Finally, the last of our VegasCon reminiscences – and more beautiful photos of beautiful subjects. Huge thanks to talented photographers (and fellow fangirls) Kim Prior and RitaKF for working so hard to get these amazing shots. Leave them some love in the comments!
Sunday is always a blur of J2, and that Sunday was no exception. The boys did their gold panel early, and I think everyone was grateful to poor Jared for coming even though he clearly wasn’t feeling well. That didn’t stop his irrepressible sense of humor or his affection for both his costar and the fandom.
Jensen was feeling fine, hopefully still as happy about his rockstar performance the night before as all of us were. Not that I’m not always in a good mood on a con Sunday, but this one even moreso.
My favorite photos from a con are often the ones of the guests interacting with each other. I’ll never get tired of seeing the genuine affection between them or watching how much they enjoy each other’s company. The very first time I saw Jared and Jensen onstage together at a convention, which was now eight years ago somehow, I was struck by how much fun they were having and by that thing that everyone who’s ever met them calls ‘chemistry’.
That friendship is just as visible today as it was back then — in fact, these guys never seem to get tired of each other. Send them off on hiatus and they end up taking selfie vids on the lake and running a Tough Mudder together before heading off to Europe for more cons.
I can’t recall why, but for some reason Jared started talking (or singing?) about the whole chin music up thing, and then Jensen had to act it out. For reasons.
Pretty sure he doesn’t need to go around puffing his chest though. Hot enough as it is.
Jared wore his ‘Always Keep Fighting’ tee shirt from the represent.com campaign. I love hearing him speak so passionately about it, and loved Jensen’s obvious pride in his friend’s determination to do something to help spread awareness and stop the silence around depression, suicide and mental health challenges.
We also got a little bit more of Jensen and a hula hoop. Anything that makes his hips move like that is a good thing in my book, so keep right on bringing your handy dandy hula hoops to cons, fandom.
Then we were treated to Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s first convention panel, during which he practically melted most of the audience by putting on a fan’s glasses and reading porn from a fan’s iPad. Good thing other people took pictures, because I was temporarily stunned. Can you say hot?? And also good sport??
Seeing Jeffrey Dean Morgan in person for the first time just made me more in awe of Supernatural’s casting. Seriously, how can so many actors be so awesome? JDM is humble, funny, smart and just as passionate about Supernatural as we all are. He teared up when he talked about his son and laughed at himself when he couldn’t hear a question.
When Jensen and Jared did their afternoon panel, he crashed it and came out to throw his arms around both of his “sons”, kissing them on the forehead as though he really was their dad while Jared and Jensen positively beamed. The ways in which this show bleeds into real life are numerous and extraordinary, and it was a privilege to witness it. In fact, I may never recover.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan: holy crap what took me so long to get here?
Everyone: WE DON’T KNOW!
We also got Sam Smith back onstage, so now we had all four Winchesters! Which called for an Awkward Family Portrait ™. And oh my, was this one ever awkward!
I can’t tell you how many times I felt close to overcome with emotion seeing the way Jared and Jensen interact with their onscreen “parents”. There’s just so much joy between all of them, as though none of them can believe how long this wild ride has gone on or how important all the Winchesters are to so many people. It’s extraordinary, and I think they all know it.
I brought a copy of Fangasm with me. Jared and Jensen were very sweet and told Jeffrey that it was a good book – he asked if I’d send him a copy so he could read it too! Hell YES! He also kissed me on the cheek. Papa Winchester! *fans self*
Tahmoh Penikett did the last panel as he often does. He’s the perfect last guest, always so open and accessible, and with such an impressive resume of genre shows that fans have a ton of questions. Yet another bit of proof that Supernatural has the best casting agency in the history of ever.
And because Vegas is Vegas, the con still wasn’t over! Sunday night we were treated to a concert by Jason Manns, who hasn’t been to a US con in quite some time. Jason contributed a free song download to Fangasm, and we’ve missed seeing him perform! The concert was a wonderful way to close out the con.
Flying back to Philly on Monday morning, I found myself thinking about how lucky I am, and we all are, that the people who make the show we fell in love with are who they are. They’re talented actors, sure, but it’s so much more than that. They have a genuine affection and caring for the fandom, and for each other. They come to the conventions as a lucrative part of their job, sure, but they also come because they love it. They love seeing their fans and knowing their fans and hearing firsthand the impact that their work on the show has had on other people. They love stretching themselves, trying out talents they might not have otherwise – especially musically. And we get to be there, encouraging and inspiring them just as they encourage and inspire us.
Here, have some more gorgeous photos…
The new book I’m working on is all about that reciprocal inspiration. It’s about how Supernatural has changed lives: for the fans and for the actors. How one little show that almost went under many years ago has actually been a life saving experience. I’m so grateful that Supernatural is the show I fell for. Aren’t you?
I’m also having a really hard time not posting every single one of these amazing photos. So sorry. Not really. Jensen is exasperated with my lack of self control when it comes to posting photos of these guys. Sorry, Jensen.
WordPress is refusing to add a few photos (clearly I really have gone overboard here…) so you may get one more post just to get the last ones in here. Or maybe a miracle will occur when I hit Post and they’ll magically appear…
Coming up? We chat with the Kings of Con, Richard Speight Jr. and Rob Benedict. And with the delightful Curtis Armstrong. And we continue to bite our fingernails while worrying about the Season Finale. Aaaaaahhhh!
–Lynn
Check out ‘Fangasm Supernatural Fangirls’ and
our other books at the links at the top of the page
OMG, I love you guys. Thanks so much for this (and Jensen will just have to live with the photos – we neeeeeeed them. For reasons. Scientific ones.)
And isn’t the interaction amongst this cast something to behold? It’s really like nothing I’ve ever seen. The J2 videos from this week and the pics from the Tough Mudder this weekend show that. The fact that six of them were there doing that together, and not only that, they were all wearing shirts to support Rob and Richard’s project…it’s really amazing. And happy making. I’ve been smiling at those photos all weekend. They genuinely like and love each other and that comes through so clearly.
And if they do another Tough Mudder, I say that the women of SPN need to field a team. You can’t tell me that Felicia Day, Alaina Huffman, Kim Rhodes and Briana Buckmaster wouldn’t be all over that (probably Lauren Tom, Gen and Danneel too, unless I miss my guess.)
I’ve loved all of your con reports so much. Thanks so much for posting and all the wonderful pics.
Loved your words about the actors esp. J2 interacting. Don’t know if you saw this but I was in the autograph line to get Jensen’s and he kept sending handlers over to sick Jared’s table across from him to check and make sure Jared was alright. Let’s all say it: Awww.
The real reason I went to the con (my first, tho I’ve watched the show since episode 1) was to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan and he really didn’t disappoint. He is actually closer to Jensen (he and Danneel introduced him to Hilarie, and they still socialise together). I could kind of tell when they were all onstage. It was only Jensen he kissed. I didn’t see him do that to Jared, maybe because he warned Jeff about his illness.
It was all such a fantastic experience. I re-lived a lot of it by reading your impressions of it. Thanks.
I absolutely love reading your con reports (and everything else you write)! I find myself laughing and tearing up and exclaiming “Yes!” numerous times because you always put into words my own thoughts and feelings. The other night I actually stayed up most of the night reading your blog. I’ve never not been able to “put down” a blog before!
I cannot wait for your next book! That reciprocity is the main reason I fell so hard for this show, this fandom, and this unbelievable cast! I only started watching the show three months ago, and I’ve already watched every episode and pretty much every con video, joined Twitter so I could follow SPN people, and attended my first con (SeaCon).
I have watched a LOT of shows (60+) and dabbled in other fandoms, and never have I seen anything like the SPN Family. This cast and this fandom and the relationship between them is something really special and unique, and I am constantly blown away by it. I only wish I’d found it sooner!
Gonna have to disagree with Jensen over this one teeny thing. It’s impossible to have too many pictures! 😉 So privileged to be a part of this family. Only one other fandom I’ve been involved with even comes close.
Reblogged this on Ana Fraser Lallybroch Blog.
I love reading all your Con reports and the photos are just amazing and beautiful. Vegas Con seems so epic with all the Winchester family together, along with all the other cast members, and of course Jensen taking part in the concert. It must have been such a special 4 days/nights to be there. I say fit in as many Jensen photos as possible, the more the merrier 🙂
I’ll be going to my first ever convention in October and looking over all the Vegas stories and photos makes me even more super excited to get there and experience it in person.
OMG I am so envious of your ability to write what i feel these many miles away in Indiana- I want to thank you, and the photographers for the great pix- it is like being there and if I close my eyes I can almost hear them laughing- as in the pix- Hope these show never ends- I live precariusly through this program- having lived 82 years, I am now looking forward to my chance to see them every week- and on the DVD’s I have of all 9 years- Thanks everyone for giving me smiles and tears and looking forward to many more years to share with these talented people- thank you- for everything!!!
I am so grateful for these posts. It makes me feel like I was there and that I’ve had a chance to speak with this talented group of people.
P.S. Never apologize for posting too many photos. There’s no such thing. Sorry Jensen!