Marsters of my own domain

I didn't expect to get a whole new obsession out of attending MegaCon 2014 in Orlando with my sister. The plan was to meet James Marsters and Eliza Dushku (best known for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," but whose work I've appreciated in other shows as well) and a couple of voice actors who worked with my not-so-secret favorite John Reilly on the animated "Iron Man" series.

That left a lot of time to attend panels and wander around the packed Orange County Convention Center. I decided to go to the John Barrowman panel with Lorrie, I'd gotten an inkling of the man's personality-times-infinity at a previous convention. We got fair warning from the panel moderator that it wasn't for people who were faint of heart or easily offended.

First thing he did was nearly incite a riot by getting the regular people to fill out the VIP seats. He regaled us with tales of flying to the convention and being scared that breaking into a song from "The Little Mermaid" might have adverse results if he sang the dirty version.

He told us lots of great stories about his husband, Scott. Our favorite was about being in a stage version of "Rope" with Alexis Denisof and Anthony Michael Head. We would do anything to get our hands on some video of that action.

Most of the panel was based on audience questions, and believe you me, these people aren't afraid to say anything -- like deeming "Torchwood" to be "the gay alien show." Of course, when you're the first person to kiss The Doctor or the first guy ever to be naked on "Doctor Who," you probably have to expect that sorta thing.

He was asked "If you could ride any steed into the battle, which would you chose" and picked John Steed of "The Avengers." Yay, a reference I got! And then another: Pick any musical. He chose "Wicked," then told us he even has a peppermint green Mercedes convertible called Elphie. And he also appreciates "what that show stands for," which I appreciated.

He told us about fanboying when he got to meet Gene Kelly. And how a director of the B-movie "Shark Attack 3" told him to get a reaction from his flatlining co-star by saying something suggestive. Of course, it stayed in the movie -- the uncut version at least.

There were really great stories about pulling pranks on the "Torchwood" set that were told with reference points that made me want to rush home and binge-watch the series, which of course I did upon my return. The funniest re-enactment was of when Captain Jack was encased in cement naked (of course) in a quarry and his co-stars' reactions to seeing him, not just without clothes, but with Stay-Free maxi-pads (with wings!) on his feet. At least he used protection.

And he capped off the panel by showing all of us his Torchwood undies.

After that, I did get to meet James Marsters. First, the quick photo op. If you haven't done a convention photo op, it basically consists of standing on a line for at least half an hour and then trying to say something funny and charming in the five seconds while you're posing for a shot with that person. I not only got a hug, but some kind of fierce hug-turned-choke hold. I could feel that pressure on my windpipe for a couple hours afterward. You get to pick up your photo like an hour or so later, then you can get on the autograph line with it if you're so inclined. I was.

I loved Marsters in "Buffy" and "Angel," but I really wanted to talk to him about was his "Millennium" episode "Collateral Damage," in which he played a high-strung Gulf War veteran. Getting on the autograph line on Friday was fortuitous indeed, because everything went batty the next day. I got to really talk with him and look into those eyes that somehow manage to be steely and warm at the same time. He said as a fan of Lance Henriksen's work, he expected him to be as intense as the characters he played, but the opposite was really true. He said that extended to producer Chris Carter, who was open to input from the actors and just about everyone involved in production. And then extended the analogy further to directors like Robert Rodriguez.

He was a charmer to be sure.

The first thing we wanted to do Saturday was go to Marsters' panel, so we went right up to the hall where it was taking place to stake out a spot on line. After we got let in, we received the bad news. There was an accident on the interstate, and he was caught up in the traffic. I don't think anyone left the room, even though it was going to be a shorter panel due to the string of events lined up after it that day. About 40 or so minutes later, Marsters bounded in. Literally, he ran. He ran to get to our panel. Like I said, a real charmer.

So what's the first thing he gets asked in Q&A? To sing for us. He just ran all that way, and now you want him to sing? He didn't beg off, delivering a little country ditty that he wrote in Romania. As he said, as an actor, you find yourself in those kind of situations.

He said he was up for hearing any question, although he reserved the right not to answer it as well. He challenged the group to try and make him blush. And then a host of great stories from being in "Buffy," "Angel," "Torchwood," "Smallville," "P.S. I Love You" with Kathy Bates, the "Hawaii Five-0" reboot, "The Metal Hurlant Chronicles" (which sound fascinating) and more. The unique experience of recording audio books and how it differs from television acting, described as "trying to do your job all day while someone is throwing gravel in your face."

He got bizarre requests too, like being asked by a hair dresser what product he used and if she could touch his head. Another asked if he would like to build a snowman with her a la "Frozen."

He told us about the difference between acting on "Buffy" and "Angel," basically tighter reins on the budget that led to shorter workdays. And the "Buffy" cast's uniform terror at the musical episode.

So those were two panels that really raised the bar -- and this was after we bailed on the three-person "Smallville" one the first day because it was a yawn a minute. Now the "Torchwood" panel the next day, well, that was a little different. It was John Barrowman with Eve Myles (Gwen) and Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto). They started off with grinding dance moves and it just took off from there.

David-Lloyd was thrilled that someone asked Barrowman about how he kissed instead of the reverse for a change. There was good-natured ribbing about spoilers (Barrowman said everyone in the room should have seen all the eps by now), and then both Myles and Barrowman walked out when someone mentioned David-Lloyd's character's death.

They all have the same favorite episode, "Countrycide," from the first season. Although I do believe it's more for the hijinks they got into on location and perhaps less for the episode's gory content (which they did like too.)

They referred to filming of the show as their golden age, when they were up (cough, cough) for anything and the panel proceeded as some kind of one-upmanship about behind-the-scenes tales that were truly hysterical. Myles buried her face in her hands quite a few times, while Barrowman cackled so hard it seemed like he could barely breathe.

They were great stories and I won't wreck them by trying to state them as pithily as they did. Got a video link here, if you're a fan of the show, check it out, because it really was the best time.

After that, time for a little shopping while awaiting my photo op with Dushku. She was very pleasant, but it's such a short period of time and she actually left for the day after doing a second one with Marsters. Those lines are soooo long, and so many people wanting your attention, I can see why she bolted. But yeah, it was a little disappointing.

So I'm wandering around the autograph lines and Barrowman's is like bat-shit insane, just going on and on and fragmenting into other areas and going on and on there. Meanwhile, David-Lloyd's line was all but non-existent. That made me sad, so of course, I made a beeline to him and told him how much fun the panel was. He's truly adorable, even moreso then when he was all clean-cut and wore sharp suits on "Torchwood."

When you get up to the actors, they have a bunch of different photos lined up on the table and you pick whichever one you want to get signed. When I have difficulty choosing, I ask the actor to select his/her favorite. When I did that with David-Lloyd, he said it depended on what kind of mood I was in. I said "cheeky," and sure enough, he picked out the cheekiest one.

I went off to find Lorrie and show off my newest treasured possession and to bemoan how no one's going up to him on the lines. And then she came to meet him too, even though she's not big on the autograph thing. First thing she said to him? The same thing I did about the panel! Oh well, Bronze and all that...

We were close to departing for the day when Sis noticed that Eve Myles line was also empty. So I said I'd like to meet her and just when we went up to her ... she left for the day. Can't blame her either, she's a new mom. She did make eye contact, probably figured that we'd be back the next day, but that was all she wrote for me.

Oops, almost forgot the other meetings! On the first day after James Marsters, I wanted to hunt down Jennifer Hale, a well-known voice actress who was in 10 episodes of "Iron Man" as Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter and others. I told her I run a YouTube channel and Facebook page for John Reilly, the show's co-star with Robert Hays. And then I proceeded to hunt down photos of John on Facebook to show them off to her. Jennifer said there was another "Iron Man" voice at the show too -- Jim Cummings. He's really a spectacularly well known voice and has done everything from the Tazmanian Devil to Winnie the Pooh. On "Iron Man," he did multiple voices over 17 episodes, including MODOK and ... President Clinton? He signed right over his character on the DVD art.

And then off to meet Richard Hatch. I'm a big fan of "Streets of San Francisco," mostly because of the Karl Malden-Michael Douglas combo, but the series went on one more year after Douglas left. As Hatch recalled, it was the hardest year of his life, because Malden was very close to Douglas and didn't really take to Hatch. He said he didn't even own his episodes on DVD, I replied that I hope he gives them another chance some time.

Then I changed the subject to something Hatch liked a lot more -- "Battle of the Network Stars"! One of my favorite guilty pleasures. He said he always loved being on that and "Circus of the Stars" and anything like that that networks wouldn't dream of making any longer because of all the insurance concerns and actor egos involved.

So the trip just to hang out with Sis ended on being so much more. I put off writing this blog for over a week, mostly because I was watching all the "Torchwood" eps -- yes, even "Miracle Day." I think it's a fantastic show, really in my wheelhouse with hints of "X-Files" and "Millennium" in it. I would be bummed that I never would have watched them if I didn't go on this sojourn, but I don't have to!