Festival of Fear '09: Saturday Celebrities

Saturday was a different beast entirely. Lineups for buying tickets for the event zigzagged across the lobby, out the back door of the building, around the corner and up the block. I've been one of the poor souls who waited 2 hours to get in, but I can only imagine what the wait time was this year.

Luckily, with a flash of my exhibitor pass, I could slip in and out of the event with little hassle; that is, if I dared face the packed crowds in the aisles.

And then there was more lining up inside. Lineups to hear celebrities speak (people started to lineup at 3 for a talk by Bruce Campbell at 5). Lineups to buy tickets to have an autograph. And then lining up to GET the autograph.

And these autographs weren't free. Far from it. Bruce Campbell was charging $45. Leonard Nemoy was apparently charging up to $65 depending on what you wanted (say it ain't so, Spock!).

Now I've seen (some, not all) celebrities charge for autographs before at this event, but never at these insane prices. I respect the idea that the celebrities want to make money for their time, but seriously...the convention is called Fan Expo; it wasn't the Screw Your Most Faithful Fans convention.

Heck, even former WWF Wrestlers Iron Shiek and Honkey Tonk Man - who should have just been happy to be a part of the festivities - were charging $20 a pop (if the rumours are true).

Needless to say, I did not give them my money. Besides, I've already seen Bruce Campbell do a talk. And then when I found out Tom Savini cancelled, that sealed the deal: no seminars or lining up for me.

But there were autographs to be had. If only I could find out where the person in question was on the floor.

Through the crowds I scurried, avoiding the multitude of costume tails donned by many of the anime crowd or furries. No longer was I in my beloved horror section - I had crossed into comic book territory (which was too close to the gamers area for my taste. The sound of video game promos and live-play was deafening).

After circling the DC Comics booth, I found him. Max Brooks wasn't charging his fans for an autograph. In fact, he was giving away signed promos for the graphic novel The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks.

He also was kind enough to sign my copy of World War Z. All in all, a nice guy seemingly having a good time (even if the task of signing autographs all day was daunting or boring, he wasn't letting on).

And on a pseudo-celebrity note - amongst us haunters and Halloween folk anyway - I had a surprise message delivered to me that day. A lovely woman stopped to talk to me. She was very happy to have found me in the masses because she'd promised to say hi to me from someone she worked with: Rot (of www.pumpkinrot.com). The best part about this story is I'd just been lamenting the fact that most of the people I interact with online live in the States, and how I would have liked to have met them over the weekend. So thank you, Rot, for the warm fuzzies.

And then I got to feel a bit like a celebrity in my own right, as a handful of people (those that made it inside; I received many notices of how people just could not face the crowds) mentioned they visit the site or know me from a forum, and even one person who said he came by for Brains Vs Coffee because he'd seen the post promoting the book on www.boo-spooky.com (much thanks!). And I was even asked to sign a few copies too.

And for the record, my autograph was free.

More updates to come!