Supernatural New Jersey 2025!

The Supernatural Creation convention in NJ is one of the few that I can drive to. With the constant cancellations and delays and pieces of planes falling off and near collisions recently, that made me very happy indeed. The drive wasn’t too bad in terms of traffic, and though I managed to get slightly lost when I was almost there (as has happened every single damn time at this venue), I made it not too horribly late. It’s not my favorite venue (bathroom line ten miles long, anyone?) so I’m glad next year’s NJ con is at a hotel, but it is one of my favorite cons anyway since some of my closest fandom friends are often able to come.

I mostly stayed at my vendor table (with very welcome food breaks from friends – thank you!) – but I didn’t miss Misha’s panel!

Misha Collins did his It Seemed Like A Good Idea one man show in the Big Apple the night before.

Billy Moran: It was good!

He got some questions about Castiel and Supernatural.

Misha: I think Castiel would do well in Star Wars because he has wings to teleport. But Sesame Street would also be great for him, he’d be learning right along with the kids.

Also Misha: But he’d probably have a rivalry with Big Bird, both are tall and feathered.

Lol

Misha was reminiscing about New Jersey being his very first convention fifteen years ago. You can actually read all about that con in ‘Fangasm Supernatural Fangirls’, since Kathy and I were there too, and tried to help a slightly overwhelmed Misha through it.

Read more →

Creation Supernatural Minneapolis 2025 with Jared, Jensen and Misha!

The second Creation Supernatural con of 2025 was in Minneapolis, just a few weeks after Boston. I hadn’t been to a con in Minn for a while, so it was nice to be back. I have fond memories of past cons in Minneapolis, despite my lack of love for the “hamster tunnels” connecting the hotels and convention center back in the day.

This con was extra fun because my friend Mo Ryan was there too. Mo is of course a respected journalist and the author of bestseller “Burn It Down” – but she’s also a long time Supernatural fan who moderated some of the first SPN panels with the boys. We’ve had some fascinating conversations about the show and fandom and the industry over the years, and it was so fun to have her join me at my table so we could chat with people and share our books with them.

Everyone who came by to say hi or grab a book – thank you!

We joined some other friends for a fabulous drag show that was right across the street from the con and had a blast there too. Great weekend for hanging out with friends, which is one of the very best things about a convention!

photos by sabrina

It was also really nice to have Chad Lindberg back!

Chad is one of my favorite people in the universe. I was thrilled that he wrote a chapter in ‘There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done’ all about ‘The Magic of the Mullet’ and the character of Ash, who was so memorable in the early seasons of Supernatural.

He talked about some of his other memorable acting roles too, and working with some amazing people.

Chad: It’s hard to stay present when Kevin Costner is talking to you!

He said he got to introduce his mom to Costner. He held her hand and she was so flustered that she doesn’t even remember, it was so intense (as many of us can relate…)

Right now, he’s enjoying filming the new series ‘The Burbs’.

Perhaps his most memorable role is on The Fast and the Furious. He said he initially turned it down because he didn’t want to be always playing the computer nerd.

He definitely does not regret Supernatural though, saying it has changed his life.

Chad: And I thank you for that.

Chad told the story of that time Jensen Ackles taught him to shotgun a beer – you can read the whole story and a lot more bts from Sueprnatural in his chapter in ‘There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done’.

Read more →

Supernatural Cons 2025 – First Up, Boston!

The first Creation con of 2025 took place in April in Boston. There was a long break between Supernatural Creation cons (the last one was in early December) so everyone was beyond excited to be back together again. There were many hugs and emotional reunions – I had missed my fellow fans and vendors as much as I’d missed the best cast in the world.

I love Boston. I’ve been there quite a few times and it’s a great city, with fabulous food and a lot of history. So I was excited that there was going to be a Supernatural con there for the first time in like a decade. The con was in April so I was hopeful for some lovely spring weather too.

My short flight (we went up and down so fast they didn’t have time to serve us a soda) let me out in what felt like a shocking return to winter, alas, and it didn’t get much better all weekend. What did I see of Boston this time? The lovely con hotel.

Oh well. It was pretty lovely.

Matt Cohen and Gil McKinney are on the tour this year and they’re two of my favorite people, so that was a treat. When I joined their panel, Matt was planning to put some guyliner on Gil that night. Why didn’t we get photos???

They both talked about how special it was to work on Supernatural, because everyone makes you feel so comfortable.

Matt on meeting Jared and Jensen for the first time: There was so much man!

I know that feeling.

Gil: Supernatural was a blessing. My favorite thing I’ve ever done.

They both believe the show, in some form, will eventually be back.

Matt: There’s too much support for Supernatural for it to dissipate.

He also pitched a Hallmark movie called “All The Johns” (which definitely does not sound G rated) starring him, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Drake Rodger and Gil – that’s a lot of John Winchester!

Matt’s actual new project is the animated series ‘Public Domain’, starring tons of SPN Family. If you’re not following and supporting, check it out!

Read more →

Last Supernatural Convention of 2024 – Nashville!

The last con of 2024 was in Nashville, one of my favorite con cities. I used to love when the Nashville Supernatural con was at the ridiculously over the top Gaylord Opryland, and have lots of fond memories there with lots of friends. This year was at a hotel, but that did make it a lot easier to get back and forth to the vendor room and the con and the hotel room, gotta say!

I got there very late thanks to my flight from the west coast being repeatedly delayed in Dallas. We finally boarded, rolled onto the runway, and then sat there for a while – before turning around and heading back to the gate for some mechanical problem. That would have been bad enough, but the next three hours were spent with them changing our gate FIVE times. Each time they did, we all had to trudge through the now-deserted airport, from terminal to terminal, which if you’ve been to DFW is a damn long walk! It was after 1 am before we finally got on another plane and made it to Nashville. My friend Kristen went above and beyond and came to pick me up at 3 am with a heating pad on the seat because by that time my back was BROKEN.

Not a great way to start a con.

However, a con is a great way to get over a truly crappy day!  I missed most of Friday trying to catch up in the vendor room, but did catch a little karaoke. Things were festive!

Samantha Smith, Matt Cohen, Tahmoh Penikett, Lisa Berry, Adam Rose and Julian Richings all joined host DJ Qualls for a great time.

I also managed to catch the new episode of Fire Country guest starring Jared Padalecki as Camden Casey. It’s up in the air right now because Jared has another exciting new show on the horizon, but I really hope we get to see more of Camden in that spin off too.

Saturday was of course Misha Collins.

Like me, Misha loves ‘The French Mistake.’

Misha: I love it because they did such a good job satirizing us. Then my manager at the time was like oh, it’s great to see you playing yourself…

Lol

Read more →

The Supernatural Cast Returns to Sunny Orlando in 2024

The last two Supernatural conventions of 2024 came one right after the other, so I decided to embark on a whirlwind trip to do one con on the East coast, fly to the west coast to have some family time, and then fly to the next – on the East coast again. So, Orlando to San Fran to Nashville! Seemed like a good idea at the time…

Orlando is one of my favorite con hotels, and it was glorious to escape the wintery chill for a long weekend. I had lovely meals outside under the palm trees, in the evenings the fire pit was cozy, and I even brought a bathing suit to swim in the pool and enjoy the hot tub.

Con/vacation combo, which is a rare thing for me as a vendor who usually has to rush back to teach. But I was on sabbatical this past semester, so I got to do things differently – and I’m very grateful!

Here’s my table, with thanks to the friends from TheSPNVerse who helped me get it set up (and the talented Cris Griffin for the new table banner)!

I caught some of the Matt Cohen and Adam Fergus panel – I’d just had such a nice zoom chat with Matt a few days before, all about his new project Public Domain. (Check out that interview here if you missed it). Matt wore his Public Domain apron and gave us an update on the series and some of the Supernatural casting announcements.

Matt and Adam share their enthusiasm about being dads. Adam told us that his twins were actually born on different days – at 11:59 pm and 12:01 am!

We got to hear a bunch of dad jokes, thanks to a fan who pulled up a whole book of them on her phone and was brave enough to give it to Matt. (Well, it wasn’t Jared, so…)

Adam and Matt never worked together on Supernatural, but they are connected via acting. Adam’s wife had a kissing scene with Matt on General Hospital, in fact. Afterwards she said to Matt, “now you know how Adam tastes!”

Read more →

Back Where It All Began – Supernatural Chicon 2024!

The very first Supernatural Creation con was in Chicago – in 2007.

Seventeen years ago.

I was there, along with my bestie Kathy and my good friends Laura and Karen. We had taken shifts for weeks, stalking the Creation website waiting to punch the button to buy tickets the second they went on sale. It’s hard to describe the level of excitement back then for the first US convention for the show I’d fallen in love with – it was off the charts! And it didn’t disappoint. The hotel bar made Purple Nurples and served Supernatural themed food. Jared and Jensen were lovely, though not yet at all sure what to make of the fandom – they sat rather stiffly on stools while we crowded in for photo ops. (Of course Jared didn’t obey the rules even then, and pulled me in for a hug).

I was in fangirl Heaven. Obviously. Also? Babies!

Photos Chris Schmelke

I had an amazing time that very first con, but if someone had told me that seventeen years later, the show would have run for 15 seasons and been off the air for four, but there was STILL a Supernatural con in Chicago in 2024…. Well, I wouldn’t have believed them. And certainly would not have thought I’d be there!

I had an amazing time again, which is, frankly – amazing. I am so very very grateful.

And that is a real testament to the Supernatural actors and fandom. The #SPNFamily. No matter how much wank breaks out every single day online, the cons remain mostly positive and full of excitement and even joy. This year is extra meaningful; the con and the few days I spent after it at my friend Laurena’s house feel like a carefree time, just days before things changed a lot here in the US. I think I’ll always be nostalgic for this con, just like I am for Vegas 2020, the last mostly carefree con before the pandemic kicked in. (Yes, I mark time by Supernatural cons sometimes, what can I say?)

I had been on the west coast with my daughter – because, Halloween! – so I flew in on Friday evening, just in time to catch some karaoke. Several of my friends got onstage to sing, and they were all fabulous! Shout out to Julie, Chelle and Rock! (And emcee DJ Qualls, Lisa Berry, Samantha Smith, Matt Cohen, Tahmoh Penikett, and DJ Liz and Kristen, who were all awesome too)

I was in the vendor room so I didn’t get to see all the panels, and gave my friend Rock priority for the panels he wanted to see (the ladies panel included). But I did catch some. Saturday I walked into the ballroom to Richard Speight, Jr. asking Rob Benedict: Do you want the candy that was in my pants?

Matt Cohen: So, best question gets this bonus package of gummy bears…

Matt talked about a movie and used an unusual phrase.

Richard: Some advice. Don’t google “screwing people’s faces” because you won’t get the movie Matt is talking about…

Rich and Rob talked a bit about their Supernatural rewatch podcast, Supernatural Then And Now.

Read more →

Supernatural Charlotte Con 2024!

 

Charlotte is one of my favorite Supernatural conventions, mostly because some of my best friends are there – and that’s one of the best part of cons. It’s a short flight, and the weather was gorgeous that  weekend, and that made it even better. Jared Padalecki unfortunately had to cancel, which we were all sad about, but I know how reluctant he is to have to do that so I’m sure it was an important conflict. We missed you though, Jared!

I flew down on Thursday just to hang out, and on Friday caught a little bit of the panels with some of my favorite people on the cast side of the SPN Family in between being at the book table in the vendor room. That includes, of course, Ruth Connell, who has embraced some of her inner Rowena.

Ruth: I found out that my grandmother, who was the most practical woman ever, also read tea leaves.

Also Ruth: I’ll try anything once. Except a Ouija board, that terrifies me!

I’m with her – still remember some of my childhood exploits with friends at sleepovers, all of us convinced “It moved!!”

Ruth is always inspiring, just like the chapter she wrote in Family Don’t End With Blood.

Ruth: Everyone has something creative inside them.

She feels her time on Supernatural was sort of meant to be. Her first episode was called Soul Survivor, which was a perfect reflection of her life at that time too.

She was supposed to be in the series finale too originally.

Ruth: I was supposed to be in Hell, finding out the news about Dean in the finale.

Like pretty much every single one of the cast, Ruth also had some encouraging words on a Season 16.

Ruth: I’m ready to wager that Supernatural will be back!

Me: (crosses all fingers and toes)

I also love that she was wearing a comfy plaid Supernatural shirt with SW-DW embroidered on it. In fact, I loved her entire outfit (as I often do – she has a wonderful sense of style).

Read more →

Supernatural at the Nation’s Capital – DC Con 2024!

DC con will always remind me of my friend Krista Martin. Last year, it was her last con, and the actors and the rest of us tried to make it as special as humanly possible. I hope we did; I think we did. But being back in that same hotel brought back a lot of memories for those of us who were her friends, so the con had an extra emotional edge to it. I’m often emotional at Supernatural conventions, but this one, more than usual. It’s also one of my “local” cons, so I got to drive instead of fly, yay! I picked up my friend Rita and we drove down together, stopping for lunch along the way and getting there just as rush hour hit – but we made it in one piece! (I am not a big fan of driving on crowded highways at rush hour, but oh the things we do for the show we love.)

I was on my own in the vendor room for a lot of the weekend, so I wasn’t able to catch too many panels, but I was able to see some of Alaina Huffman on Friday. I’ve really enjoyed my interview chats with her, and I think she did an amazing job with Abaddon, so I was glad I caught some. I love her sense of style!

Alaina: I don’t get recognized as much as some of my friends. At Comic Con my Supernatural friends all got recognized more. Then when they asked one fan who their favorite was, they said Abaddon!

What would she give Abaddon as a gift?

Alaina: A whip. For me too, we’re not that different…

Let’s hope that’s at least partly not true…

Alaina said she’s still pursuing directing, saying she’s forging her own path.

A fan asked if she would shave her head for a role.

Alaina: Depends on the paycheck!

Smart answer.

I also had to watch some of Adam Rose and Matt Cohen’s panel. The two of them together are both sweet and hilarious, and so very entertaining! It’s a great example of actors who didn’t even work together on the show, but are just a great duo in person. When I came in, they were talking about the time Adam did a TikTok with Jensen Ackles wearing the famous blue cardigan.

Matt: Jensen put on the blue cardigan and it literally had an orgasm.

Adam: I made a mistake letting someone so good looking put it on…

Read more →

Supernatural Cons 2024: Back to the West Coast for San Fran!

I’m finally catching up with posting about the most recent Supernatural conventions before I head to Austin for the 150th Supernatural con there this weekend (please wish me luck surviving the Texas heat…)

Mid July was a convention in San Francisco, which for me also means flying out a week early to spend time with my daughter – so this con was family of all kinds, both the ends-with-blood kind and also my SPNFamily, the don’t-end-with-blood kind!

I made it to the con hotel on Friday early enough to catch some karaoke, which drew a good sized and very passionate crowd. Lots of the cast joined the fun, including of course master of ceremonies DJ Qualls and Matt Cohen. Lisa Berry, Osric Chau, Samantha Smith and Adam Rose also helped make every single song sound pretty damn good.

The theme was “prom” so we had some beautiful prom dresses and tuxes and Matt Cohen in a prom king crown because of course he was!

I was a happy camper because we got not one but two Abba songs, including my favorite Dancing Queen.

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1811984612740202556

I had no idea Adam Rose was such a talented performer – he sang a rendition of Sonofabitch or whatever that song is actually called that may have rivaled Jensen Ackles! Helped along by Matt Cohen.

https://x.com/FangasmSPN/status/1811987672535302195

If you haven’t been to con karaoke in a while, check it out – it feels reinvigorated, with lots of the cast having a blast with the fans. Similar to how it started way back when!

And at this con, you got your very own crown or tiara to take home if you took the stage.

We also got the good news on Friday at the con that Season 2 of ‘Tracker’ will be premiering in October – and that Jensen will be back as Russell in at least two episodes! That definitely put everyone in a good mood.

Saturday I caught Misha Collins’ panel, as I always try to do. For some reason he and Rob re-enacted Richard Speight Jr. touching Misha’s jacket backstage. Creepily.

He told some parenting stories, as he often does, including that time he took infant West to a rave – and had the horrifying realization in the middle of the chaos that perhaps they did need to change the way they were living their life a bit now that they were parents.

Oops.

Read more →

Supernatural Conventions 2024 – Return to Seattle!

Seattle is a city full of memories – some of them wonderful, some of them not, and some of them bittersweet. As I flew into the city, I was thinking of my friend Krista, who we lost not long ago. I spent one of the most fun days ever with her and a group of other Supernatural fan friends in Seattle. Krista was our unofficial tour guide, taking us to the original Starbucks and demonstrating how to navigate the fish markets with her trademark finesse and sense of humor. And then we all returned to the con to indulge our mutual love of Supernatural.

Beautiful memories…but I miss her.

Some of my other really fun times in this city have been with my friend Alicia, who picked me up from the airport like old times. We hadn’t seen each other in WAY too long. We had lovely coffee and catch up chat time on another Starbucks patio, reminiscing about some of the best days of my life – the ones we spent on the Supernatural set, driving across the border after a con here in Seattle to spend the day sitting behind Bob Singer or Phil Sgriccia or whoever was directing, watching the boys film our favorite show and overcome with gratitude.

Again, beautiful memories…but I miss my friend and I miss my Show.

Then of course there was that memorable Supernatural con in Seattle that got cancelled after half a day by an unexpected snowstorm. Snowpocalypse made for an interesting Friday afternoon, especially because I also was coming down with a terrible cold. I was lucky to escape on one of the few flights that got out, back to the East coast but sad about missing the con.

This time went a lot more smoothly. (There were penguins to remind those of us who’d experienced it of Snowpocalypse though).

I caught some karaoke on Friday night, with some of my favorite people – Matt Cohen, Osric Chau, Adam Fergus, Julian Richings, Alaina Huffman and of course DJ Qualls.

It was like karaoke in the old days, with Adam Fergus dancing on chairs in the audience.

I missed most of the panels on Saturday since I was on my own in the vendor room, but this con was fresh off the series finale of Walker and Jared’s candid comments about the disappointing state of the network that was Supernatural’s home for so long, the CW.  Matt Cohen talked about how important those comments were in his panel.

Matt: From his position of success, it’s very important for a guy like him to use his voice and reflect exactly what’s going on in the industry.

He said that so many in their industry are in a crisis of not working, there’s the threat of AI, etc.

Matt: I want you to look up what Jared said and support our guy.

I love how they all support each other, then and now and always.

I did make sure to catch Misha Collins’ panel on Saturday – it’s one I never miss.

Misha had some memories of Seattle too, including the GISH French maid world record attempt with tons of people packed into a sweltering gym.

Misha: Eventually seven ambulances came because French maids were passing out, but people still held hands to break the record!

(Despite this, most of us who did GISH regularly still miss it lol!)

Misha has been quite active in politics recently, and said he’d just realized the debate tactic recently used (overwhelming with lies) is called “Gish gallop”!

He brought on stage a student who had selected him to interview as someone from Washington who’s had a positive impact for a school project – good job, Addy!

Someone asked what he was interested in at school.

Misha: I was a bit shy. I was always the new kid at school, so I would observe people a lot.

He said he was always getting hurt or injured on his birthday for some reason.

Misha: Shit, it’s about to be my 50th, I’d better be careful!

Read more →