Monday, April 28, 2008
MST3K COMES TO DALLAS!!!
Whenever you meet someone you've idolized for most of your life you get hit with two separate feelings:
Holy Crap this can't be real, there he/she is!!! In the flesh!
and
Man, I hope he/she is not a douche in real life...
Luckily everyone who was involved with the Satellite of Love was a genuinely nice person and really, really off-the-cuff funny. I was a little disappointed to learn they all are in fact human and there were apparently some quarrels and bumping of heads behind the scenes, that they were all too gracious to talk about while the show was still airing, but I appreciated their candor. This is apparently what led to so many changes in the cast over the years starting with Josh Weinstien in season one. During the panel, we learned why each of them eventually left the show, except for Trace who joked he was fired at one point. Only Frank Coniff left to pursue other things. Fortunately, all of the group that appeared at the Film Festival seemed to really get along and enjoy each others company.
The night started with a Q and A panel in which the audience asked the cast a number of dumb questions, which somehow always resulting in revealing and entertaining answers. Even though I had a million questions, I couldn't come up with just one. Once I had one question answered, I would not have been satisfied until I had all of my questions answered... preferably over dinner and drinks, but since that was not going to happen, I sat back and watched in glee as the icons of my youth returned questions like "which was a worse movie this or that" or interesting, but unrefined questions in which the subject of the question had to be discussed at length before an answer could be made. One goob even had the cojones to stand up and accuse them of stealing a skit he sent them on video. They quickly reduced the man to a spineless puddle of goo like a pack of highly trained ninja let loose on a doddering old man. It was hilariously awkward.
I'm am always amazed at my fellow geek's inability to operate in a public setting. This activity was brought up again when we filed out of the theater after the Q and A to let them clean up, and then piled back in to enjoy a live performance of them riffing on the Roger Corman classic "The Wasp Woman". We enjoyed our original seats, having gotten there an hour early just to secure them, and wanted to return to the same seats for the movie. So instead of going to the bathroom or getting something to eat, we got right back in line, damning our aching bladders. When we were let back into the theater, the people in front of us took our old seats... no big deal, the other side of our aisle was still open so we quickly grabbed seats over there. When I sat down I noticed a small paperback novel someone had left behind and sat next to it. I did not realize that that one paperback was a beacon to any newcomers that the ENTIRE ROW OF SEATS was saved until we were verbally accosted by a group of nerds who accused us of stealing their place. When we apologized, and tried to explain that we tried to return to our original seats but they were taken so we sat in the next available chairs, their nerdish eyes glowed white hot with the fires of Mordor. They argued with us for a while (actually thinking we would move), cursed us in what may have been Klingon, begrudgingly took back their novel and found seats elsewhere in the quickly filling up theater. After the show, having finally gotten over their immature indignation, one of them finally apologized to us by telling us he hoped we enjoyed the seats and kindly waving both his middle fingers at us as he stomped to the restroom.
We, of course, did enjoy the seats... thank you kind sir.
As far as the actual show went, watching them perform live with a large audience was more enjoyable than any tv show that ever aired. I kept having to remind myself that they were doing this live and were actually in the theater with us. The audience howled and cackled at every single joke. Every... Single... One. And I felt like I was twelve again, laying on my belly in my parents front room as my whole family howled and cackled at Joel and the bots and the retched movie Dr. Forrester and Tv's Frank had forced them to watch.
It's was an amazing night.
The one and only down side of the event was the hilarious Kevin Murphy, who was scheduled to appear, canceled due to sickness. I've would have really enjoyed to see him, Mike Nelson and Bill Corbett as well (who were not scheduled to appear but have formed the equally hilarious Riff Trax ), but I count myself lucky I got to see as many of my favorite actors as I did. Afterwards, the cast shook hands and signed autographs out in the hallway. I stupidly didn't bring anything to sign, nor did I go talk to them. Instead I snuck a few photos and slunk back into the night with my memories. In my mind these people are legends... and you just don't meet legends.
Comments:
<< Home
Thanks Bathtub, I thought that's who it might have been, but I didn't want to assume. Thanks for posting, I updated the photo caption.
They shot that show 20 minutes out of Minneapolis. My firend interned there at art school and has the Gizmatic Institute blimp as a keep sake. It's pretty awesome. Loved that show.
Brent
Brent
Holy cow! That's great!!!! When the show ended they sold a lot of the old props on ebay! I didn't find out about it until it was all over. :(
I would kill for an actual prop from the show.
I would kill for an actual prop from the show.
I can't fucking believe this. I've been blogged about? I'm the "fellow nerd" that "can't conduct myself in public."
You conveniently forgot to mention in your writeup that the moderator told everyone they could retain their seats after the Q&A, and to leave something in the seat so they wouldn't be taken.
Due to your thoughtlessness and inability to confront and deal with the people who took your own seats, I had to quickly find seats for the 6 people I had with me. And for the record, stammering and flipping me my book does not count as an apology.
And buddy, you're lucky I am a nerd. If you tried that stunt in the bleachers of Wrigley field, on the bus or anywhere else "in public," you'd be wearing beer or a boot on your backside.
You conveniently forgot to mention in your writeup that the moderator told everyone they could retain their seats after the Q&A, and to leave something in the seat so they wouldn't be taken.
Due to your thoughtlessness and inability to confront and deal with the people who took your own seats, I had to quickly find seats for the 6 people I had with me. And for the record, stammering and flipping me my book does not count as an apology.
And buddy, you're lucky I am a nerd. If you tried that stunt in the bleachers of Wrigley field, on the bus or anywhere else "in public," you'd be wearing beer or a boot on your backside.
Brian,
Sorry for the confusion. We were glad you were all there, and wanted it to be a good time for everybody. Next time, find me if there's anything I can do. Don't post nasty comments on someone else's Blog. That's just not what us nerds do, right? It felt like the whole crowd was together that night, I don't want to lose that vibe.
RAD
Sorry for the confusion. We were glad you were all there, and wanted it to be a good time for everybody. Next time, find me if there's anything I can do. Don't post nasty comments on someone else's Blog. That's just not what us nerds do, right? It felt like the whole crowd was together that night, I don't want to lose that vibe.
RAD
# posted by 
: Tuesday, May 06, 2008
: Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Holy Crap! I can't believe RAD came to my blog!
Thanks for posting, I hope you let everyone know what a great time we had. Thanks for coming all the way out to Dallas. I can't stress enough how amazing the performance was.
Bless you internets....
Post a Comment
Thanks for posting, I hope you let everyone know what a great time we had. Thanks for coming all the way out to Dallas. I can't stress enough how amazing the performance was.
Bless you internets....
<< Home
Archives
December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008