Michael Beck Texas Frightmare 2016

In the past, I have admitted that now and then I have ‘fanboyed out’ and lost my suave James Bond demeanor as I got a signature.  It doesn’t happen often but it does occur.  Michael Beck has done that to me twice. 

Think about that for a moment.  While extremely excited, I was able to converse with Tom Cruise and Hugh Jackman.  Denzal Washington put me on my heels but I made him laugh at the end. I think I conducted myself well with Ray Bradbury, George RR Martin, and Tom Clancy. George Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Buzz Aldrin? A piece of cake.  However, I have geeked out twice with Michael Beck.

I first got his autograph 8 years ago at SDCC. There was no line and I just walked up. It started off well: I said hello.

Then it fell apart.  I babbled about how much I loved the movie, The Warriors.  Well, I think I’m being generous with the word ‘babbled’.  I think I uttered a syllable every few seconds.  He was kind and said to take my time and I did take my time. However, I didn’t say anything else.  I took my photo and left.

Later that day, I returned to that table as Deborah VanValkenburgh had joined him.  I added her signature to the photo.  I was much better with her because I totally ignored Michael.  I knew I would have fanboyed out again.

At this year’s Texas Frightmare, I got in the short line for Michael Beck.  A friend saw me and started talking to me.  She later told me she left as she could tell I wasn’t there. I was already somewhere else.  Oh, I nodded at the appropriate places in the conversation but there was no sign of intelligence behind my eyes.  Nothing was registering. Sadly, I admit that was true.

When I got to stand in front of Beck, this time I knew I had my act together. I selected a photo. I placed it front of him. I mentioned I saw him at SDCC. He leaned back and said that was a long time ago.  I smiled and agreed.  I mentioned how I lost my cool and was just a fanboy. He smiled. I said I just stood there like an idiot and could barely make a sound. I told him he was very patience with me.  He shrugged it off. Then I just stood there. I opened my mouth. I closed my mouth.

Oh no. I was doing it again. Then I said that:  Oh no. I was doing it again. He leaned forward to sign my photo.  We broke eye contact.  He saw the photo I had just gotten from James Remar and the ‘No Wimps’ quote.  He didn’t ask me anything. He signed.  He added ‘The Best’ above his signature. I picked up the photo and left.

AH

The earworm for that weekend: In The City and the Warriors' Theme