#SDCC Bones and The Glee Project

Sometimes to get an autograph you need to be lucky.  Sometimes a bit of tenaciousness is needed. Sometimes, you need be observant and slightly devious. Yes, not one of my prouder moments.

I spent time in line for the Fox signings.  They were doing several shows all at once.  The tickets for Bones went fast. I never watched the show but I like the lead actor, David Boreanaz.  After those tickets were gone the crew handling the raffle kind of lost interest. They handed out a lot of tickets to the other shows.  I was handed a winning ticket for Bob’s Burgers and for The Glee Project just because I was in line.

I was interested in the Glee Project until I realized it wasn’t the same thing as Glee.  Glee would have been one the wife would have loved and I would have let her stand in line to meet the stars.  Bob’s Burgers is a show that isn’t on my radar at all.  All I know is it’s animated.

I dutifully put the raffle tickets in the plastic holder for my badge and went about my day.  When I stood in line for the Glee Project, I was chit chatting with people around me. One girl noticed my other raffle ticket and mentioned she would see me at the Bones signing too.  She saw the question mark hanging over my head and pointed to my badge and the ticket.  She then showed me her ticket.  They were remarkably similar.

After I clarified it wasn’t for Bones, we chatted some more. After a long wait, we finally we got our signed mini posters from the Glee Project.  Yes, I was twice the age of anyone else in line. The other people actually knew who was signing and had things to say to them.  A few of the performers actually made an attempt to engage me in conversation. That was very sweet of them.  But they could tell I didn’t have the right vibe and refocused on those that had way too much energy and squeaky voices and were far closer to tears than I’ll ever get at a ComicCon.

So the kernel was planted.  My Bob’s ticket looked like the Bones ticket.  Thoughts flashed through my mind. Would I be taking a signed item from someone else – a legitimate winner?  Would I be caught and my badge stripped from me like a juiced up Olympian and never to return to SDCC again? Is this really deceitful or can I do a decade on the Rosemary and all be forgiven?  Will this be the start of a slippery slope and force me to vote Unitarian?

Yes, I will admit I did think about this throughout the day. I debated. Really, it was a mildly stressful.  I did not blithely jump off the deep end and do this.

The appointed time came and I stood in line.  My decision was made.  I didn’t display my raffle in fear of someone noticing and pointing the finger of shame.  I was quiet and remained guiltily quiet.  I pulled my ticket out at the last second and handed it to the guardian and keeper of tickets.  She never blinked.  She never looked the ticket over. I could have handed her a parrot as much as she cared.

I relaxed. The fates were with me.  I was going to get an autograph much cooler than Bob’s Burgers.  Plus, I was going to see David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel.  (Queue in the TV show announcer voice over) And that’s not ALL Bob – I was going to get a cool bit of swag.  It was a white glove that lit up and it looked like a skeleton’s hand. 

They led us to the signing table three at a time.  One of the booth babes handed me the glove and slid a poster to David to sign.  He smiled (side note to my sister – yes, he’s handsome and charismatic in person too) shook my hand and signed my poster.  He made a comment and I responded. I then slid over to the writer or producer or whoever he was. But my poster is gone.

Really, in a blink of an eye my poster vanished.  The writer/producer guy looked at me and smiled and I smiled back and he looked for something to sign.  David and this guy are 2 feet apart and somehow my poster vanished. It was uncomfortable. Maybe the fates were playing with me.

I must admit, I don’t think much of booth babes. I don’t mean that in a negative way. It’s not that I disrespect them.  I just don’t think much about them. They are part of the furnishing.  You don’t think about the plant in the corner or the sofa along that wall. They pretty up the room. They have a purpose. They serve that purpose. 

One of the booth babes saw the confusion.  Within 2 seconds she leapt into action.  While I’m awkwardly apologizing for losing my poster (which I never had the chance to touch) she rushed over to the girl that was handing out posters and got another one.  She placed it in front of David and quietly said he needed to it. He dutifully did. Afterward, he looked at me and silently asked me what happened with an arch of his eyebrow.  The writer producer guy looked over and spread his hands in a gesture of ‘it wasn’t me!’

Meanwhile Emily is just watching. The booth babe walked the process with this poster to ensure I don’t lose this one too. The producer/writer guy signed. He mumbled something about thanks for watching the show.  I dumbly nod in agreement.

Emily smiled a big smile.  I slightly relax.  The poster is signed. The booth babe placed it in front of me and I picked it up. I told her thank you.  As befuddled as I was, I was impressed with her quick thinking.  I told her I really did appreciate it.

Karma came back to me?  An opportunity to respect booth babes?  Or just another anecdote of SDCC?

AH