Salute to Supernatural Convention - Burbank, CA March 2-4

 

Another riotous blast of a convention!


You may have heard that Supernatural (The CW, Fridays @ 9 p.m.) has some of the most passionate, loyal, enthusiastic and supportive fans out there, and conventions like the one held in Burbank, CA this weekend proves that in spades.  I have never missed the L.A.- area con and I was again in my pre-reserved seat for all the action, hilarity and surprises.  (Alas, this may have been my last, as the event is moving to Las Vegas next year - boo! - and not sure I can trek so far, no matter how much I love the show ... and I do!).

Guests this year included (of course) the Winchesters themselves, Jensen Ackles (Dean) and Jared Padalecki (Sam) as well as Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer), Richard Speight, Jr. (Gabriel/Trickster - for my 2-part interview with Speight, scroll down),  Misha Collins (Castiel), Sebastian Roche (Balthasar), Mark Sheppard (Crowley), Matt Cohen (young John Winchester), Rick Worthy (Alpha Vampire), Chad Lindberg (Ash), Gabriel Tigerman (Andy Gallagher), Rob Benedict (Chuck Shurley), Kim Rhodes (Sheriff Jodi Mills), Madison McLaughlin (Krissy Chambers) and director Guy Norman Bee.

I wasn't able to attend Friday's day events but I heard Rhodes, Benedict, Lindberg and last-minute add Tigerman were great.  I was able to see them along with Cohen, Speight, Worthy and surprise guests Tim Omundson (Psych, Deadwood) and Michael Cudlitz (Southland) at the late-night, 60s-themed karaoke party, where everyone rocked out and had a blast.

Saturday's roster started off with Bee, who has directed some of Supernatural's most popular episodes, including "Frontierland," "Hello, Cruel World" and "How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters."  He brought along actor Sam Hennings, who portrayed the legendary Samuel Colt in "Frontierland."  We learned Bee was also a cameraman on James Cameron's Titanic and worked previously with Speight, directing several episodes of his show Jericho.  Most recently he has been directing on Southland.  Questions included differences between shooting Supernatural vs. Southland (two pages on Supernatural can take 6 hours to film; on Southland, 2 pages can be shot is 45 minutes); doing many, many takes (a la David Fincher)  versus just a few (like Clint Eastwood); giving actors the freedom to try things in different takes ("when successful, no matter who's idea it was, the director ultimately gets the credit," he joked); and the pressure to be true to the show and please the fans.

Amazing trivia - Supernatural has had the same Director of Photography, Serge Ladouceur, for every episode except the pilot (141 episodes in all)!

Next we were treated to a hilarious tag team panel with Roche and Sheppard, which took some interesting ... and erotic ... turns (Roche definitely likes to play with the audience and push the envelope).  Both didn't hesitate to take digs at Misha Collins (in good fun, of course) and both did excellent impressions from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 

Fave lines/exchanges:

Roche, upon his on-screen death - "I didn't see my crispy wings."

About the aforementioned "erotic" tone of the panel:
Roche:  (to audience): "Your mind is in the gutter!"
Sheppard:  "And you've driven them there."

Regarding fan fiction written about the two, linking their characters romantically:
A fan:  "Because of the way you two talk up there, you ask for all the [slash] fan fiction."

About the swearing that came out during the panel:
Sheppard:  "I have a 12-year-old and a 6-year old ... they TAUGHT me those words!"

And about being character actors:
Roche:  "Character actors are the backbone of every show."
Sheppard:  "We get the best stories."

Of course, Roche didn't leave empty handed:  during an exchange about cockroaches, he misspoke and it came out as "cockroche," to which Sheppard assured him the nickname would now follow him forever ...

We then had a terrific interactive panel with Worthy, Benedict and Cohen with Speight taking lead in a very Donahue-like fashion, heading into the audience to take questions for the quartet, leading with the riotous "In putting this panel together, what four people make the least sense?" Again, things got rather randy at times, but the guys had a blast playing with us.  Questions ranged from their favorite actors, Supernatural episodes, and board games; guilty pleasures they watch; best stunts they've done; how, if their characters are dead, would they like them to come back; what Rocky Horror character would they be; and fave lines they said on the show:

Speight:  "Lucifer, you're my brother and I love you, but you are one great big bag of dicks." ("Hammer of the Gods")
Worthy:  (said dryly) "Ouch. Stop. That hurts." ("Family Matters")
Benedict:  "I am the prophet Chuck!" ("The Monster at the End of This Book") or the one about hoarding toilet paper ("The End")
Cohen:  "Telling the boys to shut up in the car.  Messed up takes on purpose so I could keep saying it to them!" ("The Song Remains the Same")

Next it was fan favorite Collins, who took the stage solo.  But he takes command and doesn't let go, teasing, mocking, playing.  No one is off limits.  He got some weird questions (Castiel's favorite cheese, if he were a wasp, who would he sting?), got to talk about he recent, world-record-breaking online scavenger hunt and his ongoing "random acts of kindness" campaign.  We learned the episode where Bobby died ("Death's Door"), certain NPR news stories and Dead Poets Society make him tear up, that he once worked on a llama farm and that he adamantly disagrees that, despite what has been said online, his spirit animal is NOT a kitten  ("No!  It's a tiger!  Or something ... a wolf!  I feel like my spirit animal should have some say in this.").

When Jim Beaver took the stage, it was to a standing ovation.  After all, his beloved Bobby was lost to us this season.  He admitted, "It's sad to no longer be an active part of this thing."  He went on to say that if his character had continued on, he'd hope for a hook-up with Rhodes' Sheriff Mills; he has no desire to direct or be on Dancing With the Stars ("I'm a horrible dancer.  Then again, I'll do anything for money or smatterings of applause."); and that he has no idea what's been happening on the show or if there's a chance for his return ("once they stop paying you, they stop telling you stuff.  But hey, it's Supernatural ... I'm sure they could figure out something.").  He also had high-praise for Ackles, who directed him in "Weekend at Bobby's".

"Jensen was a wonderful director, all things a director should be:  prepared, skilled, insightful, communicative, in touch." 

That takes us to Sunday, which brought back Jim Beaver and Richard Speight, Jr. for more questions about both working on Justified, eating on camera, difficult props, Tim Omundson's beard ("he's the Chia pet of American television"), their desired superpower, what's really in the liquor bottles on the set (Beaver: "watered down Coca-cola."  Speight: "Realy, Jim?  Not Pepsi?" - Speight, of course, is the pitchman for Pepsi Max), what karaoke songs would their characters sing (Speight: "Love Shack."  Beaver: "Some Enchanted Evening" or "Rock Lobster."  Mash-up possibility:  "Some Enchanted Lobster"!) and if had to, which brother would Bobby kill ("probably the taller one.").

And then ... stars JENSEN ACKLES (JA)and JARED PADALECKI (JP)!!

They never cease to look good, smile and be very personable, down-to-earth and funny.  At earlier conventions, they'd have each come out separately, then end together.  But realizing how well they play off each other, they now do the whole hour together, and it's incredibly entertaining.

There was much granting of congratulations to JP on the impending birth of his son with wife Genevieve (2nd Ruby) - phone was at the ready in his pocket - and birthday wishes to JA (March 1).  At the end Speight presented him with a birthday cake and led the room of 1,000+ people in "Happy Birthday," which ended with both guys smashing their faces into the cake.  Wish I had a picture of that!

Before that there were a slew of questions from fans about their first convention experiences; what they would go back and change about their characters' actions if they could (JA would have Dean not go off to be with Lisa and Ben; JP would have Dean not kill that Ruby-chick ... a wink to not killing off his real-life wife); what happened to Castiel's handprint on Dean's arm ("Lazarus Rising" - cover story: when Cas healed Dean in "Swan Song," he healed everything, all scars, including the handprint; true story: writers and crew simply forgot, so came up with believable cover story to avoid reshoot.); if JP really afraid of clowns (no, actually loved them as a kid; JA, on the other hand, says they creep the hell out of him, ever since the movie Stephen King's IT.

Interesting tidbit:  the young girl in IT was played by Emily Perkins, who played Becky Rosen ("Sympathy for the Devil," "The Real Ghostbusters," "Season 7: Time for a Wedding!")

There was talk about the weird first impression Misha Collins made on them both, what they watch when they can, Dean's compulsive eating and bad costumes, Jensen's soap days (Days of Our Lives), their love and affection for their crew ("They're family," both heartily agreed), why Sam and Dean never seem to learn from their mistakes, and the overwhelming demographic of women who watch the show:

JA:  "What would raise male viewership? Hot chicks.  We had that but it made all of you mad!  You gotta pick your battles.  (in girly voice) 'Get those sluts away from our boys!'  We don't want that." 

When asked if the guys were really laughing at the end of "Plucky Peniwhistle's Magical Menagerie" when JP was coated in glitter:  JA:  "No, we were ACTING.  We're ACTORS."  After which they demonstrated with over-the-top fave laughter.

The hour ended with a touching expression of gratitude by JP to the fans for contributing to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in lieu of sending him and Genevieve baby gifts.  To date, over $27,000 has been raised and fundraising will continue until the baby's birth, after which the couple will match the funds.

These are really great guys. All of these good folks - a terrific, talented, entertaining group of people have worked on this amazing show and we are so fortunate to have even just these few moments to interact with them and see for ourselves how great they are.  They genuinely seem to enjoy what they do, are thankful for what they have and appreciate us for our continued love and support for the show.

Here's to (hopefully) Season 8, a healthy son for the Padaleckis, more money raised for St. Jude's and more conventions in the future (bring in  back to L.A.!!).

Catch Supernatural Fridays @ 9 p.m. on the CW.  New episodes return March 16.
 

Interview - Richard Speight, Jr. (PART 1)

CIA agent.  World War II soldier.  Deputy Sheriff.  Pepsi delivery man.  Archangel.

Chances are if you watch television, Richard Speight Jr.’s is a face you know.  From pitching Pepsi Max to guest starring on Alias, CSI: Miami, ER and Party of Five to recurring on Supernatural and Justified to co-starring in The Agency, Jericho and Band of Brothers, Speight is a truly bonafide working actor with an impressive resume of terrific, memorable characters.

Being a big fan of Speight’s – his role on Supernatural (my favorite show) is, as fans will attest to, epic – I was thrilled to have the pleasure to sit down with the actor for a chat about his chosen career, which first began in his home state of Tennessee.

TV Tour Guide:  Did you always want to be an actor?  How did you first get started?

Richard Speight, Jr.: I started doing plays when I was five back in Nashville.  I caught the bug early on.  I have two older sisters who acted for a while but moved on to other things. But I stuck with it. I just loved the whole process of people coming together and putting on a show. I didn’t know I wanted to do it for a living till I was 15 or so.

Speight worked regularly in local projects like Ernest Goes To Camp before making the move to Los Angeles at 18 to major in acting at The University of Southern California.  It wasn’t long before he landed his first west-coast gig.

TTTG:  You did the After School Special Torn Between Two Fathers, directed by Richard Masur (Stephen King’s It, Bored to Death, Picket Fences). What was that like?

RS:  I had two lines: “Hey, Debbie.” and “Good work, Deb!” On my very first day, I was late.  I overslept. I got a phone call from production and just about s*** the bed.  I didn’t even shower.  So my first appearance on national TV as an adult living in California was without having showered.  It was very European.

TTTG:  What’s your audition process like?  Does it differ from doing commercials to guest star and series regular roles?

RS:  It’s harder to audition with just a few lines than it is with 15 pages of dialogue.  Those few lines may work in the scene, but just to randomly say those words out of context is impossible.  Delivering chunks of dialogue is much easier.  No matter the size of the role, there’s no difference to me.  I have the same approach.  It’s all about making your choices, committing to them, and staying grounded.

TTTG: Tell me about being the face of Pepsi Max …

RG:  Joe Pytka, a director with whom I’ve worked many times – and really the “godfather” of the modern American commercial – reached out to me for Pepsi Max.  I don’t do a lot of commercials anymore, but if Joe’s office calls and says he’s interested in me, I say “Great, where do I go and what do I do?”  I love being involved in his projects. He doesn’t make boring, presentational spots. He makes mini-movies.

What started out as one commercial has turned into an ongoing campaign for the actor, and it’s easy to see why:

TTTV:  You’ve been both a guest star and series regular.  Do you find a difference between the two?

RS:  Doing a guest star is like being the new kid in school: you’re showing up to a universe that is functioning just fine without you and won’t miss you when you’re gone. You have to breeze in and do your job as best as you can while fitting into their framework - and do it very quickly and efficiently.  It’s an art form, and it is definitely something you either learn quickly or sink quickly. If I ever write an autobiography, it’ll be called Guest Stars Don’t Blow Takes.  Series regulars can afford to memorize the lines while rehearsing, get one or two [takes] to warm into the scene, then another three or four to get what they want.  As a guest star, you don’t have that luxury.  Your job is just to show up and kill it in one or two takes so they don’t have to waste time on you.

Being a series regular is a very different experience. You know the crew, and you guys are all working together and used to each other. And it’s nice to have the comfort of knowing you have a job to go to every day.  It’s not the stress of being the new guy having to deliver on cue.

TTTV:  What about when you end up doing multiple episodes of a show?

RS:  You get a little of that comfort level if you end up recurring.  Supernatural is a good example.  I only did four episodes of that show, yet just today I was texting with one of the actors and the camera guys.  They’re just good people. Shoot days are long. After your first full day on a show, you feel like you’ve been there a month.  Hence the quick bonding.  Justified is kind of the same way. Everybody’s really cool and you just kind of feel like “Yeah, I’m here, I kind of know these people.”  Once you’re on a set a couple of times, it starts to feel a little more relaxed.  It’s not your house, but you feel like a welcomed guest.

TTTG:  Do you prefer one over the other?

RS:  I like doing it all. I’ve never been on a set and thought, “Gee, I wish I weren’t here.”  I love doing my job.  My worst day on a set is better than my best day off one.

TTTG:  Are there roles you feel you are better suited for?

RS:  Certain things I’m never gonna get … New York gangster for example. Whenever I get called for something, I usually know after a quick study of the material if I’ll wear it well or not.  Even if it fits me, it doesn’t mean I’ll get it, but at least I know I can make a competent choice. There are a lot of roles I’ve gone in for that I thought “I wouldn’t cast me for this,” but I still go in because you never know … but you kind of do know.  If you look at the material and it just doesn’t sit right, and you can’t really get a good handle on it regardless of how much time you spend on it, it’s probably not for you.  It’s somebody else’s job.

Come back for Part 2 of my interview with Rich tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 29, where we discuss Jericho, Supernatural and his Supernatural Convention odyssey!

In fact, catch Rich live and in person this weekend at the Salute to Supernatural convention in Burbank, CA.

Review - The New Girl

Quirk is definitely the new cool.  This terrific new comedy premiered tonight on FOX and earns an immediate place as one of the best new comedies of the season.  TV Guide nailed it when they dubbed star Zooey Deschanel "adorkable" and she'll have no trouble sharing the FOX spotlight with big sis Emily (Bones).

Deschenel plays Jessica Day, an overall-wearing, Dirty Dancing-loving, Lord of the Rings-referencing, marching-to-her-own-drummer gal who finds herself newly single after - yep - finding boyfriend Spencer with another girl.  Suddenly homeless, it's Craig's List to the rescue, leading Jess unknowingly to the abode of three single guys (their ad, which used words like "sun-soaked" and "beige-y" was misleading):  Nick (Jake M. Johnson, fairly new to TV), a sweet soul dealing with his own breakup issues; Coach (Damon Wayans, Jr., Happy Endings, My Wife and Kids and the pedigree of being a Wayans), who has no knack for talking to the fairer sex; and Schmidt (Max Greenfield, already a TV veteran with roles on Raising the Bar, Ugly Betty, Greek and Veronica Mars), who single-handedly keeps the trio's "Douchebag Jar" in healthy abundance of cash.

Deschenel is delightfully, playfully awkward and weird as Jess, who admittedly "can't hide the crazy."  She infuses cooky voices in her conversation, dances inappropriately and constantly sings outloud to herself, even making up her own theme song on the spot to pump herself up to start dating again (the ditty is actually used for the series' title sequence with a cute homage to Marlo Thomas' That Girl).  Ally McBeal once went in search of her theme song ... Jess has it covered.

Quite the motley crue this foursome makes, but it works.  The characters compliment each other nicely and you can't help but fall in love with the dudes when, learning that Jess is being stood up on her first date back out there, serenade her - badly - at the restaurant with "I've Had the Time of My Life."  The show doesn't end the number with the stereotypical group applause but instead has the quartet kicked out of the place ... and you thank them for it, cause that's this show.  Nobody puts these guys in the corner!

Bottom line:  These misfits fit right in.

Catch The New Girl Tuesday's at 9 .m. on FOX.