Those planning on attending the Chicago SG con this weekend by now hopefully know Ben will not be there. He let me know Sunday but was still trying to work it out. He is filming a movie —details to follow. we should group together Sunday and do a Hell Yea for him. I told him we would keep the Farscape spirit alive 🙂
Don’t forget Ben will be appearing at the Chicago Stargate Convention August 16, 2015. As much as I enjoy seeing him and most guests by themselves on stage I do enjoy the interaction when actors do a group panel. I think it would be great fun to see him onstage with Amanda Tapping and Michael Shanks.
The video from Ben’s appearance in Adelaide is uploaded so enjoy!
Check out the list of Ben’s upcoming con appearances. Always remember if work comes up he may not be able to attend and we WANT him to work!
Action John was busy this past weekend at Dallas Comic Con! A side note Alex Kingston’s outfit was more beautiful in person.
Ooops! I can’t believe I forgot this picture from my friend j!
So hard to begin! Ben entered the breakfast seemingly without the Creation people knowing and introduced himself. I have to say he looked the best I have seen him look in years—rested,tan and fit. Plenty of time was allowed at each table. At our table after asking if we went to the karaoke party (none of us had) one girl brought up Sweet Caroline was her go to karaoke song which led to Ben doing it a la Bob Dylan. Memorable to say the least! He also discussed Fedcon and Barrowman. He said Barrowman was thinking he was going to shock the straight boy 🙂 As a parting shot he said the mustache will hopefully be back as he is hoping a western project comes through. We were all stunned at this unsolicited news. I checked with him later and that is all he can say at this point.
The room was as full for Ben as any of the SG guests which is good and means the calls for boycotting him at SG cons has lost steam. He mentioned some of the conversations he had had so far that day— death by shark, death by refrigerator … At Fedcon he got involved with Richard Dean Anderson’s Sea Shepard charity so was telling a story about a surfer he was talking to while they were waiting for a wave who was hurt by a whale. He finished with he may not wear his Sea Shepard shirt/hat again! He then gave us his scif “creds” — the shows he has been involved with, his favorite scifi authors (#1 Neil Stephenson). He then explains that he may or may not answer the questions asked — those of us who have attended other appearances laughed. He got people saying their favorite episode before asking their question which was cool. The questions were primarily Farscape ones if series related. One of the first and my favorite that was asked Saturday was how would he have ended season 5 had there been a season 5. He said that Farscape won’t end until John Crichton is dead. He told of an idea he pitched for a story for SG1 that would have been Sam-centric but Amanda Tapping wasn’t able to do it. He was riffing on how SG1 would roll into a town,armed and it was instantly known they were good guys. His episode would have had Bad Ass Sam. A fan favorite question –who is the better kisser Michael Shanks, John Barrowman or Claudia Black. Laughing he replied — I would like to deny that I kissed Shanks. I would like to deny I kissed Barrowman. But I have seen the pictures on the internet so the answer is my wife. The room became quiet when after being asked if he was still writing he explained that he stopped in 2010 when first his agent (??) tried to kill himself, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, his father died from cancer and his manager of over 20 years died from cancer. He then sid he is starting to write a bit now. A kid asked something about story ideas—Ben gave several minutes discussing the evolution of a TV script. The kid said he meant when in the SG episode 200 and the characters were pitching ideas. Ben laughed and said “It rocked”. Another kid question which show was more fun to do? He said which looks more fun? Kid responded Farscape. Ben said there is your answer. Some highlights — working with Claudia Black was AMAZING, when he replaced RDA there was a huge party(joke) followed by I did NOT replace RDA, Russell T. Davies is a Farscape fan, some days at work were so fun he burned the dailies (I am guessing I know what days many of you are thinking 😉 ), Crichton more cerebral and Mitchell more linear but both extremely loyal. His biggest fanboy moment was while in London as a theatre student he was a few seats away from Dustin Hoffman and tries to speak to him. Hoffman stares then moves to a seat somewhere else!
I had seen all three members of SG1 many times before. All three (Ben,Amanda Tapping and Chris Judge) always show respect to the fans even if they tease them. Ben has the challenge of overcoming a fandom that has many who resent him and he continues to charm them, not by sweet talking them but by respecting their loyalty and showing his own to his “favorite” show , Farscape.
Several Ben fans are getting involved in the fundraiser by donating signed items for auction. I will be compiling a list with pictures so people can be thinking about what they might need 🙂
Ben gave a great talk at Creation’s Stargate Chicago convention this past Saturday. It was a long day that started with a breakfast at 0745. @virkatjol at our table was fast with her camera and got these which have been on Twitter as well!
Worthy of Michaelagelo?
I will sort my con thoughts tomorrow but Ben did a wardrobe change before his talk possibly for his meet and greet with 10 fans—- my friend J got these pictures :
Ben gave fans his usual smile and greetings while he signed autographs until 11 PM!
Live tweeting today at 15:50 Central Time @Action_John
I found this short interview with Ben from Fedcon 22(May 2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfZqkuRdoCE
And U.S. viewers Farscape is now on Pivot cable channel and Ben did an interview with them :
http://www.pivot.tv/shows/farscape
I will hopefully be live tweeting from the Chicago SG con 17 August so look for @Action_John on Twitter
IMDB has Ben in a family feature The Adventures of RoboRex. The medium of distribution has not been announced yet.
****Don’t forget Ben will be a guest at Creaion’s SG1 con in Chicago on 17 August****
CORRECTION : Start date is September 1
I know it is only July but I have been working on the birthday fundraiser. For this year I am sticking with Breast Cancer Research Foundation. This fandom is very international and the research will benefit people everywhere. New this year will be no minimum donation and Paypal. There will be two ways to donate—via the “cause page” (credit card) and via Paypal on this site. I plan to launch on September 1. That said I will have the change cup at the Chicago SG con for those going to see Ben. The money collected there will be the opening donation. There will be several auctions of signed (RDA,Claudia,Amanda Tapping with Ben) pictures and some surprise goodies! Several fans have items they are donating or auctioning themselves with the proceeds to be donated.
From last July :
I know it is early but I am working on choosing a charity for the birthday fundraiser. Ben Browder fans have raised over $12,000 in the last years. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is a great group and they have now added an option with no minimum and Paypal. I have been trying to find a national veterans suicide prevention/help charity. The VA Crisis center is helping me now find one that meets our needs. Many groups are local and most not set-up for what we have done in the past — they are focused on individual donations. Most of the regular donors I know well and then there are surprises which I love (as does whatever charity!). As has been the tradition the last few years the drive will start on September 1 and run until midnight on Ben’s birthday. If anyone has ideas please contact me or post a comment! Many of you have had your first Ben in person experience this year at Starfest and Fedcon or will at Armageddon or Creation’s SG con —- remember to celebrate and support a good cause (whatever it ends up!).
