Vicky was such fun! She immediatly
grabbed some friends (lucky!) from the audience to come up and help her
run a little quiz show about Mutant X. All of the questions were over
my head, but it was fun to look around and watch everyone's brains fry
trying to get the right answers! I had to LOL when Vicky answered the
question of a slightly confused fan who thought that she had children.
Earlier in her stage time she had talked about giving birth on Mutant
X (I think?), but not in real life. She said she thought childbirth was
"unnatural" and wasn't anticipating joining in on the fun anytime
soon.
What a sweetie. ^_^ I think
she felt kind of out of place at a convention where she only had one episode,
but everyone loved her none-the-less. Most of the questions for her centered
around her new husband, Laurence Fishburne (e?), and the Matrix movies.
When asked how she and Laurence keep their marriage alive she said that
you just have to see each other. What's the point of being married if
you never get to see one another? So, they make it a point to visit each
other while on shoots. The way she talked about her husband...well she
just glowed! It's obvious the honeymoon hasn't worn off yet. ;) After
that a couple people did come up and ask how it was to work with Lucy
and Renee. Funnily enough her answer was that she never got the chance
to work with Renee! They just happened to be on set on different days.
But, of course, she spoke glowingly about working with Lucy. She also
talked about all of her TV projects like Alias, 24, Angel, and Firefly
(which recieved a particularly warm crowd response.) And we all learned
that Gina is a black latina because she was on the cover of a black magazine
that month and the article inside talked about her Cuban heritage. How
cool!
She seranaded the audience with three beautiful songs (only two of which
I captured.) She also had some heartfelt words (completely impromptu
from her, not from an audience member) concerning Kevin Smith's passing
because the last con she attended was with him. (VIDEOS OFFLINE)
I was actually still standing
in line for Gina's autograph when Katherine came up on stage. But, I
didn't have to be watching her to hear the news about the Xena movie!!!
I just wish I'd caught her speech on tape. The news from KF is that
Renee and Lucy have signed on, and the only thing left in our way to
a movie is that Rob needs to win/get the post production movie rights
away from (I think) Studios USA.
She was also more than happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs
after her speech. I grabbed her to the side and had her sign a copy
of Gabrielle from When Fates Collide. She signed it from "Poopy",
what a character! lol
I barely knew Steven when the
weekend began, and now I feel like he's an old friend. He brought up his
box of old Xena goodies that he used to play with in his spare time while
he worked on scripts. He hadn't even opened it before it brought it up
on stage, so everything was a surprise to him as well as us! In fact,
he was such a great natured guy that he gave most of it away or auctioned
it off for charity! hehe I even got a business card of his!
Here Steven talks about his upcoming projects. (VIDEO OFFLINE)
Could words describe Renee's
performance? No. She gave us 5 different characters, including an old
"grandmother" version of herself. She began by coming out dressed
in the good 'ol BGSB and staff!!! (This is the grandma character.) Everyone
was on their feet cheering so LOUD I thought I might go deaf. But, ya
know, if I had it would have been a great way to go. I'm not a terribly
emotional person, but I couldn't stop the tears. Renee has touched my
life, and sharing that auditorium with her overwhelmed me. But, I kept
it mostly under control until she related a little tale. In her grandma
guise she talked about her grandson asking her why and where she was going.
She said "To a convention. You see, I have a lot of old friends I
need to see." GODS! I just lost it. We're talking uncontrolled sobs.
I was a wreck...but a happy wreck!
She changed her clothes a little, put on a cowboy hat and jean jacket,
and transformed into an old rodeo girl who couldn't stand how glamorized
the rodeo had become. It was so much fun listning to Renee do a Texas
accent. ^_^ It made me feel right at home (I grew up in West Texas.)
Her third character was a woman who had recently lost her mother. Her
mom had counted each of her days by holding a marble in her hand and at
the end of the day dropping it into a glass bowl. It was really a retelling
of the character's mother's last days, and how people should always hold
onto the days they have. The character held a marble up in her hand and
said she still held onto it because it made the days seem longer, the
same reason her mom had given when she'd asked her. Touching. ^_^
Next she moved on to a religious snake handler who had lost her faith.
It was amazing to watch Renee talk so feverantly about Faith and snake
handling. She made you believe that the snakes could sense how much faith
a person has, and that they will bite those who aren't full. Well, after
her character witnesses her mother's (I think) death by snake, and the
fact that no one was willing to help her because she would be saved if
God wanted her to, she lost her faith. And, when the time came for the
snake to be passed to her for that week's service, she found herself empty.
But, she talked to the snake and convinced it that while she no longer
had faith in God, she still was not empty. And she tranced the snake,
and the snake was safely passed on.
The last character she played was a woman who had never really lived.
Well, metaphorically she'd never lived. She went through her life doing
what she was expected to "Or rather, people might say I did what
I thought I might be expected to do." Until one day when her husband
left her because she had nothing left to give him. She had lived life
so carefully that she had neglected to live at all. While going on forays
into singles bars and on blind dates she hooked up with a musician. When
she refused to have sex in the middle of the parking lot he cut her. He
cut her gorgeous face from lip to collar bone. And, just to make sure
we saw how it marred her beauty Renee took a tube of lipstick and traced
the scar across her face. From that day on, her character said, she was
now "other." She wasn't the mainstream girl, and people stared
at her scar. She was on the outside, and she began to really experience
life for the first time. That's when she got her first tattoo. "You
see, I think everyone should live their lives on their skin." And
at that point Renee lifted her shirt off to reveal a tight black bodice
surrounded by colorful tattoos. As she finished telling the tale of this
character I began to cry again. I couldn't help it, and I don't think
there was a dry eye in the place. Her performance was...there are no wods...amazing
is my best I can do. This is one performance that makes it worth buying
the $30 convention video when Creation puts it out.
Le sigh...
And then, guess what? Question and answer time! The first question came
from someone about the movie, and Renee answered that she was interested
in reviving Gabrielle. But, then a very loud and nosey (as well as poorly
dressed and groomed) fan over to the far right jumped up and asked "What
was it like to kiss Lucy!?!" Well, as Renee turned towards that area
of the auditorium she slowed, and then stopped. Then, from everywhere
at once it seemed to erupt..."IT'S LUCY!!!!" The greatest thing
is that Renee, too, was clueless that the Warrior Princess herself was
planning to show up! I heard from Steven Sears later that night in the
bar that everyone was supposed to tell Renee, but they all assumed that
someone else had. So, it worked out that the staff all knew what was
going down, but Renee and the audience were stunned!!!!!
Renee kept trying to talk in the beginning, but was so overwhelmed by
Lucy's appearance that she started crying! Awww. Lucy - "I just want to know what it was like kissing Lucy
Lawless. Alot of people have asked that question, and, uh, did you get
to rehearse (unintelligible + lots of laughing and clapping) Renee - "Let me show you!" Lucy - "I heard over the internet that she had to stand on
a box to kiss you." (pause) "And that play was really rockin'!"
(((HUG))) Renee - "I went back to get my staff, I guess, and I was wondering..." Lucy - "Do you have an infection???" (LOL) Renee - "I saw this person and I thought 'God that's some
bad hair!'"
(unintelligible + I don't remember what they said here) Lucy - "I'm glad I could come and watch your performance."
(pause) "You rock!"
(End of tape)
Following this emotional performance
the autograph lines were back up and running, and so was Vicki! She was
so great and personal (that's what was taking so long, she personalized
everyone's autographs.) In fact, when I walked in there wearing my Warrior's
Hut custom shirt (that I literally finished up 2 minutes before I left
for the airport) and she remarked "Hey! That makes everyone look
at your chest." Well, it kinda does because the picture and lettering
run right across my chest. But, not to be deterred she followed up with
"Nice rack!" I just lost it, and so did she. We giggled about
that for a moment before she decided to write that for my autograph. So,
it reads..."To Katie, Nice Rack!" I love you Vicki!!!!!!! lmao
What brave men to get up and
follow Renee's performance! They did great though, and I think it was
really smart of Creation to pair them together instead of have them speek
seperatly like what was scheduled. Both guys whole heartedly agreed to
work on the Xena movie if the project was presented to them. Oh, and they
are both incredibly handsome in person! I was actually taken aback by
how cute Charles was (I expected Bobby to be.) Bobby seemed incredibly
psyched to be there (his first con!) and didn't turn his dazzling smile
off the entire time. I loved when he insisted that Marcus was Xena's only
true love. It was so neat to hear it from the actor's mouth. lol When
Charles was asked why Michael was such a bipolar (I'm good in this episode,
now I'm bad, now I'm good again) he insisted that Michael was only a play-off
character. He was brought in when the plot needed movement, and he'd play
whatever way Michael need to be portrayed to do that. Though, he did admit,
it was a little difficult to go from helping save Gabrielle and Xena to
trying to kill Xena's daughter. lol
Oh what a blast! I really had
my doubts as to how well this would go over. I kept having nightmares
about highschool dances where all the cliques stand together and talk,
and no one dances. Or when boys are on one side and all the girls on the
other. The dancing didn't start immediatly because the guests were making
their ways around the tables, and people were enjoying their ice cream
sundaes. After all the stars had pretty much wrapped up the presenter
(same guy who did the auctions and some of the on stage presenting) tried
to involve the audience by asking for people who can do Xena character
impersonations. No one was going up, and some small blast of courage took
a hold of me and I walked across the stage. I asked if the Xena yell counted,
and (with a great sigh) I was told that one Xena yell would be accepted.
So, I stepped up, held the mike far away from my mouth, and let it RIIIIPPP!
Oh, it was so much fun, and I got a ton of applause! After that it seemed
like everyone wanted to come up and do a yell, and then people branched
out into just doing some quotes. It was cool to involve the audience,
and plus anyone who braved the stage got something from the free grab
bag! Yeah! I got an insulated mug that says "Stop staring at me before
I take your eyes out." Quaint and to the point, I like it!
Well, my fears were totally unfounded. Everyone got up and shook their
groove thangs!!!! Even the DJ got into it by the end and was dancing up
on the stage. *g* This was one of my favorite parts of the con, and it
lasted until 12:30a. Yeeee!!!!!!! lol I had so much fun dancing with Sarah
(Abbagirl)_and Sarah (from the UK, in the floral in the wheelchair below)!
If you guys read this, know that Saturday night was such a blast because
I had so much fun dancing around with you two. *vbg* I hope we can all
make it back next year!
