BillyRay
28-Sep-2010, 07:05 PM
I don't even remember how I found out Harlan Ellison was appearing at MadCon 2010, but the minute I did I made sure I'd be there. I managed to arrange a Saturday showing of the DVD (for the folks who didn't make it into the Celebrity Banquet), and a table to pimp our Halloween show and shill some merch.
So Saturday rolls around, Zombiteers Josh & Alice (& myself) have set up our table between the Hucksters' Room and the Main Hall, and are screwing around with puppets. If you've never seen us at a convention, we man our booth with one of our first-generation puppets. We set up a "Zombie Kissing Booth", and Josh goes completely Catskill Comedian on any and all folks within shouting distance. This time I was joining in with the other first-gen zombie, playing him up as a Fanboy sidekick. (complete w/ Eddie Deezen voice)
We had a lot of fun messing with and cracking up the con-goers & staff. Sophie ("Ace") Aldred came by, and left in stitches (sweet lady - we're not the cheapest SFX she's ever had to deal with). Harlan was scheduled to speak @2:00, and he shows up to the packed Hall with minutes to spare. (he admitted that he was woken up minutes before he had to appear.)
In case you aren't aware, Harlan Ellison recently made a public announcement that he's dying, and this would be his Last Convention Appearance Ever. He's 76 now, certainly not the enfant terrible that he was back in the 60's-70's. (At the very least, he's no enfant anymore.) Rumors of ill health aside, he spent the next two hours energeticly telling stories & messing with the fans. ("Do any of you people get laid?")
The eventual point of his story was 'Don't sneak a picture with any 'device' unless you get permission first.' This was to explain an incident at a book signing the night before involving his Grammy medal, an overzealous fan, and a stomped-on camera phone.
So after this wonderfully free-form lecture, he's signing autographs. MadCon is a smaller, literary-minded convention (Gene Wolfe and Peter David were also guests); but it appeared that every attendee was in that line, each with a handful of books. Harlan spent what seemed like half an hour with each person, telling stories, saying goodbye, and the line was crawling.
Harlan had mentioned that his hand shakes these days after too much signing, so he took frequent breaks to work the room & keep the folks toward the back of the line from feeling ignored. As our table was right across the hotel hallway from his signing table, the puppets would chime in with observations from time to time. (We cracked him up at least once - I like to think we got on his good side)
Halfway through the signing, some fellaIhadn't seen sneaks his camera in and takes a snap. The esteemed Mr. Ellison went apeshit on him. You have to remember that Harlan Ellison is 5'5, 76 years old, insisting that he's dying. He loudly confronted this poor bastard (who was a foot taller and a foot wider) and cowed him.
Zombiteer Josh, as the Director Puppet, says in his best Borscht Belt accent "I think I'm in love." Harlan proceeds to stride over, grab the puppet head by both ears, and plant a deep soul kiss on him. (No, I don't have any pictures :D)
That makes him and Seka that have done this.
There were other interactions, but this post has gone on far too long...
So Saturday rolls around, Zombiteers Josh & Alice (& myself) have set up our table between the Hucksters' Room and the Main Hall, and are screwing around with puppets. If you've never seen us at a convention, we man our booth with one of our first-generation puppets. We set up a "Zombie Kissing Booth", and Josh goes completely Catskill Comedian on any and all folks within shouting distance. This time I was joining in with the other first-gen zombie, playing him up as a Fanboy sidekick. (complete w/ Eddie Deezen voice)
We had a lot of fun messing with and cracking up the con-goers & staff. Sophie ("Ace") Aldred came by, and left in stitches (sweet lady - we're not the cheapest SFX she's ever had to deal with). Harlan was scheduled to speak @2:00, and he shows up to the packed Hall with minutes to spare. (he admitted that he was woken up minutes before he had to appear.)
In case you aren't aware, Harlan Ellison recently made a public announcement that he's dying, and this would be his Last Convention Appearance Ever. He's 76 now, certainly not the enfant terrible that he was back in the 60's-70's. (At the very least, he's no enfant anymore.) Rumors of ill health aside, he spent the next two hours energeticly telling stories & messing with the fans. ("Do any of you people get laid?")
The eventual point of his story was 'Don't sneak a picture with any 'device' unless you get permission first.' This was to explain an incident at a book signing the night before involving his Grammy medal, an overzealous fan, and a stomped-on camera phone.
So after this wonderfully free-form lecture, he's signing autographs. MadCon is a smaller, literary-minded convention (Gene Wolfe and Peter David were also guests); but it appeared that every attendee was in that line, each with a handful of books. Harlan spent what seemed like half an hour with each person, telling stories, saying goodbye, and the line was crawling.
Harlan had mentioned that his hand shakes these days after too much signing, so he took frequent breaks to work the room & keep the folks toward the back of the line from feeling ignored. As our table was right across the hotel hallway from his signing table, the puppets would chime in with observations from time to time. (We cracked him up at least once - I like to think we got on his good side)
Halfway through the signing, some fellaIhadn't seen sneaks his camera in and takes a snap. The esteemed Mr. Ellison went apeshit on him. You have to remember that Harlan Ellison is 5'5, 76 years old, insisting that he's dying. He loudly confronted this poor bastard (who was a foot taller and a foot wider) and cowed him.
Zombiteer Josh, as the Director Puppet, says in his best Borscht Belt accent "I think I'm in love." Harlan proceeds to stride over, grab the puppet head by both ears, and plant a deep soul kiss on him. (No, I don't have any pictures :D)
That makes him and Seka that have done this.
There were other interactions, but this post has gone on far too long...