Orlando Convention 05.25-26.02

 

This was my second Xena convention in O-Town, I missed last year, but had the pleasure of attending the year before that. This was supposed to be Xena *and* strong women of Sci Fi...but other than Claudia Christian, this was a Xena Con.

(Carrie Dombro (Bab5, and Crusader) and Debra Van...something...erk...my apologies to Debra...I can't remember her name right now or what she was in (but I did recognize her... *sheepish grin*). Anyway, they were there, but not as speakers, they were tucked a way in a far off room waiting for someone to notice them and ask for an autograph.)

Saturday:

First up was a pretty kick ass music video dedicated to the women of Sci Fi, then on to the guests.

Lance and Ava Strong (stunt performers on Xena) came out and did some martial arts demonstrations, Lance first with some sword work, nice job, then Ava with an awesome sai routine.

At one point, Lance was blindfolded and did a routine with some sticks with curved blades at the end (and forgive me, I'm not a Martial Arts person, so I don't know the name of these things). He slipped his hands through loops at the ends of the handles and proceeded to whip them around his body and neck. Gosh. There's nothing like the threat of death or bodily injury to perk up an audience <g>. Wow.

Then they brought up a some audience members and taught them a few stunt routines (how to take a kick or punch and sell it to the camera).

These folks were super nice. They could be found wandering around the con on both days, and were glad to chat with you at length.

***

Next up, music videos dedicated to Kevin Smith. I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin at my first Orlando Con, and it was a nice tribute to a really sweet man.

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Season 6 Bloopers...*all* of the blooper reels are great. This one opens with Lucy sucking Renee's toes in the bath (filming TGYK, I think). Could you ask for anything better? LOL.

***

Trivia contest. This made me question my status as a WP Nerd. As much as I think I know...ha. I know nothing. These people are obses...er...good. I *will* pay more attention in class, I *will* pay more attention in class....

***

Music video honoring Aphrodite. Pretty good.

Alexandra Tydings. Ah, Alex. Great fun. New hair do, leather... *dreamy sigh* <g>.

More pics of Alex

Alex came on stage looking absolutely fan-freaking-tablulous (see above). She gave a friendly 'hi there' to the audience and after a few minutes proceeded to peel off the leather jacket, claiming that we, the audience, made her hot...hee. Um...thank you, likewise...I *am* sure <g>.

This was her first con in Orlando, but she'd been in town before to film a Sheena ep, so she talked a bit about that. The audience wanted to know what was up with the black hair, she said it makes her feel rebellious and did it 'cause it's fun. She couldn't recall anyone's name in MHR (Katie Stewart and the young man that played her love interest) and she joked, "put me on stage and I turn blonde." Heh. Fine. Black hair, blonde hair, red hair, blue hair...it's all good <g>.

She talked at length about making The God You Know (her favorite episode). "I always wanted to play a heroin addict," she said with a smile.

She also talked at length about filming Married With Fishsticks. Mostly about how difficult it was to film underwater, and stories of unruly wigs. She said they considered making MWF a spin off series...she said she wasn't kidding...but...she has to be...right? (shudder <g>)

When asked about her personal life, she said she just got her red belt in Tai Kwon Do, and she's also been made an instructor.

As for her future, she said her career has shifted in the last year, and she wants to "create her own thing". Talked about Hourglass, starring herself and Claudia Christian (co-producers). She wrote the pilot script. Steven Sears is executive producer, they're currently pitching it around town. Right now, it's at a couple of financiers who are talking about maybe putting it to Australia, or maybe moving it to Luxembourg (what?). She said RT gave her a lot of advice about it, and told her that it will take a lot longer than she thinks it will before it gets off the ground, so not to be discouraged.

She's writing a feature, that she hopes to direct, and she's filming a short film with Claudia called Sever. It's about a woman (Claudia) who's lover dies and basically it's about that journey that you go through when you lose someone you love, and you have to finally let go of them and move on. Besides Claudia, it stars model turned actress, Tamiko Fraser as her girlfriend, Chase Masterson (from DS9), plays Claudia's best friend, and Katherine Fugate (writer of When Fates Collide) plays another of Claudia's friends.

She talked about being in Claire's music video for the band Telepopmusik (Breathe). We saw this Sat. night. Very cool, but you wouldn't recognize Alex with dark hair and makeup a la Darryl Hannah in Blade Runner or Siouxsie Sioux with the heavy black eye makeup. Oh, and did I mention she's neked occasionally with the exception of some *very* small, well placed bits of electrical tape...<g>. Oh my.

She talked about Irish dancing and her love for Dairy Queen, then we made her dance <g>. She brought up a member of the audience to step dance (who was quite good) and another young lady who claimed could dance, but apparently just wanted some attention. Then Alex talked about how and why she got into acting, talked some more about Hourglass, explaining the premise, etc...

She closed her appearance with a story about dealing with a very pissed off cobra while shooting Sheena. Very funny. That was it for Alex. Thank you, and a pleasure as always.

***

Next came the auction. 50% of the profits went to the Kevin Smith Foundation. Some good deals were had, but surprisingly, quite a few things went for retail price. Mostly things signed by either Lucy or Renee, or both. They auctioned off Callisto's sword with the signatures of all the guests in attendance at Pasadena last Feb. It went for several thousand.

***

Music video salute to Callisto. Pretty good. (Bitch)

Hudson Leick. Hudson, Hudson, Hudson. Wow.

More Hudson pics

Yeeeeah....anyway (peeling my eyes away from the above photo). Hudson strolled out to thunderous applause (for obvious reasons <g>) announcing that she hoped we weren't expecting someone classy...'cause that ain't what we're gettin'. Uh...OK. I'll take two. <g>

She then strutted and posed, letting us catch our collective breath (click, whirrr, flash, went the cameras, click, whirr, flash). She exchanged some good natured ribbing with the audience, tried on some of the scenery (see photo page), made fun of her trashy appearance, and how shy and demure she is (almost fell on the floor laughing over that one). She attempted some yoga poses (in that dress!), didn't get very far.

She was *very* funny, just chatting with the audience for a long time. She said that she's auditioning a lot, but didn't have anything concrete to tell us right now. She told the story of how she was half an hour late for her Witchblade audition (she was sick), and they let her go. (bummer)

Talked a bit about her yoga class, working on Chill Factor with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Sceet Ulrich, and a funny bit about how hard it was for her to play an angel in the ep, Fallen Angel ("How do you play sweet, innocent, and pure?" she wondered. And then she made funny faces trying to look angelic).

As for her personal life, she's going to see a holy woman (Don't know how it's spelled, but it sounded like Ah-mah-chee. I've since been told it's spelled Ammachi). She gives healing by hugging people. "I know," she said, in complete understanding of the low murmur coming from the crowd. "It sounds completely bizarre." A pause. "But then again...who are you watching right now?"

In June, she's going to do Summer Solstice in Santa Fe.

She did her Callisto scream (kinda scary <g>), and when asked about her favorite Xena moments, shooting people with her finger she liked, and killing Perdicus 'wasn't bad'. "I did her a favor in the end," she grinned. "Nice man. Just not for her." Amen Sista.

She ended her stint by showing us the strap on her clear underwear and auctioning off her dress (and hat). It brought $1500.

***

Then it was autograph time with Alex and Hudson. Both were really lovely and giving. I don't know how they do it, but they gave each and every person their undivided attention (and there were *a lot* of people). Hudson was still there at 7:30pm posing for pictures with fans. Amazing, wonderful ladies, both of them.

***

On to the Saturday evening performance, the Stansfield & Christian Show. This turned into the Stansfield & Tydings show briefly, as Claudia was caught in our lovely Orlando traffic.

First up was Claire's directing job for Telepopmusik's video, Breathe, starring the lovely, unrecognizable and mostly naked, Alex Tydings <g> Good song, good video.

Then Claire and Alex read and acted out several pieces of Fan Fiction. *Very* funny! Unfortunately, my pictures of the Sat. night show didn't turn out all that great. They had to squeeze the seating into a narrow room, and it messed up the seating arrangements. Soon 4th row aisle became 6th row, behind someone's head <grr>. But...I have a few to share, click below.

Alex and Claire reading Fan Fic.

After the Fan Fic came Claire's wildly funny short film, Two Bad Ass Women in Love...With Each Other. She took an Alti doll (the 12" Shamaness Xena doll with thick magic marker for eyeliner) and the 12" Callisto doll, and made a film in her back yard about Alti and Callisto teaming up to find Xena's lost head (which appeared on a stick in the beginning) so that they can rule the world...or something. Honestly, I was laughing too hard to follow the plot <g>. Funny stuff.

Claudia arrived with apologies for being late, and she and Alex performed a few skits from The Vagina Monologues. They did "The Word Vagina", "The Flood", "What Do You Call It?", and then they brought up a couple of audience members and did "If your Vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" Then, "If your vagina could talk (in two words), what would it say?" Lastly, Alex and Claudia demonstrated various types of orgasms. *That* was hysterical!!!

Claudia and Alex in The Vagina Monologues

On that note, Saturday at the con came to a close.

 

Sunday

 

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