Saturday: Up bright and early to queue for Breakfast with James tickets. Found the usual suspects there as well. We enjoyed sitting around chatting til the tickets went on sale. As it happened,(probably because of NO publicity by the Con itself, ) everyone who wanted one...or more was able to buy them and Steve announced to the crowd at the Q&A that there were more available.
I know there are real transcripts available and my memory might be faulty in places but this is what I remember:
There were a good deal of the usual questions and answers. He said he was tired because he's been filming "Lie to Me" the night before. Said he got to work with Tim Roth who is a perfectionist. But he said that so is he so it was fine. There was a man who was disappointed...I mean really, really disappointed with Dragonball and he told James that he like James personally but that he had "stepped on his heart" or something like that with the whole movie. James took it in stride...I think he was as disappointed as the guy with the final results.
We were all surprised to hear that he didn't know much about his role on Caprica, including the name of his character (which we told him) .
The last question was given to a young girl who asked about the musical. James told her it was a good question and his voice had that sweet, kind quality he gets when he talks to children. It was a nice end.
The organizer was very surprised to see so many people in the audience (especially at the early hour of day) . He encouraged them to stick around for Adam West who spoke next but those who wanted photo's with James needed to leave then.
I had the idea that I'd like to have a "Cowboy Sam" picture. So, I brought along a man's mist grey Stetson in a size 7 1/4. It was way too big for me...so I thought there was a chance it would fit James. I said "I don't want you to think that I am too obsessed with cowboys but I would really like it if you'd wear this for me. He looked at me like 1. he'd really like to accomodate me and
2. he had grave doubts about whether it was going to fit.
But he tried. It sat high up on his head like a sailor's little dixie cap. The room laughed and I said" That's okay, James, plunk it on me. And that's how we took the photo...a bit more Calamity Jane than Cowboy Sam but I like it a lot...and a nice memory.
Afterwards there was a brief break when I scooted off to pick up my 6-foot Spike for the autograph line. I only brought it because I wanted to tell James that I hadn't bought it but this particular Spike had followed me home from a party. It was a bridal shower and the lovely red-headed bride told the group that although Spike had been a fixture in her bedroom for years and years, that her fiancee had asked her to get rid of it. Not having the heart to just toss him out, she brought him along hoping to find a good home for him. I volunteered. Spike might not have been as happy taking up residence in my computer room, but he'll get all the hot chocolate with little marshmallows he wants...and he will always be welcome.
James said "Please give the bride my regards and tell her the guy is right." I said well, yes, in his way but that my husband just spent our 37th wedding anniversary driving me from Florida to NJ because he says he likes to see me this happy. And James paused and looked at me glowing with love for Mr. B and said "Tell your husband he does it righter."
That evening I went with the group to Friendly's ... there were people of all ages to talk to so conversation seemed to flow easily and I think everyone had a good time.
Sunday Breakfast(this is a collection of things from several of the sessions)- There was a nice layout of coffee, juice, water, fruits, croissants, pastries etc. James gave a hug to everyone who walked in. Then we all sat down and James talked about all kinds of things: someone had gifted him with a device that holds lots of books for him to read and they talked about various books that they like, Rosie mentioned a Moonshot book she had given him and he said he had read it and it was the best one on the subject he had seen. He mentioned how much reading material they were given for Moonshot. They had to know and understand exactly what they were pushing, when to push it and why they were doing it. He said at first he and the actor who played Neil Armstrong couldn't understand how men could really do such a dangerous thing as the astronauts had done. Then James said that all the astronauts had faced actually was instant death...which would be "easy". He told Neil "but we are actors, if we aren't good in a role we face world-wide humiliation that will follow us forever! So he didn't think the astronauts could do their job. And Neil nodded and they both felt all puffed up and confident and it helped them pull off that "attitude".
Someone had brought a Fender guitar. James played 2 songs on it. White Hot girls and something else. At one point, Steve sort of wiggle/danced around behind him , the crowd laughed and James turned around but not fast enough to see what was going on.
There was a discussion of hair dyeing. James said he'd like to dye his hair blond at least once more. That he liked the look...though of course he has the memories of it being a painful experience for him.
I asked how tempted had he been by the "Cash for Clunkers" program and he said "Not at all!" He loves his old car. He plans on driving it for a few more years and then giving it to his son. He said he has never been one of those guys who are "car crazy". He didn't have one till his late 20's and then he knew he'd want to cart kids around in it. He said it must have not have impressed his dates much when they saw the spilled orange juice stains, and tiny little handprints all over the windows.
He was asked if he had a time-frame for when we'd get a new album and he said he thought it wouldn't be long but he thought his son might put one out before him. He said there are 11 good songs Sullivan has. James thinks his son should sing with his songs. That he can sing well but he says he doesn't want to.
He said that in high school he bought and wore zoot suits from thrift stores...suits that came way up his waist and long coats with them. He just liked being different.
Finally, it had to come to an end but what a lovely time it was, just that sitting around chatting kind of thing that so many of us have hoped we would someday have a chance to do (but never really thought would happen...thank you, Steve!) . It was perfect.
We had another photo op. This time I just asked to stand behind him (I like him front and center) . I am always so touched and amused when he schootches way down so my 5'2" self can be seen.
The last autograph session I had a Spike doll and my cowboy hat pic. James laughed at our picture and said that the director of High Plains Invaders had wanted him to be wearing a cowboy hat but none could be found that fit him (how big IS that head?? )
And that was the end of the event. I had a good time, I met good people and Now, on to DragonCon in Atlanta.
I also have that 6 foot Spike poster; it's the poster I had autographed at the Grandslam Con I went to with James. ....I love that he used to wear zoot suits. He must have looked great in them..though they weren't a fashion trend when he wore them.
