Jared and Jensen at Pittcon!

Sunday is J2 day at a con, which means I don’t grumble as much as usual about getting up early for the Gold Panel. Jared and Jensen apparently had their morning caffeine too – they didn’t walk, but speed walked through the catwalk.

Gary from Creation: I guess I don’t have to announce that they’re on their way…

It was about a million degrees in Pittsburgh, and poor Jared sweated his way through the panels. Not that any of us minded. Like, at all.

Favorite moments, let’s see…

Jensen insisted on calling a meme a memmy. He was adorably excited about the meme that has Jared going from a little kid to like Fabio, which Jared then found on his phone. I love that they love these things as much as we do, seriously.

Memes were a recurring theme throughout the con for some reason.

One of the interesting things about Jared and Jensen is that they can make pretty much anything look sexy. Sweating. Falling asleep. Putting on a hat. Taking off a hat. Standing still….

Anyway, Jared and Jensen got into a mock argument over what year Jensen was in Pittsburgh filming My Bloody Valentine, which became a recurring discussion. Was it ’08 or ’09? Who cares, what’s more important is that they managed to make it look sexy anyway.

Another thing I love about both of them is their tendency to be self deprecating, even in front of thousands of people who clearly adore them.

Jensen on how he got into acting: Well I needed an art elective and I couldn’t draw, but I figured I could make an ass of myself in front of people…

Jared: I did always like to act, but I wasn’t always this 6’4” guy, I hadn’t yet grown, so I couldn’t be a professional athlete. I was a mathlete though…I did mathletics.

Jensen: A woman in the audience just said, “hmm, sexy.”

I think Jensen was joking, but actually I totally agree.

Because they are boys, Jared and Jensen are constantly mock competing with each other, trying to call on fans with the best questions. At one point, Jared was gloating over being the winner, when he called on a fan.

Fan: Jared, you’re my favorite.

Jared: (gleeful) I’m 2 for 2!

Fan: But my question is for Jensen.

Jensen: (grinning)

Jared: (undeterred) And it’s, ‘what’s Jared like’, right?

Mic drop. Deservedly.

That question turned out to be a complaint about Jensen not being at the Saturday Night Special (so definitely a win for Jared). Jensen indignantly protested that he was on a plane trying to get here, and Jared immediately began to pat him to calm him down. Awww.

They are both as competitive and as protective of each other as Sam and Dean.

One of my favorite things is when either of them talk about their characters. They have so much love for Sam and Dean, so much passion for portraying them. A fan asked if they take their characters home with them, and Jared said yes, sometimes too much. He talked about how he approaches Sam — that he wants to give Sam what he deserves. So if Sam is going through something, he kind of feels like he has to as well.

Jensen: He embodies a lot of the emotion that Sam goes through. But I don’t think he’s giving himself enough credit. We’ve both been doing this so long, we can kind of turn it on and turn it off.

Much to the confusion and dismay of guest stars. And Misha.

At one point, a fan asked if she could give something to them. Of course they said sure, never mind it’s against the ‘rules’ – I’m not sure J2 even know the rules, but they’re not the type of guys to ever say no to something a fan has made. It turned out to be a gorgeous Supernatural banner – Jared and Jensen seemed almost as proud of it as the fan did, spreading it out and grinning as they held it up.

The last question of the gold panel wasn’t really a question, as Jensen pointed out. A fan wanted to stand next to Jared to see how tall he was.

He obliged, and she immediately became overwhelmed – so he gave her a hug, with a beaming smile.

Meanwhile, Jensen continued the competition, jumping off the stage and beckoning three fangirls to come and hug him.

Jensen: Hey, Jared…

BOYS.

I had some conversation with both Jared and Jensen in between panels; Jared thanked me for inviting him to write a chapter for the new book (as if that was a favor!). I keep telling him (and everyone) that his chapter is amazing and powerful and so well written, and he keeps calling me a better writer than liar. (Which, irrelevant since I’m not lying!)

I asked Jensen for some reassurance about Season 12, after so many people have left, which makes me nervous (And of course I’m still devastated about Robbie). Jensen is quite good at reassuring, without being dismissive or invalidating my concern. It is a lot of change, more than they’ve ever had, but if Jensen believes the show will stay on the right track, I’m going to believe it too.

I also continued to play my ‘guess that adlib’ game with Jensen, this time for the line in the season finale about chick flick moments. I have to confess, I didn’t guess that one, but it makes so much sense, Dean admitting outright that yeah, he does love chick flick moments and then telling Sam to ‘c’mere’. Jensen has such good judgment about what Dean would say at a particular moment, and adding that line invested the scene with the emotional intensity that it needed and deserved. I’m so grateful that the actors care about their characters so much – it’s also a reassurance going forward. They’re the consistency, if nothing else.

We talked about Comic Con too, which is suddenly happening this weekend!

Then it was time for the main panel. Their entrance to the main panel was again dramatic – they ran down the entire hall and onto the stage! And then, out of breath or not, did their traditional tandem jump. Which my super talented collaborator Kim brilliantly captured with her camera.

Jared and Jensen proceeded to continue their argument about whether Jensen was in Pittsburgh in ’08 or ’09. Which probably shouldn’t be kinda sexy. And then to argue about how close they were sitting to each other, followed by some synchronized chair scootching – by both of them.

Jensen: Sorry, we’re fighting. Usually that’s about the time one of the crew members goes ‘I hate it when they fight…’

Jared: (shaking his head) Eleven years….

The thing is, they’ve been doing this so long and are so close that fights aren’t frightening anymore. They clearly know their relationship is strong enough to weather any storms – especially the mock fighting type.

The friendly competition continued. Jared was particularly quick on the draw in response to fan questions and comments.

Fan: I’m sorry Jared, Jensen’s my favorite.

Jared: He’s my favorite too. (stroking Jensen’s back and then trying to wipe his hand off)

The question was about what was on your bucket list.

Jared: On my list is to usurp Jensen as your favorite.

Jared, you are on fire!

A question about eating scenes prompted some funny stories. One was about guest actress Brit Sheridan, who started to say her lines and suddenly some spit dribbled out of her mouth. Predictably, Jared and Jensen could not let that opportunity pass them by – they decided to prank her by filling their mouths with water and then letting it go when they finally spoke. Merciless! Jensen did give her some empathy though.

Jensen: She drooled. It was a scene with Sam and Dean, and she drooled. It wasn’t her fault.

Everyone in the hall: (nodding emphatically)

His other story about eating scenes was about the one with Briana when Dean finds the powdered donuts. Jensen said he could tell that Briana had a knack for comedy, so knew she’d probably be tough to break. This apparently was too much of a challenge to turn down, so he thought well, if I get enough donut in my mouth so that when I speak it’s like a plume of powder coming out, that will do it. It took quite a while, and all that sugar in his mouth made his mouth and tongue start to swell.

Jensen: (proudly) But I got her!

Jared: She just stopped and was like it’s too much, it’s too much, I can’t.

Jensen: That was a proud moment. Then I threw up. Ah! Spit bucket, that’s my favorite bucket!

We also got one of those classic con questions: what would be your stripper names?

Jensen: What?

Jared: Mine was gonna be, Everything’s Bigger In Texas.

He then absolutely cracks up, both embarrassed and pleased with himself, while Jensen covers his face.

The band immediately started playing stripper music, and Jensen jumped up and sat on the floor expectantly, bouncing to the music and miming “c’mon, c’mon” to get Jared to do it.

Alas, he didn’t. But we did get this gem:

Jensen: Not a lie. Mine would be Pudgy Midway.

Nope. Can’t make that up. And I think Jared’s was Bootsie something.

There was a long discussion of memes, during which J2 were like, why is it called a meme?

Fan: Because English.

Their reaction to being schooled like that was absolutely priceless.

Jensen: I don’t even know how to pronounce it. Earlier I called it a memmy…

Once again, when they weren’t competing (or even when they were), Jared and Jensen were busy having each other’s backs. At one point as they were both holding water bottles, Jared got confused and started to talk into the bottle instead of the mic and then started laughing at himself. Jensen, without a word exchanged between them, immediately starts talking into his water bottle too in a show of solidarity, and then (again without verbal communication but in perfect sync), they both ‘drink’ out of their microphones. It’s such a small thing, but it’s a constant dynamic between them; they are always looking out for each other, jumping in so quickly it’s seamless if they think the other needs support. Embarrassed yourself? Let me do it too. (ie, it’s not just you, Jared).

And it goes both ways. Jensen told a story about having a terrible audition and not getting the part, and Jared immediately jumped in and told a similarly terrible audition story he’d had with that same person (ie, it’s not just you, Jensen). Awww.

Most of the panel was me going Awww or laughing my head off, though I did get emotional at one point because my Robbie Thompson grief is still raw and may be forever. They were asked about favorite episodes and Jensen said ‘Baby’.

Jensen: To find a new way of what we’ve been doing for so long, I was super proud of that. Robbie did a great job. And the crew, to get thrown that massive curve ball in Season 11 and do such a great job with it.

Me: (sobbing silently, because Robbie…)

Jensen: It was he and I alone in the car down the road, no crew at all, we’d just cruise on down the road and do the scene together with no one around us.

Me: (more silent sobbing)

Anyway…. Jared and Jensen both had kind words for Misha too, about how impressed and proud they were of his performance as Casifer. Not that they’d ever tell him that!

There was a bit of Season 12 talk, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Jared mentioned their meeting with Andrew Dabb and company, and said that he and Jensen know that the fans like it when Sam and Dean are on the same side. (He clapped adorably at that while the audience cheered). So at least for the early part of S12, we get the boys on the same page. We’ll apparently get to see more of what makes the boys tick too – who Sam and Dean are, who they thought they wanted to be, because they’ll be interacting with their mom.

And on a lighter note, Jensen joked that ‘this will come off’, meaning Jared’s beard and hair. Jared then joked back.

Jared: And with Jensen, this comes off (strokes Jensen’s beard), AND this comes off (fingers Jensen’s shirt)

Fans: YAY!

Jensen: And then Dean’s goes back on…

Fans: BOO!

Someone asked a great question about what they do when the script is not true to their character.

Jared: You call the writers and say okay her name is Amelia, and Sam isn’t looking for his brother why???

Fans: (thunderous applause)

Jared said that he always tries to weave how Sam would react even into a situation which he never expected to be in. Sometimes they do change lines, especially when there’s a Sam line that sounds like a Dean line. One of the last episodes of S12, there were a lot of those apparently.

We also got a few cute family stories, like Jared calling JJ ‘Jaybird’ and Jensen telling a story of JJ missing “Tom and Sheppie” and another friend of theirs, and referring to them as “my boys.”

My heart, seriously.

Then the familiar notes of that con classic ‘Last Question’ began, and Jensen jumped up to sing with Rob per usual.

Randomly, the question was, when are Sam and Dean coming to West Virginia.

Fan: A lot of people don’t even know where West Virginia is anyway…

Jensen: (starting to smile) Hey, Jared…

Jared: (easily reading his mind, as they often do) Oh come on!

Jensen: Do it! (laughing hysterically)

(If you’re having trouble with the mind reading, that was all a reference to Jared doing the capitals song, which Jensen has delighted in having him perform at previous cons. It’s damned impressive!)

They eventually sort of answered her question, and then said stood together to thank the fans and to say goodbye, sharing a fist bump as they left the stage.

I stayed up way too late with my three roomies, looking over Mama Prior’s shoulder as she went through her gorgeous photos and we all oohed and aahed and occasionally burst into laughter when Kim caught a funny angle. We also got caught up in the meme enthusiasm, which resulted in some memes which are hysterical to us and probably not to anyone else.

It was totally worth the lack of sleep.

In the morning I caught the Greyhound to head back to Philly, once again feeling pleased with myself for my $27 round trip ticket. That pride lasted until about two hours into the trip, when a strange and noxious odor began to permeate the bus. I was sitting in the front, and the bathroom is in the very back, but there was no mistaking that smell.

Suddenly, without warning, the bus driver pulls off the road and onto the non-existent shoulder, opens the door and GETS OFF THE BUS. Eighteen wheelers are whizzing by us at 90 mph and missing the giant bus by mere inches.

Me: OMG we’re going to die. I’m going to die for my $27.

Eventually the bus driver gets back on, pale and shaky looking, and we high tail it to the next station. Once we’re there, she makes an announcement.

Driver: Everyone off the bus. We have to get a new bus, I can’t drive this one.

Everyone: Ummm, how long will that take?

The answer was about five hours.

That $27 was starting to look like the worst investment I’ve ever made in my life. We were instructed to retrieve our luggage, which was crammed under the bus – that required literally crawling on hands and knees INTO the bus, finding your bag and dragging it out.

We then sat in the heat and waited. Did I mention that we were at the Harrisburg station, which doesn’t even have a McDonalds? Or anything other than a vending machine??

Meanwhile, the very pissed off Greyhound people are stalking around poking their fingers in our faces one by one.

Pissed off worker: Did YOU poop all over the floor of the bathroom???

Did they really think that someone was going to respond with “Oh yeah, that was me, sorry about that”??

I had called my daughter in the meantime to share my tale of woe.

Emily (sounding almost as pissed as the bus people): You are NOT getting back on that bus, mom. Either there’s someone sick in the sense that they did that on purpose or there’s someone sick with the worst stomach flu ever, and either way you are NOT getting back on that bus!

She had a point.

Emily: I looked up an Amtrak station. It’s 4 miles away.

Me: Okay, I’ll see if I can find an uber or a cab.

Emily: Wait, it’s not 4 miles…it’s….400 feet.

Me: What? That’s impossible, that would be….Oh.

Yep. Right around the corner from the bus station? An Amtrak station. I was never so happy to see a train station in my life. And yes, it cost me more than the round trip bus ticket, which was now wasted. Sometimes I don’t have the best ideas.

However, the con had been so much fun that I was still smiling when I got on the train and finally headed home. And that’s really saying something.

We’re headed to Comic Con on Friday for some vacation fun. Stay tuned for more from there!

And if you haven’t entered our giveaway yet, what are you waiting for? Win a copy of ‘Fangasm Supernatural Fangirls’ or ‘Fan Phenomena Supernatural’ signed by the cast. We want to say thank you for all our followers and all the support – so follow and reblog to enter on twitter, facebook, tumblr or Instagram!

–Lynn

Lovely photos by me and lovelier ones by @MamaPrior. Edits by @arkine13! Thank you for sharing your talent, ladies.