The Energon Pub

First let me set the scene. I got into what appeared to be a line for the Peter Cullen second autograph session. I was there about 1/2 hour before the session was to begin. After entering the line, the person in front of me explained that this was not infact the line for the second Peter Cullen autograph session... well, not exactly. The person relayed the story to me that this was the line of people hoping to get an autograph, but that there had been a large amount of people that waited in line for Cullen's first autograph session and that they were unable to get through everyone during that first session. So the people that were still in line for that frist session were given tickets that would allow them a spot in line during the second session. So there was a long line of people with tickets and they would get autographs, but we who were in the other line without tickets would only possibly get an autograph if the line with tickets finished early... maybe. Though in the end he did not have time for the hopefuls line.

Now I want to stop here and say that I have no bad feelings about the way that this was done. This was a completely fair way of making sure that those that were in the earlier line got what they deserved. Am I disappointed that I waited for that hour and a half for nothing, yes, but everything was done fairly.

So after a few minutes of waiting in line and people giving up hope and leaving the line, a man ended up behind me. He found out what was going on and started complaining that this was so unfair. He proceeded to moan on about how it wasn't fair because general admission started at 10am and there was a long line for that so by the time he got in the first autograph session was over. So he felt that the convention intentionally made it so nobody from general admission could get Cullen's autograph. He went on to rant about how this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him and that he couldn't afford to go to any other convention to get an autograph. He also mentioned that it wasn't fair because he couldn't afford the $50 early bird admission that would have allowed him to make the first session line. I felt like telling him that myself and most of the people in this line paid nearly $300 for the convention, but I knew this would just make him focus his anger at me for confronting him.

The next hour and a half was a constant replay of his whole rant everytime someone would come by asking if this was the autograph line. But the end, the two people in front of me and I would move our lips in sinc with his recurring complaints since by then we had the whole thing memorized. In my mind I decided that I would nickname him Wheelie since he was so annoying. I almost didn't mind when the staff told us that Cullen would not be able to get to this line and that we needed to go away.

But wait... then I went into the dealers room to look around and this guy kept walking up behind me continuing to moan about how unfair it was. I didn't say a word and moved to another tabl. And he followed. I guess he was looking for someone to agree with him and thought that since I had been in the line I would understand. Eventually I escaped and thankfully didn't see him again for the rest of the convention.

Now as I said before, I hold no ill will at Botcon for the way they handled the line. BUT, I do think that in the future they should limit autograph sessions for people that pre-paid for the convention. People that pay $10 to get in should not have the same opportunity for autographs as people that paid $100-$300. I began saving for this convention since I heard it was going to be this close to me. I am not rich,it was hard to save up enough money to go but I did. And even after paying all that money, I was not angry about not getting the autograph. What angers me is that I had to listen to a guy that thought that his $10 should make the convention staff bend over backwards to make him happy.

There, that's my rant. I just had to get it off my chest. Other than that the convention was amazing. I'm glad I didn't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Mr. Cullen was just awesome.

I actually had a pretty good time in the line(s).

Any way, back to your story. I hate when people use the 'F' word..."Fair".

See that's just obnoxious. Who makes such a big stink over not getting a famous person to write on a piece of paper for you? There's more important things in life to gripe about.

Both you and the annoying man are right in a way. But i would agree with you more. Personally although Mr Cullen seemed be a good sport, this is BotCon07, probably the best BotCon ever and a big deal for alot of people.

Once i went to meet Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and he was only hired to sign autographs for 1 hour. However alot of people turned up and he stayed there until everyone person had an autograph...nearly 6 hours!

See, now that's something I don't agree with. Everyone should get the chance to get an autograph, and the peopel who just come in should get something too, considering they may not have HAD the funds to preorder. Besides, people who register get a set of figures anyways, don't they?

Damolisher wrote:See, now that's something I don't agree with. Everyone should get the chance to get an autograph, and the peopel who just come in should get something too, considering they may not have HAD the funds to preorder. Besides, people who register get a set of figures anyways, don't they?

You don't understand.

They had Mr. Cullen running all around the convention. Hasbro was keeping him pretty busy while he was there.

When he was signing, he signed for longer than the allotted time. Not only that, but the few times I saw him in the halls and people stopped him, he was very generous and gave autographs and pictures, no problem.

If you weren't there, you can't understand how folks would come after the guy. Most people were very curtious, but some were very much 'freaking out' and taking up too much of his time.

As for the general admission people...

They get the panels and the showfloor. That's what $10 or $50 bucks gets you, a chance with no promises.

But still, the panel folks were awesome. I know for sure that David Kaye took some people out to lunch and Stan Bush was as cool as he could be. No blame or bad will should be directed at any of those people.

Counterpunch wrote:

Damolisher wrote:See, now that's something I don't agree with. Everyone should get the chance to get an autograph, and the peopel who just come in should get something too, considering they may not have HAD the funds to preorder. Besides, people who register get a set of figures anyways, don't they?

You don't understand.

They had Mr. Cullen running all around the convention. Hasbro was keeping him pretty busy while he was there.

When he was signing, he signed for longer than the allotted time. Not only that, but the few times I saw him in the halls and people stopped him, he was very generous and gave autographs and pictures, no problem.

If you weren't there, you can't understand how folks would come after the guy. Most people were very curtious, but some were very much 'freaking out' and taking up too much of his time.

Exactly why I don't have any ill will toward Cullen or Botcon in general. I would have killer carpal tunnel if I had to sign my name for over 2 hours. I even saw him sign 2 WST Primes that one guy brought, it must have really hurt to write such tiny signatures.

And my point about general admission and autographs is that there was no way that Cullen could sign autographs for everyone in the time alotted. It is just physically impossible. I don't have attendance numbers, but just for the sake of this example let's say that there were at least one thousand preregisters. In order to sign that many autographs in 2 hours, he would have had to see the people, sign 2 pieces and get his picture taken with them in less than 7 seconds. So it's pretty obvious that there was no way he could get to everyone preregistered, let alone general admission. All I am saying is that people that paid $100-$280 should have a better chance than people that paid only $10.

And those $10 people still get alot for their money with the panels and dealers room. Heck, they could have spent the whole day in the video/courtesy room and ate $10 worth of food. My point is they are getting their money's worth already. I am not saying that we preregistered need guaranteed autographs, but we do deserve a better chance than someone that only paid $10. Course, I probably wouldn't even feel this way so strongly if that $10 guy hadn't been such an annoyance.

i know the guy your talking about. he was sitting by me for a good while. im glad he went to follow somebody else and left me alone. he wasnt gonna be happy untill he shook peter cullens hand. as if i wasnt bummed enough about missing the autograph, but thats another story for another thread.

I've met a few famous people and I don't have autographs of any of them... I have pictures

Seriously though conventions really aren't the best place to meet famous people anyway because there's tons of other people around who are hopeing to meet the same person and chances are he or she will have to sit through tons of people who go completly insane and imbarass themselfs in frount of said famous person.

It's much better to met someone by chance when it's just you and them and maybe a few other people who won't completly flip out. They're much more responsive when they haven't been sitting around dealing with insane people all day.

Just to list, I've met one of the producers of Back to the Future several times actully. Parts of the movie were filmed near me and her son actully went to school with me.

Larry Franco, the man who produced Jarrasic Park and the Hulk just to name a few, graduated from the same high school I went to. One of his class mates was one of my teachers and I ended up having to do a report on him. We spoke through e-mail and he was even kind enough to come to town and meet me in person. Even mentioned he was asked to be producer for "Batman Begines" but was still deciding weather or not he wanted to do it.

That same year, Jason Alexander was at my school for a benifit concert the school does every year. And this was a verry funny story, his agent actully told us we couldn't be in our class room (this was 5th period Drama Class, the class room was the green room in the auditorium where the concert was going to be) We started class outside on the steps in frount of the building and about 2 min. later Jason walks up appoligising to our teacher, his agent was never told to kick a class out of their room. We spent the rest of the class period outside with Jason asking him questions about his career. And of course, this was a Drama Class, filled with inspireing actors, we all knew he was no different than any of us so we just calmly spoke to him as if he were... our teacher... and he sorta was for that day.

And then I've met Cissie Cameron and Reb Brown. Cisse was actully in a play at SRT, Bell, Book, and Candle, she played Aunt Queeny. Her husban Reb Brown was in an old TV Movie of Captain America, he was Captain America. Both of them were verry nice and Cissie was a pleasure to work with back stage. She played a crazy character somewhat like the aunt from "Bewitched" but not as clumsy.

meh, the $150 or so for basic pre-reg killed botcon for me, otherwise i'd agree with the OP, if i had gone, i'd expect more oppertunities than the guys who paid $10

WOW, if I realized how early in the summer Botcon was, I would have gone. Definitely going next year.

People that pay $10 to get in should not have the same opportunity for autographs as people that paid $100-$300.

If you have more money, you're more of a fan, apparently.

Complaining is the right of all sentient beings.

Basketball Jones wrote:

People that pay $10 to get in should not have the same opportunity for autographs as people that paid $100-$300.

If you have more money, you're more of a fan, apparently.

Complaining is the right of all sentient beings.

This is the first post I've seen in here that I've somewhat agreed with.

It seems to be the order of things that the more money you have/pay the more power you have. The truth of the matter is that's highly unfair to the people who can't afford the $300+ to go to Botcon IE the guy who paid $10. And honestly they shouldn't even have prices that dramtically different from eachother. Everyone should be allowed the same chances and pay the same addmition. Only the travel fees should be any different (gas, food, and places to sleep if appicable) They shouldn't force anyone to pay the $300+ in advance at all, everyone should just pay like $30 at the door and that's it. (You can still pay in advance but shouldn't cost extra.)

Haveing said all that none of this gives anyone the right to sit there and complain to any random person who happens to be there and then start stalking them. I don't care how unfairly he or I thought he was treated he still didn't have the right to do that and you actully could of had him arrested for that. (not the standing in line complaining but the following you around Botcon afterwards. That's a stalker.)

Basketball Jones wrote:

People that pay $10 to get in should not have the same opportunity for autographs as people that paid $100-$300.

If you have more money, you're more of a fan, apparently.

Complaining is the right of all sentient beings.

Why does it always have to be a rich vs. poor thing. I never said that I was more of a fan than him because I paid $300 and he paid $10. I am not a rich person, I grew up in a relatively poor family, we didn't have much, but we had a roof over our heads. Even now I struggle with money, having to financially take care of my disabled mother. But even she told me that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I should go. So I scrounged and saved since September to get the money.

So after all that hard work to get the money together, I do believe that I earned a bigger right to an autograph than someone that pays only $10.

And, wrong as it may be, in this society people are treated as bigger fans if they have more money to spend. Many TF sites have "featured collectors" that are people with huge collections, which they paid huge amounts of money for. Do these sites ever feature a fan that could only afford a few pieces? No. So these sites are saying that the more you have, the bigger fan you are.

Also, it should be noted that if it wasn't for the people paying $300 each, BotCon could have never afforded to get Cullen there to begin with. So him being there is because of us, not the $10 people.

Saber Prime wrote:Haveing said all that none of this gives anyone the right to sit there and complain to any random person who happens to be there and then start stalking them. I don't care how unfairly he or I thought he was treated he still didn't have the right to do that and you actully could of had him arrested for that. (not the standing in line complaining but the following you around Botcon afterwards. That's a stalker.)

The only problem with logging a formal complaint is that I live near the convention and he might have been able to find out I made the complaint and come looking for me. Considering how he was acting, he was definitely unstable to begin with and I don't want him coming anywhere near my family. Of course if he had been physically abusive in any way I would have had him arrested.