Panel Discussion thoughts from Chicago Con

[ht_murray]

Okay, so as far as the panels, I can't say much that hasn't, by now, already been posted on Youtube, so I'll comment on the stuff that really stuck out to me, or that I really enoyed.



Richard, aka the Trickster, was really impressive. I have to say, I wasn't excited at all to see him. I only showed up in the audtorium because I paid for the friggin' gold ticket, and I was gonna get my money out of it. Besides, all my friends were going, sooo... But he dude blew me away. He was on. I don't think he sat at all. He used teh whole stage, and he was totally good looking in person. I have admitted before that I don't really watch anything but Supernatural, so anything else these people have done is lost on me. I have no clue about Band of Brothers, but after his telling of the story behind his character, I totally want to see it. I might have gotten a little teary-eyed when he said the dude's (Skip Monk?) family had never known what happened to him, and that Richard's own research into the background of the man had given them the answers they'd been denied all these years, really brought tears to my eyes. Especially when he said that Skip's medals had all been re-instated or whatever the term was. All because this one dude didn't want to do a half-assed job playing the part.

Even with that touching, sombre moment, Richard was still a livewire. His re-telling of the encounter he had with Jared's dogs by accident totally had me belly-laughing, and I was waaaaayyy too tired for belly laughing.

I adored that he had nothing but good things to say about the boys. They all had wonderful things to say about both of them. It made me feel like a proud parent, I kid you not.

In the Richard, panel, though, the show was completely stolen by Gabriel Tigerman's "niece" who got into a discussion with him about television shows they watch. She was just so witty and clever for a kid that size, and when they broke down in the text speak... let me just say that the panel is best summed up by "O.M.G. I know!" I think I died a little from the adorable.

I think the next panel was Chad. Again, I wasn't expecting much. I know, I'm a terrible fangirl. Sue me. But I was really impressed with him. He opened with his nephew Ivan, who was just adorably cute, and Chad is just so obviously the doting uncle. It was really sweet. He totally won me over right from the beginning. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a dude who's good with kids.

Chad spent more time in the chair than Richard, but he still used a lot of the stage, and he definitely had his moments of physical comedy, too. It's obvious he's done a few of these things.

Of all the guests, I think maybe he's the one who never really saw Jared's dogs or had a story about them, though I can't remember Malik saying anything about them either. Stories about Jared's dogs was a recurring question and always good for an awwweee from the crowd.

His story about the tattoo on his arm was lovely (again, I'm assuming you've watched this on Youtube already, if not just ask me in the comments.) I was most impressed when he was talking about My Big Break, because just from his description of it, I had little shivers. I seriously need to see this, and I hope we all get to.

Like everyone else, Chad had nothing but good things to say about the boys. I can't remember, but I think maybe it was Chad who mentioned how impressed he was with Jensen's talent, though it might very well have been Malik. I know Malik said they were both wonderful, beautiful people, which just made me all glowy and happy. I just love hearing that stuff. I know one of them specifically said something about Jensen, though, which always particularly strikes a chord with me.

I really did like Chad, a nice mixture of off the cuff and laid back with sincerity. I appreciated that quite a lot.

Malik... well, what can I say about Malik. I didn't know anything about his past and how he came into the business, and I was really touched by his story. I don't know if that's commonly known information somewhere, or if he's shared it before, but I felt really privileged to sit and listen. He was very genuine, a good mix of street wise and humble, very sincere, nothing but good things to say about the boys. Again, I haven't seen anything else he's done, so a good part of the panel probably went right in one ear and out the other, but worth the time sitting in those hard chairs if for nothing else but to see a real, live success story on the stage. And now we know he likes cigars, so maybe we can use that for something. For what, I do not know. How cute is it that our boys bought him that present even though they only worked together a little bit, and he wasn't even there for his birthday?

Best way to sum up his panel? Really great times... which is what he said when asked about working on the show. Who else can say that about going to work?

Samantha Smith... there was a collective gasp of "look at her!!" when she came on the stage, and a whole lot of people, myself included, who were probably not intending to get pictures, suddenly reached for their cameras. I never in a million years would have realized that was her. She was just gorgeous.

It was pretty obvious she hadn't done one of these before, her long legs and that short skirt were not made for sitting in that chair. She seemed to quickly realize how far up it was riding and got a little preoccupied with tugging it down, but that didn't affect her demeanor at all. I'd say she's just adorable. Sweet, well-spoken, and she actually watches the show.

I like that a)she watches the show and b)she seems to watch it like the general public probably watches it, not the way we crazy fangirls do. She didn't know specific episode titles or always what scene people were talking about, but really, that's the perspective of probably most of the people who watch the show, very real. I was just having a sort of weird conversation in the vendor section the day before. Most of the people there could look at the pics on the pic table and tell you exactly which episode they all came from, but I got most of them wrong. I rarely watch the episodes more than once. It's like, when Dark Angel was on, I had every episode memorized by the time that the next one aired, and the stuff that really hit me the first or second time I watched was really not as meaningful anymore. I guess, life doesn't happen with a rewind and repeat function, you're supposed to take it as you find it, and that's how I watch the show, I guess. Once for effect, and then only rewatch for research, except for a few epis. I suppose what I liked about Samantha was that she didn't make me feel like a bad fangirl. LOL. I know...I suck.

How best to sum up her panel? Besides the story of how her Yorkie bit Jared's dog on the nose? Sadly, no kissing. That's like my favorite answer. Someone asked her what three words she'd use to describe working with Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and she whipped that answer out pretty darned quick. I was impressed. Perhaps, I impress too easily.

Jason Manns. I have to admit to knowing nothing about him except that he's a friend of Jensen's and that he did a song with Jensen. I was not unimpressed with him, because really, that bb gun story was priceless and might possibly have made the convention for me. I was a little nervous when he was telling it, because I was sure some people would use that in some wank, but I really adored it. It just really drove home that Jensen's a real guy who does the same stupid shit my dad and his brother did growing up, the same shit my brother and his friends did. I mean, I grew up on a farm, and I don't know anyone who doesn't have a bb gun story. Not to mention that's just the kind of stuff guys do. They build ramps that are too high and drive their bikes off 'em, put big engines in little bitty cars, they take stuff apart knowing they'll never be able to put it back together. I totally had a moment where I was like, Jensen could be my brother. So true.

Other than that, though, I don't honestly remember much of Jason's panel.

I think we're up to the boys. I'm not going to spend too much time talking about the actual panel, because you can all see it, I'm sure, even though Adam gave a stern warning against video being used. I've never known for the video to fail to turn up eventually.

But here is what I will say. I expected Jared to make me laugh. I expected Jared and Jensen together to make me laugh, I did not expect that Jensen alone would have me laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. He was so on. I was just, like, if there was ever any doubt in my mind why I adore that boy so much, it was totally erased and driven into the bowels of Hell. He was just lovely and funny and well-spoken. I mean, yes, there were some weird moments, but when people ask you weird questions out of the blue, there will be the occasional brain fart. I don't think I could've answered those questions either. How much did I love that he said blue was his favorite color and then used it as a work reference, like that's the color they use to mark out his scenes as Dean. Sounds like a man who really loves what he does.

And Jared, running after that poor girl who burst into tears when she got to the mike and giving her a hug? What an adorable class act. I just heart that boy so much.

The banter between them was easy and priceless and cute. I had a little awwwww moment when Jared got almost like a little kid with a new toy when Jensen threatened to throw his cap into the crowd. It was like, "I just bought it..." *puppy eyes* and awwww, Jensen couldn't break the puppy's heart by throwing away his new chew toy. It was such a cute little interaction. Jared's little strip tease at the end, also adorable (though not quite as adorable as the ice packs on his nipples at the dessert party.)

BTW, I didn't comment on the dessert party, and I haven't had a chance to read any other reports yet, since I just now got internet back, but was I the only one to notice he only put an ice pack in one front pocket? Okay, I'm a total perv, but when he put the ice pack in his left pocket, I was like, "okay, hanging a little to the right today, I guess." And when he went to put another one in the right pocket, I started to cringe on his behalf. Luckily he changed his mind and put it in his back pocket instead, otherwise, I'd have had some serious questions I might have had to ask him. Not that I would have. The ice packs on the nipples was just icing on the cake, though. Awesome funny.

Okay, and back to the panel. I was really worried people were going to ask for the Eye of the Tiger bit, and I was getting nervous for him, because it's like Gene Kelly never wanting to do Singin' in the Rain, once you have done it, and everyone knows it, you can never top yourself, and it would just be awkward, I think. So, anyway, I was glad he gave us the couple seconds of leg guitar but also glad he didn't try to repeat the performance. Also glad he didnt' do the cat scream.

What I did love was when someone brought up the bb gun story to Jensen, I was totally facepalming, because, duuuudeee, how do you reply to that. He could've squirmed and denied it or claimed Jason was exaggerating, but what did he do? He totally re-enacted it, no candy-coating, just you know, this is how it was, and if you can't laugh at yourself, you're gonna be in a world of hurt. I loved that he did that, and then it was just, "that's what Texas boys do when they're bored." I think I might've wanted to molest him just a little. God bless Texas. Amen.

I forgot what I loved about Jared's panel, besides him hugging the girl who started crying and the ipecac, necrophiliac banter, which was just funny, was that he said he thought Sera Gamble, as a writer, really gets the character of Sam. After last week's epi, I saw a lot of hate floating around my flist, and I totally felt like the whole thing was perfectly in character. Guys don't drown themselves in ice cream. They have mad, angsty, desperate sex, and I liked that Jared felt the character needed to got there and that Sera delivered the goods. After all, he is Sam, and his opinion of what the character is capable of is only trumped by Kripke's opinion and the opinions of the writers. The stuff we consider out of character is only out of character until it's canon, and now it's canon, so obviously we didn't understand the character as well as we thought. I love when they develop in new directions.

Jensen's whole spiel about Kripke thinking the show would only get four seasons, I don't know how accurate that was in terms of that always being Kripke's intentions, but I have no doubt that the discussion did take place at the beginning of this season, and that it probably was the plan going in, both for the reasons he stated about syndication and because of the topsy turvy state of CW affairs. I'm not entirely convinced the great ratings will be enough to get us that fifth season, though, and I just hope the CWs fate is decided in time give us the conclusion Kripke has planned, one way or the other, rather than have him tentatively write for a carryover into a season that may ultimately not happen.

Oh, and for you girls who think Jensen's not smart, he totally pointed out that black is not a color but a lack thereof.

What else can I say, except, that's my boy. Giant grin.

I was probably sitting with a big stupid grin on my face for a good five minutes after the panel ended. Really, for that alone it was worth every penny, and if I could afford to do it again, I would, when I don't look like a vampire and my clothes actually fit.

Just amazing.

Comments

[3rd-leg.livejournal.com]

lol you got the tired washed out con look going...I was sooo there last year! I'm glad you got your internet back and hopefully we'll get to chat soon! I'm glad you enjoyed your time seems like it was well worth all the agony to get there!

*SMISHES YA* i missed ya though...did you get drunk???? lol cause i was soo planning on going and getting you drunk. Tell me Heather didnt let me down *smirks*

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Haha, yeahz, the other post answered that question. I failed in my quest to become inebriated, just couldn't do it. Wah! I slept so much. It's pathetic. But woohoo! Was totally worth it.

[spacemonkey-699.livejournal.com]

Oh man, this sounds all so exciting! My friend was there too, but she's too tired to write it all up yet, so squee for you!!!!

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

LOL, I wrote it up last night while I was still buzzing. Just now got it uploaded to my comp. It was so amazing, though, totally worth the money just for Sunday, though I don't think I could ever scrape up that kind of cash again. Wowz!

[tigriswolf]

Oh, that icon! I'm gasping with laughter.

[ysbail.livejournal.com]

*g*

Okay - so I was grinning after your last report - I am well gone now.

I really wish I could've gone, but, what I really need to do is sit myself down with Youtube for a little while and watch the panel videos.

They ALWAYS make me smile.

Glad you had a time sweetie ♥

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Haha, oh yeah, you NEED to see the vids. They were so friggin' amazing. And the peeps who made the vids prolly had better seats than me, so you can get it better than first hand. LOL. Hehe, I just love that everyone had nothing but nice things to say about them. They were so ... God, they were precious, lol. I'm a dork, I know.

[leighm.livejournal.com]

I think what I enjoy most is that everyone who works with the boys really enjoy themselves. I've never heard anything but extremely positive and that they are a lot of fun. That's how that job should be and I think it must be nice to completely love what you do even when it's tough hours and they really don't have much of a life outside of it. I can't say the same about my own job, unfortunately.

Jared and Jensen always seem like the most gracious and happy guys and that says a lot about them.

I'm so happy for you that you got to see them. I've yet to see Jensen but I did get to be around Jared:)

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

I know. I just kept feeling my heart swell. I mean, they didn't just say the guys were nice or hard-working, they were like, almost reverent at times, truly impressed and almost like it was a real privilege to have worked with them. I want to give them big gold stars... on their asses of course.

Ooh, well, if you meet Jensen, I hope you meet the one who showed up here, because he was just... *flutters*

[ewanspotter.livejournal.com]

Jensen's bit about Campbell's soup really cracked me while watching the vid.
It sounds like you had an awesome time! :D

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

It was awesome! Dude, that woman would not sit down. I would've said something more than Campbell's soup, but Jensen was just a class act about it. It was rather satisfying to watch, lol. The whole thing was totally for the memory books.

[jellicle.livejournal.com]

I envy you! I totally envy you! My heart bleeds because I don't think I'll be able to take part of a con with the two Js and I'd love to.

I'm glad you had a great time, darling!

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Ack, I'm sorry you feel the envy, cuz I know how sucky that is, but I hope I can share enough of it that you feel like you were there, too And I see a birthday announcement in my inbox. I haven't made it through all my backed up emails yet. I haven't missed your b-day have I?

[kitsunehi13.livejournal.com]

Haha!! OMG, I totally didn't really look for you!!! I'm le'sad.

Did you "wait in line" all night for the breakfast? I did. Only because I was bored after dancing. ^^;

Next year will totally be awesome. TOTALLY. I met a lot of people this year. And hopefully I'll get to hang out with YOU!

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

It's a'ight. I didn't stay up all night waiting for breakfast, but still got pretty good seats. We ended up getting to the line at about six a.m., ended up at the tope of the stairs, but peeps were taking up a lot of room with pillows and stuff, so the line actually looked longer than it was. I think we did pretty well.

And I was kinda looking for people, but also just too busy really to worry about if I was missing anyone. I sometimes glanced around and wondered if maybe I was close to someone I should say hi to, but otherwise, I was totally distracted. It was awesome, but I doubt I'll ever be able to afford to go again. I had to sell all my saddles to afford this one.

Le sigh, LOL.

[jane-eyre.livejournal.com]

You're not a perv, because that would mean I am too. Of course I do feel better now that I know I wasn't the only one cringing when Jared started to put the other ice pack in his front pocket. When I saw that video I was thinking that's not the best place to be putting ice packs.

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha, he was trying to raise his sperm count, lol, so he can make a donation and get the two of them a surrogate baby. LOLZ. Oh man, I"m so glad I wasn't the only one either. I was like....noooooooo. It was too funny.

[pinkoceantides.livejournal.com]

I was shocked he did the leg gutiar thing ha

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

it was too cute, wasn't it?

[grlmonday.livejournal.com]

Is Malik as handsome in real life as he is on TV? What about the boys? Do they fail or let you down up close without their makeup? How did they smell? I know how weird that sounds but...well? Do they smell as great as people always say?

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Malik is a total hottie, and both boys are just amazingly gorgeous. Man, they both made eye contact and were just all smiles and sweetness. MWAH to them. I are ze happy girl, lol. I don't remember how they smelled, which is funny, cuz I was totally wondering how they would smell. I think I was smelling myself instead, hahaha.

[9thof9.livejournal.com]

I forgot what I loved about Jared's panel, besides him hugging the girl who started crying and the ipecac, necrophiliac banter, which was just funny, was that he said he thought Sera Gamble, as a writer, really gets the character of Sam. After last week's epi, I saw a lot of hate floating around my flist, and I totally felt like the whole thing was perfectly in character. Guys don't drown themselves in ice cream. They have mad, angsty, desperate sex, and I liked that Jared felt the character needed to got there and that Sera delivered the goods. After all, he is Sam, and his opinion of what the character is capable of is only trumped by Kripke's opinion and the opinions of the writers. The stuff we consider out of character is only out of character until it's canon, and now it's canon, so obviously we didn't understand the character as well as we thought. I love when they develop in new directions.

You already got my reaction to "and the ipecac, necrophiliac banter," in chat. The rest, I agree wholeheartedly.

I saw 3rd_leg's comment and your answer. You know what this means, don't you? We're gonna have to come down there and take you out for a night on the town.

I'm off to find the other post now. *waves*

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when Jared said that, I was really relieved. Because that's how I see things, too, and I'm upset that people think they know the character better than the actor and the creators who make him.

And, no... just no. LOL.

[tigriswolf]

Aww, man, I really wish I'd been there.

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

I wish you was there, too. They were so awesome. *smoosh*

[unplugged32.livejournal.com]

I've seen the vids at youtube, Jared is just hysterical and wacky and Jensen is very sweet and funny, they complement each other perfectly:) Glad you enjoyed yourself:)

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Oh man! They were amazing. My face still hurts. Jensen was perfectly perfect, and Jared was adorkable. Hee!

[tabularassa.livejournal.com]

The trickster. Me loves him. *sigh*

Oh, boys. ♥

Jensen is SO smart.

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Dude, Richard was so much more than I was expecting. Just intelligent and funny and good looking and just on it.

They were awesome. Totally brought it. I'm so happy.

You know he is. *smishes*

[x5vale.livejournal.com]

Jensen is smart. Period.

I am so glad you enjoyed the con hon :)

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

He IS, which is why we are all super smart for loving him despite all the wank he seems to draw. Boy deserves his kudos, every bit. It was amazing to meet him for even a second. I'm still smiling.

[grlmonday.livejournal.com]

How can anyone not think Jensen is smart? The man is a brilliant actor, he has impeccable comedic timing, and he can think on his feet, apparently.

What happened with the bb gun? Paraphrase, maybe?

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

He is amazing! *giggles*

The bb gun... okay, it apparently started with a comment Jason Manns had made somewhere, maybe on his MySpace or a forum somewhere, I don't know, but he mentioned a bb gun episode that he couldn't elaborate on. So, of course, someone had read that and asked him to elaborate. He looked really sheepish, but he said that one time he and Jensen and some friends took turns shooting each other in the butts with a bb gun to see if it hurt. LOL. Which is totally lame, but soooo a thing that guys do. I have seen way weirder macho shit in my day, let me tell you.

Anyway, so Jensen came on the next day, and someone mentioned bb guns and Jason Manns, and Jensen basically did the OH face. He could've totally denied it, or squirmed, but no, he re-enacted it. He ran over to the end of the stage yelling, "Dude, c'mon shoot me," and sticking his ass out," then acted like he'd been shot, "Ah, son of bitch!" then ran to the other side of the stage and said, "Now you!" LOL. Then mimicked shooting the other dude. Then said, "Again!" and ran back over and stuck his ass out, acted like he got shot in the leg this time. Said something on the order of "This is what guys from Texas do when they're bored." It was just too perfect and real and funny. My God, I think I died a little from laughing so hard. He was amazing!

[samidha.livejournal.com]

I have been watching them twice since S4 started but only because I have terrible reception and little patience, so I don't sit there freaking out while everyone else is watching, waiting for DLs. Because if I did that I would just read episode reactions and get everything spoiled for me. Heh.

I know, kind of screwy, but eh.

The con sounds really worth it. I kind of want to go at least once but it also sounds WAY WAY WAY not accessible (stairs hi!) and that's depressing to me.... I mean, I could work out a lot and see if congoing with my crutches and maybe my manual wouldn't kick my ass but it would likely be a fucking nightmare and I'd just want to kill about a thousand fangirls.... (And I'd DEFINITELY have to make sure I had people around to help fend for me.) O.o

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

You should definitely go. They had quite a few special needs patrons, and they seemed accomodating enough, except for the part where they sold Heather a chair that didn't exist. LOL. And you'd get to the front of the lines, thus leaving you more time to spam LJ with your fantabulous reports of con events. I'm just sayin.

[superwicked.livejournal.com]

Great report! I love reading these, and I love it when I read something that hasn't been said a few times already.

Would love to see pics of Jared stripping, he is such a dork! I ♥ him!

And Jensen, no words can describe him successfully! ♥ Hope I'll be lucky enough to meet him one day!

"life doesn't happen with a rewind and repeat function, you're supposed to take it as you find it.." Wow, just wow!! Very insightful!

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I recognize that icon, lol. I had no idea everyone was going to be reading this. If I had, I've been way more thinky. I just basically sat down and did rapid recall of everything that stuck out in my mind. I didn't get pics of Jard stripping. I just know one second they were hamming it up trading chairs as Jared left the stage, and the next I was ducking cuz every camera in my aisle turned stage right to catch Jared's peep show. I don't know how much skin was shown, but it couldn't have been too much, since by the time I turned my head, the shirt was in place and just the jacket was hiked up. What a giant, loveable goober.

Hee! Jensen was so sweet, and I'm a total wallflower, so he could've gotten by without even looking at me, and I'd have been tickled, but he made eye contact, smiled, said hi and thank you. It was all just lovely. *g*

[chadpants.livejournal.com]

Oh, and for you girls who think Jensen's not smart, he totally pointed out that black is not a color but a lack thereof.

You are so right.

(http://tinypic.com)

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Haha, don't I know it. LUV that pic. EEEE! Is it a manip? The one hand looks awfully big. Could be the camera angle, I guess.

[kynikey.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you had a good time! =)

Jensen's whole spiel about Kripke thinking the show would only get four seasons, I don't know how accurate that was in terms of that always being Kripke's intentions, but I have no doubt that the discussion did take place at the beginning of this season

I kinda think they probably thought they were gonna get axed this season and that's why they wanted to wrap it up. But it kinda explains why, since episode 2, I've been sitting here going "What the hell are they gonna do in season 5?? I mean, what do you do that is bigger than the apocalpyse??" Guess they're gonna have to ask themselves the same question now...lol ;)

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Haha, they gonna write about robots. Where is the robot fic? Haha, they gotta hunt Wall-E. NOw I need to see that movie, lol.

[xemobutterflyx.livejournal.com]

Hi, I've been seeing A LOT of recs for your fiction and I was wondering if you could send them to me, I would LOVE to read them!

kmwils005@student.acu.edu.au

Thanks!

[tru-faith-lost.livejournal.com]

Hey, thanks! No prob. Are you looking for the Gen or slash? I have the Gen stuff in files to send, but the slash is in my journal. I need to go unlock that stuff. *facepalm*