As I sit in the airport about to head back to Sydney for work, I wanted to put together some quick thoughts I had on the Star Trek convention I just attended in Las Vegas. It was my second Vegas Trek con, and while I only attended two of the four days I had a great time. Here’s some of my quick rambling recollections:
Recollection 1: John de Lancie, who played Q, made the best point I have ever heard an actor make about Trek fans (even better than Shatner’s “get a life”). Paraphrasing: “it’s like you threw this great dinner party 20 years ago, and people don’t ask you about the party… They ask you about buying the groceries. They ask you… What were you thinking when you picked up the potato… And then put it back… When it wasn’t the right potato.” Remember folks, these people are actors… They live in the moment and then they do…. Surprisingly… More acting, sometimes not even on Star Trek!
After de Lancie made this very subtle yet very obvious point, half of the audience questions were still in the vein of “tell us about what you were thinking when…” Sigh.
Recollection 2: They really really really need to prescreen interview questions, or have a moderator ask them for most of the panel. Fans just are not good interviewers. Heck, I’m a trained journalist and I sometimes ask embarrassing questions when I’m confronted with people I respect and admire…
Recollection 3: When John de Lancie (yes, him again – he’s one of my favorite actors) asked if anyone in the 1000+ sear theatre he was speaking in asked if anyone had seen Breaking Bad (the best show on TV, and one he did a fantastic recurring role on a while back) only three people – including me – applauded. That made me very very sad. Trek fans, expand your horizons!
Recollection 4: The parties at the con were great, rivaling some of the best conference parties I’ve ever attended. At least, I think they were… I can’t remember much. Special thanks to Rod Roddenberry and Lisa from the Intergalactic Bartender for a great time.
Recollection 5: Met some great great new friends at the con – connections I hope will survive me going out of the country for a while. You know who you are, you wonderful people you!
Recollection 6: The new Star Trek reboot has divided a lot of fans, but I will say this: it has also brought lots of new fans into the fold. Especially young women. Who look REEALLLY good wearing original series miniskirt costumes. A nice diversion from some of the typical costume goers you see…. And speaking of which…
Recollection 7: Trek fans, I love ya… But before you try on that original series outfit, buy a mirror. And for some of you… Consider some cardio.
Recollection 8: I love David Gerrold and I love The Martian Child. Read it, all of you.
Final recollection: I love Trek, and I really enjoyed the con, but I can see a real difference between fans who attend. There are some who are just wonderfully open and friendly and then some that are… Well, not so. They are not to be pitied or criticized, they just don’t seem happy. I think to them a convention like this is more ritual than enjoyment, like people who go to church long after they stopped believing in what it was the church represented.
I understand – I stopped doing conventions for over 10 years because I wanted to focus my energy on building my career… And now that I have “arrived” to some extent, I can return to it with a renewed sense of excitement and fun. Not to be judgmental, but anyone who is just going through the motions in anything… Well, they need to reconsider what they are doing. Life’s too short to limit your options… Or your life.
Joe, out.