May it be the first of many
I should perhaps explain that I graduated from college with a double
major in Radio/Television/Film and classical civilizations.
For me, making my living as an author, Stargate was a natural show to get
hooked on. It took three great
loves in my life, two of which I had spent four years studying in college, and
mixed them all together in a way I enjoyed tremendously.
I was, to say the least, a bit excited to find out that Michael Shanks
would be signing at the San Diego Comic Convention, which I was set to be
attending to help promote my first novel. It’s
always nice when a business trip offers something fun as well!
Fans
take a big risk when they meet actors, authors, or really any public personality
that they have formed a personal opinion about.
In this case, I think Michael Shanks is a very talented actor who does a
wonderful job of portraying an intelligent caring archaeologist on a show that
creates truly awkward situations that are fun to watch, situations he and the
rest of the cast convey very well with facial expressions and tone of voice. There is a depth and a sense of reality to a show with out of
this world situations and stories.
I watched as fans began to gather and line-up for Michael Shank’s first
public appearance July 21 in San Diego at the annual Comic Book (and Pop Arts)
Convention. MGM and Lightspeed Fine Arts had spent three days handing out
blue tickets to those who had licensed merchandise to be signed.
Initially the great hope had been that the signing would be down at the
booth and there would be a great proclamation of what numbers should line up
when – but as the signing neared, and it was moved up to the autograph area
it became apparent that taking people in order of their numbers was a dream that
would not be attained this year. And
yet I didn’t hear yelling, screaming, ranting, raving or even more than two
people casually noting to the organizers that they thought things would be
different.
Michael was set to sign from 3-6, and the best guess was that he would
get through 500 autographs in that time, stopping between to chat for a moment
with each fan, and pose for a photo with many if not most.
As the line gradually filtered past his table things began to look very
good – so the organizers decided that people without tickets could get in
line, as long as they let those with tickets move ahead of them if they came
later… and so they did. Nary a
complaint from the line, they were all just happy to show their support for
Michael and Stargate.
The line kept moving and Michael spent a moment with a woman who had
flown in from New Jersey when she heard about his rare public appearance – and
he graciously not only posed with a woman in a wheel chair, but darted around
the back of it and knelt down so they were eye to eye and gave her a beaming
smile. In fact, everyone got a
beaming smile as they turned to leave, and a “thank you for coming.”
After two and a half hours of signing the fans had come and gone, or at
least they were no longer in line, many were hanging out taking photos as
Michael was asked to sign gifts for the staff.
I couldn’t help but laugh as he held off signing them until he knew
that everyone was going to get exactly what they wanted out of the 15 hats he
was signing etc. If people had specific pictures they had left to be signed,
he wanted to make sure they got back their favorite shot.
As he set to signing the staff gifts I knelt down in front of him and he
gave me a radiant smile, though he did look a tad tired, and like writer’s
cramp was just barely being kept at bay. So
I casually asked, “Do you still know your name?
… does what you’re writing still resemble it?”
He laughed and casually answered, “I’m not sure… I’ll check in a
moment.” And indeed he did! With
a laugh a few seconds later as he twisted a photo about in the air he said, “I
think I still see my name in there, if I look for it.”
After three hours of being constantly watched, asked time and again if he
was enjoying the con, and what we could expect next, he was still smiling.
Still happy. Still thinking
of others and doing his best to give everyone exactly what they wanted.
When he was preparing to get up and go I asked if he would mind posing
with the sign that proclaimed this as his first public appearance, not only did
he agree, but he kept track of how many other cameras magically appeared – and
made sure he looked straight at mine with a brilliant smile.
I don’t know if I was officially the unofficial photographer for the
Fan Club Newsletter at this event, or unofficially the official photographer –
but it was a title I gladly accepted early on, and a badge I greatly enjoyed
wearing. I decided to just keep shooting with hopes I would get some
great photo the fan club would enjoy seeing, after all I was using a digital
camera. There was no film to buy,
no film to develop, just fun to be had.
I took over 400 photos during Michael’s signing, and as I went through
them tonight I noticed he was smiling in at least half of these candid shots!
He was chatting with fans, trying to tempt a small girl to talk to him,
and playing with his youngest fan – a 3 month old baby, and all the while he
seemed so very happy to be with us in person, as if he felt he was thanking us
in some small way for letting him into our living rooms every Friday night at 10
sharp (well, for me it’s 9 central).
As I said before, meeting an actor is a risk.
When you enjoy their work, should you ever get the chance to meet them,
you want to have a positive encounter to remember them by.
Something that makes you feel good about supporting the work of a good
person – an encounter that makes you happy to see them in your home every
week. In the past I found one
actress at a signing and was so excited to have a moment to thank her for the
wonderful work I have enjoyed so many times – but I left that encounter hoping
I never saw her again, and have stopped watching a program I was enjoying to
avoid being reminded of that unpleasant day.
I am grateful and delighted to say I had that ideal positive experience
with Michael Shanks – and I think the recipients of the other 500+ autographs
lock stock and barrel enjoyed the same positive experience as well.
Near the end I overheard someone asking Michael if he would be going to GateCon. He said, “Not this year,” but then he gazed at the line of fans waiting to see him as well as the ones still loitering about with broad smiles on their faces and said, “But who knows what next year holds…” In my humble opinion, unless the planets misalign in some major and unexpected way, should you ever have the chance to meet Michael in person at a public appearance, take that chance and enjoy it! For me it was a true highlight of the San Diego Comic Con – a highlight for which I would like to thank MGM, Lightspeed Fine Art, and of course Michael Shanks.
(If
you've read the MGM SciFi
Newsletter #1 article about Michael Shanks signing then you know who the
little girl in the the photo above is -- that special fan for whom he dropped
everything, got down on his knees, signed one last signature -- and gave her a
kiss on the cheek to remember the special day by. As special
moments go -- that was a great one to happen to catch a glimpse of!)
Click
here to see photos posted on the official Stargate MGM website -- including one
taken by our own Kay Kellam. (She was in the right place at the right time
to see Michael with his youngest fan -- Holly Winter!)
(C) Kay Kellam, 2001 for PopArtsPlace.com
Prior to having her first novel, A
Life to Di For, published author Kay
Kellam enjoyed a variety of jobs that helped to shape her outlook on the
world, and her profession. more...
Use these links to view larger versions of the photos in this article, or click on our photos to see... more of our photos... with more to come as we finish sorting and color balancing the 400+ photos taken during his signing (and picking out the best to share)!
Stargate is (C) MGM 2001, All Rights Reserved
Michael Shanks Photos are (C) Kay Kellam, 2001, All Rights Reserved