Moonlight
Rising
June 6-8th, 2003
Friar Tuck Inn
- Catskills, NY
Guests |
Christopher
Golden - Novelist BtVS books |
James
C. Leary: Clem the loose skinned demon (BtVS) |
Adam
Busch: Warren Meers (BtVS) |
Amber
Benson: Tara Mclay (BtVS) |
James
Marsters: Spike (BtVS) |
Anthony
Stewart Head: Rupert Giles (BtVS) |
Common
Rotation in Concert |
Okay, the
morning started off shitty. My friend Jess was supposed to come with me. Last
night, though, she went out for her friend Kate's bday. This was always the
plan. BUT, her plan was she would take an early train from NYC to here and we
would go.
At 8:30AM,
after calling her twice, her friend Laura called me and told me Jess was passed
out, having "pulled a Hendrix". I was beyond pissed, and also? Not
that surprised. I wasn't sure if i was gonna go alone. I didn't want to, but...
Anyway, about
a half hour later, Jess called me, told me she was awake and would be getting
a cab and going to the station ASAP. And that she was sorry.
We ended up
missing our picture with James Marsters, for which i really had to fight for,
but I was not gonna allow that to spoil my time. Nor was i gonna allow the half-drunk
friend of mine beside me, who i could still smell the alcohol on and was hiding
in her sunglasses.
I really did
want the pic, though.
*sigh*
Anyway, we
did get there for the Q&A's:
Highlights
from Amber Benson's:
- Firstly, AB is adorable
and giggly. And MUCH smaller than i expected. Not just in weight, which
everyone always comments on, but also in build and height.
- Someone mentioned
to her that since Tara's death, UPN had allowed Willow to get all sexed
up. She didn't know this since she hadn't watched the show. Everone started
shouting, "Tongue Ring!" and she laughed and then shouted back,
"Ugh, that bitch!"
- She got very sunburnt
in the desert scenes from "Restless", having not thought about
having to wear sunscreen for these scenes. SMG apparently kept fussing over
her afterwards b/c of this.
- One of the biggest
surprises she ever got from the gay community because of her character's
sexuality was a proposal from a girl at another con. The surprising part,
she said, was that she was tempted. But she figured that would have bothered
the guy she had been dating at the time.
- Each of the guests
had to do auctioning of some items for charity. Once AB promised to give
whomever would buy this one item a hug and kiss, the item jumped at least
$100.
Highlights
from James Marsters':
- Yes, yes, he's smaller
than i thought, BUT since i have read SO many accounts from others who have
met him, i must say he was exactly as i expected.
- I was disappointed,
slightly, by the questions. I didn't get to go to the first Q&A yesterday,
so it's possible the questions i wanted answered were yesterday, but still...Not
enought Buffy. I love JM, but i also love his POV on his character.
- He says that if he
had known they were going to give him a soul, he would've taken a lot of
the soul he injected into Souless Spike out, so the arc of his character
would have been more obvious. In this same line of thought, he wished he
could take back the tears he cried at the end of the Slayer talk in "Fool
For Love" when Buffy rejects him, since it had been his decision to
do so.
- Though he says it's
up to anyone's interpretation, his interpretation of the unfinished basement
scene in the finale, is that Buffy and Spike did not have sex. He thinks
that Spike would not have started something like that and would have just
wanted to "be there for Buffy."
- Despite his wanting
to do plays in NYC, it probably won't be for at least 3-4 years due to familial
obligations.
- When a fan told him
that he smells really good, he thanked her b/c he has a niece that told
him he smells like "hot dogs".
- On AtS, he hopes
to piss off Angel as much as possible. To be that grit in the corner that
just irks everyone.
- God, he really can
do that cool, deep growly thing... Mmm...Even ASH said so; one of the reasons
he had JM do a bit on his CD.
- After someone mentioned
that Fox was reaping all the benefits of these Ebay auctions of Buffy clothes(his
70's outfit having gone for over $13,000), he kinda blasted Fox for trying
to drain even more money from 'em.
- He said that he never
expected the sex and nudity scenes to be so graphic in season 6 and that
it was somewhat hard on him and SMG, b/c neither was very comfy with it,
but it was also a challenge that he accepted. he said he likes to do stuff
that bothers him or scares him. He doesn't ever want control of his own
character. He said the best type of acting is when you reach for things
rather than having them handed to you easily.
- He is a very gracious
and humble man. He is kind and funny and very, very lickable in that tight
red t-shirt and faded jeans, BUT, he needs to get off this 'Seeing Red'
bathroom scene thing. Almost every single account from a Con that I've read,
he mentions that scene and how horrible it was for him and SMG. I understand
it being so hard, but also, i wish he'd talk about another aspect of the
show and not that any longer. I feel like he's trying to be too PC. Especially
when he adds that 'bad boyfriend' line.
- Sadly, i did not get
to ask my question about the rumored Ghost!Spike.
Highlights
of Anthony Stewart Head's:
- First off, his real
accent is sooo awesome. He's David Bowie! All rambly and lilting.
- He has the cutest
laught. It actually sounds like, "heeheehee".
- When someone was asking
him about the difference between working for British TV and American TV,
they mentioned that the pay must have been better in the US. ANd he said,
"Not when you work for Fox." heehee.
- ALSO, he said his
favorite difference was the Kraft Service Tables. Cause in British TV, you
get a cup of tea and scones. In the US, there are cookies...Something he
is in favor of telling people to "just eat the damn thing" and
not pick at it, since apparently a lot of the girls did that on set. He
gestured at his body and said, "You can see where that took me".
Which i didn't. He looked like the same ol' Giles to me.
- He loved the Buffy/Giles
father/daughter relationship.
- He had a fascination
with the sign language interpreter on stage. He kept saying all these...very
sly and dirty things, the cheeky monkey! And it amused him so to see the
interpreter do them. He was such a giggler.
- He had to instruct
one of the writers how to spell "bollocks", because he had written
"bollix".
- He's proud to have
introduced the word, "pillock" to the US.
- He borrowed JM's
guitar and sang two songs from his album(one about his kids and one about
his 'wife', Sarah) and he also sang the duet with Amber Benson from OMWF,
with the help of an attendee playing the piano. They kept screwing it all
up. It was really funny.
Okay, that's
all i can remember right now from the Q&A's. i may edit later to add some
thoughts. I wish i had tape recorded it.
Highlights
from the Autographs
- They ran a very tight
ship at MR.Which is good, in a way, but less relaxed than i wanted. Unfortunately,
i was not able to go back in line to get a certain signature for a certain
someone(sorry, dragolyn).
- While waiting in
line, i suddenly saw JM hop up and rush outta the room. Pee break, apparently.
But the people who were his "Handlers" were apparently annoyed,
because
- He was holding
up the line(jeez! Give the guy a break! When you gotta pee, you gotta
pee!) and
- He didn't go with
a guard. Which was a no-no, you know, in case anyone molests him. A
bodyguard rushed after him.
- First up? Clem, aka
James Leary. Adorable guy, looks like someone i knew from school. Was sweet
and signed my OMWF book, even though he was not in it.
- Secondly, JM. Ah...
He does that whole eye-contact-y thing very nicely. In fact, they all do.
But his eyes... Also? Everyone told me, oh yeah, he REALLY looks his age.
Um...To me? I dunno, maybe it was his mannerisms, or seeing his hair all
bleached(though his roots were showing) under normal lighting, he looked
like a kid to me. A kid just grinning and having a grand fucking time. So
anyway, i said hello, shook his nice big hands, and had him sing "Rest
in PEace" in my book, and when he looked up, he laughed and said, "What's
that?" ANd he reached out and i swear, ONE INCH from my breast. But
it was my key chain hanging from my jean jacket pocket. It's a Garbage Pail
kid, a baby with plastic vomit falling from its mouth. I told him so and
he laughed again, and was like, "Oh yeah! I remember those!" I
laughed it off too, took my book and thanked him again.
- Next up, ASH. Heehee,
okay, see? I've not heard many accounts from him from Cons, but he is just
as gracious and is very funny and kind. Granting many a hug. I didn't ask
for one, but he was all nice and eye-contacty too with the autograph. And
yes, Trisha, he's much better looking in person. Though, i kept staring
at his earring.
- My friend, Jess, who
LOVES ASH, got him to sign her picture of him and told him to sign it "The
Hot One". He laughed and agreed to. She told him that this pic was
gonna go up next to Bowie and he said, "really?" like he was really
flattered and happy about that. Score for Jess!
- Next, Amber Benson.
Sweet, darling, again, smaller in every respect, even her voice, BUT another
one who loved my keychain. She looked up and saw the baby hanging there
and was all grin-y. She's said it was so funny and i told her i was surprised
she knew what it was . She said, "Of course I remember the garbage
pail kids! We'rea bout the same age right? It was our generation!"
Again, very sweet and was the only one to ask my name to put on my autograph.
For some reason, i never thought to ask anyone else to do. *shrug*
Hm. Well,
there wasn't much more to it. I also bought myself a Spike action figure that
i can have all kinds of fun with *eg*
We were originally
planning on staying to see AB's movie, "Chance" which starred her,
JM, and Andy Hallet, but there was a prob w/ my car and Jess and I were totally
exhausted. It was around 7:30 when we left.
So...In retrospect,
even though I'm still kinda smarting and bitter about losing the pic with JM,
I had a good time. And hey, i saw guys dressed up like Spike and Angel who were
boyfriends. Really, nothing can beat that*g*