Tag: Jason Manns

Supernatural Convention Comes to Denver!

Supernatural Convention Comes to Denver!

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I had no intention of going to the Supernatural convention in Denver, but somehow I ended up there anyway. I’d missed the previous Denver convention so had never had a chance to bring Family Don’t End With Blood to Colorado, and that alone was enough to convince me to go. Add to that the fact that I love Colorado, where my aunt and uncle lived for much of my childhood, so I have wonderful memories from all over the state. And I wanted to meet new SPNFamily member and friend Kaci Marie Lister, who I ‘met’ virtually when I was in Austin for Supernatural Day. So off I went to beautiful Colorado!

The west coast fires had created so much ash in the atmosphere that it mostly obscured my view of the mountains, which was a shame. But the weather was beautiful and I was amongst my SPNFamily, so that more than made up for the lack of mountain views. I met up with Kaci and her friend for dinner and to do a little vlogging, since she was doing a vlog of their exploits at the con, and I caught up with my on-the-road buddies Liz and Kristen for pizza, who I miss tons when we don’t get to hang out for a period of time. It was wonderful to be able to spread the word about Family Don’t End With Blood to so many people who hadn’t heard about it too. This was a repeated conversation.

Me to someone perusing the table with a quizzical expression: Have you heard about the book? This is the one that the Supernatural actors wrote chapters for…

Person: The Supernatural actors wrote a book??????!!!!!

Thanks to everyone who came back to the table the next day to tell me that I ruined their sleep because they couldn’t stop reading it. Blame all those actors and fans who wrote the compelling chapters!

Friday kicked off with Rich and Rob and Louden Swain, and a bunch of non G rated banter, including a song about Misha, Rob’s b-hole and you, and something about microphone condoms, which prompted me to tweet with #OffTheRailsAlready. And it was only Friday!

I really loved the ballroom for Denver, which was smaller than the giant rooms I’m used to – it brought back memories of the early cons and felt cozy and a little more intimate (as intimate as you can get in a ballroom full of people…)  Richard looked around at the giant stage banners that are always in the room – this room was smaller, so the banners were closer.

Richard: Why are the stage banners staring at us? Jared is undressing us all with his eyes, and Jensen is like, why are you all undressing??

Richard puts his foot on the thing

Denver was also notable for being the first (of many?) cons during which a fan asked pretty much every guest to take part in a giant game of Mad Libs that spanned the whole con. I got a kick out of watching people’s faces when they got the dreaded “adverb”. lol

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Ten Things The Hillywood Show Got Right with Supernatural Parody 2!

Ten Things The Hillywood Show Got Right with Supernatural Parody 2!

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I’ve been a fan of the Hillywood Show since I discovered their parody videos with their first Supernatural video several years ago. Hannah and Hilly Hindi, the sisters behind The Hillywood Show, were kind enough to chat with me about that video and to also contribute some insights to the documentary film on fandom I co-wrote, Squee! I’ve been eagerly awaiting their second Supernatural parody with high expectations, but the reality surpassed them when it was released last week – Supernatural Parody 2 is a loving tribute to the show, its amazing cast, and its incredible fandom. As I took some notes on why I was enjoying it so much, I realized it’s because once again, they totally got it right – even for someone like me, who adores Supernatural and has written five books on the show and the fandom!

I was at the Supernatural convention in Denver last weekend, and there was quite a bit of talk about the new parody, which both fans and Supernatural stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles had high praise for. Jensen in particular was impressed with the production value and the professionalism of the set and the shoot, and especially with the realistic proton packs that he and Jared got to wear – they sometimes had to take them off between takes because Jared kept bumping into the door and other things. Jensen seemed excited that the blasters really worked too, which I think means they were having a lot of fun playing with them! I shared those reactions with Hannah and Hilly when we chatted.

Hilly: He did keep bumping into the door, we can confirm that one. Hannah: I just know that Jared really likes to push buttons!

Lynn: Boys…

Hilly: The pack, though, really was the coolest toy. They were like the real deal, so it’s the ultimate toy and Jared was like, yes! I could just see his eyes light up.

[There’s a great moment on the behind the scenes feature where Osric shows Jensen how to pull out his blaster, and he does. Then Jared pulls out his, with significantly more flourish, and Osric grins and whispers to the camera.

Osric: The gentle giant…

Jared makes the blaster light up and then asks, with his eyes all hopefully lit up, “do you want this on?”

Hilly: No, cuz that means you’re killing us…]

I laughed out loud at that.

Cap sabalovesdean

Hilly: We haven’t been able to talk about it or hear from them since the shoot. They asked, “When can we mention it?” I told them you can’t until the video is out. So, weeks down the road now, it’s really cool to hear them talk about it.

Lynn: They definitely enjoyed it. So, after thinking about this a bit, I’ve identified ten things you got very right. I’m gonna go through them one by one, and you can comment, okay?

Number 1. One of the things that makes your parodies so brilliant and so loved by fans is that you really GET the show you’re parodying, maybe Supernatural more than even the other shows you’ve parodied. You were able to reproduce the show itself with the level of detail that fandom relishes – the kitchen set from Changing Channels, the library in the Men of Letters bunker, the proton packs with Dean’s little army man and the Colt and Sam’s with Ruby’s knife. Some of the scenes looked so eerily similar, like that iconic moment when Dean fires the Colt and kills Azazel in slow motion. How do you decide what scenes and what details to include and how much detail to put into it? It must take so much time!

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Back To Where It All Began – Supernatural Chicago Con 2018!

Back To Where It All Began – Supernatural Chicago Con 2018!

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Chicago Con is always special, because it was my very first Supernatural Creation con. That was now over ten years ago, which is kinda hard to believe because it seems like a second ago, and yet it also seems like a long long time ago. A lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same. I’m incredibly grateful that so many of the people I met at that very first con – on both sides of the stage – are still there. It says something about the loyalty of both the fans and the cast to this show that continues to inspire us. And more than ten years of cons later? That’s pretty special.

Rob hosted Friday, since Richard was up in Vancouver preparing to direct Supernatural.

Rob: Richard’s not here because he’s in Vancouver directing Supernatural. Which is kinda fun, because I get to tell you that guess what? I love Perth!

The audience roared at the long-standing in joke.

Rob reminisced about doing his very first Supernatural convention right here in Chicago – immediately after filming the convention episode of the show! I still remember how blown away he was that day. He kept exclaiming, “this is so weird, this is so weird”. It was all kinds of adorable. And I love that Rob and Rich are two of the people who can look back on so many years of cons, and on their evolution from simply guest performers doing one panel to the linchpins of the entire convention weekend. I’m 100% sure that one of the reasons the cons have continued for so long is because Richard Speight Jr. is the consummate host and Rob Benedict and Louden Swain are the most kickass “house band” you could ever wish for.

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Salute to Supernatural Pittsburgh – Sunday Recap!

Salute to Supernatural Pittsburgh – Sunday Recap!

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Part 3 of our weekend in Pittsburgh at the Creation Supernatural con!

Sunday at Pittcon kicked off with Jared and Jensen’s gold breakfast panel. Look at those smiling faces, even early in the morning when they’re still drinking their first cups of coffee. No matter how bleary I am at the morning panels, I always find myself grinning back.

This year’s Pittsburgh con was extra fun because it was Pride Week, which meant the city lit up in gorgeous rainbow colors, a rock concert going on right across from our hotel every night, and a street party keeping the city jumping until the wee hours – it was exhilarating.

Jared: I was out last night walking around, and I saw this handsome African American man staring at me and I was like well hey, it’s Pride Week! And it’s Christian [Keyes]!

Jensen: But hey, it’s Pride Week!

Pittsburgh being awesome

Also can I just say that I LOVED what they wore to this con? They both looked utterly amazing. Happy and well rested and even though I’m not really a big fan of the hiatus beards (I know, I know…) I totally admit they were rocking them at this con.

And they’re just so long and lean and….Okay, moving on…

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The Saturday Night Special, Pittsburgh!

The Saturday Night Special, Pittsburgh!

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Guest post by Kim Prior (and photos too)…

 Ok, full disclosure… I am Friday People, because Friday at cons are fun and relaxing and I actually have time for food. And I’m there for Saturdays, for panels and ops and occasionally meet&greets. And yes, oh most definitely yes, I am a Sunday girl, because Jensen… and Jared… and ops and autographs, and did I mention Jensen?

But make no mistake, do not misunderstand – I am 1000% percent an SNS!Girl. Stephen hidden in the corner on the stage presents a challenge for me in terms of photography, and tbh, I love the challenge. I mostly fail, but by chuck I’m determined. And Borja off to the side, without a lot of facial expression but oozing emotion all the same, and that’s just fun to watch.

Sigh. And then there’s Billy. On the other side of the stage. Focused. Intense. Having fun. Loving every single second of the music and the stage and the crowd. High intensity jamming, or softer, slower, emotional fingering of the strings during the super-charged ballads. Listen, I don’t read fanfic, but for the love of chuck is there fic about Billy the Guitar-Playing-Rock-God? Hashtag allthegasms right here.

I started to write ‘another sigh’ or ‘big sigh’ but no, no, no sighs. All smiles. Because then there’s Rob, center stage, right where he belongs. Overflowing with excitement. Jammin. Singin. Bringing us to our feet one minute, and bringing us to our knees the next. Telling us that he loves us, and then soaking up our love for him. He is so fun to watch, so fun to photograph, and full disclosure…

I am SNS People. I am here to be blown away time after time after time by the show and the lights and the guests and the music – their music. I am 110% a LoudenSwain!Girl and yes, I am 2000% a Rob!Girl.

That said, I’ll just get right into the show highlights, m’kay?

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Salute to Supernatural – Pittsburgh! Part One

Salute to Supernatural – Pittsburgh! Part One

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Returning to Pittsburgh con this year was bittersweet, since we knew this was to be the last Supernatural Creation con in the city. I opted to take the train again, which is a beautiful way to see rural Pennsylvania at its best while sipping a cup of coffee and eating a hot dog from the café car. What can I say, I like simple pleasures. Also the seats in the Pennsylvanian go wayyyy back and there’s a footrest, so… I’m easily amused. I was not, on the other hand, amused at all by the fact that the dispatcher saw fit to keep a slow-moving freight train ahead of our passenger train for hours instead of allowing us to pass, so I was late getting in and missed most of the Thursday night fun in the vendor room. Boo Amtrak.

In spite of that beginning, Pittcon lived up to my expectations and made me sad not to have another to look forward to. It was also Pride Week in Pittsburgh, and from our high up window, the city was lit up in a rainbow of colors. There was a free concert every night right below us, so we were treated to a view of the crowd dancing to the music and a contagious positive vibe all around us.

Friday kicked off with Louden Swain and Rob’s rendition of Genie In A Bottle which I assume is an homage to local Christina Aguilera. Rob and the band can rock anything, just saying.

The con was in a different ballroom this year, which was smaller and more intimate and had actual carpet instead of a cement floor so yay, but I did miss watching the cast come and go through the glass skyway as we all waved and they either waved back or did lewd things for our amusement.

Richard: We’re in a different room this year, so no skyway. So no one can be looking at our bottoms…

Not sure why Richard was on a bottoms kick, but we also had a repeat performance of the bit about Rob getting drugs out of his b-hole complete with a Speight original dance performance. I can’t even describe it in words but trust me, it was hysterical.

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Nashville’s Saturday Night Special!

Nashville’s Saturday Night Special!

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Guest post by Kim Prior

I have written several articles for Fangasm about the Saturday Night Special, so when I sat down to write this one, I went back to read those articles in an effort to avoid repeating myself. I mean, how many different ways can I explain my complete and total love for Louden Swain and this concert? I have already said that this concert is Extraordinary. I’ve already said that this concert is Special because of Louden Swain. I’ve already said this is a raw, unfiltered show of energy and passion and love pouring into us through guitars and drums and lyrics. I have already said that Louden Swain gives us their very souls, from Billy Moran and Michael Borja on guitar, to Stephen Norton on drums, to Rob playing guitar and singing with a rawness of heart that is frankly unlike any other performer out there. How can I possibly explain this to you in new words? What else can I say? Should I just word-vomit all the synonyms for love? Is there even one single word that could ever explain how absolutely incredible these concerts are?

Fangasm. That’s the word. These concerts and this band bring me to the height of complete and total fangasm. If you haven’t experienced a fangasm, then for the love of Chuck, go to one of these concerts, and allow the music and the lyrics and the energy and the passion to wash over you and into you until you are completely and totally immersed in everything that is good in this world. Amen.

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Supernatural Seacon 2018!

Supernatural Seacon 2018!

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Seattle con has always been one of my favorites. It’s just a short drive from Vancouver, so the cast is usually well rested and in a great mood – and it’s where some of my close friends live, so it means I get to visit them and hang out too. Add in the fact that some of my favorite fangirl buds were also here this year and that just makes it better. I had a vendor table with plenty of copies of Family Don’t End With Blood and our other books on Supernatural and fandom, right next to the lovely Kayla and Louden Swain, which was extra fun.

My friend Alana King of Youtube fame was also at the con, which meant time to hang out and some bonding time for the two of us whenever I accompanied Alana to anything that had to do with one Mr. Jared Padalecki. Alana had just completed a fundraiser for To Write Love On Her Arms and had a bound book of messages for Jared from all the contributors, which she had carefully handwritten. Needless to say, she was beyond nervous to give that to him, so I promised to come with her to tell him about the project and the awesome people who contributed. Alana had also agreed to get a photo op done for a fellow fan who couldn’t make it to the con, which involved Jared writing a message to her on a whiteboard – that was a lovely moment during which Jared said nice things to Alana and gave her a kiss on the forehead, which of course made Alana burst into tears. In the video blog on Alana’s channel, I’m the one doing all the reassuring smiling, but really I get all emotional too – I just hide it better!

I got to catch up with Megan Padalecki at this con too, who I haven’t chatted with in a little while and missed a lot. And of course the rest of the awesome people of the vendor squad, who are like a traveling group of artists bonded together around Supernatural – Jodi, Shelley, Scout, etc etc etc. I’m always in awe of your talents and proud to call you my friends.

Friday kicked off with Rob Benedict and Louden Swain holding down the fort while Richard Speight Jr. filmed, Rob wearing his “Frobday” shirt designed by Scout like 24 hours before and miraculously ready in shirt form for the con kickoff. Rob was rockin’ it.

And then there was the latest rendition of the Borja Borja series of shirts, this one featuring a swimming …naked…Borja. Though he insists that’s the body of a naked baby…

Rachel Miner was first up, and came onstage by means of the newly installed ramp, which thrilled her and all of us. It’s easy to forget how much of a difference it makes to be able to come and go on your own, and Rachel reminded us all, thanking Creation for making sure she could do just that.

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Supernatural VegasCon 2018!

Supernatural VegasCon 2018!

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Vegascon is one of my favorite conventions – it’s four days of craziness, tons of my favorite fangirls and fanboys, a thousand miles of walking, and Jensen Ackles singing at the Saturday Night Special. What’s not to like? (Except maybe the thousand miles of walking part…)

This year was even crazier than before, since I was also working in the vendor room to sell Family Don’t End With Blood and our other books. But in between meeting tons of awesome fellow fans and signing lots of books, I managed to take in a bunch of panels. So I thought I’d share some of my favorite moments and photos below.

Day One: Thursday

I had to work late on Wednesday teaching, so I couldn’t fly in until Thursday afternoon. I was trying very hard to get there in time for Richard and Rob’s kick off, but the shuttle I booked to save money took its sweet old time winding its way through Vegas before finally stopping at the Rio – which was, predictably, the very last stop. That means I missed Gil and Osric onstage together, which made me very sad, and caught only part of Jeffrey Parise’s inaugural con panel. I have to say, I was taken aback by what a nice guy he is – and how attractive! Let’s just say Asmodeus is neither of those on the show, so that was a pleasant surprise. He’s also very amusing. And he spells his name the same way as my son, so of course that’s a point in his favor too. Also, he looks sort of familiar…

@Kreespa: Have you and Tim Omundson ever been seen in the same place?

Hmmmm.

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Supernatural Cons 2018 – First Stop, Orlando!

Supernatural Cons 2018 – First Stop, Orlando!

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I’m just about to drag out my suitcase and toss some things in there to head to Las Vegas for the Supernatural convention that starts on Thursday – and I’m ridiculously excited! Vegas is one of my favorite cons. It’s an extra day of fun, it’s got so many of the friends I don’t get to see nearly enough all year long, and Jensen sings at the Saturday Night Special. The first time he did that, in 2015, was one of those experiences you never forget. Nobody expected him to come onstage and turn into this total effing rockstar, so afterwards we were all a bit stunned. Nobody could stop grinning; no one could stop hugging each other. We clung to each other like we’d just witnessed a piece of history, overflowing with wordless pure unadulterated joy. It was one of my favorite con moments ever.

So I always look forward to Vegas!

After Jensen’s 2015 SNS Performance

I was determined to post my Orlando con report before I leave for Vegas, so here it is, with almost an entire day to spare. Sure, that con was over a month ago, but hey, at least I met my admittedly generous deadline.

So, OrlandoCon 2018…

Orlando is a great place to have a convention in the middle of January, especially for those of us who live in the Northeast US and are sick of being frozen half to death. So I was thrilled to fly down a bit early and spend some time with my friends Liz and Kristen and Kim. The con hotel was across the footbridge from Disney Springs, so we trekked over there to explore and shop and have a delicious dinner in a café full of animated dinosaurs. Definitely in Disney!

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