Wolf SG-4
Con Report
Part Two

On Sunday, the schedule went out the window after the photo session. Michael's second Q and A was before that, but Tom, Amanda and Lexa ended up on stage together for a joint talk.

Michael's Sunday Q and A

Michael appeared on stage with a cuddly bear. First he snuggled it, then he attacked himself with it. Finally, he sat it on the chair on stage. When he took his leather jacket off a little later, he tucked the bear in with it. With this display and the similar one at the cocktail party with snuffles, Michael obviously has an issue with cuddly toys - he's really cute with them (sorry, but he is!)

There was also a request for Michael to auction his gum. (Eeeek!) He declined.

- Q: "Would you go through the Stargate?"
<Walking to the model on stage> "Well, what's this?" Michael said he'd go through the 'Gate, but he'd like to know that there was air on the other side first.

- Marina Sirtis:
She's shorter than Michael thought she'd be, but still sexy.

- End of Bane (SG, Season 2):
Probability that Rick [Dean Anderson] switched the script so Michael was in the end scene with Chris Judge (and subsequently soaked by Mr. Judge) - about 90%. The scene took one shot and the surprised reaction from Daniel was actually real because Michael didn't know Chris was going to soak him.

- The Bear Story:
When asked if he ever got his own back, Michael told us what he did during the filming of 1969 (S2, ep 21) in a Vancouver forest. He called Chris Judge "The biggest powder puff I've ever met," and said that because Chris was from LA he had a fear of bears. Michael ducked down behind the chair on stage to show how visible a grip (wearing a black hat) was. Having wound Chris up all day with fake noises, Michael pointed out the grip to Chris, who freaked and went "tearing ass" down the mountain. "Then he was tearing ass up the mountain after me."

- Michael said the writers used clichés to let the audience know that they know they use them. (It does make sense - honest!)

- A member of the audience said, "You can do something Daniel can't - keep people in an audience."

- Spacemonkey!
Q: "Where does Spacemonkey come from?"
A: Michael has no idea. It wasn't in the script - Richard Dean Anderson just made it up.

- In 20 years…:
Simon, the Wolfevents web designer, asked Michael what he thought he'd be doing in 20 years, and then put an image of Michael with a full black beard on the video screen. He answered the question anyway: "fishing in Tahiti".

- There was a short pause while the mics were handed around during which Michael asked himself a question: "Favourite colour? Blue."

- Most Favourite episode:
Torment of Tantalus and The Fifth Race. Episodes that "moved the story forward".

- Least Favourite episode:
Hathor, Seth. Michael found it hard to believe that "the best a Goa'uld could come up with was a farmhouse, fifteen guys and a black leather jacket".

- New Film:
Called All Around the Town. The film was shot in Toronto and Michael plays a psychologist. Nastassja Kinski plays a woman accused of murder who has/may have multiple personalities.

- Crystal Skull (SG Season 3, ep 21):
Michael told us that the story of finding a long-lost relative was originally written for Rick, who didn't want to do it. Michael introduced the idea of the Crystal Skull (from fact) and the two stories were combined for Daniel.

- Q: "When you were younger, what did you want to be and what games did you play?"
A: <quietly> "Doctor." He also said, "hockey player" and "actor". "I went to University and realised business wasn't what I wanted to do but what I thought I had to do." Michael has lots of Star Wars stuff that he won't give away. "Unless I stink in my next movie!" Hmmm, whatever!

- Impressions:
Michael did a mini-sketch of Smithers and Mr Burns from The Simpsons. Veeerrry funny!

- Q: "What was the question that Daniel was asking in Window of Opportunity?"
A: Michael knows, but won't say. He said that he wanted to keep some mystery. (Darn it!) He'd wanted the fact that he played Thor to be a secret but it got leaked (by accident).

- Q: "What was it like inside a sarcophagus?"
A; "Claustrophobic." Michael said it was pitch black but okay unless the doors get jammed shut (which happened to him once).

- Amanda Tapping asked another question: "What do you feel about a Sam-Daniel romance?"
MS: "Who wants to know?"
AT: "Someone who cares for you deeply - truly, madly, deeply."
MS: "[They] really dropped the ball on that. Y'see, Jack and Sam…" <cheers from some parts of audience> "Whatever! They have these regs. But Daniel's a civilian."
I think there was a little more conversation between the two before Michael said, "Why don't you come up here for a moment?" and gave Amanda a hug and a kiss.

- Nervous Encounters
Someone asked if there was anyone he'd be nervous to meet. Michael said Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. He then did an impression of himself when he met Sarah McLachlan (which bore a striking resemblance to me when I met Michael in Cardiff - a bit starstruck.) Michael went on to say it was about "appreciating someone else's art form, knowing that you can't do it yourself and having respect for that."

- Q: "What did you take from the set?"
A: "I have the Gate in my truck!" Michael said he took a couple of pairs of glasses (which are really expensive because of the non-reflective lenses), a jacket, some velcro patches and a bandanna.

And then Michael had to go to the epic photo session. The audience gave him a standing ovation and he was visibly moved as he walked off stage.

Tom, Lexa and Amanda on stage Sunday afternoon

That was the last time I saw Michael Shanks. Something that wasn't obvious when Michael was on stage (or in the Saturday photo and autograph session) was that he was *really* ill. Add to that the emotion of the weekend and it's remarkable how he made it through the con. Unfortunately he didn't make it to the closing ceremony and went back to their hotel with Lexa after the last autograph session. Tom and Amanda did come on stage to announce the art prize winners and say goodbye on behalf of all of the guests. Amanda stated that Michael wasn't well, and then called him a "wimp" under her breath (but into the mic so everyone heard). LOL! Unfortunately, Amanda and Tom left quite quickly because Amanda was also ill.

This weekend was brilliant. There was the same convention atmosphere as SG-3 - meeting friends, music vids, great guests, discos, queues, etc. - but there was also an added layer of emotion. There were times when I couldn't help thinking this was goodbye to Michael Shanks, but only for a little while. I'm sure he'll be back on our screens - big or small - very soon, but as whom only time will tell.

Thank you to Michael, Amanda, Tom and Lexa for a great weekend!

SG4 - A Tribute to Michael Shanks:
The Music Video
(Fancy Dress Party)

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