The New Jersey Supernatural convention is my “home con” – at least until next year when we’ll finally have one in my actual hometown of Philly. That means I get to drive there! (I hate driving but it’s better than flying…) My friend Rita joined me on a lovely spring day, and together we managed to navigate our way there with only a few wrong turns!
Leading up to the con there was a lot of excitement, for several reasons. One, unlike the con in Burbank a few months ago, Jared Padalecki was at this con – so yay!! Two, everyone was charmed and just plain thrilled at the news of Supernatural actors DJ Qualls (Garth) and Ty Olsson (Benny) being engaged, and couldn’t wait to see DJ to congratulate him. And three, Jensen Ackles was bringing his Impala to the con – the actual screen-used Hero #1 Baby. There was as much anticipation for that as for any other guest!
I was on my own in the vendor room with the books, so I didn’t get to attend as many panels as I wish I did, but every panel I did manage to get to was entirely happy making. The con is in a giant convention center (not my favorite type of venue) but it does make for a cavernous vendor room, as you can see. (‘The books’ are the two with chapters from the Supernatural actors, Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done, plus a few other behind the scenes books about the show, and the new book that’s a deep dive into The Boys, Supes Ain’t Always Heroes. Links on the home page here fyi).
I caught a little bit of Richard Speight, Jr., Matt Cohen and Rob Benedict’s panel, which invariably includes a lot of hilarious stories. Rob told the story of someone writing a part for him – and then he actually didn’t get the part! Only Rob.
The three were asked who would play them in a movie.
Matt: Drake Rodger!
(Makes sense to me)
Richard: The animated corpse of Don Knotts…
(If you don’t know who that is, look it up lol)
Matt reminisced about his time on General Hospital – and how his character was a neurosurgeon priest – and a stripper!
(Hey, he was versatile…)
Rich and Rob continue to be surprised by things they learn about the show doing the SPNThenandNow podcast.
Rich: I was surprised to learn that Sterling K. Brown played such a pivotal character on the show!
Rob was surprised that Sam actually had demon powers, and that in his first episode, they thought that Castiel was a bad guy.
Rob also told the hilarious story about passing out at a friend’s wedding who was a big fan of Felicity – while he was starring on Felicity.
Oops.
I love watching Matt be thoroughly amused by Rob and Rich’s stories. Or both Matt and Rob amused by Richard telling embarrassing stories – about Rob!
I also caught some of the Ladies of SPN panel with Samantha Smith, Lisa Berry, Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster. We hadn’t seen Lisa at a con for a while, so it was really nice to catch up with her.
The ladies panel had some pretty serious answers actually. Lisa talked about discovering her own Jamaican culture so she can pass that on to her son.
Samantha talked about how she deals with anxiety – and the power of turning anxiety into excitement.
Someone asked, would they rather be Sam or Dean?
The answers were priceless. Who gets paid more? Who dies less??
If they were on Kripke’s current show, The Boys, who would they be and what would their superpowers be?
They gave some options, but they also gave a lot of love for Eric Kripke and for Phil Sgriccia, who directed so many episodes of Supernatural too.
Friday night was a perfect dinner at the diner down the street from our hotel, which had outdoor dining and a fabulous menu. Good food, good friends, lots of Supernatural talk – cannot ask for better!
Saturday I closed up the vendor table to go to Misha Collins’ panel, which I try to never miss.
Misha reminisced about his very first convention back in 2009. It was in New Jersey too, and he had no idea what to expect – and Kathy and I were just about the only people he knew, so he hung out with us his first night there. (We had just met him and interviewed him in Vancouver a few weeks before for our first book ‘Fangasm Supernatural Fangirls’ so we were at least friendly faces!)
Misha also wrote a chapter for ‘Fan Phenomena Supernatural’ all about his surprising experience playing Castiel, and has a chapter in Family Don’t End With Blood. Both Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done benefit Random Acts, the charity that Misha founded – so if you buy one, thanks for that support!
Misha looked out over the giant convention center full of fans.
Misha: Why are you all here??
Everyone: You!!
Misha: My people skills are rusty…
Everyone: Yay a Cas line!
Someone asked Misha what he’s afraid of.
Misha: Global disaster….and my son beating me at ping pong…
Misha always tells a lot of stories – including one about when he had a motorcycle. He loaned it out to lots of friends, and lots of them unfortunately had accidents on it.
He also reminisced about that time (also at a NJ SPN con) that he took his adventure meet and greet on a true adventure – they set a field on fire!
He had some bts Supernatural stories too.
Misha: On Supernatural, they said my hair was kinda the same color as Jensen’s, so they dyed it darker.
He also said that he parted his hair on the other side recently.
Misha: And now it’s poufy!
Misha: Jensen just reminded me of a prank where he looked down a staircase, to see the crew in their underwear. It was our job on that set to make each other laugh.
I love how much they all were part of that, and how much they appreciated the laughter on the Supernatural set and always will.
We got a surprise Jared visit during Misha’s panel, and Misha and Jared were adorably happy to see each other.
Misha: How are you!? I haven’t gone this long without seeing you, ever since I met you!
Jared: I’m so sorry, it was wonderful for you, right?
The two laughed and shared a hug awwwwww.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1791884482196214217
There was another unexpected visitor too – a squirrel that was running around in the rafters high overhead.
Misha: Jensen??
Also Misha: Poor squirrel is like, what the hell kind of tree is this??
What version of Cas did he have the most fun playing?
Misha: Casifer!
He allowed that Alex Calvert does look a little like him.
Misha: Whoever was showrunner at the time was a little obsessed with me…
Misha got serious too, saying that what has meant the most to him is what the fandom has done for each other.
It’s what he writes about in his chapter in Family Don’t End With Blood also, with some beautiful appreciation for fandom.
He also is about to turn 50.
Misha: I’ve been going through some big transitions in my life. I’m gonna turn fifty and realizing that we can actually change ourselves.
I had a chance to chat with him a little about this transition later, and we agreed it really is life changing – in a very good way.
He’s also really appreciating being able to spend more time with his kids.
Misha: It’s been so wonderful just doing long division with them on weeknights.
Like all the cast, he misses Supernatural and how special that set was.
Misha: We used the word SPNFamily on set too, and it felt true. I miss going to work with that family.
Would he change the way Castiel died?
Misha: No. I always thought it had to be a sacrifice.
When he left NJ, Misha was headed back to Ukraine with Darius to support the de-mining efforts, which fans are helping to support also.
I have no clue what these two photos were about, but that was a great panel!
Saturday night of course was the Saturday Night Special.
Joining Louden Swain were Kim Rhodes (introduced by Matt Cohen)…
Jason Manns (for the traditional sing-along-chorus and beautiful harmonies of Hallelujah – which Jason is clearly waiting for me to burst into song for here…)
Briana Buckmaster bringing the house down…
Richard Speight, Jr. and his guitar doing some of his own music (check his new CD out if you haven’t!)
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792016320998846857
Billy Moran did a song from his new CD too – check that one out too!
Lisa Berry gave a rousing rendition of Rollin’ On The River…
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792017393419506152
Mark Sheppard joined the band on drums, and it made me emotional once again – it’s just so good to have him back after a long break and after his heart attack. The shows were not the same without him.
A real treat for me – and a truly emotional one – was Louden Swain and Rob Benedict singing “She Waits”. The song is one of my absolute favorites, and was a staple at the early SNS shows, so it brings back all sorts of memories. I might have needed tissues…
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792022675952398413
I’m so grateful we’ve had this amazing band as the cons’ “house band” for so many years!
Sunday is traditionally J2 day and nothing makes me happier than having both Jared and Jensen at a con. It just feels right after going to cons for so many years!
At the morning gold panel (which used to be at like 9 am back in the day and now is at 11 am because we were all alot younger then…), they both rated their sleep as thumbs down the night before, which makes me suspect shenanigans. Apparently they “had a long night”. And yet they both looked like this somehow…
They were both in a great mood to be doing a panel together too.
Jensen: Thank you for giving us reasons to keep doing this.
(You are VERY welcome, boys!)
A fan asked what Supernatural story lines they wanted more of.
Jared: More Michael Dean.
Jensen: More time in Purgatory.
Then he added:
Jensen: But those story lines couldn’t be too long, because we needed the brothers back together because that was the story.
(Me: Yes please let’s have more of that!)
I could seriously watch these two crack each other up forever.
Jensen was so pleased that he managed to get Jared to do the Lucky Charms leprechaun dance.
Jensen talked a little about being the “black sheep” of the family, in the sense that he was the adventurous one so his siblings seemed like angels.
Someone asked about expensive purchases, and Jared went through his wardrobe – which is not.
Jared: This shirt was 60 bucks online, I have 6 of them. These pants were like 50 bucks, I have 7 of them. These boots I stole from Supernatural. My socks have holes. So I’m not a very stylish person admittedly but I’m comfortable.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792214166662496687
Jensen told a hilarious story of wanting to buy Danneel something from Italy. He went to one of those “fancy purse places” – maybe Gucci, he said.
Jensen: I was like oh that’s cool, it was unique, I was like yeah let’s do that. It was like orange alligator, she’s from Lousiana. I was like wrap it up, then I go to the checkout and it was like 32,000 Euros.
Jared: takes a knee lol
Jensen: Yeah, I think that’s what I did.
(Danneel made him take it back haha)
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792214484020257249
Someone asked, what media shaped them?
Jared: Dr. Seuss.
Jensen: Sam I am!
Jensen talked about his first concert that he went to alone (his actual first with his mom was Michael Jackson). That was Van Halen, and he was fascinated by seeing what it took to perform at that level.
Jared and Jensen’s comedy duo skills were spot on.
Jared: There was this short man…
Jensen: Everyone is short to you!
Someone informed them that there was a squirrel loose in the convention center yesterday.
Jensen: Yeah, I was running around…
Jared: lol
They also say they still want to make “Nakednatural” – which was a text thread they’ve had for over a decade with Richard.
Jensen: We have a whole list of bits. We wanted to do an episode of Supernatural in the style of Naked Gun, which we thought was hilarious. I don’t think anyone else would.
Jared: Nakednatural! We had all these ideas for a Naked Gun style episode of Supernatural and I’d still love to do it. One was a bullet goes off and goes around and knocks off Speight’s toupee – he doesn’t wear a toupee – but it flies off.
Jensen: Airplane, Naked Gun…
Jared: Surely you can’t be serious.
Jensen: I am serious, and don’t call me Shirley!
They amuse themselves so much and I am here for it.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792217998880657674
I caught some of Mark Sheppard’s panel in the afternoon, who was asked what the funniest scene he filmed was.
Mark: Funniest scene was when Jensen couldn’t remember his line about a girl in a Zorro mask – 38 takes!!
He said his favorite season was season 8.
Mark: We were all in it and doing great stories.
He talked about his recent brush with death and the medical people and family who saved his life – literally. I’m still so grateful he’s still with us!
He’s grateful too – and grateful for the joy of being able to do what he loves.
Someone asked him, Sam or Dean?
Mark: I liked Demon Dean….
Oh, we know. (And we liked him too…)
Fan: We all know what Crowley sold his soul for.
Mark (indignant): That was Fergus!!
He also reminisced about how he ended up on Supernatural.
Mark: Kim Manners always talked about how great the boys were, and then right after he passed, I got the call to do the show.
Meant to be.
I also got to spend a little time with Baby, which was a privilege. Jensen climbed in and showed me the places where her steering wheel is worn down from all those hours that Dean was driving her, because he knows just how much I care about that character and that show and that car.
Me (trying not to sound too emotional about it): I notice you didn’t get those worn down places fixed.
Jensen: Of course not!
I told him (definitely failing not to sound too emotional about it that time) that he’s every bit as sentimental about this show and these characters as I am, and he gave me a soft smile and didn’t deny it.
I am so very grateful that these actors feel the same way about their characters and the show as we do – what a lucky fandom we are!
Then it was time for the main panel – Jared, Jensen, Rob and Rich all jumped onstage.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792298381882061198
Jensen: You look good, man.
Jared: You look better!
Awwww
We got some fun stories, including some I enjoy hearing more than once – like the time Jared and Gen had a date night at a haunted hotel in Austin and he woke up to someone pulling at the sheets and it was NOT Gen, and then instead of the “usual” Mario Lopez welcome on the TV it was suddenly Jensen and Ty Olsson in Purgatory!
Not to be outdone, Jensen told the story of when a door kept opening slowly and closing slowly all by itself – and Danneel reacted by going to get her phone to record it and then encourage the ghost to do it again!
Jared: It’s true, I’ve seen the video!
Jensen told the story of a recurring dream he has that’s pretty disturbing – bombs are going off, and his little sister is injured and can’t walk so he has to carry her. It’s a very Dean-like dream honestly.
Jensen: Through this like battle-torn village or town that is our home. It looks like ‘Children of Men’ and it’s just… I mean, I wake up like sweating and heavy breathing, and I can’t, it’s like nothing I can do is letting us get to where we need to go.
Jared: grimaces in empathy
Jensen: It’s probably all the stuff I’ve been watching, like The Last Of Us. But I’ve been having that dream since I was in my early twenties, long before those movies were a big thing.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792301852899307611
Jared talked about his fear of bears, much to Jensen’s constant amusement.
In case anyone was wondering…
Jared to Jensen: Would you be Ginger or Posh Spice or…
Jensen: Oh Mel B all the way. Cuz I married Scary Spice. Shit, I’m gonna hear about that one.
Jared: Everyone, turn your phones off!
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792303373330362705
For some unknown reason, Jared and Jensen got into a big (mock) dispute about that dress everyone argued about – some saw it as blue and black and some as yellow and white. Jensen could not understand how that is something that anyone was wrong about (technically he’s right) but the two of them mock arguing is just hilarious.
I always hope for more Supernatural content, and am grateful for any. Someone asked about how much of them is in their characters and vice versa. There’s a lot of Jensen that is Dean and a lot of Jared that is Sam, as they’ve said before.
Jensen to Jared: Yeah, but my Dean was longer… (innuendo on point)
(They’ve both played a Dean…)
My favorite answer was about the Supernatural finale. I never get tired of hearing Jared and Jensen talk about it, and I know from some candid conversations how much filming that meant to them and how proud they are of it. The question was about the difference between Dean saying “I’m proud of us” in Season 9 when he was dying, and “I’m proud of you” in the finale.
Jensen: I’ll echo what Jared said, and I think in saying I’m proud of us was more Dean’s reflection of what we had done and what we were able to do, and how this continues from here I don’t know, but up to that point Dean was just so proud of what they had been able to accomplish together. In 15, Dean knew he was hanging it up, and he needed him (gestures to Jared) to continue. But not continue to find a way to get him back. Dean needed Sam to understand how proud of him he was in the way of, it was an I love you, and I always will, but I gotta go.
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792307152951861583
I got emotional about what he said, and also that whenever Jared and Jensen talk about the show and especially the finale, they use “I” and “we” to refer to both their characters and each other, with that long and powerful journey blurring together for both of them.
Jensen: That moment in the finale was the biggest big brother moment, almost a dad moment.
Okay, now I’m REALLY emotional…
I love how much they love the barn scene, even though it was so emotional for them to film – of course it was, as a goodbye to the show, to each other as costars, to each other’s characters. But they knocked it out of the park in that scene and I hope they know it.
Someone asked about Halloween costumes, and Jared allowed that he was a “grumpus” about Halloween.
Fan: Be a bear!
Jared: As your resident moose…
Jensen: Have you ever seen a moose trample something?
Jensen also told some funny set stories, which are invariably priceless. Jensen told the story of that time the bowl of blood fell off Bobby’s couch.
Jensen: We were just about to roll and somebody bumped the couch – probably him (points to Jared) – and the bowl starts teetering. I’ve got my back turned and I turn around just as the bowl slowly starts to tip tip tip, then boom, blood goes everywhere. And I look at Jared – all he had to do was this (grab the bowl) – and instead he goes “Ahhh!” (and jumps out of the way). And immediately looks at me like, Oh shit.
Jared: I always hoped I wouldn’t react like that…
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792309212560732645
Lol
I love that they love reminiscing about the fun times they had together on Supernatural as much as we love hearing about it. Someone asked what it was like having their wives on set for those episodes.
Jensen: Jared and I have a way of communicating on set and with each other, and when our wives were there, it changed the dynamics.
(In other words, the shenanigans!)
Jensen: Jared and I were a little stiffer than usual. And not in a good way…
Jared: facepalm
Jared answered more seriously then.
Jared: When our wives were on set, he and I weren’t the center of attention (and that was a good thing).
Awwww
Someone wondered whether the show has made them more or less a target for supernatural stuff – they both agreed less.
They also agreed they both love ‘Love Actually’.
And then it was time for the last question, which turned out to be a real treat – for all of us! The fan’s mom wanted Jensen to sing Whipping Post, and so he and the band broke into ‘Whipping Post’ right there onstage!
The fan held onto Jared for dear life, posting that he kindly held her hand and held her close – both she and Jared pretty much went into fan mode (as did we all!)
https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1792314368492786096
They all posed for a photo with the crowd (which Creation got the front shot of and I got the back!).
Jared and Jensen thanked the fans and pulled each other into a hug before saying goodbye.
And then it was “the end of the con as we know it”, which I got to sing along with for a change.
The nice thing about being at a “local” con is being able to hang out with your friends again on Sunday night – back at the diner – and to meet some of their partners and kids too.
And then it was a Monday drive with Rita back home and back to work!
This was such a happy making con, with Jensen’s Baby actually there, Jared and Jensen both there, and so many friends who I was thrilled to spend time with. Thanks to everyone who came by the book table to chat or to buy a book – it was a pleasure seeing so many familiar faces!
Next up in my catching-up-on-con-posts? Columbus con!
–Lynn
You can read all about Jared, Jensen,
Misha and many other actors’ experience
On Supernatural in Family Don’t End With
Blood and There’ll Be Peace When You
Are Done – links on the home page or at:
