward...well Jonathan was a little worse for wear (he had already spilled a full pint of beer over himself and his chaperon as he attempted to drink it from a crutch)....he asked everybody's name round the table and upon hearing my name was Emma stood up, walked all the way round and gave me a hug with a double cheek kiss (leaving me somewhat flustered)....not quite sure why he decided I was so special, but I'll take what I can get.

The whole process went on for around two hours (ish) and then the room emptied to make it ready for the first party of the weekend. Dad and I vacated to the bar where we ran straight into two lovely ladies who I'd met and chatted with much of last year (they helped me out with rules and regs being a con-virgin last year). I hadn't seen them before I'd left last year and hadn't exchanged details...but there they were.....seated with a Bacardi Breezer in hand, much like they had been when I'd last seen them when I come to think of it...Nicky and Ann (absolute legends and a couple of devils when in possession of a pack of balloons in a crowded room).

Much fun was had with these two and Jo at the parties...people watching, learning dances (I apologise to anyone I crippled during the Doctor Who dance and the ultra fast and difficult Swamp Thing dance) and generally behaving like a bunch of kids on Hairbo....and fawning/drooling over the bar staff and security guards...as if there wasn't enough good looking blokes on the guest list.....but I digress.

Which leads me smoothly to; the guests....I would attempt to write a full account of what each guest had said during each of their talks but between the taking pictures, rushing out for photo shoots and all the laughing I can't remember so I will do little write up of each guest.

Andee Frizzell - What an incredibly energetic and naturally funny lady. I didn't know anything about the woman except for that she plays the Wraith Queen, but as soon as she got out on the stage she had the room in the palm of her hand. She seem surprised that so many people had turned out to see her on the Sunday, expecting everyone to still be in bed with a hang over and had planned on teaching some yoga moves...she did display some amazing feats of flexibility which if I had even partially tried out would have ended up in A & E with limbs being prised apart with a crow bar.

She talked about the make up process and that many of the cast a crew have no idea who she is when they have the wrap party, until she growls and does the Wraith hand thing. One particularly funny story involved her bumping into Joe Flanigan (John Sheppard) and his wife one day and saying hello...no recognition from Joe, Joe's wife asking him if he knew her...and Andee saying "we spent the weekend together....I had you on your knees...."

Toward the end of her talk, on the Sunday, there was much hilarity which she let slip a bit of a spoiler for the the season four finale....she realised what she'd said straight away and the look of shock and surprise on her face followed by some mock "while that's me fired" and skulking towards the door had the room roaring with laughter....sorry though the spoiler stays at P3.

Someone asked her who she'd like to suck the life out of and she said she'd have to think about it....later she was asked about her role in Supernatural (Folsom Prison Blues) at which point she said "I'd like to go back to the sucking the life out of question....but in a good way" (referring to Jensen Ackles)....lady after my own heart there.

What else do I remember about Andee...Oh, she loved my Goonies T-shirt (the woman has great taste in films then), she fell asleep in her room Saturday night when she meant to go the party and woke up still clutching her camera, pronounces it "arse" instead of "ass", used to hate being so tall as a kid until she got given a alcoholic drink meant for her cousin at age 11 and refers to the Wraith feeding thingy as a "hand-gina".

Next up Jonathan Woodward - The bonus guest as he was in town for a Buffy/Angel con next weekend.....hmmmm, now what to say about Jonathan....I personally found him highly entertaining mainly because he was completely off the wall and the insanity of it all had me in stitches. It's safe to say he was a little worse for wear during his talk on the Saturday (Jet lag/hung over/still drunk...delete as appropriate) but I have to give him props for appearing in front of a crowd the majority of whom didn't know who he was. He was fascinated by the lady doing sign language at the front of the stage and tried to catch her out by saying difficult words and messing about behind her...until she pointed out that she could see everything he was doing in a very large mirror at the other end of the hall....very funny.

My funniest moment with the bloke has to be when I was getting an autograph....whilst in the queue he was giving everyone a shot a whiskey...the poor guy in front of me is obviously not a whiskey drinker, especially neat, and I did giggle to myself when he coughed and his eyes watered....the next two people didn't take up the offer and when it got round to me I dutifully downed the shot (closer to a double I might add) ever the professional alcholic student.....I pondered for a second before announcing "Mmmmm, Bells" at which point Jonathan looked up agog saying "Wow, that's amazing" shaking my hand impressed that the, innocent looking, lass in front of him had guessed the brand just from the taste (I neglected to mention I had seen the bottle when the glass had been refilled from the guy in front).....bless him....he was also partial to my Goonies tee, actually offering anything I wanted in exchange....was I tempted?......No bloody way...The Goonies T-Shirt is sacred.

What else from the delightfully mad as a hatter world of Jonathan....well he apparently hates the abomination that is Roast Chicken flavour crisps, gave us a sermon as the Rev. Johnny Wallet (Johnny Cash was already taken) and finally......ahem....."Caaaaaaan Yooooooou Diiiig It!!!"

Okey Dokey....moving on and finally for my post today me thinks....Torri Higginson - Obviously there was a huge cheer for Torri when she came on stage, due to the recent decision by TPTB to remove her character from the show....a controversial decision in a year of controversial decisions in SGA...Torri was quite adorable, thanking a group of fans for their 'red shirt' campaign to bring back the character (well it worked for Carson).

I did miss some of Torri's talks due to the inevitable photo shoots and there appeared to be many people interested in Torri's opinion of the moralistic issues in the story lines of SGA, which did become a little tedious, but a couple of funnier moments were Torri talking about her nervousness when first filming with Richard Dean Anderson (I mean it's Macgyver for crying out loud) and that her education in Britain had caused her to pick up a few choice phrases. When filming a scene in a corridor Torri flubbed a line and exclaimed "Bugger me," at which point RDA dutifully threw her against the wall and attempted to do just that.....I'm sure his actions enabled Torri to then work fluster free for the rest of the day......next time I bump into RDA I may try a similar thing and see what happens, the phrase I utter may be a little different to BUGGER me however.

Another funny moment was when Torri was asked to describe her fellow cast members in just one word...something which proved quite difficult until aided by the trusty hyphen......can't for the life of me remember what the words were for each cast member in the end, but when describing Jason Mamoa (Ronan) she mentioned about how fit the man is exclaiming "I don't know just how that boy keeps it up.".........Queue room full of women with mind in the gutter bursting into raucous laughter...Torri, realising what she'd said, quickly tried to move along the conversation by saying that she meant his energy when he's constantly "jumping over Joe"....Queue more gutter induced hilarity. Torri again tried to rectify the situation by saying "I said jump over him not ON 'im".....Torri my dear the fans will hear what ever they wish to hear if you plant the seed close enough.....or a mile away for that matter.

What else can I say about Torri....Oh, she was incredibly pleasant at the autograph session and we spoke about her dog, she asked me if I had any pets and dedicated the autograph to my cat Henry, who died two years ago aged 20....she can do the splits (see pic) and does a terrific impression of Flipper.

So, that's it for today folks...writers cramp has set in...will write up the rest in a couple of days