Assignment Earth

Well, once again I don’t consider any of these ‘B’ celebrities, because if they’re interesting to me they’re on my ‘A’ list.

I was on my way to the Dallas Comic Con; excited to be indulging in a child hood hobby and excited that I lived in an area I could exercise that little used part of my life.   Before I made this trek this day, the people I’d told about it to, had chided me and had mockingly suggested I get Chewbacca’s autograph. (Not knowing he was really going to be there – it was just the cattiest thing my brother’s could say in light of my recent Frank Gorshin encounters) And with that challenge…I decided I would.

Most of the Star Trek TNG cast was there save for Patrick Stewart.   I took great delight in getting as close to them at their signing tables and walking right past them.   I wasn’t interested then or now in getting their autographs.   They weren’t my heroes.  Sorry, not my show.   It was the original show for me.  And as I made my ceremonious boycotting walk past them I turned around and seated right behind me was Peter Mayhew – Chewbacca himself.

Now there was someone worth my time.  One of the nicest most sincere people I’d ever met.  Talks a bit like, in my opinion, Alfred Hitchcock.   We chatted a while.   Turns out he lives in Granbury, TX with his wife. And aside from doing conventions has settled into a quiet life of making furniture.   Good soul.   Nice person.   As he put it to me…“I’ve finally found a place…where I belong.”

I can respect that.

‘A’ Lister to me.   Take that, doubters and nay sayers.

An "A' Lister to me

I next, talked to Kevin Conroy who voiced Batman on the popular cartoon of the 90’s, and Arleen Sorkin who voiced Harley Quinn, The Joker’s sidekick in those same cartoons.

Kevin Conroy was a nice guy, a Juliard acting school grad, who had what some actors would be envious of….a niche in a field and genre that many would love to be in.  As a person interested in voices, we talked about how he kept that gruff, low delivery (because he doesn’t speak that way in real life) throughout a recording session.   He admitted it was rough at first until he learned ways to do it differently.  We spoke of our mutual admiration of Mark Hamill’s voice work on other characters and the Joker to his Batman.   Talk about voice work.   His Joker has range.  Kevin Conroy may not have been on stage doing “Streetcar Named Desire” or whatever… but he was working.

I can respect that.  And …’A’ Lister to me.

I’d first become aware of Arleen Sorkin in ’84.  She played Calliope Jones on ‘Days of Our Lives’ which I was watching back in high school to have something  in common with the frenchhorn section at school I was interested in.  And when I say I was interested – I really was interested in them all.   I called them my harem, as we spent a lotta lunches and Friday nights going out.   Did any of that get me anywhere?   Not really, or very superficially.   However, I kept up with ‘Days’ off and on for a few years after that.

Arleen Sorkin was/is a beautiful woman and she smelled great too ( I remember that – and for that alone – ‘A’ Lister to me.)   She was also very nice…kind of shy even.   I remember her years ago on some comedy show where she had an act with two other girls called “Three ladies in high heels”…or something.   The act was forgettable but she wasn’t.  She’s a kind of  fun, quirky personality with a unique voice.   On ‘Days of our Lives’ she played “Calliope Jones”  – a weirdo eccentric who never really seemed to have any purpose on the show, other than to be weird.

She was the love interest to a character named Eugene played by John DeLancie, who later to my surprise, went on to star as the villain ‘Q’ on the new Star Trek a few years later.   Eugene, also an incredible weirdo on the show, also seemed to serve no purpose.   He was at the convention too that day by the way, and no – I didn’t get his autograph either.  I respect the fact that his father played oboe with the Philadelphia orchestra, but even as he may be ‘Q’ to TNG fans,  he’s still Eugene to me.

Arleen Sorkin, Kevin Conroy - 'A' Listers and me