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