Since Wiz-World Austin ’15 was rather disappointing, I remembered the cool encounter I had last year that I forgot to post…Samwise himself! Meanwhile, the people who run Wiz-World promised to work harder next year so it will be in late September because Austin had a better opening for the convention center. Hey, we’re closer to Latin America. Halloween is a great holiday but Day of the Dead is a big deal.
Anyway, last year I recall was about as slow. I paid full price for a one-day pass, spent too much on fun T-Shirts (broke that habit this year!) but I had to go to see this guy. Getting his autograph was a Christmas present for a pair (now a trio) of little ladies who love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sean is the current voice of Raphael. Me? Well, besides doing a great job as Samwise in the Rings trilogy; he and Elijah Wood were convince as the Hobbit duo and the only leading Americans in a sea of Brits, Scots and Aussies, while Aragorn is Scandanavian. My generation knows him more for being Rudy, the guy who got to play football for Notre Dame despite his size and poor grades (*chuckle* grades, yeah, right, they matter for college football). Plus he was the lovelorn schlub in Encino Man, the bellygunner in Memphis Belle, the leading man with Wil Wheaton in Toy Soldiers (a pseudo-remake of Taps) and of course, the elephant in my virtual room, Mikey in The Goonies.
It wasn’t my first time seeing him “in person.” Way back in 2008, Sean dropped by at the Travis County Democratic Convention to promote Bilary for the nomination. If you know my adopted home’s voting behaviors, he didn’t go over well. I forgive him, we’re on the same team, just cheering for different star players.
Back to Wiz World.
I was happy to meet him though. Sean’s about my age. He’s done a lot of things I like. He’s funny. He’s also the adopted-son of comic-actor John Astin (Gomez Addams, the Riddler) and his mother is sitcom star Patty Duke. Show business royalty that isn’t an asshole!
The funny story happened while I was waiting to get the autography for the ladies. The line wasn’t line and there was an interruption involving some people he was introduced to via the side of his table. He conversed with them a bit. Then he returned to us with a apology over it. I said, “It’s alright. You’re allowed to have friends.” He responded, “Now you tell me!” Nice to meet celebrities with a sense of humor and humanity unlike the horror stories from tabloids.
Nice to see he’s continuing to be the voice of Sam in the new Lego Dimensions game! Alongside the Doctor Who franchise, I’m definitely sold!