Can’t make it the 2010 Official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas? No worries. Startrek.com is here and we’ve been roaming the premises all four days, checking in on Trek star talks, attending events and stopping by the dealers’ room – and we’re reporting about it right here. So, here goes:
August 5
Walter Koenig, the first-ever Creation convention guest, has the honor of opening the 2010 Official Star Trek convention.
In the dealers’ room, a dead ringer for Lore walks the room, and more than a few people are tempted to ask if it’s Brent Spiner.
George Takei, in the afternoon, can be found in a conference room chatting amiably with 10 fans participating in a special meet & greet.
The kids are all right, as the children from the TOS episode “And the Children Shall Lead” reunite on stage. There’s Pamelyn Ferdin, Mark Robert Brown, Brian Tochi and Craig Huxley.
Sally Kellerman and Gary Lockwood, who starred together in the TOS episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” take the stage together. For nearly an hour, they reminisce about the episode, other times they worked together. Lockwood jokes about his four marriages, while Kellerman happily reveals that she’s been married to the same guy for 30 years.
Gotta love the dealers’ room booth with the artist drawing caricatures of people… as their favorite Star Trek alien race. Our question: do the people dressed in costume get drawn as humans?
In the evening, many attendees choose between two intriguing options: a party and show starring Trek faves at the Stratosphere Hotel or a private, after-hours dinner at the Atomic Testing Museum, with Armin Shimerman (and his wife, DS9 guest star Kitty Swink), Rene Auberjonois, Casey Biggs and Marc Alaimo visiting each and every table.
August 6, 2010
The morning starts for many with a Beam Me Up DS9 breakfast. It’s a continental breakfast with Andy Robison, James Darren, Nana Visitor, Salome Jens, Aron Eisenberg and Jeffrey Combs in attendance. They pose for a group photo and then make the rounds at each table.
David Gerrold, popular author and writer of the classic TOS episode “The Trouble with Tribbles,” intrigues a roomful of people as he discusses “How Star Trek Invented The Future.”
Armin Shimerman and Rene Auberjonois hold a private meet and greet with a contingent of fans.
Over in the dealers’ room, several non-Trek guests are on hand, including Richard Kiel, Jaws from a couple of James Bond adventures, and Virginia Hey from Farscape and Richard Hatch from Battlestar Galactica.
It’s kind of a DS9 day. In the house, filling the biggest room, is Avery Brooks. He plays a little piano – yes, there’s a baby grand on the stage – and then chats for a while, then takes fan question. The hour flies by.
A happy couple in Star Trek uniforms pushes a baby stroller down a corridor. But a closer inspection reveals no babies. Rather, three adorable poodles charm the heck out of cooing, picture-taking attendees.
A DS9 panel is going on and fans are eating up every recollection and joke from Nana Visitor, Armin Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois, Aron Eisenberg and James Darren.
Creation co-boss Gary Berman leads the popular no-minimum bid auction. Up for sale: autographed photo art by Leonard Nimoy, Creation event posters that will be signed by Trek stars over the weekend, a dual signed Nimoy-Quinto photo, a Comic-Con exclusive Star Trek watch, Trek jackets, TOS original cast-signed photos and much, much more.
