Fan Encounters

By Calumfan – “Star Trek” Las Vegas Convention ‘09 – August 9, 2009

I can’t even gather my thoughts of the epic adventure that was today but I will try and I have MANY pics!

So the breakfast was amazing. I ate 4 pieces of cantalope and we waited for Zach. He came in and was EXHAUSTED. He’s been working over nights on Heroes so he had 2 HOURS OF SLEEP BUT STILL CAME IN.

I got to ask him a question, I sure as hell don’t remember what it was but we had a back and forth culminating with him stating that HE AND UHURA HAVE RELATIONS LOL! (He’s a total Spock/Uhura shipper, kept talking about it all day.)

After the breakfast we went to Zach’s Panel. He was late because we kept him late in the Breakfast.

He was so gracious, fawned over a service dog doing his Hi Liam and running over like a little doggie fanboy.

Some girl burst out into tears. He admitted that he hated doing the audio book and he thinks he sucks in it. He really, really enjoyed the Turbo lift scene with Zoe and kicking Chris Pine’s Ass!

Someone asked about Sasan and he said that while he loved played Sasan he felt that there really wasn’t anything to grow on with the character and the show.

The cast is super close, everyone is funny and talented. He is very good friends with Leonard Nimoy.

He also said he enjoys doing movies more than TV and whenever Heroes does finally end (being cancelled) he WILL NOT do TV anymore

Also, Before The Door just sold a TV Pilot and has 2 movies in development in addition to the Comic Books.

Zachary and Jacob (BB!Spock) surprised us all by showing up with Nimoy giving us ALL THREE SPOCKS ON STAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The autograph line was ridiculous because Zach was taking his time with each person.

No photos or videos were allowed so I will try to remember.

Corey Moosa (His best friend since like he was 4/Business Partner) was with him.

I presented him with the photo to sign along with a message from Photographer Tyler Shields (creator of the infamous Milk Video) Zach looked at me and said something in a different language in response. He asked, “Do you know what I just said?” I said “No” He said “THAT WAS LIVE LONG AND PROSPER IN VULCAN”

[...]

I also gave him a gift from my Autistic son. He put his hand over his heart and said “That’s so sweet” and then tore into the package like it was Christmas morning! He took out the bandana that my boy picked out and said “Oh my God, it’s a bandana! Thank You, I am putting it on Noah as soon as I get home!

He also got a toy for Harold his cat and a picture colored by my son. He asked me to please bring Mikey next year. He then said again that “Your son and you are so sweet thank you!”

I SPENT ABOUT 3 MINUTES TALKING TO ZQ WHILE PEOPLE WERE WAITING!

ZQ spent so much time in the autograph time that his Photo Op was an hour behind.

[...]

I had on a Fug!Hat for my pic because honestly, I was hot, sweaty and exhausted. I went to take the pic and put my hand behind his back as instructed when Zach looked at me and said “We’re hat twins!” and hugged me.

[...]

After the Hat Twins comment he said “I remember you” in reference to the autograph line. We took the pic and then he squeezed me before I walked away!

By mata – “Star Trek” Berlin Premiere – April 16, 2009.
(Note: This is a full report of the whole premiere experience.)

We arrived there way early. Be it the weekday or the change of schedule, no one (except a bunch of tourists) was there. At least we waited in a spot with a bench the first few hours (sitting!), until one of the guys there told us where the best spot would be (and that was a lot closer to the ‘press pit’). So we moved there, made contact with the only other fan there so far and asked her to help our friend Jana to secure our spot (incidentally she was waiting for some more friends too, saving space for them).

That was necessary cause Jenny (my co-web at zoe-saldana.com) got a really nice surprise e-mail the evening before – we (or rather she, but she didn’t want to go alone and after all I’m working on zoe-saldana.com as well ;D) were to interview Zoe Saldana! They granted us 10 minutes around 1pm in their hotel where the press stuff took place as well.

Growing nervous we took a cab to the hotel (it wasn’t in walking distance to the blue carpet), dunked our heads into the make up bag and finally were waving around the printed out e-mail. A bit of waiting until someone took us upstairs to the rooms where the TV interviews took place. Jenny elbowed me into the side – there was Zachary Quinto (closely followed by John Cho). I just stared while he walked by, no way I could’ve pulled out my camera in time.

Then came Zoe – and boy is she gorgeous in person! She was told who we were, hugged us, thanked for the support and then we were dragged into an interview room. She was very open, friendly, bubbly and downright gorgeous. All in all it was an awesome interview, but Zoe had no real time – she patiently signed some stuff for us, hugged us again and ’see you tonight’.

We took a cab back too, and as soon as I was sitting inside – Zach and his brother Joe stepped out of the hotel, signed some stuff and vanished into a car. No way I could’ve gotten out of the cab in time to approach him, but I took a pic and was confident to get lucky later on (not).

Back at the cinema a few more people were clinging to the fence, but we had no problem to get back to our spot. So, more waiting, chatting, giving various interviews (Four times, oh dear. lol), even more waiting and finally the whole thing started. Lots of german ’stars’ I wouldn’t have recognized even if they told me their names, until the cast arrived individually in cars. Posing for the press, giving interviews, and then they were sent down to sign stuff. At least until they were rushed off for more posing and more interviews, one by one. With the promise that they’d be back afterwards, which unfortunately wasn’t the case.

I think what disappointed me most was that Zach was rushed off first, just after he started the row, so no one of us got anything signed by him. Ah well, next time! But there was Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Karl Urban and John Cho. Zoe I already had, Chris Pine skipped me, as did JJ Abrams, but I really can’t complain. ;D